Black Ice-Completed
Chapter 40

Fair warning, long chapter. Happy reading!

Nyota stared at Syn as he sat across from her, the fire dancing between them. Narrowing her eyes, she glared at him as he shifted positions, the sword firmly in her mate's hands.

“Where have you been?” Syn said in anguish, but at the same time Nyota softly demanded, “Please give me the sword, Syn.”

She watched his features tighten in irritation and his fists clenched tighter around the pommel, “Is that all you care about? We’ve been separated for near four years, and the first thing you ask me is to give the sword back?” he bit out.

“It’s mine, my birthright! I was born to lead this pack!” Nyota growled, aggravated that they were going to go through the same argument they had years before.

Syn scoffed as he looked at her, “You can’t even keep the sword when fighting another wolf, what makes you fit to lead?”

Nyota blanched at his question but then thought about it. She had never been asked this question and had never thought about it. What did make her fit to lead? She was an Alpha but there were plenty, Syn was an Alpha as well though he didn’t have the lineage of one. It wasn’t necessarily her birthright because several of her older brothers could claim that it was their birthright as well.

Glancing back up, she saw Syn giving her an arrogant smirk which made her want to smack him. “Well?” he asked with a bite in his voice.

Biting back her tongue to keep from lashing out at him, she slowly talked, “I’m nothing special. There are many wolves that can say they are the rightful Alpha. But I care about the future of this pack. It is several decades form going extinct and I don’t want to see that happen.”

“Why? You’re not even part of the pack! You’re nothing more than a rogue!” Syn snapped and in the darkness one of the others growled but neither Nyota or Syn glanced in that direction. Instead they stared at one another, challenging the other without words.

Finally Nyota huffed, “My loyalty comes from my father, the previous Alpha of the Black Ice pack. He wanted to see the pack go in a different direction, one that I intend to see through!” she rumbled the end, her patience all but going up in smoke.

“Your sword technique is honorable,” he paused and then grinned, “But that’s going to get you killed. You need to fight dirty.” He said as he got up and handed the sword to Nyota before sitting next to her, his shoulder touching her own.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she latched the sword onto her back and narrowed her eyes as she saw the two other wolves move closer to the fire. The one who had told Syn to knock her out was older, he had grey hair that fell down into his face, big bushy eyebrows with milky ice blue eyes. Along one side of his jaw and around the eyes were a multitude of scars that made it seem that side of his face dragged down.

The other one was young, his face still holding onto the baby fat but Nyota could see he too had scars, one ran from the outer corner of his eye down across his cheek to end at the corner of his mouth. Shaggy brown hair with a tint of red and dark blue eyes with lighter blue specks made his eyes glow, which was unusual for a normal Black Ice wolf because their eyes only ever glowed when they showed emotion.

“We have been waiting for you! What’s taken you so long to get up here!” the younger one cried enthusiastically, his energy all but making him bouncing around.

“Elias,” the older one snapped, “Sit your butt down and store that energy. You’re making me tired just from watching!” He said but gave the young one an affectionate smile before he turned to Nyota, “Forgive him, Alpha, he’s still a pup in many aspects.”

Nyota frowned as she looked at the elder. Was he talking to her? Voicing her question, she was surprised when the old wolf gave an affirmative nod. Turning to Syn glared at him, “I thought you said that none of the pack would accept me as an Alpha?”

Syn shifted uncomfortably as his two companions turned to him, their frowns making the blood from his face drain. Nyota certainly had a way of throwing him for a loop. He wondered if she’d always have one step up from him. “I was wrong Nyota, far more than you will ever realize, and Zahkar, you don’t need to give me that look!” he rumbled and edged closer so that his whole side was flushed up against Nyota's.

“Ever since Rush, this pups father,” Zahkar rumbled his glare still fixed on Syn, “found out about you, the wolves that are loyal to the traditions have been rallying together to slowly take down the diseased and poison out of the pack.”

“What do you mean?” Nyota asked as words from the curse floated in her mind, blood will spill blood.

“Rush and Syn have gathered any able bodied wolf to take out those that are deranged from blood fever,” Elias said, excitement in his voice, “We were out here to ambush Gregory and Isaac when they caught your scent and wanted to investigate!”

“How many wolves are left in the pack?” Nyota asked. How many wolves would truly stand behind her, and how many were going to be in her way to get to Lyosha. Shifting closer, she felt comforted by Syn’s warmth and for a moment she just enjoyed it.

“It’s difficult to say, many wolves have disappeared over the years. Lyosha seems unconcerned about the outcome and many of the other wolves are trying to avoid the Den.” Zahkar frowned as his eyes darkened in concern. So many wolves had gone missing, some right in the night, no tracks were ever seen leaving the Den.“Lyosha has at least three hundred followers around Azgeta, but many in the pack will follow whoever is strongest. We have around a hundred wolves waiting on your move. We’ve lost a few doing these ambushes but it’s been worth it.”

Nyota frowned and shook her head, “You’ve lost valuable wolves that could have helped later.” Nyota couldn’t fathom their need for blood. She had a temper but she didn’t outright think that a little blood spilt was worth it. “Why are you doing this now? Why not years ago when my father was trying to change the pack for the better?” Nyota wanted to know why they were rising up now. For centuries the Black Ice pack had acted like animals, forsaking their duties to the people of Azgeta.

“Several elders were brought forward when your father first became Alpha. They told the ancient legends, one stating only a female Black Ice wolf would be the rightful ruler. Baytek didn’t believe them and he went about his business until his youngest was born. Several wolves didn’t know what had come over him. He stopped trading with the merchants in Uscyte. He wanted the pack to start making their own clothes by using the resources around us. The women were treated better but he would disappear every winter. There were some who tried to follow him but your father was wily and would lose them.

“Zahkar!” Syn said with a laugh, “you told Elias to settle down, how about you do it as well? You’re going to overwhelm my mate with too much information!”

Zahkar made a disgruntled face and huffed, “I am only answering my Alpha as best as I can. Some of us do not have the privilege of knowing her for years,” Zahkar bit out, his light blue eyes glowing in anger.

Elias drew Syn’s attention when he called his name. It was for the best because Syn had been getting ready to pounce onto the other wolf who was challenging him. “I don’t think your mate is as delicate as you think,” Elias said quickly as he glanced at Nyota, “I mean, she killed Gregory. He would have taken all three of us for a ride. We barely got Isaac pinned down and killed. All she has is a few bruises to show her fight with a blood fevered wolf!” he said admiringly.

Nyota smiled with her fangs bared, “It’s because he underestimated me.”

“He didn’t know you were a wolf!” Elias countered and frowned when she shook her head.

“No, its not because of that. He underestimated me because I am a woman,” Nyota said and stared at Syn, her eyes glowing with heat until he looked away, “I’m guessing you’re part of the pack that have kept a possible asset in the dark or haven’t even thought of using them?”

“The women?” Zahkar barked in confusion and then closed his eyes in understanding, “Of course, if we had involved them and trained some on how to use a dagger, more of the blood fevered wolves could have been killed by now.”

“Do you really think the women would have helped?” Elias asked as he thought of his mother. She had been a fragile thing who was as skittish as a rabbit. His father had enjoyed toying with her before he had choked her to death.

Nyota looked at Elias and saw the shadow of sadness in his eyes. She waited in silence until the pup looked at her and she smiled softly, “Even prey will fight back when they are cornered. The first blood fevered wolf I killed was when I was still just a girl. I didn’t even have my wolf when I killed Aleric and then I turned around and challenged Syn right after.”

“Yeah but you still had some senses from the wolf!” Elias sighed, “The human woman have nothing!”

Nyota huffed and glared, “Wrong!” she growled, “The human’s have the greatest need for change. They are part of the Black Ice pack as much as the men are, and if they are given an ounce of hope, they’ll rise up to help change things for the better!”

She hid to smile as she saw a glimmer of hope enter Elias’ eyes and turned to Zahkar, “On the morrow, I want you and Elias to go back to pack land and start mobilizing the women. This is an order from your Alpha,” she stated, her eyes boring into Zahkar’s letting him know that he’d have to tell others the orders as well, “But be careful, only tell the women you trust. I am quite sure there are those who are as perverse as my brother.

“Yes Alpha,” Zahkar said and Elias echoed. Both wolves turned away and moved into the shadows to get some sleep.

Nyota shifted uncomfortably as the silence grew between her and Syn. While he still held her hand and was caressing her wrist with his thumb, she felt unsure and at a loss on what to say. As she was about to open her mouth, Syn squeezed her hand and smiled at her, “We should get some sleep as well. We’re going to be busy with training for the next few weeks.”

As he stood up, Nyota frowned at him, “What training?” she asked in confusion.

Syn smiled softly and caressed her cheek, admiring the soft silk of her skin, “I wasn’t joking when I said fighting honorably was going to get you killed. You had luck with Gregory and even with Aleric when you were younger, but luck will only get you so far.”

Nyota watched him with a frown as he moved a little ways away from the fire and hunker down on his bedroll, his eyes partially closed. “So you’re going to train me in fighting dirty?” she asked and huffed when all he did was give a slight nod.

Syn watched her stare into the flames of the fire. Minutes passed and to anyone who didn’t know her, it looked like Nyota was simply gazing into the flames, content with the world around her. It was actually far from the truth, instead she was at war with herself as she tried to make a decision about what she wanted.

He saw the exact moment that she had made a choice and fought hard to keep a smile from his face while he watched her walk over and lay down beside him. Not saying a word, he flipped onto his side and pulled her close with his arms wrapped around her. He did smile though when he felt her rumble out a growl but instead of answering her challenge, he nuzzled close and nibbled on her neck which immediately cut the growl off.

“I missed you,” he muttered as he breathed her in and sighed with relief as he felt her snuggle deeper into his arms and chest.

It was quiet for awhile but then Nyota whispered, “I missed you too Syn, more than you will ever know.” Closing her eyes, she relaxed into the first deep sleep she had allowed herself to have in a very long time.