A Long Walk Home Ch. 17

He turned his gaze to his Alpha. "It would make more sense if I go on ahead while the pack organises itself. I can provide additional backup for Freya."

"Go." Rafe's tone was terse as he gave him permission. Two Ancients against three vampires were better odds and meant they had a good chance of Dayton remaining safe until they could get to him. He wasn't averse to using the best tools for the job, as he'd once had to remind Jared when he'd still been his Alpha.

Nors vanished in an instant and Rafe back turned to the waiting group. "Aaron, I need you to protect the compound. I know you want to help your brother but we set up our defence plan so it would ensure the pack's safety. If I fall then you become Alpha. I'm placing my family's lives in your hands. Do whatever is required to keep them safe."

Aaron didn't balk at his instructions even though he wanted to protect his brother. He knew the responsibility being placed on him was huge, that sometimes pack had to come before family. Rafe would do his best to bring Dayton home safely. He nodded to his Alpha once, touched Cedar's cheek gently and gave her a brief smile. Then he turned and headed back to the Alpha's house without a backward glance.

"Alexei said it would take him and Andrei about fifteen minutes to get here," Cedar told her Alpha. "That was a few minutes ago so they shouldn't be long." She'd called her mate at The Council headquarters as soon as the alert had gone out.

Rafe nodded. "Remember, three wolves to one vampire. Use the trees to hide your movements as much as possible. Don't make me have to come home minus any pack members today." His words were curt but there was a wealth of emotion underneath the surface. This was his first real challenge as Alpha and he didn't want to lose any people. He didn't want anyone's death on his conscience.

"Oh, remember to look up too," Loretta added. "Vampires are sneaky bastards and like to drop down from the trees." Despite the seriousness of the situation she couldn't help her lips curling slightly at the memory of learning that important lesson herself. She still hadn't paid Andrei back for that.

"Shift."

Twelve large wolves appeared beside the community centre at the Alpha's command. The largest of them growled low in its chest, fury in the sound as the Alpha streaked into the trees, the others a fraction of a second behind him.

*****

"Dayton, wolves don't climb trees, do they?"

He blinked slowly at Freya. She hadn't turned to face him but her body had stiffened noticeably. "Not as a general rule, that's more cat territory."

She glanced back then for a moment and the expression on her face chilled his blood. "Up, now." It was a hissed command and one that had him moving instantly. Wolves might not like to climb but the man had done so many times as he was growing up. The vampires had to be on the move.

"They're less likely to look up," she whispered, moving silently beside him as she followed him up the large tree. Her movements were economical and graceful. She was at home in the trees as Rayne was. "Stay as high as you can. I'm going to have to distract them."

He didn't like the sound of that. His wolf was growling deep inside him. "Freya."

She gave him a push higher until he was perched on a thick branch shielded by a dense canopy of leaves. She stood on the branch below and slightly to the right of him. It brought them eyelevel. Her black eyes didn't faze him. He knew it meant she was tapping into her beast and that made her lethal.

"This is my world, Dayton, it's what I know. You said sometimes a mate has to concede to the dominance of the other when the situation calls for it. This is just such a situation."

He wanted to protest, the Beta inside him clawing to get out and protect his mate, but he knew she was right as she deftly turned his words around on him. His grip on her nape was hard as he pulled her into a desperate kiss, his lips grinding ruthlessly against hers. "Don't you fucking dare leave me, Freya Eriksson."

Her expression softened, some of her feral nature slipping away as she touched his cheek lightly. "If I told you how many times someone's tried to kill me over the centuries the rest of your hair would turn silver, wolf," she smiled softly. "I have much more reason to live now than I ever did then. I will not leave you, Dayton. Not ever."

He believed her and it lessened his fear slightly. He kissed her again, softer this time, showing his vampire how much he loved her and how vital it was for her to return safely to him. She returned his kiss with one that soothed him a little more.

"Stay silent," she breathed against his mouth. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

With that, she was gone, moving at vampire speed from his tree into the next one. He managed to track her that far and then she just disappeared from his line of sight. He couldn't stop the fear rising up inside him despite her words. Feeling helpless when danger was close was not an experience he was used to dealing with but he had to trust that she knew what she was doing. They needed to buy time for the pack to arrive.

Freya swung effortlessly through the trees trying hard not to turn back towards her wolf. It was shocking to realise just how unnatural it felt leaving him alone. While she understood the concept of him being her mate, the actual reality of it was frightening. He was quite simply the most important thing in her world now. If she ever lost him it would kill her and she could now understand how he felt at losing Faith.

She didn't have time to examine the confusing emotions running through her though. The vampires had become impatient and were trying to track her wolf. It was time to take them out of the game so Dayton would be safe once more.

She came upon the first one from above. They were almost directly across from the tree her wolf was in and she wondered if they were in his line of sight. What she was about to do wasn't going to be pretty and she wasn't so sure she wanted him to see her like that.

Sure, he was a wolf and had his own feral side but when she truly let go and surrendered to the beast within her, she was nothing short of vicious. Would he change his mind about mating with her if he saw her like that?

There was no time to debate the issue. The vampire was starting to swing towards Dayton's direction and she silently dropped from the tree with her talons extended. She severed his vocal chords before he even realised she was above him. Landing on his back, she twisted her hands effortlessly.

It was almost an anti-climax when his head came away and she lowered his corpse to the ground. She wanted a fight, someone to lash out at her so she could vent the fury deep within her. Instead she was facing idiots who were so young and inexperienced it made it doubly embarrassing that she'd allowed them to get the drop on her in the first place.

Freya shook her head in disgust, moving instantly to slide back into the trees as she tracked her next prey. He was a large vampire, older than the one she'd just dispatched. He covered his position well, proving he had a bit more intelligence than the last one. He was still no match for an Ancient though.

She tracked soundlessly, rolling to the right when he sensed her and swung his gun up instinctively. She wrenched the weapon from his hand as she came up behind him. Her talons buried in his lower back, severing his spine and causing his legs to give way. Her next blow crushed his windpipe temporarily so he couldn't cry out. "Didn't your mama ever tell you not to play with guns?" she hissed in his ear.

The hatred in his eyes made her smile. He knew he was bested and his life was over. She wanted to play with him a little more but knew there was a third out there that she had to take care of. Her talons bit deep, ruthlessly severing his head from his shoulders in a spray of blood. She managed to avoid most of it but some splashed against her already soaked top.

A familiar scent hit her and some of the tension eased from her body as she headed towards the last known position of the third vampire. She knew what she would find when she got there so she wasn't surprised to see the huge vampire just in the process of dropping the severed head of the third attacker to the ground.

Deep green eyes met hers before quickly running over her body. "I take it your wolf is in better shape than you are?" Nors asked drolly though his tone did contain a measure of relief.

"Nothing a hot bath won't cure," she smiled slowly waving a hand over her bloody apparel. The damage to the vampire at their feet was extensive and yet not a speck of blood touched her brother's expensive suit. She, on the other hand, looked like she'd just bathed in blood.

Nors' attention focused on the trees behind her for a moment and then he turned back. "There were more of them but they've left the area. We need to report back to Rafe and organise sweeps of the area."

Freya's alert gaze swept through the trees, looking for any sign that they'd missed one. "You're sure they're gone? I won't risk my wolf, Nors."

The smile that crossed her brother's face was both pleased and also teasing. "Welcome to my world, sister." There was a wealth of emotion in his voice, a sparkle in his eyes as he surveyed her carefully.

She met his gaze her expression softening into something he'd never seen before. "It's such a beautiful world," she whispered, awe in her voice.

His smile widened and he reached out and cupped her cheek gently, ignoring the drying blood. "I'm so happy you can see that now, Freya. That's all I've ever wanted for you."

She watched him silently for a moment, hearing the words he didn't speak in the undercurrent of pain in his tone. Freya turned her head slightly, kissed the palm of his hand. "Dayton told me the past can't be changed but the future is ours to shape how we want it to be. He's very smart, for a wolf."

Nors breathed in deeply. His sister had grown, moved on and now had someone to call hers. Her quiet words gave him absolution. Her happiness gave him the forgiveness he'd so longed for. They didn't need to say the actual words; they both knew what they were really talking about.

"Yes, he is a very smart wolf," he breathed softly. "A good mate for you."

Talking of Dayton had her eyes going back to where she'd left him. The scent of wolves was strong on the air signalling the pack had arrived. "We'd better get back. Your Alpha will have lots of questions." She turned to move away but he held her back a moment.

"You do know Rafe will be your Alpha too when you mate fully with Dayton?"

She froze, her eyes narrowing at the news. She hadn't thought of it. She knew she would be tied to Dayton which meant she would be tied to the pack but she hadn't considered how that would come about.

She could see the huge Alpha now entering the clearing. He had shifted to human form, walking around in his bare skin as if he was fully clothed. This man would have power over her. He was already ordering her about as if he had a right to. His actions so far had infuriated her beyond bearing.

Dayton dropped from the tree to land beside his Alpha and she growled softly at him doing so without getting the all clear from her. She watched them speak together as she'd watched them previously in the library. It was clear that her mate respected the big man, trusted him.

She let out a long slow breath. She would be expected to toe the line, accept orders from Rafe Hanlon. She didn't know if she could do so. Bending was not in her nature though she had managed to contain herself under Rafe's disapproval in the library but only because Dayton had been there.

Her choice was simple, to accept her mate's world or to be alone again. It should have been an easy decision but it wasn't. She wanted Dayton in her life forever but she didn't know if she could accept the limitations being placed on her to have him.

It struck her that this wasn't something she would have to agonise over alone. She could talk to her wolf about her concerns. Together they could work out a way to be together that they both could live with. A decision didn't have to be made right this very instant.

"Come. We need to let the pack know what has transpired." She began walking across the clearing, towards the wolf that was turning in her direction, his deep blue eyes shining as she approached.

Rafe frowned as he saw the state Freya was in. It was obvious she'd healed from whatever wounds she'd taken but the blood covering her was a testament to what she'd suffered to keep Dayton safe. Her eyes were fixed to her mate and Dayton was striding to meet her the last distance, pulling her tightly into his arms.

Nors reached his side as he watched the couple embrace. He turned to look at him. "I don't suppose you left anyone alive?" He knew it was a futile hope that they had. Freya's bloodlust would have been sparked because her mate was threatened, Nors' because his sister had been.

"Sorry, Rafe. Freya had already taken out two of them and the third was training a sniper rifle at her head. I couldn't let her be hurt any more. She's been through enough." For all he apologised Nors' words were cold and hard.

The Alpha let out a frustrated growl and turned back to look at Freya and Dayton. "So we have no idea what the fuck the vampires were doing here in the first place and if they intend to come back and hurt the pack?"

Freya was so relieved that Dayton was holding her, that he was healed from the damage she'd inflicted to protect him, she was only vaguely aware of Rafe and Nors' conversation until the Alpha let out his growl. She stiffened in her mate's arms. "I fucked up," she whispered for his ears only. "I didn't think of the pack, that it was vital to get some intelligence from the vampires."

His lips brushed her temple, his hand stroking her hair lightly. "There's no denying it would have been helpful to know why they attacked, honey, but sometimes a situation moves so fast it's not always possible to think of the bigger picture. And you're still new to having to think about the pack as part of your family."

She understood his reasoning but she still knew she'd fucked up. She'd let her feral nature dominate her, her need to kill the vampires more important than anything else. It was a clear sign that she wasn't cut out for pack life and her eyes met Rafe's as she slipped from Dayton's embrace and turned to face the Alpha.

"I was angry they endangered Dayton's life and I'm used to dealing with incidents swiftly. I won't apologise for protecting him. If that makes you angry, wolf, then so be it." Her tone was irresolute as she waited for the big man to berate her actions. She wouldn't back down even as she heard Dayton's sharply indrawn breath at her tone.

Rafe regarded her intently for a long moment. It took him a long time to speak because he wasn't quite sure how to deal with her. He was pissed they didn't have anyone alive to question and yet he understood the rage that came over someone whose mate was endangered. He'd been there himself.

He had to find some way to integrate Freya into his pack or he was going to lose Dayton. He was under no illusions the other man would leave the pack again if it was the only way to keep his mate. But he still needed her to know that she couldn't just act on her own without thinking.

"Your actions endangered the pack, Freya. Now we have no way of knowing why the vampires attacked in the first place. You chose vengeance over intelligence. You'd better learn quickly to change that otherwise next time it could be someone you love that dies because we're unprepared for what's coming our way."

She hissed at him, fangs bared at the verbal slap down but he didn't back down, his expression turning hard. "I don't care if you like what I'm saying or not. If you can't think past your own needs then think of your brother's. If the pack gets attacked then it could be your family that suffers for it. Ashleigh, Liam, all the other children we should be protecting."

Her eyes turned black with fury at the mention of any danger befalling her family. Talons clicked loudly and both Nors and Dayton took a step forward but Rafe waved them away, refusing to drop his gaze from the furious vampire in front of him. She had to respect him and for that to happen he had to prove that he was strong enough to stand up to her.

Freya wanted to hurt the wolf. God, she craved to sink her talons into his chest and hurt him so bad he'd never again talk to her as he just had. He should have been terrified of her and yet there was no scent of fear from him. That confused her and made her think, made her realise that she was plotting serious harm to a man that her brother and her mate cared greatly for.

Her feral nature subsided instantly. Her gaze was still angry but she knew she couldn't hurt the Alpha, remembered her own words to Dayton about how she'd fucked up. The wolf was only repeating what she already knew. He was right and it was hard to admit that. She could have kept one of them alive to interrogate them for information, if she'd been thinking, instead of reacting.

"Fine," she managed to grind out. "I should have controlled myself." The acknowledgement felt as if it was being ripped out of her but she knew it was the right thing to do because both Nors and Dayton relaxed slightly.

Rafe continued to watch her for another long moment, relieved she'd backed down. "Mistakes happen," he finally said running his eyes over her again. "You'll know better the next time. Head back to the compound and get cleaned up before we give the all clear and the kids come out of the tunnels."

He turned to Nors. "Organise sweeps of the area, make sure they didn't leave anyone behind and then clear up the mess. We'll regroup back at the house and debrief once we're sure it's safe for the moment."

As the rest of the pack headed off with Nors to do his bidding, Rafe watched Dayton come to stand beside his mate, his arm going around her protectively. She relaxed a bit more, leaning into the other man as her fury lowered another notch.

Despite what he's said to her, Rafe knew she was making a huge effort. Given time and a complete mating with Dayton, he had hope that she would settle down and be the huge asset to the pack that he knew she could be.

His expression softened. "We might not know why they were here but ultimately Dayton was protected and the pack too by neutralising the threat of the vampires. I know this isn't easy for you and I may come down hard on you from time to time but if you want to, you can do this, Freya."

She appeared surprised by his words but she relaxed even more and his eyes met Dayton's and he saw gratitude in them as well as a deeper level of acceptance. The lost Alexander brother was finally accepting that he was pack.

"You two will have about an hour to check each other out for any injuries. Then I expect to see you downstairs for a debriefing. I'd suggest you make the most of the time."

Rafe almost laughed out loud at the speed the two of them took off into the trees. They needed the time together to reassure themselves they were both okay. He had enough people out doing the sweeps and he wasn't willing to sound the all clear until he'd checked out the area himself.

He turned as Alexei and Andrei arrived, quickly giving them a briefing and then shifting back to wolf form to begin his own sweep. The attack on his people infuriated him. He would find out what the fuck was going on and then he would ensure that it didn't happen again. No one was going to hurt his pack.

To be continued...