A Shifting Land

Chapter 38

A hush fell across the pack as every eye turned to the door.

Frost stepped in, each foot set down ever so carefully. He bowed his head to his sister, folding one paw beneath him.

Sky looked her up and down before looking away at the others around him. "Father, this place is different then home. I expected it to be much similar for some reason."

Frost snagged Sky by the scruff and dropped him in an ungraceful heap at his feet. "I taught you manners, child. Use them."

Sky's lip twitched, his glare matching his father's. "Aren't I an alpha."

"Her land makes her the one we respect first." Frost replies with a long suffering sigh. "Especially if we are called here on official business." He smacks his boy upside the head, hooking his claws into his scruff as he drags the child along.

He flicks his paw, pitching Sky straight into a meeting room. The door slides shut.

Firestorm sighs. "Frost."

He head butted her, rubbing his body along her side, against her chest. "Stormy. It's so good to see you. I could only wish it was on better terms."

"Frost!" She snaps her teeth shut across his ear, cartilage crunching beneath her fangs.

He pulled back, his ear twitching as his blood dripped free. His smile dropped, his ears pulling themselves alertly. He stepped closer, invading her space. "That's not nice, I'm here to help."

Swift raised a lip, rubbing herself against him with as much purpose as he had done. "Alpha."

He sneered, his paw cracking her upside the head. His claws sank deep, pinning her to the floor with a yipe. He tilted his head, focusing on Swift. "And who exactly is this?"

She growled, her form vanishing into smoke around his feet. She reformed, her nub of a paw slapping against the ground with a harsh thump. "You do not get my name."

Firestorm's tail flicked up, smacking her upside the head. "Respect the alpha when he speaks to you."

She looked him up and down with a sneer, "Alpha Firestorm, please." She glared back at her, "Didn't we just have this discussion? I am as much of an alpha in this discussion as either of you. I am entitled to the same respect you deliver him." She flicked her ears upright, dismissing Frost with a scrape of her feet. "So please, enlighten me. What exactly does this pair offer you, offer us, that your pack and your people can not already offer?"

Frost stepped up close, his chin resting across her spine. "Swift."

Chills ran up her spine, the pack gathering close. Murmers ran through the crowd, sparks of thoughts unfiltered drenching the mindlink.

"Alpha line Dukari. Mainland Dukari. My daughter, by your own words." His voice slithered through her thoughts, "Mine to mold. Mine to break."

Firestorm's tail flicked, beating out a rapid pulseless pattern. "Shadow!" She gestured imperatively to the meeting room.

Swift sauntered past the pack, pressing her nose to Kol's. "Listen and you may learn." She whispered.

She paused beside the door, turning to the pack at her back. She bowed, bending at the knee to them. She could share it. Share it all. The reason she limped. Every day a chance to suffer. And suffer she had.

"Don't." Kiri whispered, slipping into her mind. "They won't be able to listen anyways. Not with Frost here in person."

Frost's head snapped up, focusing on Swift with cunning intelligence. "Little fox. Glad you could join us."