Chapter 12: Chapter Eleven

I stood there startled, “Don’t worry man. She’s more pissed at me than she is at you.” I looked at Jax, “Amaya doesn’t like surprises. I shouldn’t have sprung you on her. I just thought there was something between you two, and I would help the both of you out by doing this.”

I rubbed my face with my hand, “You shouldn’t meddle in things Jax. Even if there is something there, and I don’t think she likes me like that, you shouldn’t meddle. She always seems to hold me at arm’s length.” I blew out a sigh, “Then some of the things she says are so vague, I don’t know what to do with them. I mean I haven’t stopped thinking about her since she left.”

“I’ve learned just to let the vague things go. Most of the time she’s saying as much as she can. She might have a reason for keeping you at arm’s length, I can’t speak for her. All I know is she has a reason for everything she does. I bet she hasn’t stopped thinking of you since she left either.” He clasped me on the shoulder before walking over to pick up his shirt and shoes, “Come on let’s go inside.”

“Speaking of inside, you never said you were rich or that your family is super loaded. What the hell is that house?”

He rolled his eyes, “My family has made a lot of great investments over the years, so yeah we’re a little rich. The money is, for the most part, tied up in other things though. The house is a family home. My great grandpa built it.”

When we reached the house Amaya was nowhere to be found. “She went for a run,” Charlie said from the kitchen, “Said something about my second son being a dickhead and his friend not being much better, so she needed some space,” he gave Jax a pointed look and Jax sighed.

“Should she be running so soon after her injury?” I asked.

Jo smiled at me over Charlie’s shoulder, “Don’t worry about her. She knows her limits.”

-Amaya’s POV-

“You should’ve been kinder to our mate,” Niamh growled.

“He was being an ass. Are you telling me the Queen of Dragons bows to no one but her mate? Just because he doesn’t know what we are doesn’t mean we give him a break when he’s an ass.”

She growled but didn’t argue. We were flying high over Jax’s parent’s territory, heading nowhere in particular. I kept an eye on the terrain below, and I noticed something odd. I flew down low and shifted mid air, rolling to my feet. I took in the scene before me. It appeared I was at the border of the Pacific Moon Pack, but the sentries had been killed. I took in a deep breath, rogues. I looked around in the hopes of finding something that might resemble a phone. I couldn’t find one so I moved out of the area before shifting.

Once I made it back I pulled Charlie aside and let him know what I found. “We felt the connection break, but where were they exactly?”

“Northern border, almost dead center,” Niamh relayed to him.

He nodded, his eyes going glassy, “Okay they’ve been found. The question now is: where are the rogues?”

“Are you guys able to track the scent?”

He nodded, “I’ve got trackers working on it now, but I don’t like not knowing ahead of time how many we’re up against.”

“If you need me. I’ll gladly help.”

He nodded, “I might just take you up on that. Our only problem will be finding a way around the human.”

I smiled, “He probably has to find out some time.”

“He’s your mate isn’t he?” I nodded, “Goddess my son is a jackass. I swear we didn’t raise him that way.”

I laughed, “His heart was in the right place, or at least I think it was. Plus it gave me an excuse to actually kick his ass.”

He gave me a tight smile, “Good. He needs a good ass kicking every now and then. I’ll let you know if we need your help.”

We rejoined Jo, Jax, and Fox, “Would you like some lunch Amaya?”

I nodded, “Thank you, Jo.” I ate quickly, “I’m going to go take a shower.”

“Thank God. You smell awful,” Jax said. Before Charlie got the chance to smack him I slapped him upside the head as I walked past him, “Ow! That wasn’t necessary!”

“You’re not necessary, Alexander,” I said as I left the room.

“That doesn’t even make sense!” He shouted after me, “Ow!”

“Leave her alone, jackass,” Fox said, making me smile.

-Fox’s POV-

“You didn’t have to hit me so hard, kiss ass,” Jax said after Amaya left the room.

“Yeah I did, jackass,” I replied. “She might’ve kicked your ass already but I still owe you an ass kicking for meddling.”

“Yeah yeah. Can’t wait. Come on, let’s go into town and see if we can find something for Amaya.”

I raised an eyebrow but didn’t press him. Once we were in town, we stopped by several different shops. “What exactly are we looking for?”

Jax shrugged, “Something that feels like her.”

I nodded, browsing through the store we were at currently. I picked up trinkets, but nothing seemed like something she would like. I came across a set of books, looking through them, they were perfect for her. I looked around for Jax but didn’t see him, so I checked out with the books.

When I walked out I saw Jax walking back toward me with a bouquet of flowers and chocolates. “Laying it on a little thick don’t you think, Jax?”

“Oh no. This is perfect. She’ll forgive us, mainly me, in no time. What did you find?” I opened the bag for him to look at the books I found, “She’s going to love those.”

“You think?” I asked, a little unsure of what I picked.

“Yeah man! Great choice!” He responded with a smile on his face.

When we got back to Jax’s house, Amaya was gone again, so we quickly set up the things we bought for her in her room.

-Amaya’s POV-

“We found the rogues, but it’s not good. I think we may need your help after all Amaya. If you’re still willing that is,” Jo said with a hopeful yet worried look on her face.

“Of course. Where are they?”

“They’ve captured Ava, Noah, and the rest of the kids on the hunting trip. They’re holding them hostage, but they’re only threatening Ava and Noah because of their status,” Charlie growled.

“Let’s go then,” I said, stretching just a little.

“Jo and I are supposed to go alone. If they smell anyone else they’ve said they’ll kill the twins.”

“I’ll fly overhead and shift once things get started. This is the kind of thing I’ve been trained for,” I said, laying a comforting hand on Jo’s shoulder. “I can also make sure if you bring back up they are downwind from the rogues.” They nodded, “okay. Let’s get into position. I’ll track you guys from the sky.”

I headed to the clearing Jax took me to the first day, and shifted, flying high enough in the sky to not be seen or smelled but low enough to still see and smell things with Niamh’s keen senses. We picked up Jo and Charlie’s trail and followed along, keeping the winds blowing toward the Pacific Moon wolves. They made it to the meeting site, and Charlie shifted back into his human form. I created a rainstorm to help saturate the area with the rogues’ scent. “Your Luna shifts too.”

“No. You only need to speak with one of us, so she’ll stay in her wolf form,” Charlie said. The rogue growled, but didn’t try to force him to make her shift or her to shift, knowing he couldn’t. “What do you want?”

“Free range in your territory and for your family to step down as the royal family.” Jo growled but Charlie laughed mirthlessly, “If you don’t, we will kill the wolves here. We’ll save your daughter and son for last, killing them slowly.”

Charles growled along with Jo, I took that as my cue and flew down low enough to shift and shoulder rolled to my feet. “Hello boys and girls. Let the kids go and surrender.”

“Or what?”

I smirked, “I was hoping you would ask.” I bent lightning down and took out two of the seven rogues standing in front of me.

“Fucking lightning dragon,” the rogue walked so that he is right in my face, “This is none of your business, so fly on out of here with your little wings and leave us to work this out.”

I grinned widely but it didn’t reach my eyes. I punched him with most of my strength to knock him out instantly. “Anyone else?” They looked at me stunned, “Let the kids go and surrender.”

Two of them shifted quickly and ran into the woods. We watched as the wolves Charles and Jo brought along chased after them. I raised an eyebrow, “If you move a single inch, I’ll rip the sweet little Princess’s throat out.”

“Are you sure that’s how you feel about it?” She looked at me as if I had lost my mind, “All right, if you’re sold on that course of action. Have it your way,” I bent more lightning down and knocked out the two remaining rogues. I stopped the storm that was still raging overhead.

“Did you kill them?” Charlie asked.

“Nah. Just knocked them out for a few hours. Did the others catch up to the two that ran?” He nodded, “Good I hate loose ends.”

Jo shifted and ran to her kids, “Are all of you okay?”

“We’re fine mom,” Noah said.

“That was so cool Amaya! So you’re a lightning dragon?” Ava asked, looking past her mother’s body.

“Nope. I’m a storm dragon,” I said with a mixture of pride and sadness, “One of the last of my kind.”

Charlie clasped a fatherly hand on my shoulder, “Thank you for your help today, Amaya. Who knows what might’ve happened had you not been here.”

I smiled, “I’m sure you guys could’ve handled it. You don’t become the biggest pack in the country or one of the oldest families by letting dragons settle your rogue problems.”

Charlie laughed, “Very true, but the help is always appreciated.”

“Do you guys need help with transport?” Charlie shook his head no, “Great. I’m going to head back before the guys miss me too much.”

“Thank you, Amaya,” Jo said, placing a kiss on my forehead. “Your mother would be so proud of the woman you’re becoming.”

I smiled sadly as I walked away to a clearing big enough for me and shifted, taking to the sky. Without checking my surroundings, I landed and shifted, “What the fuck? What the actual fuck?!”