~ ZEV ~

Late that night, Zev stood in one of the largest rooms in the City. It was on the second floor of one of the main buildings. But there were large, open gaps in the wall. It was designed for gathering, cooking, eating. Not for sleeping.

Yet it was the only space he remembered that might be big enough if Sasha was successful in finding a way to get the females out. Kyelle was insistent, if they'd only been around females for all this time, and they were frightened, they'd need a place to be together. Perhaps even sleep together.

Zev didn't really believe Sasha could bring them back, not this quickly. But he needed the Clans to see that he believed in her. And he did. He believed she would return with a plan. But while they were all finding their feet, and trying to remake their lives, they needed positive things to focus on.

Preparing a space for the females was perfect.

He'd ordered that they find ways to block the windows with the thinnest, strongest hides that could be found—ones that would allow light through, but would block the sound and cold air.

He'd ordered that furs be located and collected here. Anyone who needed them could use them, of course, but the extras should be left in this space in case the females did decide to rest here.

After grabbing two of them himself, he sighed heavily then and turned to trot back down the stairs. He was supposed to go back to the village to sleep in his cave, but he was exhausted. His body clawing at him for rest. So he planned to use those furs himself and bed down. He knew he hadn't intentionally broken his orders. But he'd spoke with a healer who'd been sent to the City and who agreed that at this point it was more important for Zev to rest at all, rather than to travel all the way back to rest in his cave, away from the stress.

So as he descended the stairs and found the torches burning in the Courtyard, and realized most everyone else had already gone to bed, he gave in and turned for the main building. He didn't know if the other alphas had taken their places there, yet. But he would find a space to sleep until morning.

It was strange to walk those stairs again. They'd been so familiar to him three years ago. He'd avoided bringing Sasha too deeply into this building because he hadn't wanted to remember the life he had then—the failure he'd had in not staying in Thana, but also the grief. He'd missed her so terribly. It was going to be incredible to walk these stairs with her, to their furs.

A guard at the door into the building saluted and whispered, "Zev-dan."

He nodded, but didn't slow in his walk.

He'd been acknowledged by the Chimera. No one had made him fight to keep Alpha, which was a huge relief.

After the formalities, he had dealt with the petty squabbles over power and position by declaring that the males would spread through the City—make their homes and caves wherever they wished. No clan given priority, no ranking specific to areas beyond the main building that would house the Alphas and their mates or families, should they materialize. No two members of a clan to gather. He'd ordered them to surround themselves with those not of their own clans, and declared that anyone who failed to do so would be banished.

And, to his mild surprise, they'd done it. They'd gone grumbling and shooting looks… but Lhars reported that the wolves had spread, and their neighbors were of different Cribes.

Tonight the Chimeran males were resting, finally, as they should: Not broken by politics or clans. But as a people.

It was, to Zev's mind, a huge win.

When he reached the Alpha bedchamber, there was no one beyond the guard at the door, though he'd passed a few in the building as he strode through. It was a relief to make it to the top floor without having to answer any more questions, or hold himself against his weariness.

He took a deep breath before he stepped into the King's room, though. He'd intended not to come in here without Sasha, but now it felt like anywhere else wouldn't serve her power—or his. So he swung the door open, praying the ceilings were as high as he remembered, that he wouldn't have trouble sleeping in this space. Or that he was tired enough that his panic would stay away until morning.

But he startled as soon as he walked in, when a large shadow separated itself from the wall and huffed. Then he cursed, slumping.

"Yhet," he said after a sigh of relief. "You scared me."

"Sorry, Zev," the male rumbled. "I will stand watch tonight. I'm glad you're finally here. You need to rest."

"I know, I know. I will. I just need to eat something first," he said wearily. There was a strip of dried beef in his back pocket that he'd managed to pick up during his earlier stalking back and forth in the City, clearing up disputes, and clarifying his position on housing as the males all reluctantly found their places.

"I have food for you," Yhet said carefully. "Fruit, and a stew. It will be cold now, but that's okay."

It was. Zev thanked his friend for being so thoughtful and shoveled the food down without even sitting down. He was afraid as soon as he did, he'd pass out with exhaustion. His hand trembled on the spoon as he swallowed the last of the stew and Yhet took the bowl.

They chatted quietly for a moment as Zev undressed. It turned out he hadn't needed to bring the furs. Two massive, thick furs had already been provided and spread on the huge sleeping platform designed literally for a King.

"You're too good to me, Yhet," Zev said as he crawled between them and immediately groaned with the pleasure of being off his feet.

"No, Zev. This is where you're supposed to be. I just made sure it was comfortable. Besides, you're giving so much. You and Sasha. Just… take care of yourself, okay?"

Zev sighed and opened his mouth to tell Yhet that he was taking care of himself, but that Yhet was being too generous. That Zev had gotten too many things wrong, too many times in the past.. But somewhere between the thought and his tongue curling around the words, he fell asleep.