Another collective gasp from the pack.
He shot her a wink.
The pack might not understand his words, but his blatant act of affection and claiming needed no translation.
Was it wrong that she relished every moment? That she loved Grif even more for knowing how satisfying this would be and giving her such a gift?
She might not need to prove herself to pack anymore, but her scars were still fresh enough to enjoy that a warrior as brave, vicious, and formidable as her savage Other could care for her, choose her, in front of those who still considered her less than nothing.
The pack looked to Talg to hear his explanation for what they were seeing.
He opened his mouth. No sound came out. For so long, his rules and his lies had been obeyed without question.
“What is the meaning of this?” Ramm, faster to recover, shoved forward, his words a near growl. “H-how does he touch you and live? What magic is this?”
“No magic.”
Grif’s hold tightened. “What did he say? If he’s saying he wants you back, you better be telling him he can go fuck himself. You’re mine.”
She hid a smile. Squeezed him tight. Grif had done his part. Now, it was her turn.
Ramm looked even more confused.
“You have all been told lies.” She shouted so all the pack could hear.
Ramm shook his head, his doubt clear. “They have used black magic on you.”
“They have only shown me the truth.” She raised her hand and touched Grif again, straight over his heart. “Truth. My touch does not cause suffering.”
Ramm staggered back.
“Truth. There are Others who are good and kind and brave, just like among pack. There are Others who did not know we were here and who seek peace and the chance to trade and work together against those who would wish both groups harm.”
The whispers grew.
“Truth. Others cannot be wiped from this planet with a few more glowing spears. There are thousands of them and more arrive every rotation. Going to war with them will only hasten the end of the pack.”
“Lies!” Talg found his voice. “Lies from a traitorous Gazi whore.”
She turned on him. “I am not the one leading my people to doom. I am not the one so twisted by hate that I cannot see that my grief and rage has corrupted everything. You are leading the pack to extermination.”
“What I see is a traitor who has brought the enemy to the heart of our village.”
“You think only of yourself and your pain.” She turned to Ramm and the others. There was no reaching Talg. It would be up to the pack to change. “Talg wants this war for revenge. He is not thinking of what is best for you.”
“Enough!” Talg’s face was a mask of rage. “Kill them both. Now!”
A brief hesitation by the pack, where once they’d jumped to do his bidding.
Talg noticed. His voice not quite as thick with self-importance as he found himself forced to explain himself for the first time. “He is a monster. Of course he can withstand her touch. He is an abomination like her.”
“Then explain this?” Slipping from Grif’s hold, she launched forward, slamming her hand against Talg’s chest.
Shock darkened the male’s stare.
She doubted it had ever crossed his arrogant mind that she might strike out at him. He’d been the aggressor and abuser for so long, it had never occurred to him she could turn the tables.
A wail of horror from the onlookers.
Even his guards drew back, roaring with despair as they waited for their leader to collapse to his knees, his blood to boil, his flesh catch fire.
Except it never happened.
Spear raised to defend his leader, Ramm halted in midstrike.
Shock crackled in the air.
First, a Gazi had dared to cast off her anazi and challenge their leader.
Then an Other had strode into their midst, called for peace, and survived a Gazi’s touch.
Now their leader had been marked by the same Gazi and remained unharmed. His decree proven untrue right in front of their eyes.
Grif was right. Sometimes actions were required over words.
The pack’s ordered world was forever altering. Crack after crack forming in their unquestioned allegiance to Talg and his lies.
Silence descended.
“Now you know. No death. No curse.” She spoke to them all. “Talg has told many lies. His hate for Others poisoned him and all of us. Don’t let him destroy the pack. Let the Other females go. These Others mean you no harm, but they will fight if necessary. They have weapons and they have training. Negotiating a deal for peace is your best hope.”
“Lies. Blasphemy from a Gazi whore!” Talg’s booming voice tried to drown her out. “There will be no peace. Ever. You will pay for challenging me.”
He seized a glowing spear from the closest guard and, pushing past the male, raised it high, aiming for her.
In the next heartbeat, Grif slammed Talg to the ground, his rope circled tight around the pack male’s throat.
The pack wailed.
Grif slammed his boot onto the leader’s back and cinched the rope tighter. “Tell them the only reason he’s not dead is because of you.”
She spoke fast.
“Tell them the pack has given me the most precious gift I could have imagined and, because of that, I have not ground their leader to dust, but that gratitude only extends so far.”
The roar of his words rumbled through the camp like thunder. “Tell them that because of you I have come in peace, but if they even breath in a threatening manner in your direction again my patience will end and I will wipe them from the fucking planet. Tell them you are mine and I will always protect and cherish what belongs to me—and they better do so, too.”
It was hard to speak over the trembling in her voice. His words might be harsh and violent, but they were beautiful to her. Grif had always given her everything she never knew she wanted and now, again, he did just that.
“Tell them either Talg agrees to peace, orders the immediate return of the females, and starts treating you with respect, or he dies here and now.”
He stopped speaking. She finished soon after.
There was a moment of silence as the echoes of their combined words faded.
Nayla held her breath. All eyes fell to the pack leader.
“Agreed.” Talg’s assent was a barely discernable snarl, but it was heard by all.
Low murmurs.
Talg had always pushed for death before dishonor, especially when it came to dealing with Others. Now, however, when it was he who was threatened, he chose another route.
Another crack in Talg’s seemingly impenetrable power.
Ramm moved forward, his gaze dark with shock, disgust, and fear as he stretched out his hand to help Talg stand.
This had to be hard for them all. For so long they had followed someone they assumed was as close to the Ancients as one could be. To discover he was nothing more than a weak, bitter male must be hard, indeed.
Grif stepped back, releasing his rope.
Freed, the snarling leader batted Ramm’s hand away, stumbling to stand. Nayla could hardly believe this was the same male who had terrorized her for so long.
Only too late did she see the dart in his hand. The same kind she had used on the Others who attacked her.
“You will never escape your destiny!” Talg’s hand barreled toward her.