Fighting Free

Ch. 2: The Asher Pack

Metztli had spent the first leg of the trip seated between the moody twelve year old, Pill, and the car sick two year old, Alexander. It was no surprise to anyone that on the second day of the trip, he told Eliza before leaving their Palm Springs hotel that he was flying the rest of the way. He loved his nephews, but spending another eight hours in the car next to them would be anguishing. Eliza was actually a bit jealous that she couldn’t join him, but with four children to watch over in the car, she knew she needed to ride with them. 

Flying the second half of the trip felt like being let free from a cage. Metztli hadn’t flown far or for long periods of time like he had that day. Following the black caravan of black SUVs on the highway gave him a different perspective than sitting in the cramped seat of the car. He smelled how the air changed as the desert gave way to coastal mountain air, he felt the chilled wind hold him up high, and was able to see the wide expanse of the never ending globe. 

When he finally landed on Asher Pack territory in his coffee colored hawk form, his body was spent. Every muscle cried out in pain and screamed to return to their normal form. Once he saw the SUVs slowly roll in front of what looked like an apartment complex, he swooped down onto one of the SUVs’ roofs, scaring a few people walking next to the cars.

Once Eliza saw the large bird of prey scratching the roof of the vehicle, she opened her door wide and Metztli clumsily entered inside, leaving feathers scattered and floating around Eliza. Hidden by the tinted windows and the dark night, he was able to shift without incident. One of Eliza’s pack members threw him some gym shorts and a T-shirt, which he quickly put on. The clothes felt strange and very different from the cotton cloth that he is used to having over his skin., but the thought passed quickly.

“How was the flight,” Eliza asked as he stepped out barefoot.

“Tiring, but beautiful.”

“Good.” She didn’t have a chance to say anything else before the large metal gate at the entrance of the complex opened and out poured about a dozen people.

“Luna Eliza.” A tall dark haired, blue eyed man spoke. Eliza turned to look at him and smiled.

“Alpha Asher.” Eliza walked up to him and shook his hand.

“Please allow me to introduce my Mate. This is Luna Alondra.” Asher stepped sideways and revealed a lovely strawberry blonde standing behind him. She wore the calm, dis-attached smile that Metztli had seen on many wolf leaders. Something about this pair knotted his stomach, but he decided he would wait to make a judgment on them. It wouldn’t be fair to jump to conclusions about them right away, he thought.

“Luna Alondra, it’s so nice to meet you,” Eliza seemed sincere in her tone and in her movement.

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Luna Eliza.”

“Please, just Eliza.” The two Asher pack leaders looked dumbfounded and said nothing for a moment.

“I heard you were unorthodox,” the Alpha broke the silence, his voice still surprised.

“Yes, I am,” Eliza grinned happily. “But what do you expect with an unorthodox family.” She gave them a slight shrug.

“Speaking of family,” Alondra suddenly chimed in with an excited expression. “Where are the famous Moon children?”

“They are fast asleep.” Eliza turned to look behind her and saw her pack standing around the SUV with the children. To get to them, the Asher Pack would have to go through them first. Metztli came out from behind the mob of bodies to the front and stopped right behind his sister. It was a clear message that these children were protected by many. After the loss of Eliza’s other child, this was the message that was constantly and understandably given to everyone that met them.

The Luna smiled and said, “We should get you all inside. Get those children comfy in a bed and get your pack into their rooms. My assistant will show you to your rooms.” If she did or didn’t pick up on the message that the Moon Pack tried to convey, she didn’t let on that she was phased by it. She gracefully motioned with her hand and one of her pack members opened the gate wide.

Eliza didn’t have to say a word. Almost like a well choreographed dance, the Moon pack quickly dispersed between the cars. Each had their responsibilities. Some began to unload the SUVs and others began carrying things into the Asher pack house. Only a few select men, Eliza’s close and personal guards, began to carefully pull out the children from the cars.

Metztli watched Alondra as the guards walked past her and into the pack house. She looked like she was watching gold being loaded into her house and Metztli’s stomach knotted again. Something in the eye of this woman unsettled him and made him want to leave that very moment.

“Eliza,” he whispered to her after pulling her aside. She was heading inside behind the children, so he needed to be quick. “I’m not getting a good feeling about this.”

“Yeah, I picked up on that, too. Stick close. I might need you,” she replied in the same hushed tone. He nodded and followed closely as she walked through the gate. As he walked past Alondra, he noticed her eyes narrow at him. She could tell he wasn't a wolf or part of the Moon pack, so he allowed his gaze to laser onto her for the split second he walked past. Let her see that she was dealing with a warrior and not some pup bound by pack laws.

The pack house entrance opened up to a courtyard surrounded by balconies. The walls of the building enveloped the space, making it seem like they were going to fall atop of everyone below. The Luna’s fair haired assistant led Eliza, Metztli and the four guards holding on to sleepy children to a ground floor apartment . 

“I hope the accommodations are to your liking,” the assistant coldly stated. Eliza looked around the main living space, poking her head into the three bedrooms, before pointing the guards to two of the smaller rooms.

“This is lovely. Please tell the Alpha and Luna we are very grateful,” Eliza’s voice was sickly sweet and the assistant smiled in return.

“I will. Please let me know if you need anything. Just ask for Ashley.”

“Thank you, again, Ashley. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Ashley said before closing the door behind her. Eliza let out a deep sigh. 

“Is it always like this,” Metztli asked his sister, sitting down on the loveseat.

“Unfortunately, yes.” Her mouth was set in a hard line and her hands went to her hips. “It takes time for them to realize it’s better to have us as friends than enemies.”

“Luna,” one of the guards interjected, the others slowly filed out of the room.

“Yes, Kasey,” Eliza said quietly, in a tone that was much more like her own.

“The children are in bed. There will be two guards outside the door and one at every window tonight.” 

“Thank you, Kasey,” she replied. Metztli could read the fatigue in his sister's voice and as the guard left, shutting the door behind him, he heard her let out another heavy sigh, plopping down next to him.

“I don’t know how you do it,” Metztli admitted.

“All this pack nonsense,” she asked him, unsure what specifically he was referring to. He nodded and she chuckled. “I don’t know sometimes either. You know, when I was young I thought I could break the rules and traditions set by these wolves. Dakota and I would change the world.”

“You don’t now,” Metztli asked sincerely.

“Now… Now, I see that I have to charm them and dazzle them to dance to my tune, but the whole game gets tiresome sometimes. Like right now.” She paused for a minute before continuing, “Then, there’s times when I feel like a panther hunting whole packs of wolves in their dens.” A menacing smile crept up on her face.

“I’m glad I’m not them,” Metztli laughed. 

“Well, it’s all for the kids.” She placed her thumb on her temple and massaged. 

“You’re a good mother, Eliza,” Metztli assured her. He turned to her to look her in the eyes, but she had them shut, her head tilted back against the couch. She seemed to get more tired by the minute. 

“Am I? Because a good mother wouldn’t have had a child taken from her bed. A good mother wouldn’t parade her children across the country, in front of different packs. A good mother wouldn’t need subterfuge in order to keep them safe.” She looked more than road wary in Metztli’s eyes. She seemed aged, weighed down by stress. 

“It’s not your fault Xochi was taken, Eliza… And your children see how you turn pack politics on its head everyday. They will forever remember that and know that they are not bound to it. So, maybe you are changing the world. Slowly and more deliberately, but more importantly, longer lasting.” Her eyes were misty as she looked over at her brother. His words had not taken away her worries, but they had been heartfelt, allowing her to at least feel like maybe she wasn’t a complete failure.

“Maybe you’re right,” she sighed and decided to change the subject. It was too late in the night to be morose. “Your English is getting really good, by the way.” 

“Eh,” he shrugged. “Lots of lovely wolves have been helping me practice when I come over to visit you.” She chuckled.

“Yeah, I’m sure that's not all you’ve been doing with them. When are you gonna settle down? Maybe have a family?” She looked at him sideways, a smirk on her face.

“Me? With a family? Nope.” They both laughed a hearty chuckle. Meztli found it absurd to even imagine himself with a family. Where would he put them? In his tiny hut in the mountains? Insane. Eliza laughed because he was so sure of his future. She knew that the future was never set in stone.

“OK, Mr. I-will-never-have-a-family, I’m beat and if I have to keep up with the kids tomorrow, I need to sleep. You don’t mind the couch, do you?” He smiled and shook his head. She left to the last remaining unused bedroom and came out holding a stack of soft pillows, blankets and sheets. A quick goodnight was all that was said between the siblings and Eliza shuffled off to go to bed.

After making a pallet on the couch, he laid down and got comfortable. It had been a long day, a long trip and a long flight. He was ready to sleep… Hopefully, he would have a dreamless sleep the whole night.