In Love Through War - Book 3

Part 120(4)

"We were having a conversation, he and I, when the two patrols he initially outran started encroaching on him without being given permission to," Bran explains.

The cat with the battered arms switches to human form, his arms hanging limply by his body.

"He was being a disrespectful smartass, calling us slow, and mocking Bran with some system of reference nonsense..."

"That actually made perfect sense," Bran says quietly but Jena hears him nonetheless, "then you gave the order to hold and wait and I had to restate it loudly. Four of them listened, those two did not."

"So why didn't you stop them, Bran?"

"It was unclear to me whom to stop. The trespassing stranger? I did. With words. The disobeying cats? Not sure the stranger would have allowed me to. He took out Louie without using claws. I'm not sure how Duckard there even got close enough to swipe for his neck..."

'Give me a break, I've only been using this body for a day!'

'I told you to let me fight!'

'You used to be a baby girl, Edrik! You have no experience fighting!'

'I have a feeling you are not going to let me forget the baby girl part for quite a while, are you?'

'He-he, probably not!' Alain chuckles inwardly.

'I have a fighting instinct you know! I know how to fight by default!'

'In war-form or wolf?'

'Wolf.'

'Exactly.'

"He did what? After I specifically forbade everyone from attacking and when Bran had him contained with civility?"

'Isn't she beautiful when she's angry?' Edrik asks admiringly.

'Only if I'm not on the receiving end. Then she is scary!'

"He called you a target, Alpha Jena!" Louie whines.

'Yeah, I guess I should have used goal or destination. Harder to confuse that one.'

"Wrong word, sorry," the stranger grunts.

"Should I say I will wring your neck for disobeying me or actually do it? Words can be apologized for. Actions not so much. But you get to do latrine duty for the next two months, Louie. Duckard, the toilets will be your best friends for six months, assuming this man won't kill you. Since you attacked unprovoked, I can hardly stop him. Bran, were the stranger's word a provocation?"

"Only to the dim-witted. A bit arrogant and provocative maybe, but quite expected from a high ranking wolf," Bran concludes.

"I will have to attack and neutralize you if you kill my pack member though since it would mean your control is lacking and you are endangering the rest of my people," Jena informs Alain in no uncertain terms, her tone dead serious.

'I told you! Scary!'

"He shifts!"

"You heard him, Duckard."

"He'll kill me if I do, Alpha!"

"Idiot, your right hand is canceled by his left arm, you have stabbed him, inefficiently I might add, in a non-vital location with your left, while his right claw is on your neck. He hasn't even drawn blood yet and you are already a dead man. SHIFT!" She Alpha commands him, the cat returning to his human form.

Alain picks up his diminished enemy, literally throwing him towards Bran, who instead of catching the cat simply moves away, letting the cat man tumble unceremoniously on the ground a few times, before picking him up painfully by one arm.

'You're hurt, stranger. Would you shift back and allow one of my men tend to your wounds.'

Alain shifts back to human, his face suddenly familiar to Jena, yet not quite. Her heart, however, decides to increase its rhythm.

Who is this man?

"It's just a bit of blood, I'm sure I can wait until Hannah sees to my injuries."

"You are familiar with my Healer?"

"Indeed. Though I have to admit I'm quite disappointed you did not stop the fight but shoving an arm in my mouth so I could bite it! We could have called it even then."

"What do you..."