Page 19 of Protected By Her Wolves

Chapter Six

Tor

Tor paced his sons’living room floor until he wore a path through the thick bearskin rug. It took all his willpower not to run into the forest, shift into a protector, and uproot trees from the ground. It had been hours since he’d dropped off Rone at the airfield, and not an update from Johnson other than the storm was too strong for Luc to get through. The wait was driving him crazy, yet he couldn’t express his frustration and make his mate even more upset. Luckily, she and his brother Skoll had made up, and Skoll hadn’t left her side, holding her on the sofa while she rested her head on his shoulder.

He envied his youngest brother, Arvid, who kept himself busy in the kitchen with Annie as his helper. Tatiana was downstairs playing with Hrod. Tor hadn’t told Annie and Tatiana everything. All they knew was that Drasko and Amara’s flight had been delayed by a storm. Tatiana had been so moody these past few months. He was afraid to tell her that her favorite brother had possibly perished in a crash. Best not to tell her until they knew for certain what had happened.

Tor’s ears perked when he heard the sound of truck tires crunching gravel. He crossed over to the front door and held it open, flashing a tight smile as Cyan and Erik Cloudclimber walked up the porch stairs. “Thank you for coming over again.”

“Of course. Anything you need, Tor.” Erik clasped Tor’s shoulder. “We’re here for you.”

Tor hated the look of pity in Erik’s eyes. “You’ve done so much already.”

“Amara would’ve done the same for us,” Erik said.

Too upset to say more, Tor simply nodded as he led the Cloudclimbers into the living room. It was a beautiful room, sunk in the middle with a view of the piney woods and private lake that belonged to Tor’s family, a bonus of being the tribal chieftains. But if Amara and Drasko had perished, a new Amaroki family would claim this land along with the chiefdom, for only the strongest pack with four wolf brothers could claim the chiefdom. Ever since WW2, the Thunderfoot clan had ruled over the Alaskan tribe. Tor and his brothers had inherited the chiefdom from their fathers and their fathers before them. Many other tribes considered Tor’s pack to be the head of all Amaroki, a position Tor had one day hoped to pass on to his sons. Now his only wish was that Drasko and Amara were found safe.

Cyan Cloudclimber sat on the sofa and Mihaela placed little Alexi in her arms. Skoll finally got up from the sofa and went outside, standing as still as a statue while leaning against the wood banister overlooking the lake. Though it was barely past supper, the sun had already set, leaving just a few slivers of pale pink light to paint the sky.

Tor went to the kitchen, thanking Arvid when he handed him two bottles of beer. His youngest brother always knew exactly what he needed. He slipped out onto the patio, careful not to disturb the temporary door.

Brother,Tor said to Skoll through thought as he handed him a beer.

Skoll took the beer from him, giving him a tight smile.Brother.

Tor popped the top off his beer and took a long draught as he leaned against the railing.Drasko will keep them safe.

If they survived the crash.Skoll’s voice was a brutal echo in Tor’s skull, like the crash of two cymbals.

Tor winced at that. He hadn’t told his brother, but instinct made him suspect there was something about the crash Johnson had kept from him, specifically how it had crashed.He would’ve shifted into a protector and shielded Amara before the helicopter hit,he said to his brother, infusing a note of hopefulness into his voice.We can take a beating in protector form.

Skoll arched a thick brow, looking at Tor through sideways slits.And if they were injured or burned alive?

Tor swallowed at that.Amara can heal anything. We can’t believe the Ancients brought us Amara only to take her away before our sons could complete their family.

The Ancients have put us through many trials,Skoll grumbled.

Trials which we’ve always overcome, Tor reminded him.

I’m trying to have hope, brother.Skoll heaved a groan before taking a long swig of beer.I don’t want our sons and grandsons ending up like the Devoras.

Tor nodded and looked away.Then pray to the Ancients.

Tor wasn’t reassured by Skoll’s snort of derision, but he said nothing more while watching the last of the sun’s rays dip over the horizon. After finishing his beer, he patted Skoll on the back and went back inside the house. Cyan Cloudclimber had just finished feeding Alexi.

He went to Erik, who sat at the kitchen bar nursing a beer while talking to Arvid.

“You have so much on your plates,” Erik said to Tor. “We were wondering if you wanted us to take Alexi home with us.”

Tor pulled a gift box of rum with two matching shot glasses out of the pantry and handed it to Erik. “Are you prepared to have all your plates fall off the shelves and your pictures fall off the walls?”

Erik took the rum, running his thumb across the box. “Well, no.”

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