Patreon LogoYour support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)

Alpha and Omega (SilverDreamer x JacksAreWild)

“Brrrrr! T-thank y-you.” Sasha’s teeth chattered, her body shivering underneath the blanket that Azura had draped over her shoulders. She drew the heavy blanket about her body tighter and was tempted to shift into her wolf’s form. All of that white fur would be so much warmer... But she knew that she could not trust herself to behave, especially with Azura naked and smelling so delicious after their lovemaking. Even though the young guard was freezing, there was a fire in her core from the thoughts of ravishing her charge yet again. Thank goodness Azura was getting dressed! Otherwise Sasha might never be able to tear her eyes away from her beautiful friend, or clear her mind of the fantasies that ran rampant through it.

“That sounds like a good plan. The weather looks like it is clearing up, so we should have easy traveling in the morning…” Sasha said as she took a seat beside Azura, infront of the fire. She was very quiet after that, because in truth she would have wished that they’d be snowed in here for the entire winter if she could. She did not want to keep going forward…every step towards Darcia would be another step towards having to give up Azura forever. Sasha knew in her heart that Azura belonged to her, that they were made for one another. But she also knew that she could not keep the Alpha, she was already promised to someone else.

The young guard silently ate her share of dried meat and bread, washing the whole meal down with several large gulps from their canteen. She hadn’t had much to say, what could she say anyways? Of course all she ended up doing was getting lost in her own head and her own memories. Azura appeared to like her as well. While the Alpha may not have feelings that were as strong as Sasha’s, she definitely had something. Would it be enough then? Could they be together? ”Grrrr! Stop thinking about the future… You will miss out on the present if you do such things.” And so she tried to chase all those worries out of her mind and just looked over at Azura. The Alpha looked so beautiful in the firelight, and Sasha couldn’t help but smile as she laid eyes on the other female.

Now that her belly was full, she found herself much more tired than she had originally noticed. Sasha went ahead and scooted over towards the bags so that she could grab her usual baggy tunic and comfortable linen pants for bed. Of course holding the blanket around her as a privacy curtain and trying to get dressed proved too difficult for the guard,. She dropped the blanket, and so Sasha’s strong back and curvy rear were exposed to Azura for a brief moment as she got dressed. Once that task was done, Sasha helped Azura roll out the sleeping mats. Even though they were not confined to the space of a small tent, Sasha rolled her mat out next to Azura’s so that they could sleep next to one another as usual.

“Ah…is this alright…?” Sasha eyed Azura curiously, hoping the sleeping arrangement would be agreeable. The brunette was…unsure…to say the least. She did not know what she was supposed to be doing. She knew what she wanted to do, but what she wanted to do was not necessarily what she should be doing. And right now she was silently acknowledging that she wanted to sleep next to Azura, that she wanted to be snuggled up close to her lover tonight.
 
"You are very welcome m....." She heard the rest of the words in her mind but they became choked in her throat before they could be voiced. "my mate..." She mentally shook herself at the change in title she had almost used. It had come too easy, too freely and she also knew she could not speak of it. She could not speak of it aloud because it could not be. That title belonged to her betrothed. "madam." She finally added and managed to force a playful tone to her voice and a cheeky nod to her head as she looked to Sasha.

When Sasha sat beside he she became very aware of how close they were for one and the fact that while she could convince herself not to speak what she had started to see Sasha as. She could not prevent her mind from remembering what they had done, what she had seen of Sasha's forms and the fact that she simply wanted to turn around, lean against her form and push Sasha upon her back, to let the blanket fall free from her form as she straddled her while she slowly discovered every single sensitive spot upon Sasha form. She could taste the sweet way Sasha's tasted off and heard the sounds of her groans and her hair felt as if it was being pulled once more when Sasha had been caught up in the throes of her orgasm. She chewed her food slowly and thoroughly until it was practically mush to ease the tension she felt and take her mind from what her mouth truly desired to do.

She washed down the food when she felt as sated as she could with almost half of one of the canteens as her other needs became obvious now that the tension was eased between them. When Sasha rose to her feet to get dressed and attempted to use the blanket as a curtain Azura could not prevent the chuckle that came form her mouth. She found some comfort in it though that even Sasha was uncertain in how to behave. That comfort did not last long as Sasha dropped the blanket and the glory of her form was revealed completely to Azura. She felt her teeth bite down on her bottom lip before she forced her gaze to the fire as Sasha finished getting dressed. While she was tired she had other cravings rising but she could see that Sasha was exhausted.

As Sasha pulled the beds together she smiled and nodded her head gently to indicate she had no problems with them laying next to each other. Azura made sure the fire would not burn out of control or manage to set anything else alight before she moved to her bed and laid down upon it. For the first time in what felt to be many nights she felt no need for a blanket and simply laid upon the top of hers. Suddenly the act they had fallen into felt rather strange. Should she roll on her side facing Sasha or away from her? Instead she reached over and gently stroked some of Sasha's hair out of her face and let Sasha decide how she would feel the most comfortable instead. "I hope the traveling tomorrow shall be far better than today. "The men should be long gone by sun up." She swallowed as she inhaled and breathed in her scent. Sasha smelled so much of herself, the fact that she was in some way marked by Azura's own scent pleased her and to some extent aroused her wolf side at least. It was physically proof that Sasha was her own, for now. Even if she could not voice it, tell her it or even truly let herself believe it. In that moment Sasha was only hers.
 
Sasha’s face lit up when Azura approved of their sleeping arrangement. She had been afraid that they would have to sleep in separate rooms or something equally lonely and awful. But now, allowed to sleep next to Azura, she eagerly went over to her mat (which was closest to the entrance, so that interlopers would have to go through Sasha in order to get to Azura). Sasha laid down atop her mat and blanket, settling in on her side so that she could watch the Alpha tend to the fire that would keep them plenty warm and toasty all through the night. Then she stayed still and quiet, waiting for Azura to come to bed. Sasha did not regret what they had done only moments before, but she did feel very unsure of herself at the moment.

The tired were let out a happy sigh as soft fingertips grazed the side of her face and pushed an errant strand of her hair back behind her ear. Blue eyes slowly shut and she was content to lay there quietly and listen to Azura speak. The guard prayed that they would not find any more criminals on their journey, she could no bear to kill another thing that would not be eaten for food. But she knew that she would. As heavy as it weighed on her heart to have taken a life today, she would not be able to live with herself if anything had happened to the woman she loved.

“I believe…you told me that you enjoy writing.” Sasha murmured, her voice so heavy with sleep that it was hard to speak. But still, she tried to stay awake because she didn’t want this night to end. She was afraid of what would happen in the morning, would they go back to being distant? Professional? A guard and her charge, an Alpha and an Omega, two friends going on a journey together? Sasha did not wish for such walls to be put up between them again, even though she knew they must be. For now though, she struggled to stay awake and savor this time together. “Will you share a story with me?” The last bit was garbled by a yawn. But Sasha evidently had enough strength left in her to stubbornly stay awake.

Arms soon found their way around Azura’s waist and Sasha tugged her charge closer. For weeks they had been sort of skirting around acknowledging the fact that Sasha would cuddle Azura in her sleep. Sasha would always go to sleep before Azura did, and wake up before the Alpha. They could just pretend that nothing happened at night, that Sasha did not seek out Azura subconsciously in her sleep. But tonight she wished to hold her Alpha, to let Azura know that she cared for her deeply, much more than a guard should for her charge.
 
Azura watched Sasha as she seemed out and out stubborn enough to try and force the sleep she clearly felt aside, at least for now. As Sasha's hands and arm's settled around her waist Azura closed her eyes and momentarily let herself relax into the embrace. She closed her eyes and listened to the crackling of the fire, the steady beat of Sasha's heart rate and her breathing.Slowly she turned around until her back was pressed against Sasha's front and her hands settled upon Sasha's own. Her fingers stroked along the back of her hands in affectionate strokes as she made random invisible patterns. Her right leg slid backwards so that it could settle between Sasha's own and tangled with them until she felt comfortable.

The idea of telling a story made Azura smiled before she let out a yawn of her own and began to talk, her tone was gentle, soft and deliberately used to draw Sasha ever closer to sleep and gain the rest she actually needed. She decided that a old fable would be the best one for the current time. "This story is not one of my own but one my mother taught me a long time ago when I was a cub."

She paused slightly and made sure they were both comfortable. "

Everybody knows that though the fairies live hundreds of years they do sometimes die, and especially as they are obliged to pass one day in every week under the form of some animal, when of course they are liable to accident. It was in this way that death once overtook the Queen of the Fairies, and it became necessary to call a general assembly to elect a new sovereign. After much discussion, it appeared that the choice lay between two fairies, one called Surcantine and the other Paridamie; and their claims were so equal that it was impossible without injustice to prefer one to the other. Under these circumstances it was unanimously decided that whichever of the two could show to the world the greatest wonder should be Queen; but it was to be a special kind of wonder, no moving of mountains or any such common fairy tricks would do. Surcantine, therefore, resolved that she would bring up a Prince whom nothing could make constant. While Paridamie decided to display to admiring mortals a Princess so charming that no one could see her without falling in love with her. They were allowed to take their own time, and meanwhile the four oldest fairies were to attend to the affairs of the kingdom.

Now Paridamie had for a long time been very friendly with King Bardondon, who was a most accomplished Prince, and whose court was the model of what a court should be. His Queen, Balanice, was also charming; indeed it is rare to find a husband and wife so perfectly of one mind about everything. They had one little daughter, whom they had named 'Rosanella,' because she had a little pink rose printed upon her white throat. From her earliest infancy she had shown the most astonishing intelligence, and the courtiers knew her smart sayings by heart, and repeated them on all occasions. In the middle of the night following the assembly of fairies, Queen Balanice woke up with a shriek, and when her maids of honour ran to see what was the matter, they found she had had a frightful dream.

'I thought,' said she, 'that my little daughter had changed into a bouquet of roses, and that as I held it in my hand a bird swooped down suddenly and snatched it from me and carried it away.'

'Let some one run and see that all is well with the Princess,' she added.

So they ran; but what was their dismay when they found that the cradle was empty; and though they sought high and low, not a trace of Rosanella could they discover. The Queen was inconsolable, and so, indeed, was the King, only being a man he did not say quite so much about his feelings. He presently proposed to Balanice that they should spend a few days at one of their palaces in the country; and to this she willingly agreed, since her grief made the gaiety of the capital distasteful to her. One lovely summer evening, as they sat together on a shady lawn shaped like a star, from which radiated twelve splendid avenues of trees, the Queen looked round and saw a charming peasant-girl approaching by each path, and what was still more singular was that everyone carried something in a basket which appeared to occupy her whole attention. As each drew near she laid her basket at Balanice's feet, saying:

'Charming Queen, may this be some slight consolation to you in your unhappiness!'

The Queen hastily opened the baskets, and found in each a lovely baby-girl, about the same age as the little Princess for whom she sorrowed so deeply. At first the sight of them renewed her grief; but presently their charms so gained upon her that she forgot her melancholy in providing them with nursery-maids, cradle-rockers, and ladies-in-waiting, and in sending hither and thither for swings and dolls and tops, and bushels of the finest sweetmeats.

Oddly enough, every baby had upon its throat a tiny pink rose. The Queen found it so difficult to decide on suitable names for all of them, that until she could settle the matter she chose a special colour for everyone, by which it was known, so that when they were all together they looked like nothing so much as a nosegay of gay flowers. As they grew older it became evident that though they were all remarkably intelligent, and profited equally by the education they received, yet they differed one from another in disposition, so much so that they gradually ceased to be known as 'Pearl,' or 'Primrose,' or whatever might have been their colour, and the Queen instead would say:

'Where is my Sweet?' or 'my Beautiful,' or 'my Gay.'

Of course, with all these charms they had lovers by the dozen. Not only in their own court, but princes from afar, who were constantly arriving, attracted by the reports which were spread abroad; but these lovely girls, the first Maids of Honour, were as discreet as they were beautiful, and favoured no one.

But let us return to Surcantine. She had fixed upon the son of a king who was cousin to Bardondon, to bring up as her fickle Prince. She had before, at his christening, given him all the graces of mind and body that a prince could possibly require; but now she redoubled her efforts, and spared no pains in adding every imaginable charm and fascination. So that whether he happened to be cross or amiable, splendidly or simply attired, serious or frivolous, he was always perfectly irresistible! In truth, he was a charming young fellow, since the Fairy had given him the best heart in the world as well as the best head, and had left nothing to be desired but--constancy. For it cannot be denied that Prince Mirliflor was a desperate flirt, and as fickle as the wind; so much so, that by the time he arrived at his eighteenth birthday there was not a heart left for him to conquer in his father's kingdom--they were all his own, and he was tired of everyone! Things were in this state when he was invited to visit the court of his father's cousin, King Bardondon.

Imagine his feelings when he arrived and was presented at once to twelve of the loveliest creatures in the world, and his embarrassment was heightened by the fact that they all liked him as much as he liked each one of them, so that things came to such a pass that he was never happy a single instant without them. For could he not whisper soft speeches to Sweet, and laugh with Joy, while he looked at Beauty? And in his more serious moments what could be pleasanter than to talk to Grave upon some shady lawn, while he held the hand of Loving in his own, and all the others lingered near in sympathetic silence? For the first time in his life he really loved, though the object of his devotion was not one person, but twelve, to whom he was equally attached, and even Surcantine was deceived into thinking that this was indeed the height of inconstancy. But Paridamie said not a word.

In vain did Prince Mirliflor's father write commanding him to return, and proposing for him one good match after another. Nothing in the world could tear him from his twelve enchantresses.

One day the Queen gave a large garden-party, and just as the guests were all assembled, and Prince Mirliflor was as usual dividing his attentions between the twelve beauties, a humming of bees was heard. The Rose-maidens, fearing their stings, uttered little shrieks, and fled all together to a distance from the rest of the company. Immediately, to the horror of all who were looking on, the bees pursued them, and, growing suddenly to an enormous size, pounced each upon a maiden and carried her off into the air, and in an instant they were all lost to view. This amazing occurrence plunged the whole court into the deepest affliction, and Prince Mirliflor, after giving way to the most violent grief at first, fell gradually into a state of such deep dejection that it was feared if nothing could rouse him he would certainly die. Surcantine came in all haste to see what she could do for her darling, but he rejected with scorn all the portraits of lovely princesses which she offered him for his collection. In short, it was evident that he was in a bad way, and the Fairy was at her wits' end. One day, as he wandered about absorbed in melancholy reflections, he heard sudden shouts and exclamations of amazement, and if he had taken the trouble to look up he could not have helped being as astonished as everyone else, for through the air a chariot of crystal was slowly approaching which glittered in the sunshine. Six lovely maidens with shining wings drew it by rose- coloured ribbons, while a whole flight of others, equally beautiful, were holding long garlands of roses crossed above it, so as to form a complete canopy. In it sat the Fairy Paridamie, and by her side a Princess whose beauty positively dazzled all who saw her. At the foot of the great staircase they descended, and proceeded to the Queen's apartments, though everyone had run together to see this marvel, till it was quite difficult to make a way through the crowd; and exclamations of wonder rose on all sides at the loveliness of the strange Princess. 'Great Queen,' said Paridamie, 'permit me to restore to you your daughter Rosanella, whom I stole out of her cradle.'

After the first transports of joy were over the Queen said to Paridamie:

'But my twelve lovely ones, are they lost to me for ever? Shall I never see them again?'

But Paridamie only said:

'Very soon you will cease to miss them!' in a tone that evidently meant 'Don't ask me any more questions.' And then mounting again into her chariot she swiftly disappeared.

The news of his beautiful cousin's arrival was soon carried to the Prince, but he had hardly the heart to go and see her. However, it became absolutely necessary that he should pay his respects, and he had scarcely been five minutes in her presence before it seemed to him that she combined in her own charming person all the gifts and graces which had so attracted him in the twelve Rose-maidens whose loss he had so truly mourned; and after all it is really more satisfactory to make love to one person at a time. So it came to pass that before he knew where he was he was entreating his lovely cousin to marry him, and the moment the words had left his lips, Paridamie appeared, smiling and triumphant, in the chariot of the Queen of the Fairies, for by that time they had all heard of her success, and declared her to have earned the kingdom. She had to give a full account of how she had stolen Rosanella from her cradle, and divided her character into twelve parts, that each might charm Prince Mirliflor, and when once more united might cure him of his inconstancy once and for ever.

And as one more proof of the fascination of the whole Rosanella, I may tell you that even the defeated Surcantine sent her a wedding gift, and was present at the ceremony which took place as soon as the guests could arrive. Prince Mirliflor was constant for the rest of his life. And indeed who would not have been in his place? As for Rosanella, she loved him as much as all the twelve beauties put together, so they reigned in peace and happiness to the end of their long lives."

By the time she had finished the story her own eyes had drifted closed and her body felt heavy, the warmth of Sasha's form had made her own far too comfortable. Slumber finally enveloped her but before it took over utterly she turned her head to kiss Sasha's arm gently.
 
Sasha fell asleep almost the moment that Azura had finished speaking. She had struggled valiantly to stay awake, focusing on the musical notes of the Alpha’s voice as she wove the fairytale together in order to keep up. But once that sound was gone, so was Sasha. Her breathing became deep and slow, her arms fell limply around her charge, and she slept peacefully throughout the night with her lover nestled protectively against her form.

It was only when rays of sunlight began to peek through the window did Sasha begin to stir.. The guard felt Azura shift slightly in her arms as she woke up as well, but the brunette leaned forward and nuzzled at her neck gently. “Shhh…go back to sleep. It is still very early.” Sasha whispered. Part of her wished for just a moment on her own. If Azura was up and active, Sasha would not get time to think about what had happened yesterday. When she felt Azura lay still again, Sasha kissed the top of the Alpha’s head and then carefully untangled herself from Azura’s body. Even though she wished to stay in bed with her all day, Sasha wanted to do something nice for her charge this morning. So she got up, tiptoed out of the room, and then quietly explored the house in order to find a bathroom. Once there, she began the arduous task of heating up water over the fire for a bath. The menial task allowed Sasha’s mind to wander, to the events of last night, of home, of how on earth she could make Azura hers and only hers.

Omegas had so much less pressure on them to find a mate. Many of them picked partners out of love rather than social standing. Sasha’s father had never pushed her towards a mate, and had only made it clear that he would gladly pay a dowry if she ever had her heart set on anyone. Other than that, Sasha would be left on her own to court whomever she pleased… ”That’s it! I will court her!” Sasha smiled to herself as the plan began to give her hope. She would court Azura! Yes! They would be arriving in Crowsborough in a couple of days, a proper city with shops and all sorts of restaurants. Perhaps she could get the Alpha something that she would like? A new dress or cloak… Maybe a book? ”Jewelry?” Perhaps that would be better…a gift that was a little more frivolous to show that Sasha could provide for her even on a guard’s salary.

By the time the bathtub was full of warm water, Sasha was in high spirits. Surely Lazarus and his family would not begrudge the pair of them if they saw that her and Azura were truly in love. Alliances could be formed in other ways than marriage. And from rumors around town, she had heard that Lazarus was very handsome. He would have no trouble finding another mate! And how could he love Azura anyways? Really love her, the way Sasha did. He had not spent more than a couple months out of the year with her. Sasha had seen Azura nearly every day since they were pups. Shouldn’t that count for something? Sasha’s mood dropped severely at how poorly her own argument sounded in her head. But still, she clung onto the small sliver of hope that she could court the Alpha in the way that Omegas did to win her over.

Now that the tub was full of warm water, Sasha set off to go get Azura. The young wolf let out a soft but heated growl as she came into the room they had slept in. The lingering scent of sex was still in the air, and it immediately sent a bolt of heat to Sasha’s core as her mind flooded with memories of Azura moaning and writhing in pleasure. She bit her bottom lip and tried to calm herself down before she pounced atop the other female so early this morning. But she could not stop herself from at least starting a little something.

“Azura?” Sasha called softly as she neared the sleeping mats. Then she knelt down, letting out another soft growl as she leaned forward and began to nuzzle at the Alpha’s neck to rouse her. “Time to wake up…I drew a bath for you.” Part of her had been tempted to say ‘for us’, but Sasha was still unsure of herself.
 
Azura felt movement and movement was not wanted. She was still heavily held by the warmth of the room, Sasha's warmth and the thick draw of sleeping. She imagined she heard a whisper felt a kiss before stillness returned and she drifted back into full sleep. She did not stir again until she heard a soft but heated growl but it slipped into her subconscious. It was a growl she already recognized, and wanted to hear more. She started to seek out the provider of the heat and found nothing but an empty mat before she smelt Sasha draw close once more, the second growl had her eyes open within moments and the lure of sleep was banished. She tilted her head to the side softly pretending to still be in slumber as Sasha started to nuzzle her skin. A soft moan of enjoyment sounded as she tilted her head further and exposed more of her neck to Sasha's desires. The mention of a hot bath was pleasing and the fact that Sasha had done it for her made her smile inwardly. Yet she was aware of something far more basic just beneath the surface. She breathed in deeply , the scent of the last night's activities still clung in the air and for a moment she could see Sasha's beneath her, feel her writhing, hear her moaning. She felt the way Sasha had grabbed her hair and guided her head to bring her to climax. While she wanted hot water and to feel clean, she wanted something else first.

She slowly turned her gaze towards Sasha's as if she was still lost in the dream like state of the stirring and rolled onto the side that faced Sasha fully. She reached a hand out and curled her finger's into Sasha's hair to stroke through the dark and tousled curls as she smiled up to her. She started to lift her head up and nuzzled against her neck in turn. "Mhmm that sounds delightful." She whispered quietly but thickly as a soft growl weaved into the tone of her voice before the nuzzle turned into a kiss just below Sasha's ear. The tip of her tongue flicked upwards to circle her earlobe before her hand suddenly tightened in Sasha;s hair and her mouth opened. She captured the patch of skin just beneath the ear she had captured. A low growl of wanting and desire causing her lips and teeth to vibrate as she attempted to pull Sasha over her form but roll at the same time in the opposite direction, trying to gently pin the tempting female beneath her.
 
For a moment Sasha thought that Azura may need a little more prodding in order to wake up. All of her nuzzles and nibbles were only being met with more access and a happily sighing female underneath her. Even when she rolled around to face her, Azura appeared to be half asleep and Sasha thought she may just have to carry her child charge off to the bathroom and help her in the tub.

“I’m glad you approooooove.” Sasha moaned in delight as her head was scritched and her earlobe was nibbled upon. It made her very happy to know that Azura was pleased, it put her one step closer to making the Alpha hers. A soft squeak of surprise managed its way out of her mouth when the delicate attentions of teeth and tongue turned into a rougher bite, followed by a growl. Immediately her heart began to pound in her chest as the fire was stoked at her core. Azura’s growls always sparked something inside of her, something that wished to prove that she was the dominant one, if only in the bedroom. The little bit of wrestling in order to roll her over Azura and onto her back did not help matters either. Sasha’s entire body began to feel entirely too warm with the Alpha pressed so firmly up against her and she wished that they were wearing much less clothing.

She did not mind being on the bottom, position is not necessarily everything; and she didn’t mind especially when she was busying herself by hiking up Azura’s nightgown. Sasha’s hands soon found their way under the fabric in order to grab the amazing rear beneath. A gentle caress was given before Sasha gave a low, throaty growl and grasped the firm globes harder and pull Azura firmly against her. She leaned up, a flicker of something wild behind her eyes for just a moment before they were closed once her lips pressed firmly against Azura’s and their tongues began to play.
 
Should Azura have been fully awake or perhaps had she had a moment to consider what she was doing and what she had been raised notto do she would of simply accepted the bath and gone for it. Except right now she was being fueled by instincts rather than any moral code or her up bringing. She had been taught so much but not truly ever been given the freedom she was now relishing nor had she ever been able to decide everything for herself. Either her parents or ranked wolves could decide her actions before she had given thought to them. Right now she did not want to think about her parents, what her future was to be or what may come. She wanted to live in there here and now.

As she heard Sasha squeak she laughed low in pleasure and amusement at the sound and her enjoyment peaked as slowly she found herself upon Sasha. There was no restraint no, thought of stopping, especially when she felt Sasha's hands move along her form and exposed her rear to the air as she felt her nightie be dragged up her frame. As she felt Sasha's hands settle on her bare buttocks Azura whimpered faintly, a sound that caught even her by surprise. It was not a sound of worry but enjoyment. Her gaze had settled on Sasha and she noticed that wild look once more, a look that indicated Sasha was fighting herself and in that moment she realized she no longer wanted that.

Slowly she brought her nose just in touch of Sasha's as she closed her eyes. She brought her right hand up and trailed her thumb tip lightly beneath her eye softly. "Do not hide yourself from me." She whispered gently. Her warm breath moved against Sasha's lips before she brought her mouth upon Sasha's own and groaned gently into the embrace as her tongue started to tease along Sasha's own. Her own growl surfaced though she could feel a odd sensation ,emotion that started to coil in her stomach. A desire she could not place.
 
The soft whimper that reached her ears made the fire inside of Sasha's core burn hotter. It did not help that Azura had more or less given her permission to not hide her wolf side. With her basic instincts kicking in, it became much harder to behave and go slow this morning. The animal part of her began to come to the surface, her teeth becoming much sharper, her hands slowly turning into paws, the tips of her ears turning to points. Perhaps the only thing that kept her from fully changing was Sasha's wish that their first time together be more romantic, that it not be in a strange place that they had broken into. But this half state was close enough, more than enough to allow her the strength to flip them both over, to grab Azura by the wrists and pin her charge's hands above her head. Sasha was panting softly as she looked down at the beautiful female under her, not because of the physical exertion it took to wrestle Azura into a submissive position, but because of the rush she felt from asserting her own dominance for a change.

"Mine..." Sasha's voice was coated in a low, throaty growl as she leaned down and immediately connected her teeth with Azura's neck. A happy groan fell from her lips as she marked the flesh, much harder than she had last night, but still careful not to draw blood. The guard was wearing a smug little grin as she pulled away in order to admire the deep purple indentations of her teeth. Azura would be marked as hers for days and it appeared that nothing pleased Sasha more than the thought of others knowing that the Alpha belonged to her, that this amazing goddess was hers and only hers.

Now that her lover was properly branded, something had to be done about all this clothing that separated them. Sasha was vaguely aware that tearing Azura's clothing was not a good idea. But the fabric was in the way and it needed to be removed, right now! Being in this half wolf state created a sense of urgency that she could not tame. Clawed hands took firm hold of the nightgown's collar and forced it apart, splitting the cloth in two with a satisfying riiiiiiiip. Once those delicious looking mounds were bared to her, Sasha ducked her head down. She wasted no time taking a hardened nub into her mouth to torment and teased. The sharp points of her teeth pressed against the delicate flesh, but Sasha was very careful not to cause Azura harm. All she wished was to draw more whimpers and whines from the gorgeous female under her as she wove the pain of her fangs with the pleasure of her tongue that swept across the sensitive tip of her lover's nipple.
 
There was a fleeting moment, one that barely lasted a second as she watched Sasha's slight transformation happen, that she wondered where her sense was. The moment the transformation began, as subtle as it had been and was it only made it all the harder on Azura to stop her own wolf side from emerging. Her eyes seemed to glow briefly as she smiled and examined the little ways in which Sasha's form was now. A strong tremor ran through her form from head to her toes as her own inner wolf suddenly surged up through the tangled weave of human concern, inhibitions and emotions. She felt her nails sharpen and lengthen while her teeth as Sasha's own had grew and the tips were keener. She could even feel her lengthy hair start to shrink as if it was being absorbed back through her scalp.

One moment she had been brazenly admiring Sasha's changes and the next she found herself staring up at the ceiling with her hands pinned above her head by what felt to be a single hand. The sound of Sasha's breathing made her squirm slightly as her dark gaze seemed to flicker in arousal. She felt her hips rise and fall freely several times in a row as she tried to understand the strange sensation that continued to grow and remain within her. Some part of her did not wish to admit how much she preferred being the one pressed against the floor, being able to feel how strong Sasha was and the knowledge that she was not yet even using all of it. Her feet lightly kicked against the floor as if she was trying to count herself out as she had seen others do in matches a playful smirk to her face before Sasha's next act almost undid her entirely. The word that she had stated so clearly caught Azura by surprise and oddly made her blush but that was rapidly forgotten when her guardian sealed that claim with a bite. Within seconds Azura was being consumed by one desire. She felt not the want but the very need to complete this part of the claiming ritual. She wanted to declare the word "Yours." but the word seemed to get stuck in her throat. Instead she forced her eyes to close as she whimpered deeply at the sensation while her head tilted to the side and lowered so that her chin was pressed lightly upon her shoulder. A silent sign of submission even if Azura did not realize that at that time.

She could feel the way her skin burned fabulously after the bite and she knew a dark bruise would be on show for the days to come. She loved it and hated it all at the same time. She wanted to feel it for longer than days, be reminded of who she belonged to on a regular basis. She wanted Sasha. Her heart, her soul, everything about her. Human and wolf side screamed at her to run and hide with Sasha. To form their own pack and leave the minor concerns of their families aside...yet there was that voice. That annoying reminder of what a catastrophe to do such would be. She could not do that, no matter what she wanted.

At first she did not notice the fact that Sasha had decided that some how she no longer required some bed clothes. She felt the front of her gown be bunched together briefly before she heard a loud tear and felt the chill of the air within seconds of each other. A look of surprise filled her eyes as she could only look on in wonder at what Sasha had just done. The two sides of what was now a dressing gown fell at the sides and before Azura could even think to playfully rebuke the act Sasha's mouth had caught one of her nipples and all serious thoughts were swept aside. Her body instantly acted on instinct. Her free hands moved in a blur as one formed a loose grip on the back of the lowered neck. Her fore finger and thumb stroked along the skin beneath the air as she felt the sharp canines torment the aroused skin. Her head tilted back and a low whimper sounded once more, this one deeper and less controlled as she started to buck her hips up and down as if she had lost control of herself. The scent of her arousal started to seep through her pores and her sex.

"Sasha...please...please..." Her back arched as she pressed the tormented breast further against the warmth mouth as her other hand reached down between the pair and she found the heavier breast of Sasha's that filled her slim palm with her bosom. If Sasha asked her what Azura was pleasing for even she would have no idea what she was in truth requesting. Her thumb started to circle the nipple against her hand before her nimble fingers started to squeeze and stroke along the covered breast. She could understand then the desire to simply shred the clothes from Sasha's frame but she held that desire in check. At this rate they would have no time for stitching everything that would end up mauled.
 
Sasha would have stopped everything the moment Azura told her to. Dominance or not, she would give up her position of power in a heart beat if her lover voiced even the slightest discomfort. But Azura did not fight her off, she did not yell at Sasha for overstepping her bounds or try to escape. No, the beautiful female underneath her accepted Sasha’s bold declaration of claim, and even though she had not finished it off verbally, Sasha’s heart still swelled with the idea that the proud Alpha was willing to be vulnerable and submissive for her. And Azura’s reward for her submission was more torturous weaving of pain and pleasure as Sasha left her right breast, leaving the poor nipple that was coated in saliva to the cold air as she switched sides and began to work on pleasing the other stiff peak.

When slender fingers began to play with her own heavy mounds, Sasha let out a low groan of pleasure. All day her breasts were kept free from any sort of touch or feel while Sasha was kept safe in layer after layer of her guard’s uniform. Even the littlest bit of dexterous stimulation over the thin cloth of her shirt felt amazing, and Sasha could feel her sex between to pulse in jealousy.

The moment that the scent of Azura’s sex reached her nostrils, Sasha’s mouth began to water in anticipation. She could remember the salty sweet taste of her lover’s arousal and immediately wished to bury her face between Azura’s legs in order to lap up every delicious drop. But Sasha waited, she tried to be patient. It was not often she got to be atop Azura, usually she was careful not to hurt her charge which usually involved her losing any wrestling matches they had. But now seeing that Azura did not break if she was a little rougher in the bedroom caused her to want to explore this avenue further.

“Please what?” Sasha grinned against Azura’s breast as she spoke. Her charge was bucking and writhing beneath her, begging for something though unclear of what that something was. Perhaps, they could make a game of it to figure it out. “Please stop?” Sasha’s voice was light and teasing as she stopped the attentions of her mouth and tilted her head to look up at Azura, leaving her poor, abused nipple to the chilly air of the room. As Azura’s hips bucked beneath her, Sasha took firm hold of them and pressed them to the sleeping mat, forcing her lover to stop and be still. “I do not know what you want if you do not tell me… hmm…so maybe…please bite and kiss every bit of you?” Sasha’s head tilted to the side, making her look very much so like a confused dog as she asked the question. Not waiting for a response, she looked down, briefly admiring the beautiful, porcelain skin that covered the gentle curves of Azura’s body. And then Sasha began to act on her question, starting first with Azura’s collar bone, nibbling and kissing along it until she worked her way down between Azura’s breasts. She let her teeth drag over her sternum, scratching the skin with her sharp fangs and forming streaks of red over the flesh. Azura’s ribs were next, and Sasha tried her hardest to bite and nip at the sensitive area in order to get Azura moaning and whimpering instead of laughing.

As she worked her way lower, Sasha found it much harder to continue their game the closer she got to the prize. Everything inside of her screamed to stop playing, to just shift fully and thoroughly claim her heart’s mate. Thankfully her human side was just as stubborn as her wolf’s side and she managed to keep the wild urges at bay, even though the thought of stretching and filling Azura’s tight sex with her length was incredibly tempting. A shiver ran down her spine and for a moment her grasp on Azura’s hips tightened, nails digging into her sides as Sasha heaved a low growl, as though her wolf was making a promise that he would mark Azura with his seed whenever their human sides were finished being cruel to them.

“Orrrrrr perhaps…please lick you?” Sasha murmured once she had gotten a little more in control of herself and had loosened her strong grasp on Azura’s hips. The guard’s mouth was mere centimeters from her lover’s quivering slit, her warm breath washing over the delicate skin as she spoke. Though she made no move to actually connect her wanting tongue with Azura’s sex, even though the scent and sight of her lover’s arousal was absolutely maddening. Sasha forced herself to wait, she wanted Azura to ask for it, wanted her beautiful Alpha to beg.
 
Azura's breath seemed to stop in her chest as she only watch as Sasha released her playful and enjoyable grip on her nipple. She could see the moisture from Sasha's mouth made her nipple glisten in the faint but growing light of the day. As Sasha captured the other nipple Azura's back arched against the mat and floor as she let out a growl of frustration and arousal. She was unaware of the way Sasha had felt about Azura's own acceptance of the claim.

As Sasha groaned when Azura had captured her breast Azura could not help but smile knowingly as she lifted her other hand up and caught the up until then left alone one. This time though she scraped the edge of her nail along the edge of her nipple through the soft material of her robe before she pinched it slightly between fore finger and thumb after several squeezes she released the hold as she stretched all her fingers apart on both hands and gently stroked her palms against and along Sasha's breasts. For a moment Azura considered the fact that perhaps she was about to gain the upper hand between them until Sasha spoke.

Her gaze dropped a moment as she had to think to consider what she had been meaning. Perhaps part of her subconsciously and even a little consciously had wanted to complete the simple ritual or perhaps something else within her was stirring properly. As Sasha threatened to stop and then did briefly Azura let out a low growl of frustration before she shook her head from side to side slowly at least able to answer that before she stuck her tongue out playfully. With her second nipple released Azura could feel the distinct chill of the air and her nipple seemed to ache with wanting and frustration. When Azura felt Sasha's hands suddenly grip her firmly and forced her hips and buttocks firmly down upon the ground and held her in place. For a moment Azura was uncertain how to react, what ahd been taught to her was that none should pin and Alpha but nor should an Alpha permit them self to be pinned and yet here Sasha was, rendering her hips still at least, what followed was a uncanny emotion. It was..enjoyment..frustration and that frustration made that enjoyment all the more potent.

At the next question Azura finally managed to exhale that held breath and the gaze that Sasha played upon her could almost be felt. She could practically sense the gaze as if they were fingers instead and she shivered slightly but continued to remain still for now. That stillness lasted until without waiting for an answer Sasha's mouth descended upon her once more except now the animal within was more prominent. The teeth grazed sharply and she felt some of the skin be opened, the rise of blood and suddenly her wolf rose even higher within her personality. The hands on Sasha's breasts that had been gently suddenly squeezed tightly and she tugged on the breasts gently. She started to try and move her hips up and down against Sasha's grip as she let out a loud almost feral growl. The human aspect of her nature told her to pull back, told her to forgo the wolf within her but her form had already changed further. Her ears had turned to points and a thin shade of copper fur started to grow along the edges of her ears.

The previous night had been soft, gentle and playful. Laughter had touched the air and Azura had loved it, she loved this to but for every different reasons. As Sasha's teeth continued to scrape against her skin she released her breasts to reach behind her, her hands settled on the collar at the back of her out fit and in copying of Sasha's earlier act a loud tearing sound filled the air and the garb fell down to settle around Sasha's wrists. The annoying out fit now sort of out of the way Azura's right hand settled in the strands of Sasha's hair but did not try and control her movement while her other hand scratched firmly along her back as she groaned when Sasha caught a sensitive point just beneath her ribs. This was not a gentle stroke but this one was intended to mark her form.

Azura's body trembled as she realized how tightly Sasha had suddenly gripped her hips even more tighter and time froze. Their eyes seemed to meet and for a second Azura seemed to know exactly what Sasha was thinking. She could feel it, sense it, see it and more so imagine it. Her eyes closed as she then heard that growl. A promise, a desire or a wish. Azura could suddenly see herself turning over onto her hands and knees while Sasha changed form. She could almost smell the scent of Sasha's full wolf form. She could feel Sasha's form against her own. Almost feel as a hard length pressed against her sex just as Sasha's teeth gripped her neck. She heard herself cry out in pleasure in her mind as her sex expanded and felt tight around Sacha's length before the wolf would start to claim her completely, mark her.

Her breathing hitched and when her eyes opened again to focus on Sasha her gaze was no longer human but bright and glowing as she had to fight every part of her from doing anything to simply push both herself and Sasha over what was turning into a flimsy edge.

As the grip on her lips relaxed Azura forced herself to smile as she heard the safer words than what her imagination was considering. Her eyes settled on Sasha's head as she lowered herself along her form and between her legs. She could feel her warm breath, teasing, tormenting her to the point Azura was about ready to either pounce her fully or beg.

Oddly enough what ever she may have said, what she may have thought to say was not what came out of her mouth. Instead she spoke faintly. "Challenge me..."
 
f66f2863ea97b9966905dda73a9d0909.jpg




Sasha growled loudly as her shirt was torn apart, voicing her displeasure at having yet another one of her tops ruined. She was already apt to put burn holes in them whenever an errant ember from the campfire landed on the cloth, she didn't need Azura adding her own destruction into the mix. But she did not stop her, did not bat her hands away or move her own form out of the way, because that would require stopping, and Sasha had far more interesting things to do than that. Besides, the bright red scratches to her bare back made her skin tingle with a pleasant bit of pleasure and pain. Sasha shivered in delight with the thought that she would be marked by her Alpha. And she moved for a moment to get her wrists free from the garment and then pushed her body up for a moment so that she could slide it out from between them and toss it off to the side, out of their way.

The scent of Azura's sex was driving her mad, especially now that the other female was shifting further and further into her wolf state. Sasha found herself panting like an eager young dog, trying in earnest to get more of the delicious scent in through her nose as she waited for the Alpha to speak. A soft whine sounded in the back of her throat as she looked upwards only to see Azura's eyes glowing, see copper tufts of fur beginning to cover her skin. Sasha's nails dug into the inner thighs of her lover for a moment as she tried to collect herself. Whether she knew it or not, the Alpha was torturing her with how incredibly beautiful she became as a wolf. Not to say that Azura wasn't absolutely breathtaking in her human form, but there was something very alluring about the wildness of her wolf's form, especially when Sasha was so close to shifting herself.

The words that came out of Azura's mouth next were not what she had expected. Sasha could feel the other woman struggling against her grasp, trying to buck her hips forward and get a little relief. She could see how incredibly wet and swollen Azura's sex was as Sasha held her legs far apart and continued to tease her with her warm breath that conflicted with the cold air of the room. Sasha was so tempted to lean forward...to just capture the little nub that was almost twitching with want and soothe it with her tongue...but she waited, willing Azura to ask her, to beg for it. She had entirely expected Azura to begin pleading for some much needed attention! But instead, the Alpha wished for a challenge. Sasha blinked in surprise. Challenging Azura meant challenging herself as well. Sasha's control was wearing thin, she was so tempted to let the animal side take over. But if Azura wished for a challenge in order for Sasha to prove her worth, the young were would oblige.

"I will always challenge you…" Sasha's blue gaze caught firm hold of Azura's glowing silver one as she made the promise. In truth Sasha had always been very careful with Azura, not wishing to harm her for fear that the Alpha would not be able to handle it. It was the reason Sasha had lost all their wrestling matches even though she was much more sturdy and much stronger than her lover. But if Azura wished for challenges, she would get them. Sasha would show her lover that she was much more than an omega; prove to her that she was an equal and not a subordinate.

"And if you wish for a challenge immediately…then you aren't to orgasm without my permission. Let's see if your self control is any better than mine." Sasha grinned as she crawled onto her knees and quickly took hold of Azura's legs, right under her knees. She cranked them backwards towards her chest as she growled, trapping her lover in her half-wolf state while she herself began to shift. Silken, white fur began to erupt all over Sasha's body as she grew larger; where her an Azura had always been of equal height, now the guard towered over her charge. Her ample curves receded as her body became leaner, more muscular. Sasha's face began to change, her vocal cords became more clumsy, and now a growling white wolf looked down at her lover. Soon she no longer had any feminine characteristics at all. Between her legs, where an aching womanhood had been, was now a thick and throbbing length.

"Really?! That was my favorite pair of pajama pants!!" Sasha lamented the loss of another article of clothing for only a moment before her feral desires kicked in. The wolf's cock pulsed with such an ache that if it were not for the human form holding him by such a tight leash, he would have lost his control and plunged inside of Azura's welcoming sex at that very moment. But instead he inched his hips forward carefully, groaning in delight as the underside of his shaft glided over Azura's wet slit. The large wolf appeared to smirk down at his lover, whom he so easily held in place, trapped beneath him in a position that did not allow her to shift into her wolf's form. A position that allowed her to do very little other than enjoy the feel of the wolf's thick cock running back and forth through the lips of her sex, nuzzling at her engorged clit with every push and pull of his hips.
 
Azura could not help but smile as she heard the growl from within Sasha's throat at the realization that she not to had lost a garment. She could not help but relish the sound of it and the way it seemed to send her form spiraling even further into her desires for the were creature above her. Azura's smile turned into a broad grin as she felt Sasha's form shiver as her nails had snaked over her spine and she had paused briefly to let Sasha ease herself out of the nightie. Her gaze moved over the beautiful woman's face and for a moment she simply wanted to stroke along the pointed ears. To admire the feral beauty above her and perhaps draw out a little more of the animal within. At the sound of the whine she feared she had some how hurt her until their eyes met and she uttered those words. Those damned words in which she had no idea where they had actually come from. They had simply left her tongue without even gaining permission from her mind to be spoken. What had she even meant by them? What did she expect the poor Omega to do to challenge her? Wrestle her further?

Azura frowned slightly at the blink and wondered if the whole moment had been worried by the utterance until Sasha's spoke once more. So clearly, so firmly and their eyes locked. She could feel the energy between them and she felt her hips buck more firmly than previously at the were's declaration but could the omega challenge her, dare her and make her consider anything but what she had been taught or knew?

"And if you wish for a challenge immediately…then you aren't to orgasm without my permission. "not to orgasm? The challenge made her whimper just at the very thought of it. She realized then that Sasha was going to make her beg and plead to be able to cum. The idea was scary and exciting all at the same time. She felt a strange energy surge through her frame, once more something she could not quite recognize fully. Her expectation had been for Sasha to lower her head between her legs and tease her with her mouth until the point either Azura lost the challenge or managed to succeed it but a loud gasp of surprise was forced from her chest as she felt her legs be forced backwards until she could feel the front of her legs against her chest. Her eyes widened in query before Sasha finished what she had started.

Her gaze could not leave Sacha as she turned into her male wolf form. Her gaze lingered on the soft silvery fur and the panting from Sacha's snout. Her gaze lingered on the long canine tongue but instead Sacha once more caught her unawares. As she felt the length against her sex she whimpered loudly and looked at Sacha with such torn eyes at the cruel act she was putting upon her.

"Sacha." She whispered thickly and hotly as she kept her gaze locked with the wolves own. She wanted to thrust, to move, to roll! To be able to do anything. She lifted her hands from Sasha's frame and placed them upon the wood of the floor besides the mat she was upon. What was he doing to her..? Now more than ever she felt the urge to twist over onto her hands and knees before him. To have him surround her human form and slam his hips forwards and into her. Marking her, claiming her and above all certainly challenging her.

Yet she was determined not to lose the challenge even while the animal within screamed for release. She could feel her clawing at her mind frantically to be let go of. as Azura panted heavily beneath her mate. At least the animal aspect knew what was what without stupid human emotions to cloud the judgement. The wolf growled for the human side to switch off and then was frustrated at the male wolf because no matter how she shifted she was pinned and could not flew enough to actually shift.

Each sweep of his length made her tremble and started to growl. She felt her nails started to scrape against the surface of the wooden floor beneath them as she bit down on her bottom lip to the point of actually drawing blood.

She could feel her sex clenching despite the fact there was nothing to actually drag into her frame. After several minutes she had to lift her own right hand up and pressed the fist between her teeth to bite down and stifle that urge to beg that had started to rise up. Her eyes locked on Sasha's mane as if that made the situation any easier.

Sacha was tormenting her and she was certain he knew exactly whet he was doing if not the affect he was having on her. She had been the one to ask Sacha to challenge her but he kept throwing her off balance. It made him unpredictable as her instincts to push her sex up just a little bit to try and capture the tip of his length just within the opening of her sex rather than simply taunting the entrance.

She started to shake her head frantically as desire, want, frustration, love and all her instincts started to form a tornado of emotions that weaved and entertained with each other constantly. "Sacha please..." She had pronounced the name differently with the wolf form currently holding some semblance of rule over Sasha's human form. "Claim me...!"Her inner voice screamed at her to voice. "Claim ME!" It rattled just to make the situation worse.

"DAMN IT CLAIM ME!"It finally yelled through her mind and before Azura could voice that request she felt herself start to convulse beneath the male form. Her sex clenched as she started to cum at the intimate touches. Finally her mind turned blank and she started to stutter in reaction. What did she feel, what did she want? Her glowing eyes turned to liquid metal as her body writhed and gradually stilled. "You win." She finally managed to say clearly. " this one at least..."
 
Panting, heaving breaths and soft growls filled the room as the wolf sped up his hips, relishing in the wonderful feeling of Azura's splayed sex rubbing against the sensitive underside of his member. How he wished to be buried inside of her...to have his entire member wrapped in her welcoming heat rather than just having part of his cock pressed against her. Several times the flared head of his length nudged against Azura's entrance, but without any sort of guidance, Sacha's cock just ran upwards and between the slick lips of his lover's folds for yes another torturous pass. When Azura moved, trying to angle her hips so that he would slide inside of her, the large wolf growled and forced her firmly back into the mat. The human consciousness would not allow him to take their mate even though all he wished to do was to flip Azura onto her stomach and make his beautiful lover howl for him. The human side would not allow him to claim their mate. Even though they all wanted it, Sasha's stubborn mind would not trade her ideas of romance for a raw, animalistic first time with her lover.

Sacha gazed into Azura's eyes, trying to watch her face for discomfort because he knew that he was heavy and that she had been maintaining this position for awhile. But all he saw behind those glowing golden eyes was her wolf, screaming to be let out of her prison. He wanted her out…really he did! This damn human part would not allow him to release his grip upon Azura's legs, would not let him give her even an inch of space or slack so that she may shift. All that the human side allowed him to do was continue to grind his hips into Azura's and torture the both of them while they waited for the stubborn female beneath them to to either reach her peak or show submission to them by asking for permission. Either way, Sasha would win, as long as she could manage to hold back their own orgasm and make Azura cum first.

Azura was close, he knew it, if by the way she whined and tried to hold back her moans by biting her own hand was any indication. He watched her hands dig into and scratch the floor, wishing desperately that those claws were digging into his back instead so that he could proudly wear marks that would show off what pleasure he could bring his female. As Azura bit her bottom lip and a drip of blood rose to the skin, he leaned forward to lick off the droplet. The slight change in angle made his cock more forcefully rub against Azura's engorged clit with every thrust. Nose to nose with her, he woofed softly as he gazed into her eyes, willing Azura's wolf to make the human part be a good girl and ask him for permission, or break and lose herself control by cumming. Silently he promised the wolf a reward if she could make the human side submit, Sacha seemed to be able to understand that the Alpha wished to be dominated, and he would gladly do so.

"Ohthankthegods." Sasha was barely able to hold their climax back and when she felt Azura begin to writhe in earnest underneath the male wolf's form. The fresh flood of wetness that coated his member only made him buck his hips faster, his dampened, heavy sack smacking lewdly against Azura's rear with every thrust. He was so close…but still...there was the matter of Azura cumming without his permission that he needed to figure out how to deal with. She needed some sort of punishment... One paw released her, though kept the other in a firm grip under her left leg to pin and help deter her from suddenly shifting. Then he wrapped his massive hand around his cock and began to furiously pump the shaft. She had not asked for permission before she had cum, so he would not give her the satisfaction of being the one to cause his own undoing. The tantalizing sensation of Azura's silk already had him on edge and it only took a few strokes of his cock before his length began to pulse. Sacha groaned loudly with his release as he began to paint his mate's stomach and breasts with hot streaks of his seed. If she could not behave and ask him for permission to cum, then he would waste his seed and not fill her belly, nor give her a taste.

Finally spent with his cock only letting out a few weak spurts that landed ontop of Azua's mound, and with his naughty mate marked in his cum, the wolf released his lover entirely and knelt before her, a large, satisfied grin upon his muzzle. And then suddenly, his blazing blue eyes rolled back into his head and his body went limp, dropping off to the side with a loud THUD. The form began to shrink in size, the white and silver hair receded back into skin, leaving only flowing locks of brown at the top. And Sasha was left there, naked skin covered it a sheen of sweat, and passed out entirely. Her heavy panting had switched to slow, deep breaths and she did not stir, not even when prodded. Maintaining her wolf's form as well as imposing her more civilized will over wild urges had been very taxing on her mind and body. Having only rations the night before and no breakfast this morning made it a wonder that Sasha had managed to shift into her wolf's form at all. Between the events of yesterday and this morning, she had run herself into the ground; but it all had been worth it.
 
Azura was locked in a moment she wanted to both last forever and come to an end all at the same time. She could not make her mind focus on anything but sensations and emotions. There was no sense, no understanding or even memory of what lay beyond the house she was starting to see as their home. Her gaze was locked on Sacha's snout, the baring of his teeth. The way he growled, licked her lip and even nudged her nose with his nose as he made on of the softest of noises. It was endearing in that moment even while hormones, lust, dominance, uncertainty and the constant fight of wills surrounded them both. The air was full of tension, heat and the mixed up scents between Sasha's female form and masculine and Azura was not positively covered in both of them. She felt unbelievably sexual in that moment. A siren of myths some how for the first time.

That was until she saw the determined look on Sacha's face and with the eyes that she did not understand until it was too late and she could not act on it. She saw and felt his own hand reached down to appease himself , to push him over the edge when she had desperately wanted to at least do so herself. The fact he denied her made her growl and her eyes flash darkly until she realized it was part of her punishment. She had not submitted, not requested permission, not begged and now he was denying her something she realized she wanted even more. Her body trembled as she felt the hot liquid streak and pool against her stomach, some landing on her breasts as her body was still bunched with her legs against her upper form. The scent of him was more than intoxicating. It was going to drive her insane. She realized in that moment that Sacha knew her better than she knew herself, better perhaps that Sacha's human side could comprehend or yet see for herself but still even Azura was lost in what Sacha had given her a tasting of and she wanted more. She started to stretch her legs out as she was finally released, her body suddenly aching after she had changed position. She could feel that satisfied grin, that damned knowing grin that left her nervous and excited before suddenly the eyes rolled back and she could only watch as Sacha returned to the feminine human form.

Desire and confusion turned into worry and fear as she heard the deep and heavy thud of Sasha's form hitting the ground. Azura did not have to prod her to know for now that Sasha's was beyond waking. She had exerted herself too much, Azura had tired her out by teasing her wolf form until it had come out to play. Softly she gently pulled and settled Sasha on the mat, covered her in blankets and added wood to the fire as she hummed ready to leave her to rest.

The pool of cum had trickled down along her stomach and thighs when she had moved and rose to her feet and started to dry but for some reason she was less than eager to wash it away. It marked her as his. The scent of him, the sensation of him. Yet she knew she had to bathe and finally made her way to the bath that had been prepared for her what felt to be a day ago. She slid into the already cold water and reluctantly washed her form from her hair down to her toes. She had been aware if she truly desired she could of tasted his cum, found out if he tasted as pleasing as he smelled but some how that felt not wrong but...it created a feeling she could not once more understand beyond the fact that the first time she would get to taste him, she wanted him fully aware and conscious of what she would be doing to him.

Her fingers once she was clean stroked along the large, dark bruise at her neck and smiled at the sensation of pain and pleasure it created. Eager to check on Sasha she rose out of the bath and dried her form before she returned to the main room having forgotten her bag of clothes. With a grin as she passed Sasha she kissed her cheek gently and stroked her fingers through the hair aware that she had not seen Sasha look so relaxed in her sleep before or perhaps even so truly happy.

Once satisfied Sasha was fine she walked towards her bag and reached in for the cloths, some had been rolled into a bundle to make room and she shook them loose to try and ease the rumples from the material. It was then she heard a distinct thud and spent a minute examining the ground before she noticed the cause of the noise. It was the gift she was meant to exchange with Lazarus when they met. A token from her family to indicate the binding that was to come. Her legs seemed to disappear from beneath her at the sight of it as everything she had been denying was recalled, Her wedding, her family, her pack and the union. She had forgotten it all! She swung her hand down and swiped at the offending item so that it skittered across the floor away from her. She felt tears well up as sadness filled her to the point of being over whelming.

The beast within knew instantly that the stupid human counter part was going to go through with the marriage. As false as it was, as ludicrous as the notion was to even pretend she could be happy with Lazarus. She knew she could pretend to be happy, that she would force a smile on her lips , appear to love him. Hold his hand, stroke his hair in public, even mate with him in the shadows even though the idea made her stomach roll and her skin felt cold as the aspect of such a life.

The wolf finally escaped and wished it had not been so finely pinned before. If she had been even given just a inch of space the notions running through the fools mind would be immaterial because she would of been claimed. She had seen Sasha's inner wolf, the mental mindset being held back. They had both wanted the same thing, each other. Such a simple desire was it not? They wanted to be together but the humans were set on keeping them apart.

Azura only just closed the door to the house as she escaped, her body still soaking wet and bare turned to ice within minutes but that did not make her turn back. Instead she started to run as the wolf continued to rise in mental state while the human faded with loss she had yet to voice. A loss she could prevent by simply admitting the truth! Azura jumped of of a ledge and before she had struck the ground several feet below it was four paws that were dipping into the snow. Coppery fur shimmered in the winter's sun and snow fell in flurries landing on the fur. The first emotion to rise highest was rage. Pure, undiluted rage. It was a good thing that she did not smell any humans near by but her nose caught the scent of animals. Food was required for Sasha when she woke up. She would be beyond hungry and the rations would do little for her.Within the hour she had caught one elderly male deer and two pheasants but the multiple hunts and kills had not sated the anger but simply focused it.

Once she had what she deemed would be enough for the pair of them for the next few days she finally submitted back to her human form to be able to cart the food to the house. She spent the next couple of hours preparing the meat and removed everything that could not be eaten or used. The meat which they would keep she wrapped and took inside while the rest she deposited throughout the surrounding forest for other predators to eat.

Next after she had washed she checked the horses, made sure they still had water and food before she let them enjoy a little bit of restricted freedom. Her mind had turned to practical measures. That which needed to be done even though her body was trembling by the lack of clothing in the icy weather.

After an hour she put the horses back in the stables and went inside. She picked up the meat and took it into the kitchen, the fire was nearly dead in the living room and Sasha continued to slumber so she turned her focus to preparing the meat. She mixed up herbs and spices, readied the spit and basted the meat before she started to cook the food. The scent of freshly caught and cooking meat would fill the air and ease it's way through the house.

I was like an animal in heat.She thought to herself. How close had she come to wrecking it all.You are a animal and you do not know heat yet...but you will. Her wolf replied snidely in her mind with a distinct bite to her tone. 'You are being a fool. Why would you even consider Lazarus? After everything that has happened? You and I both know there is only ever going to be one wolf that will make you happy. That will challenge you. You saw only a taste of it.' She growled low as Azura dug her fingers into the palms of her hands. 'Shut up.' She stated angrily though weakly.'You can not ignore me or silence me for ever human self. We are part of each other in a way that can not be broken.'

'SHUT UP.' She screamed and the inner wolf trembled slightly before having the last mental word. 'You can not keep fighting what you are. What we are.' Finally though she fell into silence and retreated into the depths of the humans mind. She was not going to play any part or have any involvement in what was to come. If she had her way the day would have a very different ending but that was not going to happen. Her human side was already set on a path of self destruction.
 
A hint of a smile was on the guard's face as she slept and her brow was smoothed without any sign of worry. Although she slept well with Azura in her arms, her brow was usually furrowed in concentration as she tried to sleep as well as keep her ears open for signs of danger. But this morning they were safe, and Sasha was a very happy little were. She had won! And while she was not so stupid or so arrogant to believe that she would win every challenge with Azura all the time, she was still very glad that she had bested her lover this morning, and her confidence was bolstered by this victory.

Sasha was dead to the world as she slept, no sound or movement disturbed her. Not even when Azura placed her upon the mat or covered her rapidly cooling body did she move. The young were's form was so without energy that she didn't even attempt to search for Azura in her sleep, nor did she kick or grab at things as she dreamed.

---

"Maammmmaaaaaaaaaa!" Came the sound of a child's cry as pattering footfalls hurriedly carried the little creature down a hallway and towards the bedroom.

Sasha opened one eye and only grunted softly as she drew Azura closer to her frame. She willed the child to go back to bed for it was very early in the morning and it was still sleepy time. How had the little one managed to get out of her crib in the first place? Sasha would blame all the climbing their pup did on Azura later, once they both woke up.

"Mama!" The child said insistently as she tried to clamber up onto the bed that was still a little too tall for her to get up there with ease.

"Shhhh, pup. Mama needs her rest." They both were tired. But Sasha wanted to make sure that Azura had an adequate slumber. Reluctantly, she released the stirring bundle in her arms and began to climb out of bed. "I'm coming, I'm coming… You are stuck with papa for a little while." Sasha rubbed sleep out of her eyes as she stood. She offered her hand down to the child, which was immediately grasped.

"Go back to sleep, my mate…" Sasha whispered softly and kissed Azura's forehead. "I love you…" And then she moved down Azura's body, to her stomach where there was a slight swell. Sasha kissed the bump and whispered a soft 'I love you' for their unborn little one. And then she picked up their climbing terror and gave her a few kisses as well as she carried the little girl out of the bedroom and away so that Azura could sleep a little longer.


---

The delicious smell of cooking meats roused Sasha from her sleep. Bleary eyes blinked a few times to clear the drowsiness from them. Her entire body felt heavy, she did not want to move but she knew that she had to. Her stomach roared, as though demanding she move for food right this moment. After a couple of failed attempts to get up, Sasha finally managed to get herself into a sitting position so that she could look for the source of the smell. Azura was bent over the fireplace, cooking food for them this morning. The sight made Sasha smile. Her lover had been thoughtful enough to bring her in an actual kill even though they still had rations left over. And Azura looked so beautiful by the firelight…it made her porcelain skin seem to glow.

Sasha drew the blankets about herself in order to maintain some show of modesty. But she made no move to get dressed or go wash. She needed food, now. It was a struggle to move and a test in strength of will to keep her eyes open. She inched closer to the fire and gladly accepted a piece of meat when it was finished and Azura handed it to her. Sasha devoured the first piece. It was only after her second helping as she was going onto her third, did she begin to feel more like her usual self.

"Thank you for hunting and cooking, Azura." Sasha smiled and leaned forward to give her lover's cheek a little nuzzle with her nose. But as she did…something felt strange… It was like the energy from hours ago was gone and in its place was a looming crowd of dread. "Perhaps I am just imagining things…" She did not bring it up again until towards the end of their meal. Azura had said very little and it was starting to become a little unnerving. While the silences between them were usually comfortable, this one was not. "Are you alright?" Sasha asked, her head tilted slightly to the side, a look of concern on her face as she watched Azura.
 
"There will at times be sacrifices that need to be made and perhaps no were will feel that more than a first born Alpha female Azura. You shall have to sacrifice the freedom your brothers shall enjoy because of the purity you must keep. You will sacrifice being able to choose your own mate and at times even worse still you are going to have to sacrifice your own happiness and the feelings of others to ensure the survival and strengthening of the pack. " She heard her mother voice as she recalled the memory. It was the night following the arrival of her first bleeding. "Some shall hate you, others will fear you and a rare few shall love you and no matter what your feelings for others may be the pack must come first. Not love, desire and certainly not excitement or the thrill of the hunt...but the pack."Azura recalled the strange understanding that had formed then. The evening she realized what ever she was inside would not mean much of anything to anyone in a fashion. Desire's, dreams, love and longing were emotions to be buried. Locked away some how. "Even if I meet a werewolf that makes me happy, laugh, will give me healthy and strong pups while also being able to challenge me?" She heard her mother laugh faintly. "Why would you want a mate to challenge you?" Azura stared at her mother briefly , stunned and almost hurt. "I would not want a mate to simply agree with me if they did not actually do so. I want a mate who will make me consider everything and anything, to challenge me so I would know who I am inside and out. To challenge me so I could be a better Alpha for my pack.""I am sure Lazarus shall prove to be all that and more for you Azura. You have time yet to understand especially when he fills your stomach with cubs and tending the home as well as your responsibility to the females of the pack. Anything else and anyone else you lock away in a box. You let them go Azura. You can only have Lazarus and that is it. Whether he does challenge you are not. "

Azura had turned her gaze from her mother and stared out the window to the town before her. She watched others laugh and play tig, kiss catch and a variety of other games. She watched couple hold hands and others kiss while others were heading home to their families. "What if I do fall in love with someone else and them me..? Surely it would not be the end of everything.""No, but you are betrothed, agreements have already been made, we need this ceremony to happen Azura and besides any male who fell in love with you would have to challenge Lazarus for you and even if he did win, Lazarus's family would call him a rogue male and have him skinned. So if you even have the twinkling of affection for another dismiss it. Trust me Azura, we have picked out a fine mate for you and trying to change what is will only end up in suffering for yourself and others. If another should fall in love with you then you make them hate you if needs must."

Azura shuddered as the bitter memory came to it's end just as Sasha started to stir. Her silver gaze looked over to her...guardian as she fought every initial reaction her body had along with her heart. She made sure Sasha had plenty to eat one she finally was able to eat but ate quite little herself. Hunger had been replaced with solace while her face was blank and cool. When Sasha had nuzzled against her, she forced her body to freeze against the affection rather than lean into it. She bit down on her inner cheek as she fought of the need to weep. "I am fine. We should rest here tonight, recuperate and then continue on tomorrow at a good pace to make up for this day. We have enough meat to feed us the next few days, the horses are well rested and fed as well as the weather clearing so we should be able to make up good time."

She rose to her feet as she acted as if that was her only concern. Her back straight, her head high and her form tense as she dressed in simple clothes and began the process of starting to stitch up the nightie as much as she could, putting a distance physically between herself and Sasha. Inwardly she felt as if her whole form was shattering but outwardly her gaze was cool as a silver blade caught in moonlight and her face impassive. "Make them hate you if needs must."The voice echoed again while the wolf simply observed with a shake of her head. The female human had her on a damned tight leash and locked in a cage with a muzzle on.
 
"A-alright…" Sasha's voice cracked with the threat of crying and she quickly cleared her throat. Azura was never this cold with her…and immediately she knew that everything had gone wrong. She had made a mistake in showing Azura her wolf's form, that had been it…it had to be. "Of course…as you wish…" "We are fools…" Sasha's heart shattered and her eyes welled with tears; Azura appeared so eager to go forth on her journey. The young guard felt so…used. She had shown a hidden part of herself, had become vulnerable for a moment and had thought she was in love. This night had meant a lot to her. But...after what had just happened…Azura wanted to pretend that it had all meant nothing? Just go rushing off back towards her mate because this was a mistake? To be so repulsed by Sasha that her skin turned cold at the guard's touch? All Sasha could do was kick herself for being so naive, for thinking that this was anything other than a way to blow of some pent up sexual desires. For thinking that…anyone could love such an oddity as her.

The happiness she had felt moments before was gone and she quickly excused herself from Azura. Despite being fairly thick skinned when it came to people teasing her about her clumsiness, Sasha was very sensitive to matters of the heart. She hurried off to the bathroom, closing the door just in time for the tears to start falling. The guard sniffled and angrily swiped at the tears, willing them to stop and for breaths to remain steady so that Azura did not hear. She didn't even understand why she was so sad… It was all just some stupid little fling, wasn't it?

She loves us…I know it…I saw her wolf! "You saw an animal in heat." I know what I saw! I know that she is ours. "She is repulsed by our form. Did you not feek how cold she was? Or perhaps we remind her of Lazarus…surely she has seen his wolf by now…" HE IS NOTHING COMPARED TO ME! He is nothing compare to you! I am strong and you are…stubborn. Stubborn is good…you challenge her even when you are in the weak human body. He cannot be everything she needs. He cannot be strong and soft as we can.

"WE ARE AN ABOMINATION!" Sasha roared inside of her mind with such fury and hurt that the wolf cowered into a corner, having never known the human part to be so dark.

"Two halves that do not match! We are not a normal werewolf. I showed you to her, and now look where that has gotten us. All it has made her want to do is go rushing to her betrothed so that she does not have to bear our company any longer." Buried beneath all of Sasha's good nature was the self-loathing that came from being born odd. And now that she had figured that was the reason Azura did not wish to have anything to do with her, she wished now more than ever that she could just be a normal. That she could just be an entirely female wolf that wished to be mated to a male instead of another female. We were foolish to think that she could love us…

With a heavy sigh now that her wolf was put in his cage, she began the task of emptying the tub, and drawing a scalding hot bath for herself so that she could wash away Azura's scent from her body.

---

"Papa, do you ever think about…maybe…finding another wife?"

"Do you wish for a mother?" Garen's brow furrowed in worry. He had tried so hard to care for his daughter as best he could, but it was difficult raising a girl on his own. "I thought between Miss Esme and the other females of the pack that they could…ahem…er…you know…help…with your female things… Has that not been enough?"

"What? No! Of course not… I just… It's been a long time… And I'm getting older…-"

"Ah…" Garen smiled, relieved that there was not some other feminine thing his teenage daughter was going through. "You are not so old that I need to fear you running off with a handsome young wolf…or a uh- beautiful young wolf." Sasha's father had always tried his best to be supportive of his daughter, even if he didn't understand why she preferred women to men, her happiness meant everything to him. And the concern she had for him in return, that she was nearing the age when she would find a mate and she would soon leave their home to make a family of their own; leaving him by his lonesome, it touched his heart. "No one can replace your heart's mate. I loved your mother very much…and I honor her memory and insult no other woman by remaining on my own. I would not settle for someone who I could never care for even half as much as I did for her, and I would not trade the short time we had together for anything. I am blessed to have you. But when you are gone off to have your own family my dear pup, I will still have my work, and that will be enough."


---

Perhaps work is indeed enough. For the next few days Sasha channeled her energy into her duties. She was stoic and silent on their rides, as good a guard as there ever was one. No longer did she try to hold Azura's hand for a moment as she helped the Alpha onto her horse, nor did she try to charm her or make her laugh. At night, sleeping inside of the tent was unbearable, Azura's scent filled the tent and Sasha could not bear to be taunted with someone she wanted, but did not want her in return. So she had taken to sleeping outside. She had given Azura the excuse that it was because she wished to be able to protect her better should trouble arise. And it was indeed a little better, her reaction time would be faster if she was not lulled into a love-struck haze by the Alpha's scent and warmth. She would stand guard outside of the tent until she heard the Alpha's breathing slow, signaling that she had fallen asleep. And then Sasha would shift into her wolf's form. She'd stay close to the perimeter of their camp and hunt. Then once she was sure she had enough food in her belly to maintain the form for the night, she would bury herself in the snow in order to stay warm and go to sleep.

---

Sasha was glad that they were reaching Crowsborough this morning. It seemed that ever since they had left the house in the woods, a cloud of bad luck had followed her. She was back into her clumsy ways, tripping over nothing, lighting her trousers on fire by accident, stepping on twigs while she was hunting and alerting her prey to her presence. She'd torn several of her shirts by catching them on branches while in the woods and had refused Azura's offers to patch them, so now she needed to stop and see a tailor. The uncomfortable silences in the party had made even Destry agitated and now the damned war horse would not bare a rider. Every time Sasha tried to mount her, the horse would whine and stomp her feet, threatening to throw Sasha from her body if she climbed into the saddle. So for the last leg of their journey to the city, Sasha had had to trudge in the snow beside her horse because the damned creature would not be nice.

As they entered the city and made their way towards the inn so that they could find a room for the night, Sasha caught a flash of red out of the corner of her eye. For a moment she considered side stepping, but before she could do anything, the blur of red hair and blue dress was tackling her to the ground.

"Hah! I finally got you!" Tala grinned triumphantly from her new perch atop the guard's stomach.

"I did not realize we were still playing!" Sasha huffed, but she smiled, the first smile she had in days. When she had been assigned to guard Tala whenever the girl came to visit Azura's brother, the feisty redhead had decided to make a game of trying to surprise Sasha. She never had, despite her clumsiness, Sasha was an excellent guard and few were able to sneak up on her. But, Tala had managed to do so today, even if she had sort of cheated.... "Next time I will move and just let you run into my horse's as---rear…"

Tala giggled at Sasha's attempt to not curse infront of a lady. "Let us not pretend that you do not swear with your guard brothers. Hello Azura! Nice to see you. I am sorry to have beaten up your guard. Perhaps I should get you a replacement?" Tala teased as Sasha huffed so more. Tala liked Azura, and she had really liked her brother as well. Fagin and her got along wonderfully, the pair of them were tricksters and their playful natures clicked immediately. But…one day, when Fagin had been bold enough to give Tala her first kiss, she had been so repulsed. She thought she had loved him, she certainly was fond of him and they were still good friends, but when he touched her with those dirty hands and kissed her with that scruffy face…she found herself cringing slightly at just the thought of any male touching her.

"Your brother wrote to me to keep an eye out for you because you were coming. He also told me about the clever plan he hatched to sneak into the armory." Tala smiled politely as she hopped off of Sasha, then offered her hand to help the guard up. "But I did not think you would be coming so early…" Tala looked around, seeing that they were near the inn. "I hope you're not staying there…how about you come by the estate? We are having some guests for my mother's birthday…but there is still room and I am sure she would like to see you, Azura."
 
At the sound in Sasha's voice Azura felt her heart flinch and a stab of pain struck her just below the ribs. She tasted blood and realized she was once more biting down on her own inner cheek to keep herself from showing anything. She did not look up until Sasha had already left the room. For a second her pain shone through. The desire to chase after her and explain everything. Instead she lowered her gaze back to the stitching and used that focus to pretend that everything was exactly the way she wanted it. She pretended she did not hear the sound of Sasha starting to weep and she pretended that she did not care either. She heard the water drain and the water start to fill up once more in the room beyond the door and it felt as if the emotional distance between her and Sasha made the physical that much longer. How much she wanted to tell her, prove to her and show her. Instead she drew the needle over, through the material under and back up before her gaze suddenly found the glinting of the metal charm she was meant to give to Lazarus. Her gaze burned so hot for a minute she was surprised that the metal did not bubble and melt. Slowly she rose to her feet and picked up the item that had undone everything in the blink of an eye. Torn her happiness into nothing but pain and sorrow. With a sigh she put it in a pouch and sealed it up wishing even though she could no longer see it she could no longer feel it.

--------------------------------------------

If Azura had thought the troubling days early in this journey had been upsetting they had been nothing compared to what she felt during the days after they had left the house. There was no laughter, no smiles. Care free and life enjoying Sasha had disappeared and in her place was a stone like woman that was scary in the fact Azura had never met this side of Sasha and despised the fact that she had a hand in forming her.

She kept her own distance from the woman, she did her tasks without aid if she could and made sure physical contact was as limited as possible. Each time such did happen her body froze and her eyes could only reflect nothing. Her inner wolf struggled against the discipline being inflicted upon her constantly. She tried to find the weak spot in the cage. She knew there had to be one. She just had to wait until it appeared or something happened to make it appear.

Azura's hunger appeared to fade as time passed. Her appetite waning more each day but she ate just enough not to gain Sasha's glare before stopping. Of a night time she was haunted by dreams that teased her with the possibility of a future she could not have. She dreamed of Sasha smiling, of her arms wrapped around her waist from behind and both of their hands settled on her growing stomach. She could see Sacha every night, feel the bite of his teeth that changed into a soft feminine kiss from Sasha before she felt cold hands grip her shoulders and her mothers face appeared like a dark cloud of warning that startled her awake.

It was at those moments in the night that she let herself feel anything. She would rise from the empty bed that felt so cold and alien without Sasha besides her and leave the tent to make sure Sacha was alright. The first few nights Azura would panic being Unable to find the silvery white fur amongst the snow. Tears threatened to seize control and the wolf would lurch to howl her mate back before her silvery gaze saw the distinct black nose and she realized Sacha had been there all along. Her silver gaze filled with longing, everything revealed in the times Sasha could neither see or hear her. It was in those moments she was a open book. That it was obvious how much she loved the slumbering form nestled in the snow before she remembered what fate would be destined for Sasha if she let what had began between them continue. "I have to protect you.." She would whisper almost silently. "I have to protect everyone and this is the only way I know how..I need you to hate me. I don't want to see you this way.."

The words uttered and her voice on the verge of breaking along with her self imposed control she would quickly retreat to the tent after pressing her nose against Sacha's own and breathed in the masculine scent that was combined with the scent of snow before she would retreat to her tent as if she was nothing more than a haunted spirit.

Three Socks was not as strong willed as Sasha's horse and perhaps was the only one who could sense his owners inner emotions. He would often nuzzle his snout into her hand and kept a good distance between himself and the wilder female when Azura's form was at it's most tense. If only he could speak perhaps even the horses had a better chance of sorting the issues out.

--------------------------

Azura had not noticed the appearance of the red haired female until it was too late to even try and warn Sasha and she simply observed the impact from afar as she had let Sasha travel ahead of her into the town as she inhaled the new scents and longed to be alone. She had already considered more than once actually sneaking off in the night to continue the journey alone but some how she always managed to talk herself out of it and at times she was not certain if that was because she could not leave Sasha alone or she was too nervous at what Sasha would do to her when she inevitably caught up.

She smiled to Tala as she climbed down from Three Socks and offered hi up half the apple she had began to feed him earlier on in the day. "Greetings Tala, I hope you and your pack are well." She bowed her head softly at least pretending to follow the lines of etiquette even if she simply felt like weeping still. She had lost some weight in the last week and while she could hide the shadows that were growing under her eyes from lack of sleep there was a cast to her form that was certainly tired and frayed.

"I am sure my.." She blinked a moment and for a second froze as the word mate some how bubbled to the surface of her mind and the wolf let out a small grin. Something had changed ever so slightly and a small screw that held the cage together started to loosen itself. "guard is quite capable of handling herself." Azura raised an eyebrow at the mention of a replacement and for a second Azura considered the idea from a very practical point of view even if the actual notion of doing so made her inwardly wince. "I doubt you have a guard worthy enough to replace her with." She finally answered with a small smile to her lips before she shook her head slightly at the mention of her brother. "My brother was never able to keep any secrets from you." The mention of the armory brought back her brothers practical joke and that at the end of the story the mimic of her and Sasha managed to be together. She bit down on the inside of her cheek, reopening the wounds that never had the chance to heal of late.

She tilted her head slightly at Tala's surprise of the early arrival. " The weather cleared up about a week ago and we have been traveling as fast and safely as we can. I..hope to be reaching Lazarus as early as possible so I can explore his kingdom before the ceremony itself. " She felt her chest tighten as she spoke the words and her features stilled and turned as calm as a none moving lake. Almost serene, picturesque in a way but to the keen observer closed off and hidden.

At the invitation right then Azura could think of nothing worse. She felt only just able to carry the charade of her chill and seeming urgency to get to Lazarus with Sasha. To have many more eyes and ears observing her? Could she actually maintain the pose and impression she was desperate to keep and desiring to remove all at the same time?

Her silver gaze drifted briefly to Sasha as she considered every possible element she could and decided perhaps for Sasha's sake rather than her own she should accept. "Thank you for the invitation. I would love to see your mother also and I am sure the birthday event will be suitable to letting Sasha have some fun. " She looked up to Three Socks and nuzzled his forehead gently. "I think I shall let you two go ahead. If I am to attend your mothers birthday I better not appear with nothing to offer as a gift. The glare I would receive." She shook her head slightly as she smiled gently and made her way into the mingled crowd.

"My, my....are you certain you did not bring the winter with you? It suddenly feels a lot colder around here." Tala looked to Sasha with a curious smile and a playful note to her eyes though she observed her friend carefully while appearing to have not noticed that something was clearly amiss.
 
Sasha was busy brushing the snow off of her back and trousers when she heard Azura speak Lazarus' name. A soft growl rumbled in her throat before she could properly stop it and she quickly turned her attention to Destry to hide it, pretending the horse had done something to irritate her. Of course at Sasha's use of the horse as a scapegoat, Destry nipped at her shirt and huffed, glaring at her Mistress for the lie. Sasha took the bite with a sigh, it seemed that every female was going to be mad at her this trip. It was only going to be a matter of time before she made Tala angry or repulsed at her too so that she could complete the set. As Azura moved to ride off, Sasha had the urge to follow right after her. But for whatever reason, she could not help but feel as though the Alpha wanted to be away from her, and so Sasha let her go, leaving her alone with Tala.

"Please, do not speak negatively of her." Sasha said far too quickly in response to Tala insinuating that Azura was cold.

"I did not realize you guard her from teasing as well as sword blows." Tala had heard the little growl from Sasha earlier, and now wished to test a theory that was rapidly forming in her mind by taking another potshot. "I am sure Lazarus will appreciate you caring for her in his stead and the haste that you make towards his soon to be kingdom."

Sasha looked as though she were about to explode and for a moment Tala was afraid that she had gone too far. She had never seen the good natured guard in such a state; in the two summers she had spent with Fagin and with Sasha as her shadow, she had never sen Sasha actually get angry. It took Sasha a moment to compose herself before she could actually speak, and even then it was through grit teeth. "She is eager to get there quickly, and I am bound by my duty as her guard to fulfill her wishes."

"She is not eager…" Tala said with a sad smile. "She puts on a mask so you do not worry for her." At Sasha's confused look, Tala continued. "Would you not have doubts if you were her? Put faith in matchmakers and your parents to pick out the person that would walk by your side for your entire life? People who you are not sure know what is in your heart? Perhaps it is more organized than omegas that bumble around, hoping to bump into their mate by chance, but it is no better. Azura probably does not wish that you worry that she will not be happy."

"If she will not be happy, then why does she not just call the whole mess off?"

"This is not just about her. This about the packs. Alphas are tools by which alliances are formed. Arrangements have been made-"

"But you were to marry Fagin, and now you are not." Sasha interrupted quickly.

"Yes, Fagin was courting me. But we had not gotten so far into our relationship that wedding plans had been made. It is too late for Azura to go back on the agreements, not without good reason. Unfortunately, Lazarus is as dry as a bone and does not have a Mistress or any bastards, at least to my knowledge, so she has no reason not to marry him. And if she is in love with someone else, then her lover would need to be bold enough to challenge Lazarus. But he is not just some stuffy, well read Alpha...he knows how to fight. Surely Azura does not wish for anyone to get hurt in all of this, and so she shoulders her burdens and hides behind a mask because she knows you care about her because you are her guard." Tala paused for a moment, hesitating before continuing on. "Besides…when I told my mother that I did not think I could have any man touch me and that I would rather adopt pups than be impregnated with a male's seed, she yelled at me. Screamed at me really… I thought she was going to disown me and send me into the wilds to live as a lone wolf. My father was quiet, disappointed. He probably still his disappointed… Azura surely does not want to face her parents the same way I had to face mine."

"I'm sorry…I did not know…" And now Sasha felt very guilty for her anger towards Azura, and also having kissed Tala when they were younger.

"It is not your fault Sasha!" Tala smiled and stood up on tiptoe to give the guard a chaste kiss on the cheek, grinning as Sasha turned bright red. "There is no reason to be sorry. And I thank you for being my first female kiss, it helped me figure out what I really wanted before it was too late. And it has worked out, my parents have had offers from other packs, smaller ones than yours and Azura's, but at least they are offers from females and not males." Tala studied her friend for a moment before looping her arm through Sasha's so that she could lead her stolen escort towards the estate. "Now… I bet I know what will make you feel better… I know how much you like to spar, Azura cannot be much competition for you, but maybe we can put you in the barracks…"

---

Tala bounded towards the room that Azura had been escorted to once she had been notified that the other Alpha was on the premises. The halls had been decorated with ribbons and candles for tonight's celebration and guests milled about. Most of the guests were family, but some were also Alphas from surrounding packs. The redhead knocked softly upon the door and when she was allowed entrance, she slipped inside.

"Hello…just thought I'd come in to check on you." Tala smiled. "I hope the room is to your liking. And do not worry about your guard, Sasha will be spending the night in the barracks. But I insisted she come to dinner as my guest. Do you need clothes for tonight, Azura? It would be no trouble at all to have something made in a few hours. And do you know what Sasha would like to wear? I do not wish to hear my mother nag me because one of my guests has shown up in torn up things…and I wanted to surprise her with something fine to wear so that she did not feel out of place. But I did not want to go to my seamstress without knowing if Sasha would prefer a dress or maybe a jacket and trousers."
 
While Azura had, had every intention of simply trying to forget Sasha for a short time. Hoping to distract herself from the emotional weight she felt even if for a few hours, that was not quite what happened. She had moved several feet away before she had noted a small book store besides what looked to be a rare crafts store. Feeling she had quite a reliable chance in finding something for Tala's mother she connected Three Sock's to the horse bar out side the stores and walked in without glancing back. She was unaware of the conversation between Sasha and Tala. Certainly not what ever the younger Alpha female was already understanding or at least suspecting as she scanned the spines of the hard backed books. The scent off of them at least brought a small smile to her lips as brief as it was. After just over five minutes she had at least found a rare book she knew that Tala's mother had longed to add to her collection and hoped that had not changed since the last time she spoke to her.

Her purchase in hand she stepped out of the warm building and unaware of what habit she had developed she instantly sought out the familiar warm brown head of hair that belonged to Sasha just in time to see Tala lean in and place a kiss to her cheek. Her eyes narrowed and the wolf rose to her feet as that change that had started earlier continued. Within seconds she pushed aside her human senses to heighten her sight and caught the indication of a flush of red on Sasha's cheeks. She felt her stomach twist sourly as the pair linked arms and as if there was no other concern in the world Tala lead Sasha off to the estate. Her fingers on the empty hand curled to bite into the palm sharply before she closed her eyes and let out a held breath. "Perhaps this is the way it should be." She muttered to herself even though the sight of such happening made her feel anything but relieved and at least happy to see some one care openly for Sasha in a way she was not able to. Despite the fact some part of her could believe that it was for the better her wolf started to growl in the cage, the fur along the hackles rising as her teeth bared mentally. "They are ours!" She growled low as she started to pace the cage and at times Azura could feel her pawing in a corner as she tried to speed up the escape. She did not have to get out for long, just long enough to make it clear that Sasha already had a mate. That she had already been bitten, claimed in her own way. "You can not let that female vixen get away with this.!" The notion of Tala being seen as a vixen made her human side chuckle at the imagery briefly. "No, they are not ours. The claim was never completed and we can not be with them. It is better she finds someone now is it not? Someone that can make her blush, make her laugh and smile..eventually make her happy in a way we....""NO IT IS NOT! She claimed us. She declared us as theirs. It was you that could not complete it. If you had let me out just a little bit more, eased up on that troublesome mental grip of yours we would of said it...""And what? Left her to challenge Lazarus? Had them killed in a barbaric spar that only ends with death or submission...and what if Sacha had won? Their secret would no longer be so and the pack would of declared him a rogue male on their territory. They would end up dead and the pack would be in danger..." The knowledge as known as it already was at least gave the wolf pause even if it certainly still did not like the idea one bit of another female wolf sniffing around her mate.

The inner mental battle for now silenced Azura entered the next shop and found two tokens almost immediately though she had only gone in browsing for one. She purchased Tala's mother a rare cloak clasp it was the second item she found that was of significance. A wolf made of what looked to be stained glass howled at the moon while a delicate and small glass cup was before it perfect for little candles. The eyes of the wolf was the perfect match of Sasha's own. Small white patterns had been carefully etched along the body of the wolf and Azura felt the need to buy it without understanding why. The rest of her shopping was completed soon after, simple decorated parchment paper to wrap the gifts, ribbon and a card had been added to her collection and she lead Three Socks on foot to the estate.

-------------------

Azura had only just reached the room barely a quarter of an hour before she heard the soft knock. For a minute she thought it was Sasha and permitted entrance once her form was covered up. Her silver gaze narrowed on Tala as she walked in and she forced a smile to her lips. "Thank you of informing me where Sasha shall be. She needs a night to relax and enjoy herself." She managed to voice the words sweetly as she meant it to some degree. She paused a moment as she considered what clothes she had most of them traveling, only one was suitable for such a night but it still smelled of Sasha and Azura was certain if she wore it then she would constantly have the images of what she and Sasha had done while she had been in it haunting her all night. "I think I require a dress though only if that does not cause any troubles for you or any one else."

At the mention of clothing for Sasha, Azura suddenly saw her in that silvery grey dress she had made for her and her hand reached up and settled upon the place that a mark had been placed by Sasha. "She would prefer a jacket and trousers. Nothing that is too clingy and permits her movement easily." She spoke certainly as she felt her wolf snarl and bare teeth while she forced the smile to remain in place. The wolf part wanted nothing more than to strike out at the female before her. "Just do not make it too....luxurious. It makes her feel out of place even more so than her guards attire. Is there anything I can do for you or your family while I am here?"

"If you can save me a dance for this evening I think that everything else is settled." She spoke with a smile on her lips. "I do hope Sasha has lost her ability to fall over her own feet when attempting to dance...." Tala spoke the words as she watched Azura carefully. "I am sure she shall catch the attention of several of the men and women in attendance. It would not be a surprise if any of the omega's made a play for her."

Azura's silvery gaze iced over instantly as Tala spoke and then seemed quite intent upon rubbing salt into an open wound. It was with forcing herself to remember that she had in some way grown up with Tala and that they normally got along very well that stopped her from throwing herself towards the younger were female. "I am sure if Sasha's is sought out by any she desires she shall have no concern in wooing them." Her voice thin and hard but remained civil.
 
Many people did not give Tala enough credit in her ability to read and manage others because she was so young. But she could see in Azura that she was hitting nerves every time she brought up Sasha. At her final request that Azura only grant her a dance with a guard, the hairs on the back of Tala's neck stood on end and she knew that her game was becoming dangerous. She had never known Azura to be the violent sort, but apparently jealousy made the other female quite ornery. "She must really love her…" Tala smiled to herself, she wished one day that she would find a woman that would make her as fiery as Sasha did for the normally calm and collected Azura.

"She is lucky, is she not? Able to claim the one werewolf she desires when she is sure of it. Sometimes I wish I had the right to choose whoever I liked." Tala smiled sadly. Then she perked up a little bit, remembering they had things to do. "Anyways…I'm sure Miss Erin and her girls will be able to make you something lovely for tonight. Let's go down there and she can take your measurements and I will give her Sasha's, then it should be time for lunch."

---

"Alpha Tala I will not have her staying in my barracks!" A very angry, red-faced, older guard Captain growled. He had come barreling down the hallway once he had spotted Tala, even though she appeared to be busy speaking with some other young female he did not recognize. "Excuse my interruption, Miss. But this is urgent" The Captain bowed slightly to Azura before continuing his conversation with Tala. "Your guest…she must stay somewhere else!"

"Somewhere else? Honestly Captain… She is a guard, I put her in the barracks with all the other guards."

"She is a distraction! Her and those-…those-…baloobies!" The guard Captain sputtered, having great difficulty saying the final word.

"Baloobies, Captain?" Tala giggled as the flustered man tried to make some sort of a gesture to indicate that he had been talking about Sasha's breasts. "Ah, I see. Her breasts are a problem, Captain? I'm sure she is capable of handling herself and her breasts. Last I recall, she stays at the barracks with the males of her own pack and they have no issues."

"Yes but those boys are used to having a female in their ranks! Mine have grown soft in the head. She has bitten two of my best men! The rest stumble over each other trying to get her attention and forget her duties. She pretends to not even notice their attempts!"

"I'm sure she is not pretending…" Tala could remember covertly flirting with Sasha a few times, and it had all gone right over the guard's head. It was only when Tala had pounced onto of Sasha to kiss her had the guard finally gotten a clue. "Perhaps she beats them because she is the daughter of a guard captain herself and her uh-baloobies have nothing to do with it?" Tala giggled. "She probably has been lifting a sword since before she could walk. Besides, Bryce and Zane could use a little lesson in humility-"

"Alpha Tala it looks like they have been beaten by a juvenile male!" The Captain interrupted, looking very distraught. "I do not know what is worse, having them tell the truth and say a woman beat them, or having them lie and say the marks on their neck were caused by pups."

"And what is wrong with being beaten fairly by a woman?!" Tala suddenly barked and glared so harshly at the Captain that the older wolf actually flinched slightly. "I know Sasha would not have bitten strangers unless they had goaded her to prove herself. If your men are so incompetent that they cannot handle themselves after they have thrown a challenge, perhaps you should teach them to not be so arrogant to believe all the fights they engage in, they will be the victors of." With a sigh Tala paused for a moment in thought. "There are no rooms left…but she is my guest. I will not see her sleeping in an inn. I'm sure you tire of her company and would like a night to yourself, wouldn't you Azura?" Tala's lips curved into a smile that she fought very hard to keep all the mischief out of as she looked at her friend. "Have someone bring Sasha's things to my room." And then, as if an after thought because she did not want it to appear as though her and the guard would be sharing the same bed, even though they probably would be, she added. "As well as a sleeping mat, please."
 
Azura watched Tala coolly as she spoke of Sasha's luck. She opened her mouth and then decided before anything revealing escaped that she should simply keep silent instead but as Tala turned to approach the door so they could see the seamstress she whispered faintly. "I suppose that depends on who she would fall in love with." Her voice for a moment caught in emotion but she choked it off with a cough and followed Tala out of the room and closed the door behind her.

------------------

Azura and Tala had only just stepped out of the room and down the hall way for a moment she was able to relax as she moved towards where ever Tala was leading her until the man appeared and only just seemed able to stop himself in time from crashing into them. Azura merely bowed her head slightly in turn and took a couple of steps back to give at least an element of privacy even though she could hear everything that the pair were saying. She had to turn away and lower her face as the guard started his list of complaints. The wolf merely amused and more than proud as the discussion continued. She knew Sasha would not realize that the males were trying to get her attention unless they practically jumped her and they would certainly be sorry if they attempted to.

She lifted a hand up to cover her mouth as a laugh threatened to escape and briefly her gaze was warm though unseen by the pair while she tried not to get involved. Tried to pretend that she could not actually hear them unless she was asked to join the conversation.

Within minutes she wished she had moved further away and had truly droned out the pair of them because while Tala was trying to perhaps do several good deeds for multiple people all at the same time, which was Tala's way even if it did not quite always pan out the way she may of intended. Azura had to sharply reel her control on the wolf as the animal surged upwards against the cage sharply and started to weaken the frame she had been able to hold in place for a week.

She had turned so swiftly to face the pair at the notion of Sasha actually sharing Tala's room that she almost struck the wall besides her and lost her balance, thankfully her hand reached out and grabbed the door frame which would gain several nail indentations in the soft wood as she considered her words carefully. The attempt to hide Tala's playful side not only failed but to Azura's mind that Tala had plans of her own for Sasha, the fact that the request for the sleeping mat was only considered moments late added to that churning stomach and the wolf started to shake it itself. "You can not let her share a room with our mate! She will sink her claws into her.." "They are friends, have been for years. Just because they share a room does not mean anything will happen..."" But she is vulnerable, our mate is upset with us ..beyond upset with us because YOU won't tell the truth. You can see the smile, stop acting so damned human! You saw the kiss. What are we going to do all night? Simply sit in our room after the party and twiddle thumbs?" "It is Sasha's choice. It has to be her choice..if she decides that..anything happens with any one then just perhaps...her claim was simply done in the heat of the moment and nothing more than sexual frustration." She kenw she was not being truthful to herself but that was far easier to accept than the claim actually meant anything. "One day and one day soon I swear Sacha and I are going to thump your heads together until the pair of you see sense!""

Azura winced as her wolf side brought in the male side of Sasha's form before she realized she had been silent too long. "I am sure Sacha is able to decide where she desires to sleep far better than I can. I am sure she would welcome the break from my company indeed. "

Her gaze turned to Tala fully and her tone was just a little too sweet to be genuine but not rude either. She relied on her upbringing and the fact deep down she did actually care for the young woman and this was all her own fault anyway. Her words were civil and respectful. "Seen as you have so much to do why don't you simply point me in the direction of Miss Erin and I shall find my own way there?"

Tala turned to Azura with a hint of a smile, one that flitted across her mouth that indicated mischievous intentions but perhaps also thanks at the fact she could carry on with more important tasks at hand. She certainly had not missed the reaction from Azura through out the whole conversation but at least the Alpha was holding onto herself, even if Tala considered the fact she may have to sleep with one eye open. " I shall see who Sasha would prefer to spend the night with then. Miss Erin's room is on the ground floor in the East Wing. "

Tala then turned to her guard with a soft sigh. "Let's go and calm the barracks down shall we? Who would of thought one woman could single handily cause so much trouble and not know how she does it!"

Azura had nodded her head in thanks to Tala before she followed her vague directions to the room slowly. She nodded her head slightly to those she knew and those that indicated they knew her and the journey from the hall to the East Wing seemed to take an eternity. Azura was missing the out doors badly. She felt caged and contained here. The air was so still and warm within the building that it felt suffocating.

She was grateful when she finally reached Miss Erin that she seemed to have struck luck as the room was empty except for the seamstress herself who already had the measuring tape in hand. "Let's have you measured up Alpha Azura. I hear you are several days ahead of your time schedule. So eager to be with your betrothed?"

Azura bit down on her tongue as the questions and remarks started while Miss Erin's hand seemed to move at the speed of lightning at least and was quickly done with measuring her. "I shall have your dress sent up to you when it is ready Miss Azura. Good luck."

The simply task completed, the questions answered and Azura finally had time alone suddenly her wolf pipped up. "So..while our mate and the vixen share a room tonight, what are we going to be doing?" "You know jealousy does not suite us very much and I know exactly what we are going to be doing...""Well had you simply let US claim our mate then I would not have to worry that WE could lose them and what are we going to be doing..?" "We are going to be sparring, venting and not thinking."

The wolf chose that moment not to argue with her or question it. Azura liked to spar but she always held back, always kept the animal tied down just as she had been doing all week but she had stated they were going to be venting..Venting....did not always end very well.
 
At first, Sasha had gotten the usual bit of hazing that comes with being the only female in a male dominated occupation. They teased her that her that the men of her pack were so weak, they needed a female to hold their hands. Or took biting jabs at her because her father was the captain of the guard, and that was the only reason she was given the position. Of course such an allegation made her bristle, she had been training longer than the lot of them and had earned her face! Her father had always pushed her, always tested her, he and their entire bloodline had made her a strong fighter. And when she had finally finished her apprenticeship and became a full guard, he never treated her any different from any of the other men under his command. At home, they were father and daughter, but in uniform Sasha was just another guard answering to her Captain.

So she sought to prove herself the only way she knew how: she challenged any of them who wished to spar with her to do so. Of course that had ended up with her first fighting a novice. She had felt a little sorry about beating him…the poor boy was pinned to the mat in under five minutes.

"At least he was nice enough to challenge me!" Sasha barked in defense of the male she had just beaten who was now getting teased by his comrades for losing to a girl. The little bit of compliment made the boy blush, though Sasha just thought he was red faced from their sparring session. "He made me feel welcome…instead of having me feel like an outcast forced to stay in a room full of cowards for the night." And that truthful statement had inadvertently rallied half the men to come to the defense of a pretty female that felt as though she didn't belong, while the other half wished to defend their honor and not be made to look like cowards.

Sasha had bested two more of their fighters since the time Tala had dropped her off at the barracks. Bryce had been the first. He was nearly a head taller than Sasha and a wall of pure muscle, he reminded her a lot of her friend Zev, from home. Sasha knew from experience that she could not fight someone physically bigger than her with brute force, so she had tired Bryce out by focusing on only dodging his attacks and sneaking in quick hits to him whenever she could. And then she had dueled with a man named Zane. He was very good, but once their swords had been knocked away and they were reduced to hand to hand combat, Sasha had won due to her flexibility, always managing to wriggle her way out of his clumsy holds.

Now that she had been tired out from the three matches, she was sitting down for a rest and showing Zane her sword. At first when he saw it, he had asked that they use wooden training swords in order to be fair during their spar. Upon closer inspection after the duel, now he was glad that he did. It was a very fine blade! Perfectly balanced, sharp enough to split a hair in two. And now Sasha found herself the center of attention as the men asked her about her gear and then began to show off their own swords and armor. Sasha always got on so well with men, mostly because she did not blush and turn shy the minute they spoke to her as young maidens did. And because she liked many of the same things they did: food, weapons, horses, and fighting. It made making new friends very easy for her indeed!

After her rest, Bryce wished for a rematch. Of course Sasha did not turn him down, he was very skilled and it was an honor to fight against him. She had had to strip out of her tunic, not wishing for the loose fabric to be used against her when it was grabbed. Her hair had also been pulled back and tied up, out of her way because this was a very serious spar now. Her and Bryce now had a better read on each other, so now they could adjust their fighting styles accordingly. Now in nothing but her tight fitting top and her leather bottoms, she became nearly impossible for Bryce to grab onto. But the large were had learned to quickly turn back around if he lunged past Sasha with a strike, because she would kick him in the back as soon as he had passed her.

What bad luck would she have for Tala to come into the barracks the moment she was about to strike at Bryce. Sasha turned her head when she saw the flash of red hair, wishing to smile and wave at Tala to show how happy she was in the barracks and that she was making new friends. It only took a second for a distraction to lead to her demise. Bryce managed to grab her by the waist and slam her down to the ground. And now, because the female had marked his neck with her bite, he felt it only fair to mark her in return. With a growl he bent his head down, and quickly sank his teeth into Sasha's neck to show that he had been victorious over his opponent.

"Oh Bryce that was not fair! I was distracting her!" Tala hurriedly ran over to the two of them to check on her friend. "I am sorry Sasha…" Tala was 90% sure Sasha had lost, but she never quite understood the rules of sparring. It was such a brutish sport and she didn't particularly care for it.

"Ow! Hey! I killed you!" Bryce growled and reached to nurse his ear which Sasha had roughly bitten in order to get him to stop biting her.

"Well you were drooling on me." Sasha laughed as she panted out the words. "I am alright Tala… we were just sparring." Sasha smiled up at her friend and accepted Bryce's hand when he helped her up. Then the pair bowed and Sasha thanked him for the spar before turning to her friend to see what she wanted. "Is it time to go already? I'm afraid I was so distracted…I haven't even bathed yet! I will go get ready right now."

"Yes…I've noticed…" It was very hard for Tala to not stare at her friend. While she found sparring to be a silly waste of time, she could not argue with the fact that there was something very delicious about a curvy female that was soaked in sweat and had nothing but a thin shirt clinging to her frame… She is your friend! Stop that! Tala was not stupid, she knew anything she felt towards Sasha was purely hormonal. The pair of them were friends, but they did not have enough in common in order to forge any sort of long-lasting relationship. "Oh…ah…what? No! No… You don't have to get ready now." Tala pulled herself together enough to be able to speak once more. "I just wanted to tell you that you are going to stay with me tonight."

"Why?" Sasha's brow furrowed furrowed in confusion. She liked being in the barracks, it suited her nicely. The smell of metal, oil, and shoe polish reminded her of home. And she had already staked out a bed! What had she done wrong that she had to sleep in a fine room that she would feel silly in? And share a room with Tala? Why not get a room of her own if she was going to have to sleep in the estate?

Tala gave a heated glare to the guard captain that stood beside her before deciding it would just be better to let Sasha be oblivious to the fact that every male in the room was practically salivating with the thought of licking the sweat off of her neck before they bit it to claim her. She pulled her friend away from the sparring room and took her down a hall where they could talk more privately. "I just thought it would be more convenient for you to be closer to the dining hall… you will not be on duty tonight, Sasha. You are my guest. You may drink and dance as late as you want. I do not want you to have to worry about trudging all the way back here when you are tired from enjoying yourself" Tala paused for a moment before asking. "You know you are to leave your sword and your armor…that you are not to wear them tonight, correct?"

"I…what?" Sasha whined softly, she did not like to be parted from her sword and she enjoyed the comforting weight of her armor. But when Tala's expression darkened, she knew that it would be best to just bow her head and agree to the Alpha's conditions for her attendance. "Fine…I will leave them."

"Would it make you feel better to stay in Azura's room? I can have a sleeping mat placed in there for you."

It would make her feel much, much better to lay in Azura's bed and hold her lover close through the night. Though…at the memory of how Azura's skin now turned cold to her touch, Sasha quickly shook her head negative. She did not want to have to spend the night with someone she wanted but didn't want her in return. "Azura does not…she does not like me… She would probably like to sleep better on her own."

"Sasha…why would you think something like that?" Tala immediately grew concerned. From as far as she could tell, Azura seemed to like Sasha very very much!

"She just…is cold around me. I do not think she wishes for me to guard her anymore. Perhaps a night away from her would help make her find me less repulsive and then we can continue on our journey in peace."

"Sasha…of all the things I think Azura finds you, repulsive is the least." Tala smiled, though Sasha seemed to not buy into what she was saying. It was then that Tala saw the large bite mark that Bryce had given to Sasha's neck and an idea suddenly sprang into her mind. "No more sparring today…I will never hear the end of it if my mother sees you with a black eye or split lip like some ruffian." At Sasha's protest that head shots were not allowed in a friendly spar, Tala merely held up her hand dismissively. "Tomorrow, you may spar some more before you leave if Azura lets you. But right now, I want you to get cleaned up. I will show you to my room and you can bathe there. You may come back to the barracks and talk to the guards or perhaps play card games, but no more sparring."

---

Tala was curious to see how protective Azura was over Sasha and so led the guard through the halls, trying to bump into her. Of course Sasha had a terrible sense of direction and did not notice that they were going in circles. After a couple more minutes of wandering, Tala finally saw Azura making her way down a hallway. "Azura!" Tala cried with a smile and waved as she hurried over with a slightly confused, sweaty and marked Sasha in tow. "Azura, I am just going to show Sasha to my room so she can bathe, and then I will come meet you for lunch?"
 
Back
Top Bottom