Page 6 of The Blood Wolf

Astrid was already heading their way with another platter. "Jah, I know, she's still hungry. She's healed but underfed. Don't worry, my grumpyjarl. I'll fix it."

Sometimes, it was uncanny how fast her precognition worked. Thor gave her a nod, letting her pass. It was better if a woman was around Nicola than any of his other wargs. He wasn't in his right mind and didn't want to get into a brawl because some other male looked at her too long. It was a good thing only the three wargs and Nicola were in residence.

Bjorn had been in the city, finding information on what the wolves were doing. Thor sat down on a bench beside the hearth fire at the center of the hall, and Bjorn pushed a mug of ale in his hands.

"Drink this. You will feel better," the bear said and sat down on the bench beside him. "Skål."

"Skål," Thor replied, tapping his mug against Bjorn's and taking a long drink of the blood-laced mead. "Tell me what you found out."

"She is Nicola Markides. The old alpha's daughter."

"She told me. What else?"

"Rumor has always been that the princess was all but promised by her father to a wolf called Kaleb. When the old wolf died about six months ago, Kaleb fought to be alpha. He won the fights, and the Markides Pack became the Pateras Pack, but hewanted to legitimize it more by getting Nicola to marry and mate him," Bjorn replied, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "She rejected him, and then she just disappeared about eight weeks ago. No one outside of the pack knew about it. They have been keeping it quiet."

"It's because they are the ones that locked her up," Thor growled.

Bjorn studied him carefully. "You know that she's forbidden, and keeping her here will mean you not only piss off the Blood Lords, but the wolves will make war to get her back."

"I don't give a fuck about vampire politics or that the wolves think we are all abominations." Thor rubbed a hand over his face and forced the words out. "She's my fucking mate."

Bjorn choked on his mead. "Are you sure? I know you gave her some of your blood, but..."

"Iknow, Bjorn. I can feel the bond. It's why her scent drives me fucking crazy. It's why her wolf brought her here." Thor stared at the fire. "It's why I'll burn down all Inferno to keep her."

"Let's hope it doesn't get that bad. I know we can fight just about anything, but I have my doubts about going against the dragons."

Thor grunted. He didn't want to piss them off either. If it got bad enough, he would throw her over one shoulder and take her to a remote place in Norway. He liked that idea a lot.

Thor had another drink. "Kaleb is also up to something, and Nicola knows what. I think her discovering the full plan would jeopardize whatever Kaleb is planning with his pack, and it's one of the reasons he locked her up. If she mated with him, it would be a promise to keep his secrets. The pack must be divided because a threat like that, you kill. You don't imprison."

"You're right. They must have a division in the ranks. It doesn't matter that old Markides is dead. Nicola is still theirprincess," Bjorn mused. "We might be able to use that against them when the time comes. Should I summon the family from the North?"

Thor shook his head. "Not yet. Not until I know what I'm up against."

"If it comes to a fight, and it will, they will be grumpy to miss it," Bjorn chuckled. "How long do you think it will take before the wolves start sending emissaries?"

Thor lifted his mug to his lips. "Unless he's a complete idiot, the pup will send someone in the next few days. He will look like a coward if he leaves it any longer."

"He's a good fighter from what I hear," Bjorn mused.

"Doesn't matter. He's still a dead man." Thor drained his ale. "He just doesn't know it yet."

6

Nicola didn't know how long she slept amongst the soft blankets and furs. She hadn't felt safe since her father had died. Her mother had died when she was a baby. She had no one else in the world.

How different would her life have been if she had been born a boy? She would've challenged the right to inherit the pack, no matter how strong of an alpha she was. But she had been born a woman and taught to serve. It grated on her for her entire life. Her father was traditional, and she was allowed only so much freedom.

After he passed, she was still above any suspicion. No one suspected when she was making quiet inquiries on Kaleb and the pack's movements.

Being the old alpha's daughter had still carried weight with non-wolves as well because they didn't realize that, politically, she was now closest to the lowest of the low.

That would have changed if she had agreed to mate with Kaleb. She had thought about it before she had learned the truth of what he was doing, but she couldn't bring herself to accepthim. He was a good-looking guy and proof that something rotten could wear the face of an angel.

Nicola couldn't bear the thought of him touching her, no matter how good of a political match. Whenever they had been around him, her skin had constantly crawled, and her wolf was uneasy.

It was a wonder that she didn't feel the same with Thor. He was meant to be the monster in the night. It had been hammered into her that the wargs were abominations, no matter that they traded with them and did what they could to keep the peace. The fact they were also vampires made them scum to wolves. And yet, they had been kind to her. Thor didn't frighten her in the slightest. In fact, she wanted to curl up to him and bask in the unseen power that radiated from him.