Dire Wolf Mates - Chapter 127: Chapter 127

Nica woke to the sounds of hushed voices and a bright light. What the heck? Oh, someone had opened the window curtain. But who? Wait, her bedroom window was on the other side of the room, wasn’t it? She yawned, taking a moment to reconcile where she was.
Dire Wolf Pack? Check.
The bedroom they gave me? Nope.
Thor’s room? Yep.
Smiling with memories of how she’d spent the night filled her as she rolled over, dragging the sheet with her as she stretched. Sitting up, Nica blinked herself awake, then screeched like a crazy person. Not one, but four, four pairs of eyes were looking at her with matching expressions.
“Look who finally decided to join us!” Sheila barked, clapping her hands.
“Come on, darlin’. Upsy daisy. Your man has everyone up in arms this morning, and I am grumpy as fudge.”
“Huh?” Nica asked, confused as all get by several things.
The least of which was not figuring out why the Alpha fem should be grumpy. She was gorgeous, had a mate, and three cubs, and a totes perfect life from Nica’s point of view. The other females sighed in commiseration, But Nica just blinked.
“Well, what do you expect since this little mama still isn’t allowed to have coffee?” Lucy grumbled.
“Oh,” Nica muttered.
That made sense. Still, Nica grinned as she looked at one of the reasons the horrible no caffeine rule was in place. The pretty little cub was currently suckling from Lucy’s left boob, while Ariella and Gwen bounced the other two reasons, er, cubs, in their arms to calm them while they waited for their turn to eat.
It was a sight, but it still did not explain why any of the women were in hers, um, Thor’s bedroom. Nica cleared her throat and clutched the sheet up higher to hide her naked breasts from the crowd.
“We’ve already seen those tatas. Good for you, by the way! Oh, just a word of advice, get your man to shave or at least moisturize before he chaps them raw with that scruff of his,” Ariella informed her with a sage nod.
Tracey and Gwen murmured in agreement, and Nica just stared. Were all the men in this Pack as randy as her own sexy as sin mate? Lucky women if they were. Ariella seemed to be waiting for a response, and the Lioness truly was exquisite with her mane of wild curly hair, not unlike Nica’s, but that was where the similarities ended.
“Oh, I don’t think I could say things like that to Thor. Besides, I like the way his scruff feels when he, er,” she trailed off.
“Nuzzles you in your most sensitive places?” Ariella suggested.
“What?”
“She means when he’s going down on that poonanie,” Lucy supplied.
That did it. Every female in the room started snickering and giggling at the Alpha fem’s use of that word. Even the babies gurgled. Nica wiped her eyes and tried to calm down before asking them what she really wanted to know.
“Well, that was fun. But ladies, why are you here?”
“Oh, well, the boys are going over that bit of paper that big nosed Crow brought with him, and it looks like the Council has reason to side with that horrible man seeing as how you and your mother signed it⁠—”
“But I didn’t know he had two other mates waiting back home. And I didn’t love him. He didn’t even like me! Jack Branwen is a dirty liar,” she replied vehemently.
“Mm hmm, that is what Thor said, but Derrick isn’t sure that matters. He is consulting with a Shifter lawyer on loan from the Macconwood Pack. Meanwhile, there is a little something we would like to do while the boys handle this business.”
“Shouldn’t we stay and help?”
“Nah. They’re only just getting through the posturing portion of their meeting. Then will come the brainstorming, and I sure as hell don’t wanna be here for the mansplaining,” Ariella told her, and Nica had to admit she had a point.
“Okay, then, what do you want to do?”
“Well. After Lucy here is done feeding the triplets, we thought we’d go into town and have a real ladies' day out!” Ariella squealed.
“A what?”
“You know, we’ll go into town and have a girls’ only day. There is this new place called Heavenly Bodies and they have a full treatment spa. I already called and booked us the bridal party treatment package⁠—”
“Bridal party? But I am not getting married,” Nica replied, stunned.
“Oh, honey, it doesn’t matter. You just got mated.”
“No, I mean, I guess so, but we haven’t had a chance to talk,” she tried to explain.
But Nica could not get a word in. Those women ran roughshod right over her in the best possible sense, of course.
“Of course you didn’t talk. Words still have no place in mine and Weylin’s bedroom,” Gwen mused, her eyes taking on a dreamy look as she spoke of her mate.
“Look, Nica, Thor gave you his bite mark, don’t you know that means you are as good as married?” Sheila interrupted.
“It’s true. Besides, mated is better,” Tracey told her with a soft smile.
“I guess, I mean, Crows seem to throw that word around a lot, and even though I am a Raven, I hardly remember what my parents were like together when dad was alive. With Jack, it seemed like Mama picked him before I even had a chance to make up my mind. Everything happened fast, and I was confused, but I am not confused now. I want Thor. He’s the only man I ever really wanted.”
“Well, it’s settled then. Congratulations,” Lucy said, grinning as she swapped babies and boobs. “You should know, Dire Wolves are different from other Shifters. They are more powerful, they follow ancient rules, and when I tell you they mate for life, I mean it, honey. Thor is never gonna let you go. Anyway, come on. It’ll be fun,” she coaxed.
That was a lot to swallow, and though Nica had misgivings about what they’d all said about mating for life since those words had not exactly come from Thor, she couldn’t help but agree a day out sounded just peachy.
“It will be super fun. Besides, tonight is bikini night at the bar. We need to get our wax on!” Sheila exclaimed.
“Okay,” Nica said, finally giving in.
Her head was spinning by the time they stopped yammering. She got in the shower. Well, she was dragged and pushed into the bathroom by Gwen, then had a pair of leggings and a sweatshirt shoved unceremoniously at her when she was done. One by one, they filed out of the bedroom with Sheila practically frog marching her through the hall and into the living room.
“Nica? Are you okay?” Thor asked.
“Um, I think so—” was all she managed to say with Sheila pushing her forward in with a relentless grip on her arms.
“She’s fine. We’re going out for the day,” Lucy replied, handing Derrick one of their babies, while the other women placed the other two in nearby bassinets.
“I pumped this morning, bottles are in the fridge. We should be back by three,” Lucy told him before following them outside.
“Wait. What is going on?” Thor asked.
“Ladies’ day out,” Tracey repeated slowly.
Nica had to hide her grin. Thor looked like he wanted to say something, maybe ask her to stay home. But Nica had no idea what to do. She really could not refuse, what with the entire Pack going to bat for her and all. Besides, Sheila had an iron grip on her.
Nica barely had time to take in the intimidating males sitting in the living room, discussing her life without her. Of course, she knew Thor and Derrick, but the pair of identical twins were strangers. They smelled like Wolf, but different from the Dire Wolf MC.
One had on a charcoal gray suit, and seemed to never smile, while the other wore a t-shirt with a bone on it, and the words I got a boner to pick with you strewn across the top. He was grinning at them like a loon. Nica raised her eyebrows and shrugged, but if she thought Thor was going to rescue her this time, she was mistaken.
“Be careful, angel. Come home safe,” he rumbled, his black eyes boring into hers.
Twenty minutes later, Nica forgot most of her questions as a large woman with a German accent named Helga started wrapping her body in a seaweed mask treatment. The smell was not altogether unpleasant, and she kind of liked the part where the matronly female had massaged her scalp before applying a conditioning treatment there.
Heavenly Bodies was run by a coven of Eastern European Witches, so they did not have to worry about letting things slip in front of the staff. Helga had assured them their room was private and soundproof, not to mention surrounded by magical protection wards.
The spa was also located smack dab in the middle of town, with tons of normals around, so Nica didn’t have to worry about the Murder trying anything with so many onlookers.
Still, she’d felt like someone was watching her while they drove and then walked through the parking lot. But even if they were following her, keeping tabs, Jack was not that stupid. He knew better than to grab her out in public.
“Ohmygawd! I feel like a princess,” Lucy squealed when Helga moved on to her.
“Princess of the mud people,” Ariella snorted, only to get thwacked by Sheila on the butt.
“Shush it, Miss Kitty. This is the most relaxation I’ve had in weeks,” the she-Wolf told her.
“With the way you and Leo go at it, go figure, Sheila. I mean, I’m surprised you can even walk with all the sexy times you two got going on,” snarked Gwen.
“Catty!”
“Ha! As if Gwen isn’t getting sexed up every night,” Ariella pointed out.
“Damn straight, I am,” the new Dire Wolf confirmed.
“OMG! Just look at you, Gwendolyn. A second ago, you were this cute little pious virgin coming into the roadhouse for a job. Now look at you! Weylin sure corrupted you. But now, come on, we’re scaring Nica here and today was supposed to be about her,” Lucy teased.
“Who me? Nah, I’m enjoying the banter, believe me. I didn’t know women could be so sassy and frank and still be friends,” she told them honestly.
“Well, damn,” Lucy said, sitting up. “Look, Nica, I don’t know how you were raised, but in this Pack we females have one solemn rule and that is to always have each other’s backs, no matter how outrageously sarcastic and sassy we get!”
“That’s right!”
“Preach, Lucy!”
Nica laughed and wiped her eyes as the others all clapped and hooted. These women were like nothing she’d ever seen, and she was so grateful they included her, it was like a dream come true. She joked and laughed, and sipped champagne with them while they got pampered by Helga and her team.
She did her best to enjoy her first ladies’ day out, and it was wonderful. Truly, it was. Her mind kept wandering back to Thor and the confrontation with Jack. The last thing she wanted was for the Crow king to bring war to the Pack’s doorstep.
These were good people. They’d welcomed her with open arms, gave her a job, and made her feel part of the Pack, even though she was a Raven and not a Wolf. When they returned to the Pack House late that afternoon, Nica got ready for work.
She’d bought a new pair of tight blue jeans and a pale purple crocheted bikini to wear for tonight’s theme at Serious Moonlight. It was October, but working behind the bar meant constant movement, besides Shifters hardly ever felt the cold.
Thor was nowhere to be found, but Nica assumed she’d see him at work. It was difficult not to feel a tad bit abandoned, but then again, they’d burned pretty hot and heavy for their first time together. Maybe he needed a break.
She worried her lower lip, wondering if the big beautiful Dire Wolf had grown tired of her already. Jack’s cruel words came back to haunt her after the first time she’d ever had sex. He’d said bedding her was rough and called her a puritan. She hadn’t satisfied Jack, and he’d been rude and hurtful.
Yes, it wounded her pride, but now she was really worried. Thor had not texted or called her all day. He was nowhere to be found when she got back. Not knowing what to do, she’d gone to her bedroom, not his, to bathe and dress. The whole time, her gut felt tight and heavy, clenched with nerves.
What if she was bad at sex? What if she’d turned Thor off with her wanton enthusiasm and lack of experience?
So many what ifs, her Raven observed with a sharp caw.
The animal was tired and weary of being kept locked away, but Nica did not dare free her bird. Not yet. Not until the Murder stopped hunting her. Then another of Jack’s favorite taunts flooded her brain.
“No one gets away from me, Domenica. You should know that before you run. I would rather see you dead than let you leave.”
She stepped outside, about to walk across the lot to the bar, when she saw it. A single black feather sitting on the porch. Tied to it was a black rose. Nica gasped, picking up the hateful thing. She ran to the dumpster and threw it away.
“Nica? What’s wrong?”
A scream tore from her throat before she could stop it. Hand over her heart, she recognized Thor as he came thundering towards her, running his hands over her body, arms, and legs, checking for damage.
“Nica? Talk to me, angel. Are you hurt?” he asked, before tugging her to his warm, hard body and wrapping her up tight in his embrace.
“Thor,” she murmured.
Was she hurt? No. She wasn’t hurt. She was fine now.
Perfectly fine, she thought as she hugged him back.