Chapter 18

Blake stared at her back with a large smile.  She was here, and not only that, she looked like she was ready to pop at any moment.  Glancing over at Isaac, he noticed the large grin on the man’s face.  Blake may have been excited to see Ally, but Isaac had a smile for a different reason.

When he had run towards the woods, he knew who was waiting for him, but Isaac was running in blind.  Too bad the man didn’t think about who he was sneaking up on.  Isaac had attempted to come behind Ally, thinking that she was a threat, but she didn’t even let him get in touching distance before she made her move.  Blake let out a tiny laugh as he remembered the shocked expression on Isaac’s face as the man was slammed onto his back, the shifter blade digging into his throat.

Blake had to promise Ally that Isaac was no threat, had to tell her how he had helped them in their journey before she finally stood and held her hand out for him to take.  Since then, Isaac seemed to be in an unusually happy mood.  Blake did not know what was going through the man’s mind, but he had a feeling it had something to do with Ally or the two shifters next to her. Even from behind, the sight of the three of them was frightening.  This was what it was to be a leader, and someday, maybe Blake could become part of that.

“I hate when they stare,” Ally mumbled to her left.

The large snow leopard nodded its head before sweeping his gaze across those whose eyes were on Ally.  Immediately, almost everyone’s eyes turned in a different direction.  Ally ran her hand through Zeke’s fur.  “You didn’t have to do that.  I’m going to have to get used to it sometime soon.”

Seb bumped her side, taking her attention off Zeke.  She looked down on him with a large smile.  “Well, if you were a human, it would be easier.”

Blake didn’t know what Sebastian had told her, but her answer was enough for him to shift.  Standing there, Blake watched one of the fastest shifts he had ever seen.  It looked like being mated was good for the two of them.  Sebastian did not hesitate to grab her and pull her into his arms.  Although she was at his side, he kept his head forward.

“Blake,” Ally said while glancing over her shoulder.  “Do you want to introduce me?  I really want to get to know this Amaya.”

A flush flew across his face causing Ally’s grin to widen.  He shook his head at her.  “It can’t happen.”

Something flashed in her eyes.  “If you’re mates, it will happen.  I don’t care what kind of war it starts, it will happen.”

“Ally-” he started only to be cut off by her.

“It’s non-negotiable.  I want my people happy, no matter what the cost.”

Blake opened his mouth again, but Zeke turned his head in his direction.  The leopard gave him a smile that scared the hell out of him.  Nodding, he decided to keep his mouth shut.  There was no way that he was going to try to find out what that smile meant.

“Zeke, leave him alone.”

“Alex,” Seb said, “remember our talk.”

“Fine,” she said with a huff.  “I’ll stop babying him.”

Blake narrowed his eyes at the two of him.  He had a strong feeling that their conversation had been about him.  Did Ally really baby him?  Who was he kidding?  The answer was yes.  She never took him on battles, no matter how small they were.  She never sent him to do anything that may cause him the least bit harm.  His eyes narrowed further.  “Why are you here?”

“We’ll talk about it when your lion friend isn’t around.”

“Hey,” Isaac said with a large smile, “I can keep a secret.”

“So can I,” Ally answered while walking towards the group of people.  “I like her Blake.”

Blake had no doubt of who she was talking about. “You’re not my mom, Ally.  I don’t care if you like her.”

Her body stiffened, both Seb and Zeke turned and growled at him.  Shit, what did he do now?  “He’s right,” Ally told the two of them, but he could still see the stiffness in her shoulders.  “He’s not my kid; he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants.  I need to be reminded that sometimes.”

Her acceptance made guilt hit him.  So, he was being a jerk, but what they had both said was true.  Letting out a sigh, he looked up at the group of snow leopards.  They all wore glares on their face, even Amaya glared at him as if he had committed the worse crime.  Ally had already won them over, and she had only been there for a minute.

Ally pulled away from Seb and took a step towards Amaya.  Blake was ready to step between the two, when a large smile spread across Amaya’s face.  “Alexandria!”

“Amaya,” Ally said with a laugh.  “It’s been a while since I’ve spoken to you.”

“A couple days at most.”

Ally shook her head and began walking towards Amaya.  Blake just stood there as the two of them hugged and talked to one another.  Seb turned in his direction.  His eyes flashed at Blake, reminding him that Seb wasn’t just a human mix, he was King, and he had taken that role in stride.  “You hurt her feelings, Blake.  She sent you here for your best interest, she even has Korbin waiting back at the hotel for you to visit with, and you hurt her feelings.  Be lucky that you’re her bond mate, because I would have killed you.”

“I’m sorry,” Blake mumbled.

Seb shrugged.  “I’m being hard on you because I love her.  Don’t let the guilt eat you up.  Now,” Seb said while motioning behind him, “you wanted to be left alone?  Try earning back all the respect without her help.  You forget that Ally does a lot for a lot of people.”

With those words, Sebastian turned away from him.  Zeke looked in his direction before sauntering after their King.  A hand smacked his shoulder.  “Way to go, big guy.  You really know how to muck something up.”

“Shut up, Isaac,” he growled.

Isaac let go of his shoulder, and raised his hands with a large smile. “Hey, I’m just trying to help.  Just remember, when women are pregnant, their emotions are haywire.  Don’t be surprised if she holds a grudge.”

Turning, Isaac took off running towards Ally and the rest of the people who had crowded around her. 

Amaya held her friend close, being careful not to hug her too tightly.  Alexandria let out a sigh.  “You know, even though we’ve only talked on the phone, I feel like you’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”

“She’s your only friend that is a girl,” Seb said with a laugh while pulling them apart.  Even though Amaya couldn’t see them, she knew that Alexandria was cuddled into Seb’s arms.

“She’s still my friend.”

“Wait,” Sydney said, “you’ve never actually met one another, but you’re this close.”

“Yep,” Amaya told the lion with a nod. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think the Queen has something she needs to say to me in private.”

Alexandria let out a groan.  “I wish you would quit calling me that, but you’re right.  Come on, Zeke will make sure nobody disturbs us.”

“What about Sebastian?” Amaya asked, already knowing the answer.

“I come with the two of you,” he told her.  “If you honestly think I would let Alex go anywhere without me, then you aren’t as smart as I thought.”

“Quit being cranky,” the Queen said while walking towards the large building that housed their homeless.  “She’s not trying to separate us; she was asking a question.”

Amaya followed the sound of her footsteps, and she knew Alexandria was making them loud for her benefit.  The King though, it sounded as if he had never learned the art of walking quietly.   She listened to the door open, and the sound of them entering the building.

Amaya stepped in behind them.  Reaching back to close the door, she waited for it to shut before speaking.  “I haven’t heard any news of Evelyn.  I thought you said she wouldn’t be coming this way.”

“I didn’t think she would.  It’s why I sent Blake this way.  I thought that you would have time to train him before a war broke out.”

“Why not get Zeke to do it?”

“Blake fears him; he would never learn to get over that fear and respect him.  To a lot of people, Zeke is this untouchable force.”

Amaya smiled at the description.  Zeke was like that to everyone, except Alexandria.  “I know what you are saying.  Now, tell me why you came here.”

Alexandria let out a laugh.  “See, that’s what I like about you.  No beating around the bush.  You’re like me; you like to get straight to the point.”  She paused before continuing. “I need to leave Korbin here.  I trust Zeke’s men, but not enough to leave him at the cabin.  Marcus is gone; I have no idea where he is.  Zeke, Seb, and I have to find Evelyn in a couple of weeks, and I still have everything else on my plate.  I can’t bring a kid around all the fighting that will be happening in the next few days.”

Amaya reached out and placed her hand on Alexandria’s stomach.  “What about these kids?”

“We’ll be fine. I’ll have the threat dead in a week.  After that, I’ll barricade myself in the cabin and stay there until I have these kids.”

Amaya nodded while pulling her hand away.  “How long are you staying?”

“A couple hours, at the most.  Time is not something that I have a lot of.”

“I noticed.”

Amaya felt the shift in the air.  “Looks like Zeke is getting into some trouble,” Alexandria mumbled.  “I have to go.”

Alexandria's feet ran towards the door; right as she pulled it open, she called over her shoulder.  “It will be nice to have a sister-in-law.”

Amaya waited for the two of them to leave the building before letting out a sigh.  Alexandria was leaving as soon as she had come, but Amaya knew that the Queen was taking too much onto herself.  One of her babies was special; Amaya had felt it when she touched Alexandria’s stomach, and that scared her.  If her new friend wasn’t careful, she would have more to deal with than the time.