Awe and Isnay
by
Annie Nicholas
Orange and pink
light haloed the mountain peaks as the sun rose in the sky. Awe followed the
river winding through the lush green Apisi valley, toward the bend where it
created the border between his pack’s and Ohneka land. Claws digging into the
dirt, he ran with a loping wolf’s gait that ate distance but not energy.
In feral form,
he ran faster than if he stayed in his civil man shape. Unlike his wolf
cousin, Awe still walked on two legs. Shifters appeared like a blend of animal
and man in feral form. The only thing that didn’t change was his eyes. They
stayed amber like his animal cousin in either form.
Awe carried a
backpack with clothes and sweet honey cake taken from the kitchen. He hoped
Isnay had a sweet tooth since he wished to lure her close enough for a possible
kiss. If he hurried, he would be in position before the omegas from the other
pack arrived to do their laundry. Every six days. This was their schedule and
it had taken over his life. He’d even taken two of Vendu’s guard duty spots so the
other wolf shifter would work for him today.
All for a pretty
face who flirted with him over the river currents. His alpha, Sorin, refused to
negotiate for a cross-pack mating when there were eligible females to mate
within the Apisi, but Sorin wouldn’t stop Awe from seeing Isnay on his own
time.
Whatever the
consequences, he just needed to stay on the Apisi side of the river. The Ohneka
hunters couldn’t challenge him for watching.
He trotted along
a narrow path, leading away from the edge of the river’s bank into the dense
vegetation of the forest. The pack slipped easily off his back and onto the
ground. Shifting shape to civil form was painless. He used his trigger memory
and watched as his silver fur retreated into his skin. Joints popped and
muscles realigned until his civil shape was completely restored. It was
dangerous to travel in the forest as a man. He wasn’t as fast or as strong, but
he wanted Isnay to see this form. All the other times she’d flirted, he’d
stayed in feral since he’d been so close to the border.
Smoothing his
long black hair from his face, he braided it with experienced ease and tied it
with a thong. He pulled his worn leather kilt from the bag and adjusted it
around his waist. The late spring air was warm enough for no shirt.
The river
widened here and the currents slowed to a crawl. Smooth stones lined each side
and made it a good place for washing in general. Traditionally, the packs
didn’t use the site at the same time. Too many fights.
The young
branches of the birch trees that lined the other bank bent to the side as Isnay
stepped out of the forest in civil form. Her chestnut hair was parted in the
middle with two braids that fell to her waist. For an omega, she was very shy.
It had taken him many moons to finally get her to acknowledge his existence.
She raised her face to the wind with a smile and set her basket of laundry by
the river.
His heart raced.
She could smell he was close. He stepped out from his hiding spot with the
backpack. “You’re early.” He searched the area around her with both eyes and
nose. The other omegas and their hunter guards were near but still out of
sight.
She narrowed her
eyes and slowed her steps. “Awe?” With
shaky hands, she smoothed away the wrinkles from her dress.
“It’s me.” He
preened as her gaze wandered from his head to his toes then back again. At
least she didn’t scream in horror. One never knew what a shifter’s civil form
would look like when you met them as feral. Even from this distance he could see the
blush blooming on her cheeks.
“You’re
earlier.” She lowered her gaze. Isnay didn’t act as promiscuous as the
Apisi omegas. Her bashfulness only made Awe want to mark her as his even more. Omegas
were the packs’ easy lovers, artists, and caregivers. They eased tension,
especially in the more high strung hunters. A pack would fall to in fighting
without omegas around to distract from dominance games and pack politics. She
glanced over her shoulder. “The others will be here soon.”
He opened his
bag. “I have a present for you.” Pulling out the wrapped honey cake, he stepped
into the river and crossed until the water reached his mid-thigh. He couldn’t
go further or he’d be trespassing on Ohneka land, and their hunters were close.
Getting his ass beaten wasn’t part of his plan.
His alphas had
new pups to care for and their tempers were on short leashes. They would use
his pelt as a pack room rug if he was caught by the Ohneka. Bad enough Peder, one
their omegas, was taken hostage by the Payami last summer. The Apisi couldn’t afford
to pay a ransom for members who were stupid enough to get caught by another
pack. Awe had to play by the rules. For now.
Isnay took a
step forward then glanced over her shoulder again. A visible shiver ran through
her body.
He’d never been
able to tempt her into the water. If an omega crossed territories it wasn’t
considered much of an offense. Pack wars weren’t fought over their gentler brethren.
The rules would be different for Awe. As a pack hunter, he was considered a
weapon. He understood Isnay’s hesitation. There were stories of omegas being
stolen throughout history. Look at what happened to Peder. How could he convince
her of his honest intentions?
She sniffed. “Do
I smell honey?”
He nodded and unwrapped
the cake.
She removed her
moccasins and gathered her skirts above her knees before stepping into the slow-moving
river. This time of the year honey was a scarce commodity. The Apisi had saved
some to celebrate the birth of Sorin’s and Susan’s pups.
He couldn’t keep
from grinning. “It is. The bakers were up late last night making honey cake.”
She didn’t meet
his gaze like a hunter might. There was no domination in the way she held her
shoulders. Her presence eased him, let him relax like he couldn’t among the
pack. Not many hunters would have had the courage to step into the river with a
stranger from another pack though. Maybe her trust in him should be considered
foolish, but who was the fool standing on the border of pack land holding honey
cake? lol
“You stole from your
pack?” The glance she tossed him held a sharper edge of intelligence than most
hunters’ teeth.
He blinked. Dog
shit, he was messing this up. What sort of shifter stole from his pack? His
role was to provide, and he was proving otherwise. “Um…I won’t have any when
it’s served.” He took a step closer, offering her the sweet again. “This is my
piece.”
Lifting her chin, she finally met his stare
with the bluest eyes he’d ever seen. Clearer than the sky above them and
brighter than the sun. She took a piece and savored the bite, pressing her lips
together and closing her eyes. “I haven’t had a sweet all winter.” She plucked
another large piece, but didn’t eat it. Instead, she held it to his lips.
His heart
swelled as he took the bite, purposely licking the sticky honey from her
fingers.
She sighed.
“Isnay!” A male
voice shouted from the forest.
Both of them
startled, and Awe almost dropped the cake. In his obsession with Isnay, he’d
forgotten the approaching Ohneka hunters. He grabbed her wrist as she darted
back to shore.
Her eyes went
wide with fear.
He placed the
cake in her hand and released her so she could retreat to her side of the river
safely.
Two hunters
stormed out of the forest in feral form and raced into the river. A crowd of
omegas, both female and male, followed. Isnay stood apart from them, cake
forgotten in her hand and concern painted on her face.
Before the
hunters reached him, Awe leaped back to his side of the river. They most likely
wished to only chase him away from the border since they couldn’t know if he
was alone or not.
Awe returned to the
thick brush where he’d first hid and sat to wait.
The Ohneka
hunters settled on the other bank, guarding the omegas as they did their
chores. To his relief, no one chastised Isnay. They’d probably leave that for
their alpha when the hunters reported the incident.
She sat by her
basket, eating her cake and didn’t appear worried. She shared a few bites with
friends. When she finally looked in the direction of his hiding place, he rose
to his feet. Smiling, she blew him a kiss.
Fading back into
the wilderness before he caused her anymore trouble, he sat out of view and
watched Isnay. His alpha might not want to negotiate a mating with the Ohneka,
but Awe wouldn’t give up on Isnay yet.
Alpha shifters are on the prowl, and they're used to getting what they want. But there's more to claiming a destined mate than raw power, and they'll have to prove themselves worthy – in more ways than one.
Alphas on the Prowl is page after page of passion and pleasure in this box set featuring eleven tantalizing shapeshifter tales from NY Times and USA Today best selling authors.
Annie Nicholas writes paranormal romance with a twist. She
has courted vampires, hunted with shifters, and slain a dragon’s ego all with
the might of her pen. Riding the wind of her imagination, she travels beyond
the restraints of reality and shares them with anyone wanting to read her
stories. Mother, daughter, and wife are some of the other hats she wears while
hiking through the hills and dales of her adopted state of Vermont.
Annie writes for Samhain Publishing, Carina Press, and
Kensington Publishing.
