chapter 37

 ~Dainin~

Once dinner was served, the rest of the evening was filled with the soft hum of conversation amongst the tables. Many were still wondering how John’s possible Rogue army went unnoticed. Rogues were hard to miss, especially if they were traveling in a large group, but Dainin could attest to their stealth after experiencing it firsthand in Arizona. A few Alphas, with packs closer to the human towns, reached out to their allies asking if they’ve noticed anything strange. Hopefully, someone would have information to share sooner than later. 

A major concern was how the Rogues, from this morning, managed to make themselves undetectable. It was impossible for any living being to have no scent and make absolutely no sound. If they could appear out of thin air, there was no way of knowing how large the army could be.

Dainin watched closely as most of the newly appointed Alphas approached Tessa’s table with questions. They each wore a grave expression. “I’m sure they didn’t expect their first conference to drop a war at their feet,” Dainin’s wolf pointed out. “Well I guess this is one way to put their leadership skills to the test,” Dainin added. He had to hand it to Tessa, she was patient and gave each of them her undivided attention. 

Thinking back on his personal experiences, many Alphas would never bother with helping another pack leader. They hoped a pack would fail so a new territory would be up for grabs, but so far, the exchanges amongst the packs here tonight truly enforced the picture of unity Tessa painted for him during their first dinner together. It was an atmosphere he never thought possible.

As the line got shorter, Dainin could feel Tessa growing more frustrated with herself through the bond. “You’re doing great Tess. It will be over soon,” he said, trying to reassure her. She turned briefly meeting his gaze. “This is only the beginning,” she spoke, with exhaustion lacing her voice. Dainin’s heart ached at her defeated tone. He knew she blamed herself for this and the grief for her family still weighed heavily on her heart. He and his wolf wished they could take all the stress away and make this problem disappear. “We’ll get the chance eventually,” his wolf repeated. They both were holding it together for that moment.

After dessert, many Alphas and their pack members retired for the evening. Cadence excused herself to add the finishing touches to the Warrior’s test taking place in the morning. The Elders felt it was right to continue the conference as scheduled and the fact is, adding more warriors to the ranks would prove beneficial.

During last night's training, Zander explained to Dainin that each pack would bring a handful of young warriors to pass the trials together. It was part of the alliance agreement to ensure training was equal across the board, even if some packs excelled more than others. Dainin knew he was discreetly referring to the Warriors of Blue Ridge, a claim Dainin couldn’t really argue.

Based on the introductions from earlier, Dainin could tell some Alphas were more lenient than others and, although it was never mentioned, there was an obvious hierarchy amongst them. The status and strength of Blue Ridge was why John wanted power over Tessa’s pack. If she were as greedy and power hungry as him, she could easily take over the region. “They trust she would never turn on them, which I’m sure is why they are so quick to help,” his wolf admired proudly. That fact alone made John’s betrayal harder to accept. Tessa held everything together on trust, counted on it, now the one she trusted most hurt her in the worst gut-wrenching way. It made him sick just thinking about it.

Dainin was pulled from his thoughts as movement caught his eye. Zander stood placing, a reassuring hand on Tessa’s shoulder, before making his way out of the ballroom. He paused a moment in front of Dainin’s table with a cold blank expression. “I’m going to join my father in the cells,” he spoke in a hushed tone. “He seems to be making progress with his interrogation of the prisoner from this morning,” he informed Dainin, and without waiting for a reply Zander continued to the doors and was gone. Dainin made a mental note to speak to Tyler first thing in the morning for an update. He hoped it wasn’t by any means a pleasant experience for the Rogue and they needed any information they could get at this point.

With the door slamming shut, silence encased the room, except for the occasional sound of dishes meeting while the kitchen staff began clearing the tables. Dainin rose from his seat slowly approaching Tessa who hadn’t moved since Zander left. She sat in a daze with her eyes staring off into the distance. He could see the gears turning in her head, planning, calculating and thinking about any and every outcome of the coming days. He knew because if he was in her position, he'd be thinking about the same things. When he reached her, Dainin gently intertwined their fingers pulling her hand away from her chin. The sparks from the bond pulsed strongly between their palms, pulling her back to the present. “Dainin,” she whispered, shaking her head for a moment to refocus.

He gave Tessa a small smile while his other hand skimmed lightly over her cheek into her soft hair. Tilting her head up, he saw her eyes were filled with worry. “Come to bed love,” he spoke calmly. “It's been a long day and I’m sure tomorrow will be even longer,” he said, watching her slowly nod as she rose from her seat. Dainin draped his arm over her shoulders, pulling her close. A warmth spread through his chest as her body seemed to melt into his. “She fits us so perfectly,” his wolf spoke in awe, and Dainin couldn’t help but place a kiss on top of her head. Her sweet hum of approval only made him want to carry her in his arms, but he resisted the urge, enjoying the gentle sway of their steps.

Once they were alone in her room Dainin pulled her into his arms and simply held her. He was memorizing the way her body felt against his as if it would be the last time. Neither of them knew what the future would hold. There could be a lot to gain from this battle, but they both knew there was a lot at stake too. Allowing their feelings to freely flow through the bond, Dainin knew no words could express how they were feeling. They needed each other more than anything and he was already thinking of all the ways he would make Tessa forget her troubles just for the night.

Pushing Tessa’s hair gently away from her face, Dainin pressed a lingering kiss just under her ear as he held her in place at the base of her neck. His free hand snuck under her blouse spreading over the small of her back pulling her further into his embrace. He could feel her body already heating up with each kiss he placed along her jaw. Dainin teasingly ran his lips over hers before kissing along the other side of her jaw. Tessa whimpered in pleasure as Dainin squeezed the hair he held at the base of her neck while his other fingers traced slowly down her spine, causing her body to arch into him. Dainin smirked, running his nose over the sensitive skin of his mark, sending a shudder through Tessa’s body.

Keeping a gentle yet firm grasp on her hair Dainin turned Tessa so her back faced the bed. He led her slowly backwards giving into temptation by taking her full lips in a slow sensual kiss. Tessa quickly tried to gain control but Dainin released a growl of dominance that sent another satisfying shudder through her body. He was in control and he would have her begging for him before the night was through.