Page 41 of Master of Kayos

Everyone who held a weapon laid them on the ground.The smirk Dennis wore faded quickly.

“You can’t challenge me.You aren’t wolfkind.”

Kyllian grinned.“No, I’m not.”With that, he removed his jeans.He hadn’t bothered dressing all the way knowing he would need to shift.As soon as his pants were kicked off to the side, he called forth his Gryphon.He’d not been able to wipe the minds of the wolves they fought the day before, but he would need to do so with everyone at the compound.The other Hounds walked around and picked up the dropped guns since they were out of ammo.They kept their backs to Kyllian, watching for any sign of wolves who might not have been voiced.

Dennis stood there glaring at Kyllian.“You killed my sons.”

“He only killed Bradley.I killed Henry,” Trenton said, his rifle aimed at the Alpha’s chest.

“Who the fuck are you?”Dennis asked, spitting tobacco juice toward Kyllian’s talons.Kyllian’s Gryphon squawked in disgust.

“I’m Trenton Shepherd, mate to Finola.Father to Quinn.”

Realization hit Dennis, and he took a step back.Kyllian pushed off with his Lion’s paws and captured Dennis mid-shift.Pack members gasped, but Kyllian ignored them.He tossed Dennis to the ground where he completed the transition to wolf.Snarling, Dennis rose to his feet, but Kyllian didn’t wait for the animal to attack.He wanted this done.Kyllian made quick work of tearing through fur with his Eagle’s razor-sharp talons.He used his powerful beak to snap limbs.With Dennis unable to walk, Kyllian stepped back and shifted to his human form.Gesturing toward the nearly dead wolf, he told Trenton, “He’s all yours.”

Trenton wasn’t strong enough to take down an alpha dire wolf, so Kyllian did the majority of the damage.The killing blow would be Trenton’s to take.Quinn handed Kyllian his jeans as Trenton stepped closer, stripping as he went.

“You don’t deserve a quick death, but the sight of you makes me sick.This is for Finola.”With that, Trenton shifted to his smaller wolf and lunged.He opened his jaw and clamped his sharp teeth into the fur at Dennis’s neck, and with one shake of his head, it was over.When he turned with blood dripping off his snout, the rest of the RC wolves shifted and bared their necks.

Trenton returned to his skin and stood before the pack.Technically, his pack.“Which one of you killed Finola?”Kyllian handed over his clothes so he wasn’t addressing the group naked.

An older male shifted so he could speak.“That was Henry, Alpha.”

Trenton let out a deep breath.He had already ended the life of his mate’s murderer.“Rise and return to your skin,” he commanded.Once everyone complied, he stared them all down.“My mate was one of you.As much as she loved her mother, she loathed how her father led.She wanted out, and by the grace of the goddess, we met.Fate had something different in store for her.For us.Fated mates are a gift of the goddess; one you should never turn you back on.Finola didn’t.She chose a life with me and Quinn.But Dennis was speciesist.He felt I wasn’t good enough because I wasn’t a dire wolf.For whatever reason, the goddess chose me for Finola.To the goddess, I was good enough.My life is not in New Mexico.I didn’t come here because I wanted to lead this pack.However, I will remain long enough to make sure you have the means necessary to turn things around.”

Kyllian stepped up beside Trenton.“With Trenton guiding you, you will change your ways.You will no longer guard this land with weapons.You will welcome wolves of any kind into your territory.You will not treat your females as property and use them as nothing more than omegas to bear children or slaves to cook and clean for you.Francine, step forward.”Quinn’s grandmother had watched from the doorway.She walked down the steps and stopped a few feet away, tilting her head in obedience to Trenton before turning her attention to Kyllian.

“Quinn has advised me on the situation here with you and the other females.If you wish, we can help get you set up with new lives.You’ll be given a place to live, money to spend, and any training you wish to receive to help in your new lives.I understand this has been your home for many years, and if you want to stay and help see it flourish, that is also your choice.It is the choice for all your females.If you remain, you will be treated with the respect you deserve.”Kyllian eyed every male as he spoke next.“Females should be cherished.They are the bringers of life.The mothers to our offspring.They are not your property to be kept underfoot or paw.Every male here will go out and get a job.You will provide for the pack.You will ensure everyone has suitable housing, not just whoever is in charge.”

Kyllian took a breath and continued.“Your offspring should be cherished and raised to be honorable.It is up to you to give them every opportunity to succeed in life.Give them the tools they need to succeed as adults, not as one-percenters of a motorcycle club.I’m not saying clubs are a bad thing because I’m a member of one.But instead of causing chaos, we do good in the community.We raise our children to do the same.”

One of the males stepped forward.“Excuse me, Alpha.May I speak with Francine?”He bared his neck to Trenton.When Trenton nodded, the wolf closed the distance between himself and Quinn’s grandmother, taking her hands in his.“Franny, this is our chance.”

Francine’s eyes filled with tears.“What are you saying, Eddie?”

“I’m saying I have loved you for all these years.You are my mate, but Dennis wouldn’t allow us to be together.Our time has passed to have young ones of our own, but we could do good here.Together.If...”Eddie cleared his throat.“If you wish to go, I won’t stop you, but please consider staying here with me.They need our guidance.Our love and support.”

Another female stepped off the porch and stood beside Francine.She placed her hand on the other woman’s shoulder.“They all need our guidance, and with the Alpha’s influence, I think our pack could be a good one once more.”

Quinn gripped Kyllian’s hand before stepping closer to her grandmother.“Who is the strongest wolf in the pack?”

“Eddie is,” Francine answered, and the male blushed.

Quinn turned to her father, her eyes speaking to him without words.He nodded, then addressed the crowd.“As I said, my life isn’t here.Once I assess the financial situation and am assured things will go forward as planned, Eddie will be your new Alpha.”

Eddie released Francine’s hands and bowed his head.“You honor me, Alpha.”

Kyllian eyed everyone, searching for signs of discord.To be sure, he said, “If there is anyone who wishes to leave the pack, now is the time.If you leave, you will never return.If you remain, you will do everything within your power to make this pack thrive with love, not hatred and violence.”Kyllian waited for them to make their decisions.When no one made a move to leave, he spoke to Eddie.“Take a look around.How many wolves are out there?”Kyllian gestured past the trees.

Eddie silently counted as he searched the compound.“Seventeen.”He rattled off the names including Henry and Bradley.That number was more than the wolves they had taken down in the firefight, then Kyllian remembered the ones who’d shown up at Quinn’s.

“Good.Then there shouldn’t be any surprises.”With one more thing left to do, Kyllian wove a different tale of Trenton taking down Dennis and leaving Eddie as Alpha and wiped all their memories of fighting Gryphons.

Quinn

After saying theirgoodbyes to Trenton, the Hounds returned to the hotel to retrieve their bikes.Ace and Ripper remained with Trenton as he spent the rest of the day with the pack before taking the chartered plane back to New York.Kyllian and Quinn made a detour to locate the pouch he dropped with his phone.With the wolves now under Trenton’s command, Kyllian assured Quinn they were safe to search the area.Quinn shifted into her Wolf while Kyllian took to the sky as his Eagle.It took almost an hour, but Kyllian flew to where Quinn was sniffing around and squawked at her, the pouch clutched in his talon.She barked in return, and the two met back at the SUV.Once that was handled, they headed to the rental car company and returned the extra vehicle, allowing Devon and company to get on the road to Texas, expecting Kyllian to be not too far behind.Too far was too soon because Quinn wanted alone time with Kyllian before setting off.They still had the hotel room, and she wanted to make good use of it.Quinn was ready to claim her mate.

“Are you hungry?”Kyllian asked as they entered the suite.

---