Awakening the Demon's Queen by Calle J. Brookes

didn’t trust Jason, but he’d be able to flash in and
see the exact plot of the Redd Gothan pack. It had been one of
theirs that had attacked Kindara earlier, and Rathan felt the need
for vengeance against the pack burning a hole in his gut. He wanted
to slaughter them all--and theoretically he could. It was only
hundreds of years’ worth of control keeping him from doing that. No
creature could upset the balance in that manner without
repercussions.
    He flashed to the woods surrounding the band
of Lupoiux, keeping in half-form so that they could not see him.
Why had the Lupoiux chosen this mountain and this time to attack?
It was not unheard of for rogue packs to attempt to steal another
pack’s territory. But the Taniss pack was unlike any Rathan had
ever seen. They weren’t transient, and weren’t related by blood.
Rand and his uncle had somehow pulled a group of about sixty wolves
together consisting of small packs and rogues in search of
permanency. The Taniss pack was now thriving, and Rand was the head
of it.
    Rathan had little trouble identifying the
Redd Gothan alpha; he was bigger than the rest, though his coat was
just as ragged as his companions’. This pack had little money,
little resources, and appeared to be mostly unmated males.
Criminals? Or merely nomadic? Rathan watched them for a while,
counting wolves carefully. Jason had underestimated--there were
more than fifty.
    Did they think they could just kill everyone
at the Taniss compound, then assume it for themselves? They must be
very young wolves--or very dumb ones.
    The alpha seemed to be waiting for something.
Rathan flashed closer as the wolf changed into human form. He
wasn’t an intimidating male, stood barely six foot in Rathan’s
estimation. He was dirty, and the pants he’d fashioned himself were
of poor quality and dingy color. There was nothing remarkable about
this alpha wolf. That he had thought to challenge Rand Taniss was
another clear sign this wolf possessed little common sense.
    A trio of males in human form stepped into
the clearing, pushing a young male dressed in the clothing
Dardaptoans preferred. His garments were white, a sign he was of a
royal blood. He wore the orange sash identical to the one Rathan
had seen on the Dardaptoan king and on Emily, denoting a
relationship to the king. Rathan flashed dangerously closer. If a
Lupoiux were to step in his direction, his outline would be seen,
if one stepped in to Rathan, it would prove extremely painful, even
deadly—for Rathan.
    The alpha approached the Dardaptoan and
circled him twice before speaking. “You owe my pack a considerable
amount of money.”
    “ Do I?” The Dardaptoan’s
voice held clear disdain for the Lupoiux. Rathan was confused--why
would a royal Dardaptoan owe money to an obviously shabby Lupoiux
pack? The hatred and animosity between the two races was
extraordinary. “But you attacked the wrong damned
woman!”
    “ Blonde woman, white
clothes, green sash, in the gardens, with a dog. That’s who was
there, and that’s who we got.” The alpha shrugged. “I lost six of
my pack that day. You owe us for that job.”
    “ But it wasn’t completed
successfully. So why should I pay you more than what I gave you
five weeks ago?” The Dardaptoan held obvious contempt for the
wolves and Rathan wondered just how stupid the youth had to be to
act so badly in front of so many dangerous animals.
    “ Because if you don’t, we’ll
kill you and dump your body on your king’s doorstep.” The wolf
spoke of killing with complete disregard for life and that was
chilling to Rathan. Would they kill the youth?
    Before that could happen, Rathan acted. He
materialized by the youth and wrapped his arms around the
Dardaptoan’s neck. He flashed back to the Taniss compound, pulling
his new captive through the flash with him.
    He wanted answers and fast, because one thing
stood out in his mind--Kindara was a blonde woman, who’d worn white
clothes tied with a green