Chapter Text
Ezekiel decided not to bother calling Grayson: the Master would sense the presence of the black dog and the Pure girl anyway, as soon as they were near the house. There was nothing to fear from the young black dog; he was protective of his little family but seemed to have good control of his shadow, rather better than might be expected in a stray. Grayson might well bring him into Dimilioc. The human boy seemed sensible enough, and who knew, he might be useful to help with the housework.
The girl, though. She was young, but her abilities were evident: Ezekiel had seen how effectively she calmed her black dog brother, setting her hand on his shoulder where Ezekiel had touched him. And then when Ezekiel taunted her she had answered him sharply, with no outward sign of fear, though he could sense her fast heartbeat. She had insisted that she was fast and strong, that she was no child.
Ezekiel was fascinated. Dimilioc needed Pure women, and particularly needed forceful and effective women in a house where there were several very strong black dogs. She looked small and perhaps too thin, huddled up in her coat against the cold. Young, of course: whatever she said she was hardly a woman. But his shadow was insistent: he was the most powerful black dog in the pack; she was his by right. This time no-one would be allowed to get in his way.
The interview with Grayson was an eye-opener. Ezekiel thought, in fact he was sure, that the Toland trio had planned exactly what to say, probably had several scenarios covered. Alejandro had spoken well, and all three of them had known how to behave around the Dimilioc wolves. And the boy Miguel had gone to the heart of the matter when he called out the weakness of the House. Of course they needed these three. Ethan had spoken stupidly, with his crude taunting. Angering the Pure girl – Natividad – was not sensible. But she had spoken out bravely. She was angry, but she had made her bargain with the Dimilioc Master and apparently earned his respect. Grayson had spoken brusquely enough when he ordered Ethan to move their car to make his disapproval of his nephew obvious.
This girl was going to have quite an effect on Dimilioc. Ezekiel’s shadow was pressing him, insistent. Harrison and Zachariah had already shown their interest, as well as Ethan with his posturing. Grayson seemed more concerned about Vonhausel and the safety of Dimilioc, but Grayson was a subtle man. Probably he was Ezekiel’s most serious rival. Neither James Mallory nor young Benedict would challenge him. None of them was a real threat to Ezekiel except the Master. Ezekiel would not want to challenge Grayson. Perhaps he should try and make a play for Natividad straight away. Certainly he must make sure the other wolves understood. Including Grayson.
Left to take the newcomers down to the cage, he reached out a hand to help the girl up, expecting her to flinch. But she did not, putting her small cold hand into his warm one with no hesitation. She was apprehensive, certainly, but not truly afraid, even of the Dimilioc executioner. It was disconcerting.
Seeing their reaction to the cage, he wondered about the way they had grown up, free of any black dog House. Perhaps there had been restraints of some kind for Alejandro when he was small and his shadow was uncontrolled, but nothing like this. Ezekiel could hardly imagine what it must have been, to grow up so free. He taunted Alejandro a little, mainly from habit, and watched as Natividad calmed her brother and then turned down Ezekiel’s offer of a private room without causing offence. In fact she had handled him quite well too. She truly wasn’t afraid of him. Ezekiel found it hard to believe. He left to find blankets and a clothesline, picking up a few clothespins too. He smiled to himself; not the executioner’s smile.
Perhaps he was being stupid, letting his shadow override his normal cool reserve. The girl had already shown she despised tactics like Ethan’s. Of course Ezekiel would have no hesitation in taking on any rival, would enjoy the fight, even killing another Dimilioc black dog if it came to it. His shadow knew he was the most powerful wolf; that he was entitled to take the woman. There were no loyalties where black dog appetites were concerned. But Ezekiel had learned from two Dimilioc masters, and his control over his shadow was formidable.
Ezekiel’s training was both an advantage and a problem here. At thirteen he had enjoyed the power of being Thos’ executioner, had liked to see how even the strongest black dogs looked away from him or flinched when he came close, even though he was just a boy.
At twenty, he recognised how Thos had used him. It was a Pure woman who had made him realise that Thos was not just a cruel and selfish Master but that he was a sadistic egomaniac, bad for Dimilioc; that the House needed better. For Ezekiel, brought up under Thos’ influence, it had been a shocking revelation. He knew he was the one person who could destroy Thos. And he was proud to be able to use his skills to take him down, proud that he had succeeded in doing so without creating more trouble for Dimilioc. Throwing his support behind Grayson was not the easiest decision, but it had not been a mistake. Trust and friendship were not concepts associated with black dogs, but if anyone were to harm Grayson Ezekiel would not rest until he had made them an example for the ages. As Thos would have said.
Ezekiel knew he what he wanted now. Grayson would say he was arrogant, and perhaps he truly was more arrogant even than most black dogs, but he was well aware of his own attractiveness. In the past he had been successful enough with local girls who enjoyed being seen with a good-looking young man with a dangerous reputation. But he had to be circumspect. He could not let the black dog rule him here, however attracted he was.
He had never had a Pure woman. He knew now how revolting Thos’ order to Melanie had been when he tried to compel her to mate with Ezekiel. At barely seventeen, the order had made him uncomfortable, but his shadow wanted Melanie, and he had hardly understood why a Pure woman might prefer a human to a black dog. Even now he found it difficult to credit. Black dogs were so much stronger and more powerful: why would any woman want a human weakling?
He thought perhaps Natividad might be different from Melanie. Look at the way she had stood up to Grayson, how she had dealt with Ethan. She wouldn’t run to anyone to defend her. It might be that the offer she had made to accept a Dimilioc wolf was a devil’s bargain, but it was her own choice. Ezekiel found himself smiling again. Petite and pretty in her girlish clothes, she looked very young. Too young, he recognised, though his shadow did not. But she was worth waiting for.
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