Karizma: Reborn

Chapter 4: Lukas

Lukas froze in his tracks at the border of his pack's territory. He had been walking the territory with his Beta to make sure that the safety of the pack was still guaranteed. He had not smelled Ryleigh's scent since she awoke, but he had to be sure that the vampires would not suspect his pack for any reason. So far, the woods surrounding his pack remained quiet and calm, aside from the surge in power that vibrated through Lukas' body just now. Ryleigh, he thought. The mating bond was not solidified, but he was connected to her regardless. The mating bond was solidified when both wolves could mark each other with their canines; Lukas had done that and more. His blood coursed through her veins, and his canines were forever imprinted on her beautiful flesh. Until she marked him, he would not be able to communicate with her through the mind link that mates shared, but he felt her every second of every day. Her heartbeat, her magic, her emotions, yet she was in the dark about him. Until she marked her mate herself, she would never feel his side of all of that. Lukas craved her mark upon his neck, and his wolf growled instantly as the thought triggered an erection.

It is too soon, Lukas growled to himself. It is too soon to tell her about any of this. We will fight it, he chastised his wolf. We will fight acting on any of it until she is ready to learn the truth. Lukas and his wolf worried about rejection from Ryleigh once she knew, but he was not ready to fully embrace that concern yet. He knew it was a possibility because of Kristopher, but if Kristopher found out, he would surrender Ryleigh without hesitation. Vampires may be passionate lovers, but lycans were territorial ones; if Kristopher stood in the way of Lukas' mate, Lukas and his wolf would not hesitate to tear the vampire apart to claim her.

"Alpha?" Jackson's voice pulled Lukas out of his thoughts. Lukas shook his head and faced his Beta. Jackson's long blonde hair had been pulled into a ponytail, his green eyes hard as he studied Lukas. His Beta was slightly shorter than he was, but he was one of the more agile male wolves in the pack. "Do you sense something?"

"Nothing of concern," Lukas said. "I should probably go check on our witch guest and see how she is adjusting."

"A witch lycan," Jackson said in fascination. "The first of her kind."

"And ours," Lukas added.

"What about the other witch?"

"She is welcome to stay as long as she chooses. After all that poor child did to bring our witch back to us, the young one can make this her permanent home for all I care."

"Is that wise?" Jackson asked slowly. He quickly continued as Lukas' eyes flared with gold rage for the question. "It's just that she is associated with the Karizma that was murdered. Sooner or later, the vampires will find this connection and try to come after her."

"To which we will protect her," Lukas growled. "That child almost died bringing back the Karizma for us. I will not throw her out, especially with this war coming that Kristopher told me about."

Lukas had not had the chance to speak to Ryleigh about it, but he knew without a doubt that was what she wanted to talk to him about when she woke up. Kristopher had informed Lukas of the details that he knew of, but Lukas knew that there was more to it. Ryleigh had been alone with the vampires for some time, and Lukas wanted to hear her story. He wanted her to rest and to give her space while she rekindled with Kristopher, but the surge in her power and the panic in her heart made Lukas realize that she was doing more than resting. She was getting answers. I should have known, he thought. Ryleigh was not going to be the type of woman to just accept her new life. She needed to understand it, to learn it and master it. Something happened, he thought.

"I need to go, Jackson. I need to help our new lycan control her abilities, wolf and magic alike," Lukas sighed. His blue eyes pushed through as his wolf settled beneath his skin.