Page 20 of Spirit Walker Pack (Kingdom of Wolves #5)

LYLE

Waiting in the dining hall for Fenya, I notice how quiet it is.

What few pack members are present are seated at the far corners from where I normally sit.

Now, I don’t have my own table, but I do sit in the same area of the hall each time.

I like to have eyes on all the exits and entrances in case of trouble.

Something my father instilled as I grew up.

Always be aware of your surroundings. Although trouble could come from anywhere, doors and windows should always be considered a potential threat.

I watch as the few remaining diners clear their tables and I have an epiphany! They are not using the dining hall because they’ve heard I am eating with Fenya! Damn, this could be a disaster. She will think it is a set-up by me as a romantic dinner.

Using the pack mind link, I instruct all those that have not yet eaten to attend the dining hall as usual, and to do so immediately. Although I don’t make it an alpha order, I put enough emphasis on the instruction that it cannot be ignored.

Hearing a rush of feet and some hushed conversation, I watch the entrance as pack members begin arriving. Most only glance my way and then find a table. There are others who hold my stare for a brief moment before realizing how displeased I am.

Flick appears at my elbow and whispers, “The member of my kitchen staff that leaked your meal time with Fenya has been dealt with. My apologies, Alpha Lyle. It will not happen again. You can count on that.” There is an edge to her voice that I have never heard before, and I am glad that I am not the cause for that edge. It sounds extremely scary.

“Thank you, Flick. You have no need to apologize. These things happen and I’m sure they all thought they were doing the right thing in giving me some privacy with my guest.” Talking of which, Fenya enters the room.

It becomes eerily silent as she walks towards me. I rise and hold a chair for her. Taking the chair, she says, “Why thank you, sir. That is most gentlemanly of you. I do believe that is a first for me, too.” She looks up at me smiling and her eyes are almost sparkling. “Astra liked that, too.”

“My pleasure. I’ll have to think of some more ‘firsts’. I enjoy seeing you smile.”

“Are your pack always this quiet as they eat?” She asks as she looks around the room.

I can’t help but laugh. “Alas, no. I have to tell you something about tonight’s meal.

It appears that word got around that we were dining together at six o’clock, so the pack, almost as one, decided that they would forego the evening meal and leave us some privacy.

When I came in to wait for you, it was a ghost town.

I had to ask them to resume normal behaviors. ”

“Was eating alone with me such a horrendous idea to you?” Seeing the glint in her eye, I’m fairly certain that she is joking.

“In all fairness, I was considering inviting you on a picnic, so no, the idea isn’t horrendous at all.” Waiting for a reaction is torture, as I’m sure she is discussing this with her wolf.

“That would be another first. I have never been on a pickernic.”

“A pickernic? I love that. A pickernic it will be then. I’ll have Flick prepare a pickernic basket, and I’m sure it will be full of delights that we will both experience as firsts.” I like this relaxed Fenya and hope she stays for the rest of the meal.

The meal does indeed remain in this relaxed way, and we talk of all sorts of things. The conversation flows freely, and it’s not until Flick quietly appears that I realize she is waiting to switch off the hall lights. Everyone has gone, and the packhouse is quiet.

“I can leave them on, Alpha Lyle, and turn them off later.” Flick gives us both a smile.

“That won’t be necessary, Flick. Alpha Lyle was going to escort me to my suite and maybe invite himself in for a nightcap?

Our conversation is not yet over. We had just got to the good bit where he was telling me of his plans for war, and had asked for my thoughts.

” Fenya looks at me quizzically, and I am momentarily speechless.

“I was looking forward to hearing your ideas. A nightcap also sounds wonderful.” Rising, I step toward her and notice she waits for me to take her chair as she stands.

As I turn away, I see Flick give the most outrageous wink.

I’m about to nod when I realize the wink was not meant for me, so pretend I didn’t see it.

Once inside Fenya’s guest suite, she motions for me to take a seat on the three-seater couch. She places ice in two tumblers and half fills them with scotch from the drinks cabinet. Passing one to me, she surprises me yet again tonight when she sits on the couch leaving a space between us.

“What would be your thoughts then, on this war with Arric?” We were just beginning an intellectual debate on this when Flick appeared at the table.

Discussing all the preparations that she would make, I see a similar pattern to my own. The logistics of food supply, medicines and field hospitals. Setting up small three-sided buildings along the border for warriors to shelter in during excessive storms?

“Wouldn’t that restrict their ability to watch the borders adequately?” I ask, doubting the wisdom of that suggestion.

“It would only be available to use in extreme weather, or as a resting place for an off-duty guard. The other guards could police the use of them. I’m sure that enough of your guards are dedicated to the warrior code that they would not abuse their position.”

Asking how long she would wait for the war to begin in earnest elicits a surprisingly honest answer.

“I’m not sure my temperament is suited to a siege or a waiting game. I am more of a ‘charge the bastards and let’s be done with it’ kind of girl. Erm, warrior, I mean. Waiting around would only cause me to start second guessing myself, and that’s where this Arric would have me at a disadvantage.”

“I have the patience of a saint, but I think that half of Arric’s strength comes from waiting.

They are getting on with their lives while we are all tense and waiting on his next move.

” Thinking of Bronze’s idea, I talk it over with her.

So far, I haven’t acted on it but the time to do so could be now.

Sitting upright and extremely animated, she is clearly excited by the mission.

“Give me Sloane, Lyle, and we could have your answer in less than twenty-four hours. It would be simple for the two of us to be in and out without anyone knowing.” Her eyes are more alive than ever.

Obviously, her wolf is just as excited at the thought.

“I can’t ask you to undertake this mission.

It will have to be my own warriors that go.

Alpha Falan would go to war with me if you were injured, captured, or worse.

No. I don’t doubt either your courage or capability, but definitely no.

” Not only that, the mere thought of her being at such risk has my stomach in knots.

“Very well. As you wish.” She calms almost as quickly as she got excited. Life with Fenya would be anything but boring, I think to myself. “There is something I’ve been meaning to ask, but never had the right opportunity. Perhaps now is a good time?”

“Very well. What would you like to know?” I wonder what is coming and steel myself for the question.

“What challenge did you set Kynan? You never did get to tell me.”

“Is that it? Oh my! I was expecting something far worse. Luna Tati was given some very intense training by an extremely gifted warrior and trainer. One of the things he had her doing was climbing trees…”

“Climb a tree? How difficult can that be?” Fenya frowns.

“If it weren’t so late, I’d show you.”

“Damn the time, let’s be off to the woods. We have a couple of hours before it’ll be too dark to see. Come on.” Taking my glass, she places it alongside hers on the drinks cabinet. “Well? Come on.” Fenya pushes for us to go outdoors.

Mind linking with my evening's escort, they meet us at the packhouse doors. Finding a suitably lit clearing with tall, strong trees takes but a moment. I’ve made my warriors aware of what we are here for and they are grinning as they have all been at this point where they believed it was such a simple task.

Talking Fenya through the task, I can see how impatient she is. She listens carefully to everything I say, but I doubt half of it is retained. I do two climbs myself as a demonstration for her, and then she’s raring to go.

She takes two long strides and then leaps for the trunk. I wince when her arms go around the trunk rather than grasping it, and she slams her head against the rough bark. I hear an ‘ouch’, but it is from one of my warriors, not Fenya. I recognize it as Sloane, who is exceptional at this task.

Taking her start position again, I notice the determination on her face.

Two steps again and she gets two steps up the tree before she falls back to the ground.

Taking a step toward her, I offer her my hand, then withdraw it quickly.

Once she is on her feet, I hold my hands up in front of me.

At first she understands that it would have been a huge mistake to have taken her hand, as the mating bond would have certainly been initiated.

Then I see the recognition dawn when she looks closer.

“I forgot to transition my fingers to claws! Okay. Again.”

We continue until it is too dark to carry on without risking serious injury. Walking back, we discuss her belief that it was such a simple task.

“Sloane is one of our best at that task. Sloane! What did you think the first time you were asked to climb a tree?”

“Alpha Lyle, I thought it was a pup's game when I was first asked. I soon learned how difficult it truly was to do it well. It’s a science all of its own to be able to transition only parts of your body at will and climb fast without disturbing too many small twigs and leaves. To get to be the best, you can only train in one tree once. Learning where the best handholds and where the best placement for your feet are, is simple in the same tree. It does you no good though when you are in a forest surrounded by strange trees. You have to develop an instinct so your hands and feet almost work independently of your eyes and mind.”

Fenya laughs, and Sloane looks at her warily. “I have never in my life heard someone speak so passionately about climbing a tree.”

“Wait until we have the next warrior competition. Then you’ll see how passionate warriors can get about it.

I’ll have you know we have had to invent a rule book for climbing trees!

Wolf nails have to be natural. Shifters have filed sawtooth edges on to their wolf’s nails to give them an edge.

They starve themselves for days before a contest, eating only certain proteins and foods to be as light as possible.

Warriors are weighed throughout the year to prevent this. ”

“They are truly this competitive over climbing a tree?” Fenya gasps.

“Fenya, you have no idea what that trainer started when he taught Luna Tati this skill. It improves not only the warrior's coordination but their stamina and resilience. The competition requires you to climb to a given height and be back on the ground, five times as fast as you can. You cannot just leap down from any height either. The judge determines the height before each trial.” I grimace when I remember Tati beating me up and down those damn trees near Lykos’ farm all that time ago.

As Fenya and I approach the door to her suite, we stop and look at each other. I can’t help but say, “If it weren’t for your uncertainty of our mating bond, I would kiss you right now, Fenya Stormhowl.”

“If it weren’t for my own uncertainty, Lyle Walker, I would have kissed you when we were on the darn couch.”

I’m still standing there, mouth open when the door closes.