A Dash of Demise

Ch 34: Thalia

Zander POV:

Since her dream Red has been ridiculously on edge.

I didn't even touch her and shes become skittish. Which may partly be because she more than likely has still refused herself release.

Which in hindsight was ridiculously foolish.

Gods know I wont be allowing anyone to give her release after I get my hands on her. Not even herself. That privilege will be mine alone.

Still though, Reds anxious distractions is making me distracted. The other alphas are coming I have much to prepare.

I have a pack to run damn it. I cannot be drooling over the girl like some inexperienced pup.

I have half a mind to send her away until she gets rid of that damn needy scent clinging to her.

But every time I even think to mention it, she turns those impossibly large blue eyes on me and the words die in my throat.

I cannot have her, cannot take care of her needs myself seeing as she wont allow me within reaching distance.

But I cannot send her away. And its driving me insane.

"Alpha."

I sighed heavily turning my attention to the meeting I was supposed to be holding about pack defenses. "Yes Maddox?"

"Have you alerted your mate of the upcoming meeting of alphas?"

This cannot be leading somewhere pleasant, it is way off course from our initial topic. "I have."

A few wolves in the room looked anxious at the thought. Red still puts many wolves on edge.

"And..will she be attending."

I hesitated a moment, "at least for a brief period."

Nilana looked up briefly from her finance reports, "oh have you told her about Thalia?"

I rose a brow, "why is it everyone is so obsessed with my informing Red about Thalia."

She stared at me for a few moments, glanced at Maddox and then looked back to me, "are you serious?"

"Utterly."

The she wolf shook her head, "Alpha...its your mate and Thalia. As much respect as I have for our future alpha female I would rather her and Thalia stay as far away from one another as humanly possible."

I leaned back in my chair, "and why is that."

She looked at Maddox again. A few other pack members looking uncomfortable.

My beta sighed, "well. You know Thalia. And you know Red...those two women in a room with one another is likely to end in disaster. They are polar opposites and you know how Thalia feels about human women."

Nilana rolled her eyes, "beta is leaving out the elephant here."

Maddox glared at her as my attention drifted back to the woman, "and that would be."

"Thalia and you. Red may not react so well to your relationship."

"I have the highest respect for Thalia and her accomplishments, I consider her to be a friend as well as ally."

She just blinked. "Okay then. Yes well uhm Alpha. Thalia may have a very different idea and I certainly don't see her doing well when she hears news that you are going to mate with a human woman."

I growled low in my throat in warning, "are you trying to suggest my mate is weak?"

Maddox snorted and Nilana shook her head, "I could go my entire life without confrontation with your mate. I am fully aware of her impressive ability to make my heart cease beating. She is by no means weak Alpha Zander. But I am not sure Thalia will see it as such. And if the two get into a fight only one will get to leave with their life intact that I am certain. Either way. The outcome would be terrible to the community as a whole."

I stopped growling, "it wont be a problem. Thalia will be happy I found Red."

She rubbed her temple, "Forgive me but you are being utterly dense you cannot tell me you never noticed."

"Noticed what?"

"Alpha." She sighed, "Thalia wanted to become your mate in the event you did not find yours. She isn't only losing that, but shes losing you to a human."

What the hell is she  going on about? "Thalia isn't interested in mating me."

Maddox cut in with an exasperated sigh. "Yes Zander she is. She really is. This is why I suggested you tell Red. I know you were unaware of Thalias feelings but everyone else sees it. Red will too and even if the tiny woman wont admit it. She will try to kill anyone who tries to take you from her."

I was about to argue that point when a light girlish giggle rang through the air from the doorway. "Well of course I would. How else will I get the opportunity to study and kill and alpha?" Red rocked back on her heels, that damn closed eyed smile on her face.

The room was silent as I stood from my seat. "Red when did you arrive on the grounds?"

Slowly she peered up at us, eyes shocking filled with an icy fire, "when were you going to mention you have a whore coming to visit."

"She isnt-"

The small girls eyes grew colder, "oh? Should I prepare her a basket of sweets?"

"She hates sweets Red and no, you can't poison her. She isn't someone I am interested in."

She puffed out her cheeks, "I don't care if shes interested in you. She must be ugly if she doesn't like sweets."

She cares.

She cares about it a lot more than I thought she would.

So seeing as such I walked around the table and took her dainty hand, "Well in comparison to you Red? There is no one who could even hope to come close to your beauty."

She huffed, chin tilted haughtily, "of course there isn't. That is obvious."

I smiled slightly, "would you like to sit in on our meeting?" My voice took a firmer tone as I glanced at the table, "there will be no more talk of Thalia."

She hummed a bit, "okay. But if I hear that name I shall start cutting out tongues. I dislike the harsh sound."

Slowly I led her to where an empty chair sat next to mine. "Very well Red."

She sat smoothing her skirts, "is there any tea?"

"for you there is always tea."

She nodded clasping her hands, "lovely. There where some packless beasts roaming through the crowns woods this morn. Slaughtering them all took away my tea time."

I paused. "Packless? This close to the capitol?" This close to my territory?

"Yes. Their blood was truly vial. Ruined a good pair of my stockings." She huffed, "hideous things. Cannot even take decent care of their fur. If you are that unkempt as a wolf Zander I am certainly skinning you."

I tried in vain not to chuckle, "Red. I know better that to show myself to you unkempt."

A deadpanned "could have fooled me." Was her only response.