triggered something in Helena, if she was having visions like Heli and Zara. He'd have to talk to Kosta or Niko about that. Human mates were still new in the wolf world, so nobody yet knew completely how a bite would affect them. Psychic visions and shifting abilities had popped up in most every human, but not until after they'd been marked.
His Helena was special.
Or she'd been marked by another wolf.
No. Couldn't be. He would know. He would have seen her mark. He'd licked every inch of her and hadn't seen anything resembling one. Although Zara had hidden her mark from the world for almost a decade, now that he thought about it. She hadn't even known she'd been marked and was having psychic visions of Niko the whole time.
Fuck. Was that why Helena had a vision of this grey wolf?
Aleksei hadn't known her for very long, and certainly never asked her if she'd had a vision like that before. He stole a glance at the interloper. The guy hadn't even tried to mindspeak with him, just took up sides against the one-bloods. Or maybe it wasn't against them, as much as it was for Helena.
For now Aleksei would take all the help he could get to keep Helena safe. But once he was sure the one-bloods weren't going to get their hands on her, he'd be having a heart to heart with this grey wolf.
If Helena was destined to be another wolf's mate, Aleksei wasn't sure his already fragile heart would survive. If she was his true mate, as he was sure she must be, and this grey wolf thought he could challenge Aleksei for her, he was dead wrong.
He would have to think about that later. The one-bloods were circling, and he had to come up with more ways to stall them.
Aleksei stalked toward the shitheads, doing his best to let them know he wasn't intimidated by them. Haven't you heard? There's a new Wolf Tzar in town. You're the ones who'd do well to mind your manners. Tzar Nikolai Troika doesn't stand for one-blood antics.
The grey wolf whipped his head around and stared at Aleksei like he'd said the moon was made of cheese. His eyes glowed with an eerie empty nothingness Even his fur seemed to glow in the moonless night.
The one-bloods all looked at each other as if sharing a secret. For the first time, the leader stepped in front of his enforcers and looked Aleksei straight in the eye. Oh, we aren't one-bloods. We simply don't recognize your precious Troika's claim to the throne.
Like you're a better choice to lead Wolfkind into the future?
Not me. But we know who will. Someone your so-called Tzar tried to destroy with his greed for power. He has no idea what kind of enemies he's made. But you go on following your fool if you want. We know better.
That was more than Aleksei could handle. Insult him all they wanted to, but he knew to his very core that Niko was the best of them all and would lead them into a life they deserved. He'd lead even traitors screaming and kicking into a better world, because Tzar Nikolai Troika was a leader for all, not just his own admirers. That's what made him the one true leader of Wolfkind.
Whoever these dumbasses had decided to follow would never be anything but an egotist.
Enough was enough. He lunged at the closest wolf and let his fury loose. Fury for thinking they could come into Troika territory and harm his mate. Fury that they thought they were better than anyone else. And fury for spreading hatred when he'd only just found love.
He plowed into the closest wolf and shoved him to the ground, holding his throat to the dirt. The other wolf flailed and snarled trying to get away, but Aleksei was too strong. Yield and give your fealty to Tzar Nikolai Troika.
Never. I'd rather die. The wolf snapped his jaws and tried to scratch at Aleksei's legs, but couldn't get a good angle.
That can be arranged.
Aleksei was ready to snap this miscreant into pieces like the rat that he was. But he wasn't an enforcer anymore and it wasn't his place. Tonight would be the last night that was true. Tomorrow he would go to Max and ask both his forgiveness and for his old job back. Until then, he needed this wolf out of commission.
Now would be a good time for Helena's baseball bat.
The grey wolf bounded into