Lovers' Oath Ch. 02

Author's Note : - This story is going to be long, and is not meant for instant gratification. In other words, this won't be a quickie, so if you were looking for that, sorry to have disappointed you. I'll be writing other stories to fit that category. Hope to see you there.

Please bear in mind that the story is located in a fictional world of magic, Cardaera, where our 'normal' world and supernatural world mix and coexist, often without the knowledge of humans. The history and geography of the world is nowhere near our world, since I was never good at those.

There will be some depiction of heterosexual,homo, BDSM and group sex. Rape and horror will only be depicted as a part of story development and NOT for arousal. All characters are of age, and the author encourages safe sex.

Last, but not the least, this story is my very first attempt, and I'm kind of "testing the water." so be generous with the constructive comments and let me know if you liked it.

This chapter shifts a little from one character's point of view to another's. It was needed, so that I can later develop more stories in this series. I hope it doesn't get confusing. But if it does, inform me so, and I'd try to make it simpler. However, I expect this shifting rather simplifies things.

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*****

As Rohan lay helpless, he watched the beautiful girl fight to save his life. He couldn't have been more surprised when the girl had actually takenhisweapons and was protectinghislife. At first he had suspected, now, watching her fight, he was assured that the woman was not a human. She was definitely something else. There's no other way she could fight like this. She was almost dancing as she tried to keep her distance from the Demon she had shot previously. He tried to infer exactly what was she. By the graceful way she moved, he was sure there was a cat in her. But there was something mixed with it. Otherwise he would have simply known from her smell. Now what was it that she smelled like? As he tried to recall, he frowned. She had smelled like - Rain. And he wasn't very sure if that was simply because she was soaked in it or was that smell a part of her.

Glimpsing at the battlefield, he decided that her identity can wait. Right now she was facing two demons, and there was no way in hell she could fight with them both. He had to distract one of them. As he tried to think a way, he watched with appreciation her moving in the opposite direction from where he was. She had to be an Alpha of some Pack. She was so intent upon protecting him, a stranger. He tried to apply the only means of distraction he could. He moaned. Just loud enough to distract the demon nearer to him, but not loud enough to give the demon a chance to pinpoint his place. As he watched carefully the demon advancing in his general direction, he tried to shield his scent by some of his innate magic. Seeing the demon become more confused, he knew his magic had succeeded, thought draining more of the needed power to heal his broken spine.

As he waited, he wondered why she wasn't shifting yet. Surely her cat, or even her hybrid form would be more effective in such a battle? Rohan was also a little confused that his pack hadn't known about her coming here. Such a powerful Alpha female... Surely they would have come across the power signature somewhere. It didn't make sense. As he saw the Demon come close, he darted a glance toward the woman before faining his dead body. His last glance had shown her sprinting form pursuing the Demon. He only had to hold it off a little more, to buy her sometime.

Seconds later, as he felt the Demon bend over him to sniff, he simply stilled as she let out the furious roar. 'Yep. Definitely Alpha. No one else would do that.' he surmised silently. Suddenly the stench of the Demon blood overwhelmed his nostrils. Opening one eye, he saw her plunging the Dagger over and over into the Demon that collapsed under her attack. To survive the stench, he simply stopped breathing and closed his eyes.

Soon her whimpering voice made him open his senses. He heard her prayers. Then the panic stricken questions,

-''Are you o.k? Did I get in time? Did that one hurt you?" she asked with anxious worry. He blinked in confusion at her. Then he remembered, she probably couldn't smell him, and a hint of faint smile appeared on his face.

-''Yeah, I'm o.k. I was pretending to be dead so the thing would get confused." He replied.

-"They can't understand if we are faking it?" she asked, frowning. He nodded in confirmation, curious - surely an Alpha and a warrior like her knew that? Noticing her glare, he guessed not.

-"And you could not tell me that earlier?" she asked, playful ire evident on her voice.

As he prepared to answer the question with explanation, something a little away caught his eye, distracting him,

-"You did not happen to shoot one of them only once, did you?" he asked her, knowing the answer.

-"Yeah, the first one. It was a fluke. I was aiming at another, and the bullet glanced off and hit that one instead. Why?" as she supplied, he pointed at the Demon,at a little distance.

-"It's coming. And it's pissed that you had immobilized it." he answered.

She looked, sighed, and stood up to take care of it.

-"Stay here." she commanded him. He was startled at her tone, but not losing a beat he replied,

-"No prob. Take your time." he answered sarcastically, even more confirmed of her being an Alpha, and totally confused at the contradictions presented by her behaviors.

His grin widened and became encouraging as shooting him a glare, she also could not help a chuckle. He felt almost like a pup as she took a few steps away from him, to exclude him from the monster's visual field.

He had to praise her fighting style. Rather than her previous strategy, she was now intent on spending as little energy as possible, and yet she managed to be the aggressor. As he saw her attack the demon, he simply felt proud. But the next moment he could not help the wince and the shudder as he watched the monster took a swing at her, effectively dislodging her from its chest and sending her flying backwards. He knew first hand that blow would at least knock her out if not paralyze her for hours. He saw her writhing in pain, and cursed. Then decided on his next trick to distract the brute. He lifted his scent veiling shield. Releasing his smell to reach the brute just in time to stop it from lunging at her, instead the brute turned towards him, sniffing him out.

He was stunned as he saw her stand up and then pursue the Demon. He looked on as he wondered - 'How the hell can she fight four brutes, then get thrown at a stone wall and still run?'. He heard as she spat in rage and hatred, as if wishing to mix them in with her blow,

-" DIE!".

Then winced as the monster, getting a chock hold on her middle, threw her towards the wall again, trying to squash her. Rohan's beast roared in fury as her limp body slid down the wall, enraged at his slowly healing spine.

Rayn's body lay on the pavement, a pool of blood slowly collecting under her body. He growled hoarsely,

-"No. No, you don't get to die. Not after fighting so long."

He tried to lift his limp body, trying to coax his paralyzed lower body to respond. It didn't. His beast became frantic. He had to save her. She had just saved him. She can't die like that. He tried to drag his body towards her. Again his body didn't respond, making the beast more furious. Then he simply gave over control to his beast.

As the beast surfaced, all his energy simply drained. He knew he couldn't get to his savior in time. Guilt washed over him as the blackness started to take over. In an desperate attempt, he connected to the Pack Mind and screamed over the telepathic connection,

- "Kiel, I don't care if you have to stop fighting, just get over here and protect the female who just saved your Second's life. DON'T LET HER DIE."

As the darkness took over, he collapsed, hoping Kiel would be in time.

*****

The darkness slowly receded. As that veil lifted from his senses, Rohan instantly became aware of the pain all over his body. Groaning inwardly, he clung to the darkness, to seek shelter in its nerve numbing effect to stop the pain. But his beast stirred him urgently. He had to do something... He had to get up and take care ofher... His beast portrayed a lithe, aggressive body... Almost dancing, leaping, fighting... Protecting...him.

Rohan's eyes snapped open and fell directly onto the spot he had seen her lay in a pool of blood. As he leapt into action, his senses registered a man bent over her motionless figure. Without thinking he shifted, already halfway into the lunge, his hybrid form giving him the power to cover the distance in one bound which normally would have taken him three. As he landed, her body was safely placed between his legs, and he crouched low, ready to attack, baring his teeth at the huge male. As the male stepped back, Rohan roared in protective rage, ready to pounce on any of the several males surrounding them.

*****

As Kiel drove the poison laced sword into the massive Demon he was fighting, he felt a familiar nudge at the back of his mind. That nudge usually meant someone was accessing the Pack Mind - the collective pack connection that they used to keep in touch with each other when they were fighting. As he heard Rohan's instructions, he was simply shocked. As he withdrew his sword from the brute, his first emotion was joy, his best friend and the Second-in-Command was alive! Kiel breathed in relief as he made his way towards the ally opening, where he had seen one monster throw out Rohan. At that time, as Kiel had watched the monster kick Rohan, he had felt despair. He had felt sure that the crush into the wall would kill his best friend. Now, as he realized Rohan was alive, he felt joy tug at his heart. Then the renewed worry washed over his mind. Rohan was seriously weak. The way he had disconnected from the Pack Mind, it can only mean Rohan had fainted. As that realization dawned on Kiel, he started to worry. 'Would he be there in time?' As he sped up, he simply beheaded the monsters that approached to block him. The Clan had at last won this fight. Kiel broke into a run, trying to sort through the information Rohan just gave him. What female? How did a female save Rohan from these brutes, Kiel remembered seeing at least four following Rohan out, and then require saving herself? And there was something else tugging at Kiel's attention, but he could not place it.

As Kiel saw Rohan's prone body on the ground, he knelt in front oh him, looking for any life-threatening injury. He was taken aback as he saw none. He frowned. If Rohan was not so badly hurt, then why had he fainted? This was confusing. He then rolled Rohan over carefully, exposing his back to himself. Kiel was ready to see deep gashes marring the well formed muscular back, but he saw none. Only there was a faint scar oozing blood slightly just at the lower part of the spine. Kiel traced the scar lightly, then pushed a little to see if the spine was broken. He felt the familiar tenderness that he usually felt when checking a newly repaired broken bone. He was even more shocked. A break in the back bone did not heal so soon for their kind. It should have at least taken a week. Shaking his head, he called for the pack medics, telling two of them to attend to Rohan and took the other two with him.

-"Now, to find this female of his..." Kiel murmured, casting his eyes around. He saw the dead bodies of the Demons, scattered around, seemingly intact, except for the two killed by the dagger, he guessed. He was impressed. Who ever got so close to these brutes to strike with a dagger and yet escape with life, had to be a great warrior. But this was not Rohan's style. So where is she? His eyes skimmed the area. Then he saw the body, lying in a pool of blood. He was rather puzzled why he simply had not smelled her from the blood.

Motioning to the medics he went forward and knelt over the girl. The medics started checking her, one of them writing down everything they saw. Kiel did not want to know what they saw. He could guess from the visual alone. Probably several fractures, definitely two ribs at least, one arm and a shoulder. She had lost much blood, enough for a feast for a few vampires. And the woman was still breathing. That only meant one thing, this was not a human. He called to the man standing behind him,

-"Sam, what is she?" Kiel asked. Sam was one in his advisory board, and he could identify any creature's beast or magical identity just by a glance. As Kiel looked up at him, he shook his head,

-"All I can say is that she is a mixed being. I can identify four parts. One is human, of course. Two constitute her beast - one Black panther and the other... Umm... Wolf... I think," he added slowly, frowning in confusion. He had never heard, let alone seen a creature having more that one beast so prominently - that too, one feline another canine; what was more confusing was the fourth part. Shaking his head, he went ahead and said,

-"I have no idea what the fourth part is." after a little more thought, he added, "It's magical beyond what I have seen. It's not externally cast. This is the part that is probably holding the two beasts together in her, I think." he paused, to let it sink in.

-"An inheritance from one of her parents or grandparents, perhaps?" Kiel suggested. Sam shook his head,

-"Not weak enough to be an inheritance. In fact, this part is twice the strong than the rest of the three combined. As I said, this part is the one binding the beasts." Sam replied. Then before Kiel could say anything, he urgently said,

-"Rohan, he's alert, careful..." with the warning he spun and looked at the leaping man.

Rohan landed over the woman lying on the ground, his legs securing the body safely between them. Then startling everyone, he crouched and snarled at Kiel. Something clicked in place inside Kiel's head. He took a step back and surveyed Rohan carefully. He remembered the way Rohan had almost ordered him to take care of this woman. Rohan's voice had changed... As if... as if... His loyalty was now to this woman rather than his pack Alpha. Kiel looked from the woman to Rohan. He noted Rohan's protective stance.

-"It's okay Rohan. We were only healing her wounds. We are not harming her, see..." Kiel murmured soothingly as he spread his arms, to both show friendliness and to stop anyone from attacking Rohan. "It's okay Rohan. See, only friends here. She is safe." he reassured his best friend as his best friend carefully surveyed their faces.

As Kiel saw Rohan's stance loosen, he felt a little relieved, but still did not advance. He rather motioned everyone else to step back several paces. He watched Rohan watching them and loosen some more.

-"Mind if we check for her injuries? If she is not treated at once, it may get out of hand," Kiel asked his friend. Hearing him, Rohan instantly shifted and walked aside. At Kiel's signal, the medics came forward, and took up the woman inside their mobile set up for the initial treatment.

With the woman safely tucked away, Kiel turned to his friend. " Is she your mate, Rohan?" he asked a little musingly, noting Rohan staring at the medical van. His question got Rohan's attention, partially.

-"Huh? Oh... No. She had just saved my ass right before she got so injured, and while losing my consciousness I was still trying to protect her. I guess that's why it took me a little time to snap out of the protective mode." Rohan replied, his eyes still riveted onto the van.

-"Umm... How can you be so sure she is not your mate?" Kiel asked suspiciously.

-"I smelled her, both my beast and human... I did not feel anything. I was simply protecting the Alpha female." Rohan answered distractedly, wishing he could call her by some name than 'Alpha female' all the time. But his answer got Kiel's attention anyway.

-"You smelled her? How?" Kiel asked without thinking. Then he frowned, assured he was missing something important. Then it hit him.

-"Alpha? Who? Her? How do you know? And why was I not informed of an Alphathis powerfulinmyterritory?" Kiel demanded.

-"Get a grip, Kiel," Rohan grumbled, "Seeing her fighting, and the way she roared when she thought one of them was gonna kill me, not to mention the way she ordered me around and tried to do everything to protect me, I'd be a brick in mud if I didn't know she is an Alpha. You were not informed because we never came across her power signature. And don't take that tone with me. I don't like it." Rohan finished, irritated. He was wishing he could go back to the Den, eat and sleep. He never noticed the open mouthed shock on Kiel's face until Kiel blurted out,

-"What?"

-"What what?" Rohan returned, a little disoriented.

-"You said you don't like my tone. You never say that. You always ignore my snappy tone. And I'm your Alpha." Kiel simply shouted out, "And you never say that." he added as an after thought.

-"Well what do you expect from a Were who has just... broken... his... spine." starting out irritated, Rohan finished the sentence slowly. He had barely noticed himself standing, until now. Or, he hadn't noticed because he hadn't remembered yet that he was not supposed to be standing, until now. He looked down at his legs. Then slowly touched where he knew the break was. As his fingers touched tender flesh, he winced. But still, no sign of a broken spine.

-"You had broken your spine?" Kiel asked. When Rohan confirmed it, nodding, Kiel resumed, "I had thought so too. But, almost 10 minutes later from the point you... informed..." Kiel cocked an eyebrow at Rohan, taking a slight pause, "...us, I found the broken part perfectly healed, only a scar oozing slight blood. We have no idea what to make of this."

Rohan sighed. Shaking his head, he said,

-"I can't figure it out either. May be, when I had lost consciousness I was trying to save her, that may have triggered an emergency reaction, and my body healed in an accelerated rate." As he remembered something, he added "And may be that's why, to kick up my healing rate, I blacked out. My wolf was simply pulling in all the energy resources it can without killing me to heal my body. Yeah, that's gotta be it." He finished, though with a feeling that he was forgetting something, something that his beast was trying to remind him, but the idea danced just beyond his recognition. He gave up, and turned towards Kiel,

-"I want to head back to the Den. What do you say?" he asked.

-"Sure, just let the medics come back with the report of her condition, then we'll drop her at her place and..." noticing the frown on Rohan's face, Kiel trailed off, "What?"

-"We can't drop her off at her place, Kiel. She killed four of them, single handed. Very few of us have that achievement. She is an Alpha. Don't you know what they would do when they scan the dead ones' memories and see her? She needs our protection. Besides, she gave me the idea that she is not aware of The War. She may not even have any idea what she is. Kiel, she didn't even shift when fighting, she never tried. And she didn't know what they were. She is now involved in this War. And we need to keep her safe. And you know what the safest place for her is right now." Rohan was actually getting anxious now. He was not sure if Kiel understood the importance of keeping her safe. He watched the Alpha for any sign of disregarding his warning.

-"You are right. Besides, we need to figure out what exactly she is. She didn't even shift, you say? Hmm..." Kiel was confused now. This was almost unheard of. The woman was a mystery. And it intrigued him. Suddenly he realized another feeling. That of his beast. He was curious now, too. The wolf was actually urging him to get closer to the woman, so he could smell her, get to know her. The wolf was getting impatient the longer his human denied him the satisfaction of his curiosity. Kiel chuckled. Turning to Rohan, he gave him a wink, then signaled to the medics to get her to the Den. As the van rolled, he heard his Second-in-command's sigh of relief.