The next morning, Alecia came out of her borrowed apartment a little worried.
She had stayed up for a while, hoping Raymond would come visit her after he left the party. He hadn't, but she didn't hear him in his own place either.
She glanced over at the park before knocking on his door and noticed her neighbors were sharing breakfast like last night's party had never ended.
There in the middle of it all, was Raymond, smiling and sharing a meal with a beautiful Wolfkin woman. She felt a heat rise in her stomach.
She walked over to their table and kissed Ray on the cheek before sitting in his lap.
"Good morning Ray!" She sang sweetly while narrowing her eyes at the Wolfkin woman. "Who's your friend?"
Nikky sat back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest, glaring back at Alecia. Raymond, oblivious to the silent challenge going on between the two women, just smiled.
"Hey! Good morning Alecia! This is Nikky, we met at the party last night. Nikky, this is the travel companion I was just telling you about."
Nikky's eyes widened and flicked back and forth between Ray and Alecia.
"Alecia? As in the Third Princess of the Dragonkin clan? That Alecia?"
"Hold on." Alecia's body stiffened upon hearing her title. "You're not the Beta of the Wolfkin are you?"
Raymond looked between the two of them and their stunned expressions.
"Um, do you two know each other?" He asked through a mouth full of food.
"You could say that." Alecia said, shocked eyes all over Nikky.
"We were betrothed once." Nikki said, looking away, blushing. "And yes, he knows." She continued before Alecia could ask.
"Wow, you look good."
"What?"
"Yes, back then you were scrawny, you looked sick all the time. You look a lot better now"
"Um, thanks, I think. I feel a lot better, I take better care of myself now."
"Wait, you said he knows…"
"Intimately." Nikky smirked.
Alecia's eyes widened in realization. "Oh." She looked at Ray.
Ray shrugged. "She's gorgeous, look at her."
"And you don't mind?" she turned Ray's face to meet hers.
"I don't. Do you mind if she joins us?"
"Join us, how?"
Raymond smirked. "I meant in our travels, but if you're up for it…"
Alecia bushed deep red as she looked at Nikky, who was also blushing. "I mean, I-"
Before she could finish her answer a messenger came running up to their table holding a rolled parchment high in the air.
"Sir Raymond! A message…from Americus!"
Raymond took the parchment from the messenger and read it quickly. He was worried something happened to Samantha. It was much worse.
"Is this real?" he asked, his face and tone deadly serious.
The messenger gave a curt nod. "Royal seals on the bird and the scroll."
Raymond handed the scroll back to the messenger.
"Take that to the King. Tell him we are out of time and I'm going to deal with this. Also send a reply to Americus. Tell them I'm on the way."
He turned to Alecia. "We need to go. I'll explain on the way."
Alecia got up and headed to her apartment to grab her weapon.
"Nikky, if you're coming you have two minutes to grab what you need. We're leaving now."
Nikky nodded and stepped into a shadow, disappearing and reappearing on her porch.
She went in and came back out an instant later with a large backpack. She shadow stepped again and appeared right next to Raymond.
"Was that fast enough?" she said with a playful smirk.
Raymond nodded his approval. "That'll do." with that they began jogging out of the city, with Alecia catching up quickly.
Once outside the city Raymond picked up his pace while he began his explanation.
"The message was from Americus. Scouts report that the Necro-King has made his move on the Elven Kingdom of Britannia. We thought we had more time.
He hasn't attacked yet, but his forces were seen moving up the mountain pass. We need to get there fast."
"By the Dragons!" Alecia gasped. "Britannia is four days due north even at this pace. Flying will cut that time in half, but neither one of you can. Can you?"
"Not exactly." Nikky said. "But close enough."
With that she lept and dove at the ground, hands first. There was a flash of black light and by the time her hands would have hit the ground, they were massive paws.
Nikky had grown three times her normal size and turned into a giant wolf with fur blacker than night.
"In this form, my 'stealth run' ability lets me run on air." She explained while keeping pace. "It's much faster since I'm not touching the ground. Just like flying. I can carry Ray and we'll get there in no time."
"You really don't mind me riding you?" Raymond asked slowing down
Nikky got a seductive look in her eyes. "You can ride me anytime, Alpha."
Ray smirked and chuckled. Alecia nearly choked.
Nikki lowered her head and knelt to allow Ray on her back. Alecia opened her wings and took to the sky.
Without another word they were off, making their way due north at top speed.
As they tore through the landscape Ray could do nothing but marvel at the speed of his two companions. Alecia was high overhead but just low enough for him to still see her.
Nikky's surprisingly soft fur fluttered like feathers as the wind rushed past them. Ray had to lean forward and keep his head low like he was riding a motorcycle to keep the wind out of his face.
About an hour into their trip Ray heard Nikky's voice in his head. It made him jump slightly.
"How are you doing back there, my Alpha?" Her voice was light and playful.
Ray wasn't sure if he could answer out loud so he tried directing his thoughts toward her.
"I'm fine, I'm not holding you too tight am I?"
"Not at all, you're just right. Besides, you know I like my hair pulled a little. Good job on figuring out the thought-speech too."
Ray chuckled inwardly. "It was just a guess. How long can you go at this speed?"
"All day if I had to. Just let me know if you need to eat or relieve yourself. No matter what, I can tell you I will sleep like the dead when we do stop to rest."
"You two ladies are really amazing."
Nikki giggled. "Flattery will get you everywhere, my Alpha. Can I ask you a question while I have your attention though?"
"Of course, you can ask me anything?"
"Are you and Alecia a couple?"
"No, we're not. We actually just met yesterday."
"Does she know you are not a couple?"
"Why do you ask?"
"She was obviously jealous when she saw us together at breakfast. Did you not see that?"
Ray chuckled a little embarrassed. "No, I missed that. I was preoccupied with my plate."
Nikky rolled her eyes. "That's why she sat in your lap. It was her not-so-subtle way of telling me to back off. She could see how much I'm into you."
"Like I said we just met yesterday. I don't understand why she would think she has a claim."
Nikky thought for a moment. "How do you meet exactly?"
Ray recounted for her the events of their meeting, the fight, the conversation, and the sex, he saw no reason to lie to her.
"Oh, ok, I see" she said as if everything was clear to her, all of a sudden.
"You said you forgave her life debt, but it doesn't work like that. A life debt can not be just forgiven, it must be fulfilled.
In her mind you are her master until she can do that. Until then she will literally do anything you ask of her. The only way she will be free of it, is to meet the conditions set forth by her culture."
"To save my life or die? That's a tough order to fill."
"There is a third option. She can have your baby. If she were to have a baby for you, it would be like trading another life for hers.
Also, in Dragonkin culture, when two people have a baby together it automatically makes them married."
" I guess that explains why she gave herself to me so freely."
No, Alpha, do you know nothing?" She teased.
"Her reasons for doing that are her own, but that is why she feels so possessive over you, in her mind she is your's, and you are her's."
"Wow , I didn't think of that at all."
"You haven't been in this world long. There is no way you could have known."
"What about you? How do you feel? Why do you call me 'Alpha'?"
"I feel lucky to have met you. You don't look at me like other men do , especially after finding out my little secret.
But, I know I can't have you to myself. I don't mind sharing you. And I call you Alpha, because you took me like an Alpha would. You showed me compassion when my Alpha cast me out. So now, in my mind, you are my Alpha now."