These Broken Wings

another twenty bucks

“Aunt Ricky!”

Dixon heard the little girl shriek in excitement as she vaulted over the back of the couch and came barreling in their direction. RickyJo dropped his hand and swept the little girl up into her arms. She had a headful of wild curly black hair. Her skin was much darker, but he could see some family resemblance between her and the little girl and his mate in their facial features.

“Hey Cassie girl,” she said, hugging the girl once more before she gripped her by the leg and flipped her upside down, dangling her in the air. The little girl giggled and screamed, thrashing wildly in her attempt to free herself. The skirt of her dress flipped down into her face, making it so she couldn’t see.

“Lemme down Aunt Ricky,” she squealed, “...everyone can see my underpants!”

“Wear pants next time and that won’t happen,” RickyJo suggested, lowering the girl to the floor so she could right herself and straighten her clothes out. Once her my little pony underpants were properly covered again, she tucked herself into her Aunt’s side, wrapping her arms around the woman and looking up at Dixon with big curious eyes.

“Who are you?,” she asked. He lowered his hulking form down, taking a knee. The little girl still had to look up. But at least she didn’t have to crane her neck back.

‘I’m Dixon,” he said. “...Alpha of the Silver Mountain pack.” He waited as the little girl raked her eyes over him, taking in the long jagged scar on his face and the gnarled stump of his wrist where his hand ought to be. Since RickyJo was wearing his shirt, the twisted scars and old burn marks on his chest were also visible. Thankfully, the little girl’s mother appeared before she could start offering her opinion on his appearance.

“Mommy! Look! Aunt Ricky came back! She didn’t keep running all the way to Canada like you said she would,” the girl announced. Dixon fought back a laugh as he rose back up onto his feet. He knew he saw the woman the day before. But he was so focused on his mate, he didn’t get a good look at her. She was at least half a foot shorter than RickyJo. And she had wild coppery colored hair that was fluffed up around her face.

“Well look what the wolf drug in,” she teased, leaning in and wrapping her arms around RickyJo. She looked the taller woman up and down, giving her an amused smirk. “Cute outfit,” she said. When she was done commenting on her cousin’s fashion choices, she turned to Dixon and stuck out her hand.

“Jessica King,” she said, “...but you can just call me Jess, everyone else does.” Dixon shook her hand, noticing right away that she wasn’t mated. There was no mark on her neck. Which was very unusual for a she-wolf with a child. Even if she wasn’t his fated mate, if a wolf found out a she-wolf was pregnant with his pup he would usually feel compelled to claim her. The only way this sometimes didn’t happen is if the female was much lower in rank than the male. But this woman was the granddaughter of a powerful alpha. Most wolves dreamed of a mate like her.

“Dixon Blane,” he replied. “...you can call me whatever you like.”

“Is that so… Alpha,” she said, the s****l innuendo practically dripping from her voice. She held onto his hand much longer than necessary when she was done shaking it. Dixon watched his mate’s reaction to this. Her eyes clouded over. And then they turned bright green. Jade pushed to the surface and growled, forcing the other woman to back up and bear her neck.

MINE!

“Ha!,” Jessica hollered, once she recovered from her intense forced submission. “I told you once you met your mate, you’d change your mind about boys being gross! You owe me twenty bucks!” RickyJo just shook her head and threw her hands up in defeat.

“Okay,” she said, “...you win.” Jessica smirked, looking back and forth between her horridly dressed and covered in wolfstink cousin and the dangerously gorgeous hunk of alpha that had his eyes fixed on her like she was miss america.

“Let’s go double or nothing,” Jessica suggested. “I’ll bet you another twenty that you’ll bone him by the end of the day.”

Dixon snorted and nearly choked on his own spit. He cleared his throat, trying to pretend like he was only coughing. But he could hear Shadow’s voice filling his mind. You should take that bet! Dixon ignored the rest of the horny beast’s running commentary. His eyes clouded over as he received a link from one of his warriors.

Jason said he saw you walking into the packhouse with our luna!

Dixon smiled. He knew his pack was as eager as he was for their luna. They had been without one for nearly twenty years. When she ran from him the day before, he wasn’t the only one that was heartbroken. Dixon reached out, setting his hand gently on her shoulder to get her attention. She turned into his touch, her pupils expanding until he could see his own reflection in her dark eyes. For a moment he forgot what he was about to say to her.

“My warriors would really like to meet you,” he said, “...would that be alright?” RickyJo looked down at her attire and sighed. Then she shrugged her shoulders and nodded. It was her cousin that spoke up.

“Yes! We’d really like to meet them,” Jessica said. “...especially the tall one with the long dark hair.” RickyJo laughed as Dixon’s eyes clouded over. She knew he must be linking his men. But she didn’t expect the thundering wolfish stampede that followed. They thundered down the stairs and came flying in from outside, filling the living room of her packhouse with their large hulking bodies.

“Warriors of the Silver Mountain pack,” Dixon said. “I’d like to introduce you to my future Luna, Erika King, Alpha heir apparent of the Blood Moon pack.” RickyJo turned, giving her mate a look of surprise. She could hear a few shocked whispers rippling through the small crowd. Even her grandfather never formally introduced her as his heir apparent. Even though she was. And to refer to a woman as an Alpha, just that in itself was almost unheard of.

“Jade,” RickyJo hissed inside her head, “...did he just call us an alpha?”

He sure did. You’re about to owe your cousin another twenty bucks.