Running From An Alpha by Rachel Starkie

 

Chapter 14

Incessant pokes to his shoulder had Sean growling. Trying to bat the hand away, he nuzzled deeper into the soft warmth beside him. Another poke had him popping open an eye to see Dale smirking from above.

“Enjoying the pillow there, bro?” Dale asked, making Sean frown. A turn of the head revealed the pillow in his arms. Confused, Sean sat up and looked around, wondering if he had dreamed last night up. Pulling the pillow in as he tried to lay back down released her sweet and salty scent.

She snuck out? He shook his head and snapped, “I was until you woke me,” If Zoya was not yet ready for Dale to know she had been there, he was not going to betray her and tell otherwise. He was just starting to make way and was not going to risk her wrath… Again. “Go away.” He whined, pulling the covers over himself and the pillow, locking in her scent for as long as he could.

Yanking the covers back, Dale chided him. “Time to get up Zoya is downstairs. Making Pancakes!”

“Real pancakes or that crap the US calls pancakes?” Sean eyed him.

Dale smirked, “Real thin pancakes.” Dale laughed when Sean was instantly up, out of bed, and rushing downstairs.

Skidding into the kitchen, Sean smiled as Zoya watched the thin batter in the pan. With a slight backward step and a flip of the wrist, the pan jerked, tossing the pancake into the air considerably before it landed back squarely into the pan. A few moments later, that one joined the stack already on a platter beside her.

Sean let out a happy moan as he sat, making her look at him. She set the pan to cool with a proud smile, then grabbed the platter and set it in front of him. Also on the table were the toppings. Granulated sugar, lemon juice, and chocolate spread

“Perfect!” Dale smiled, joining them to make their plates.

Zoya preferred sugar and lemon, while Dale was for chocolate, and Sean was not discriminating.

As they ate, Dale could not keep his thoughts or sights to himself. “You should have seen Sean this morning, Zoya. He was hugging a pillow.” Dale made a hugging motion shaking back and forth as Sean glared.

“It was comfy.” Sean gave Zoya a wink.

“Really? How shocking,” Zoya smiled. “When I left his bed to go take a shower, he was on his back.” She hummed, taking a bite. Dale dropped his fork, and Sean looked up in shock. She shrugged. “I had a nightmare, so I used your brother,” She pointed at Sean with her fork. “as a sleep aid.”

Dale snickered, wiping off his fork... “Well, he is good for that.”

“Why, thanks. Thanks a lot, and here I thought my manly mate scent helped,” Sean feinted a pout, though as he could not stop eating, it was lost.

Finished first, Zoya leaned back with a full belly. She had, after all, eaten five whole pancakes, which was more than Dale, but not quite Sean. She spoke with a contented belly rub. “It is so nice not having to worry,” she said more to herself than the guys.

“Will you be sleeping here tonight?” Dale raised a brow.

With a shrug, Zoya answered, standing. “Don’t know yet. I have not made up my mind.” She circled the table with a finger. “You got clean up, right?” With a wink, she strolled toward the backdoor.

Outside, Zoya lifted her head and closed her eyes. The sunlight was warm on her skin and felt wonderful. Though the night had started awful with the nightmare, laying in Sean’s arms felt right. Felt safe, and for the first time in a year, she slept soundly. Though she was in no hurry to tell Sean that. His head was already inflated enough.

“Miss Zoya!” The sound of a young male grabbed her attention. Opening her eyes, she saw an out-of-breath teen. She pursed her lips as he made to finish his message. “Queen…Maisy…wishes to… see…you. It is…important.”

“Okay,” Zoya stepped backward, popping the door open. “Hey? I gotta go see Maisy!” With that, she followed the teen back to the main den house.

Everyone rushed about, making her frown as she could already hear Queen Maisy growling orders from the throne room. Seeing Zoya, she waved her inside.

“Come on, move! Secure our parameters.” Queen Maisy waved her hand off at a guard. “Good you are here.” Her eyes rest on Zoya. “It would seem Morgan is sick of waiting. We just got word he is heading our way. With him are four members of the council, who we are to presume are under his spell. We need you safe in here. They are coming in for a meeting, but I’m securing the area because I am no naïve child. I want you in my line of sight at all times.”

Zoya nodded, she could worry later, but it was more important to run the scenarios right now. Does Morgan have any standing in Dragon territory? Could he, with council members, take me?

Dale and Sean entered behind Stefan, “Stefan has filled us in,” Sean came to Zoya’s concerned side. “Don’t worry, Morgan will not get anywhere near you.” He assured her.

The doors boomed as a formation of Dragon Knights entered, followed by Pages that carried high back chairs. The seats were set to the side of the queen’s dais, so not only can they see the entrance where Morgan would appear, but still let Queen Maisy keep her eyes on them. The chairs placed, they took a seat to stay out of the way.

“Do you think everything will be okay?” Dale whispered.

Zoya thought it over, “That depends on who is with him, I would think. What they claim. The fact that I don’t belong to a mate,” she waved Sean’s growl off. “Nothing was stopping me from leaving. Morgan has no claim to me; I am of age and don’t belong to him. He has no right to claim.”

Dale nodded, watching Queen Maisy, who looked ready to burn the world down.

Sean sighed. “I don’t know which council members are on his side.”

Queen Maisy approached. “From what we have found out, he has the Tiger Councilman Jeff, the Witch Councilwoman Becky, and the Rabbit Councilman Scott. There is another, though there is something odd about him..” Maisy frowned as they watched her looking down at Zoya. “From what my people say, they swear it is your father.”

Zoya blinked. “No way father is dead…but maybe one of his brothers?” Confusion crossed the Queen’s face. “Dad did not get on with his family. I never met them, but he did tell me he had a younger brother who looked like his twin when growing up. He said he was a good and brave man. Still, the two butted heads as dad was more likely to kill someone who annoyed them, where Uncle Bernard tended to be more about talking it out.” Zoya frowned, “I never knew he was on the council. This may be troublesome,” she finished, biting her lip.

“Why?” Dale watched her as she sat composed.

Zoey sighed, “Dale, you know that as an unmated Omega female, I must be under the care of a male in the family. Bernard could make waves if he is on Morgan's side.”

Sean shook his head. “Let me claim you then, once we mate, you are safe,” He insisted.

Zoya shook her head. “No, I am not going to mate with you like that. When—if—I chose to claim you, it will be when I feel it is right, but thank you.” That was her say on the matter, and though it made Sean pout, he was glad that she was at least entertaining the idea once more.