THE BLOOD OATH

THE JUNGLE

ASTERA

Now that Saradi’s “asleep” and the linking doesn’t work, I feel kind of exposed and vulnerable. I really miss her sassy face. I miss being a wolf. And what was all that squeezing in Maximus’s embrace? What was that embrace? Even in human form, my feelings for him are there. I thought it was all the bonding stuff that was happening to me, to us, but being here without our magic, the bond feelings are suspended. And still, somehow, I found myself yearning for his touch. What is the matter with me? I must be sick or something, otherwise I cannot explain it how this magnetic pull towards him is happening. The strange thing is that I have the impression that he feels it too. Yep! I’m sick! The Underworld does not suits me!

-          “Baby? What’s wrong?” I hear Dina snapping me out of my thoughts

-          “Nothing.”

-          “Baby, you can tell me. Is it the Royal Mutt? He did something to you on that boat, didn’t he?? I swear to God, if he hurts you AGAIN, I will beat the s**t out of him! This time, we have the advantage! We can take them!” and as soon as she finished her sentence, she started to laugh uncontrollably, and so did I. “I’m not joking!” she insisted, trying her best not to laugh. “so we will be rogues. Who cares? We will have a pack of rogues. I think wilderness will suit us.” I laughed so hard that I started to snort.

-          “What’s with all the joy? Why are you laughing?” Idris came to us from the back and Maximus followed him closely. “you were laughing at us, I can feel it even without my Beta hyper senses.” He added, laughing.

-          “If you must know, yes.” Michaya said to him and we all started to laugh.

-          “And why was that?” Maximus asked

-          “Well, we were about to place our bets weather we would take you down or not. In human form. I was going to put all in on no, but Dina seems to think otherwise.” They looked at us and they started to laugh so hard that they could hardly breathe.

-          “Astera, what do you think? How do you place your bet? ” He asked me as he slowly moved in front of me and stared into my eyes, only inches away from me. He is so handsome! I am loosing myself every time I look into his emerald eyes. They are absolutely hypnotic. How can I feel like this without the magic on?

-          “I… I…” try to answer him but my mind is total blank. What was the question? He notices that I am lost in his glare so he takes advantage of it and leans down so his face is near mine, only inches apart. I pull myself back, almost jumping, and I clear my throat and answer “ Considering that I do not have neither the strength, nor agility that I have in my wolf form and that I am like a feet smaller than you guys.

-          “A feet and a few inches, I must add” He interrupts me

-          “Yes, a feet and maybe one or two inches, it would all resume to Dina and Michaya. Michaya is not much of a fighter, so it’s all on Dina. If she is on fire, she can take you both.” They stopped and looked almost shocked and the girls started to laugh and I added “But that would happen just because you are an Alpha and you a Beta, and you could never hurt a female. So, most probably, you would let her win.” They relaxed and they also started to laugh. “So, all my money goes on ‘yes she could take you’”.

-          “Beautiful and wise” Maximus added with a cocky attitude. I feel a heat building up on my cheeks. No!!! I AM BLUSHING! GOOOOOOD!!!! What am I? a teenager? He notices and he makes a smug face, fully satisfied. WHY is he doing this to me?

-          “We should speed up the pace, is getting darker and darker.” I said to them. As we moved to the jungle, we noticed all kind of strange landscapes, like empty trees with psychedelic colors, arid ground next to swamps, it was like a world of contrasts. It was very strange. On the left side of the road, the trees were kind of small with old bark and dry giant leaves were falling down the arid ground. On the right side of the road, the trees were oak looking except the fact that their leaves were blue and their barks were orange. We were walking down an alley which seemed to take us to some sort of village, or so we hoped.

- "It looks like it will get dark soon and we must find a safe place to camp" I told them.

- "Don't worry, babe! We will find a safe place for us to camp soon enough." Dina responded.

- "Yes, 'babe', indeed we will. I sent Idris to do a recon of the surroundings. We will be back in no time." Maximus said to me amused about how Dina pet names me. You could almost find a soft note of jealousy in his tone, which, surprisingly, I find it kind of hot.

- "hm. Hmm." Dina started to make strange noises with her throat.

- "Is it something wrong?" Maximus asked her amused.

- "No!" She snapped at him.

- "Am I not allowed to use that nickname with Alpha Astera?"

- "No, your Highness. It is inappropriate for you to use that pet name with Alpha Astera. Your Highness". She said to him.

- "Was that an attempt to growl?" He started to laugh which only irritate Dina more.

- "... I did not realize I 'forgot' my wolf at home... and when I did, it was already too late." And she started to loosen up and laugh at her own reaction.

I approached Maximus and I said to him using a soft voice I did not know I had it in me saying "don't mind her. She's overprotective. And overdramatic." And I started to giggle. Soon I heard his laugh coming from his abdomen, just like Santa Clause's laughs, which only made me laugh harder.

- "I think it's really cool how you take care of each other. To be honest, you seem to be less and less as I expected and more like I did not expected. But trust me, it's a relief, not an offense."

- "Ohhh... and how do I seem to be??" I said to him looking straight into his eyes, defying him. This kind of stare could easily be mistaken for a challenge. That if we had our wolves with us...

- "I think you know better than I can express it what impression do you want to make and how do you want people to think of you."

- "I do not know what are you talking about." I said to him, lying. I really knew what he meant.

- "Well, well, well. I did not imagine you as a LIAR! As many other things, yes, but as a liar, never!" He added, taunting me.

- "MAXIMUS!" I protested.

- "You always want to seem in control and cool and detached. Like the Ice Queen. But I can see it clearly now." He said to me with his husky voice, leaning over me. "Let's take for example the way your eyes turn when you're angry - that being the face I have seen the most... I wonder why?" And he eyerolled- , "if they could, they would burn the entire world. Even their color change from honey brown to wildfire orange. That is when you struggle not to react violently, unleashing your ‘beast’." And almost whispering into my ear, his lips touching my skin, he added: "And when you're aroused, your eyes widen and they change the color from honey brown to caramel brown with a touch of red. That's when they are my favorite." I start to breathe heavily. I must stay strong! "And you always talk about the moral grounds and about what's right and what's wrong, but I know deep down that if you could, you would do all the impulsive crazy decisions because, baby, you are the wild fire impersonated. And that, MY dear, is my very best moment. When you unleash yourself." And his hand lightly touched my back, drawing a line from up and down my spine. My skin betrays me and starts showing goosebumps all over. "You like to be in charge, to boss around everybody, but I bet you would give anything for someone to dominate you, to make you submit your will and surrender your body to satisfy his needs. MY needs." Well. Damn! My p*ssy is dripping. And he is right. I turn my face, I stare into his eyes, I grab his face into my hands and I answer: "never!" Also, a lie. He adds: "We'll see" and starts laughing, pulling himself away from me. Well, this is a game two can play.

MAXIMUS

Even if I don't have Xander running through my mind, pushing me to kiss her, i feel the need more than ever. She really turns me on, just by being here. Her presence comes with dirty thoughts through my mind. And, to my surprise, with protective Alpha-like feelings. I feel drawn to this woman in ways I did not know existed. I feel the desperate need to protect and care for her, to provide for her and to fulfil any wish she my have. I feel the need to be at her disposition for everything and anything. I could be with her forever, and I did not imagine myself being this way, not even for my mate. I like playing with her, and even without my hyper senses, I can feel her arousal. I get hard just by making her wet. After my little number on her I can see that I was right and that I surprised her. She did not expect it for me to be right. If Xander were here, he would be delighted!

-          “well, everything is stranger than it looks. About a mile in that direction I’ve met a fairy who said that we should go straight on the path we’re on. Also, she said not to touch the big leaves because they’re poisonous. Also, it seems like she did not figure out that we are… different. She mistaken me for a large human and she asked me how did I get here, that I do not look not damned, nor dead, nor banished. She offered her services to guide us, but I said that if ne need her, we will call her and she can “poof”. She told me to call out her name 3 times if we are in trouble and she will appear. Her name was Ginger.” Idris said to us.

-          “The sky looks absolutely terrifying!” Michaya stated. She was right. The sky was light brown when we arrived here with dark green clouds, but as time flies by, the sky becomes darker and darker, now being a creepy dark reddish brow, with dark green clouds.

-          “I never imagined I would feel tired” Dina stated. To be honest, I could feel the tension building up in my shoulders. Damn! I just realized what an a*hole am! The backpacks we all are carrying must weight like… a ton for poor Astera. I am such a d**k!

-          “Astera, give me your backpack!” I said to her in a commanding tone. If I had Xander with me, I am sure I would’ve used my Alpha voice. Pointlessly for her, but still. I would’ve proven a point.

-          “I beg your pardon?” She asked almost irritated. “And WHY would you need my backpack?”

-          “ASTERA! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! GIVE. ME. THE. BACKPACK!” I said to her in a harsh voice.

-          “No.” she responded. Is she trying to drive me crazy? Does she do it on purpose?

-          “WOMAN! GIVE ME THE DAMN BACKPACK!” God, she’s stubborn!

-          “well, if you tell me why you need it, without popping that vein on your forehead, maybe I will consider it.” She said to me, calmly. Yep. She does it on purpose. She wants me to go insane. With one quick move, I pulled her backpack.

-          “You must be shitting me! You have the heaviest backpack. This is insulting. Did you think we were not capable of carrying this weight? And WHAT are you carrying around, If you do not mind asking?”

-          “well, considering that you almost put me on the ground to snatch it, I don’t owe you an explanation. Give it back to me!” she said, annoyed.

-          “haha! You must be joking! No!”

-          “MAXIMUS! GIVE. IT. BACK!”

-          “N.O.”

-          “argh!!! Sooner or later, I will have it back. GOD! Why did you took it away from me?”  

-          “MY MATE should not be walking around the Underworld woods carrying, without her super strength, a … I don’t know… FIFTY POUNDS backpack? Mine barely has 20. Idris? How heavy is your backpack?”

-          “Please, bro’, don’t put me on the line.”

-          “IDRIS!”

-          “20-25!”

-          “Dina? Michaya?”

-          “15/20 tops”

-          “WOMAN! Are you insane? We are all stronger than you. No offence. But you are not in wolf form. So why did you?”

-          “Boys and their little… ego. I did it because I am an Alpha. I take care of my pack and I did not want any of you to carry that. is it enough that you put your lives on line because of me and the blood oath. it's the least I could do. Also, I did not know when I had the girls pack the bags that I would not have Saradi’s strength. Afterwards, I did not what to whine about the heaviness of the backpack. And now, here we are.”

-          “God! In human form, I could probably bench like… I don’t know… 400 pounds? And you thought that we couldn’t manage to carry a 50 pounds bag? Are you insane or you just want to drive me insane? Which one is it? Guys, what do you think?”

-          “Nope. Not getting into this.” Idris said.

-          “Naaah!” Dina added.

-          “Not my battle.” Michaya stated.

-          “Interesting. Nobody thinks you were right. But never mind that. Back to more serious issues. You thought of us - and by us I mean Idris and I – as YOUR pack?” I asked her smirking. Eyeroll in response. Of course. “Well, my nerves just calmed down.” And I gave her a kiss on her forehead. She did not see it coming, so she blushed.

-          “Here it will be fine if we camp tonight. I bet we are all a bit tired. We are not used with all this “normal” nonsense, giving the fact that all our lives were used to having super… anything: strength, agility, etc., etc., etc. . We will take turns. Idris and I will have the first shift until 03:00. Maximus and Dina will have the second one until 06:00, and Michaya will have the third one until 07:00. And she will make us breakfast. Is it ok for everybody?” Astera asked

-          “Yes” we all answered in unison.

-          “Good! Let’s make the fire and install the tents. We have 2 tents. One for the girls and one for the boys. Let’s put them up and prepare for night shift / sleep.” Astera bossed us around, but I kind of like it so I followed her lead and did as she asked.