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Pursuit

By: curiouslylovable



The first thing that Kimmie noticed was his shoulders. They were incredibly broad, with muscles rippling under the tight black tee shirt. Her fingers itched to see what all of that skin would feel like as it slid inch by inch underneath her touch. After the initial clench low in her belly subsided a little, her gaze moved upwards and settled on his smile. Those lips were so sensual, so incredibly kissable. She could picture sucking on that lower lip and melting as those lips touched places that were not to be seen in public. And while he was doing that, she would be grabbing onto that bald head and holding him in place while she cried in ecstasy.

Her girlfriends were already at the bar, ordering a round of drinks and shots from a guy who looked like he'd been working in this place since it opened. In her haze, she slowly realized that the bouncer was trying to give her back her I.D. She took it with a sexy little bashful smile. The hired "security" just smiled like he'd seen the show a thousand times, which he probably had. Kimmie pocketed her license and strode almost nonchalantly towards the bar. She glanced briefly towards her mystery man before turning most of her attention back towards the girls.

"Okay, what did you order me this time," Kimmie teased Julia as she gave her a big hug from behind. "You better not get me too plastered tonight, hun."

Julia tilted her head back slightly and gave Kimmie a knowing smile. "You're getting a rum and coke and a Swedish Fish. It goes down smooth," and the blond wiggled her tight little ass down Kimmie's legs. 

With Julia down in a crouch, Kimmie got a glimpse at her best friend's ample cleavage. God she loved girls' night out. Was there a better way to spend a night than looking at a beautiful woman and trying to get into the fantastically tight pants of an incredibly hot mystery man?

Kimmie helped Julia up, and took her "smooth" shot from Cort. Kimmie knew that Cort was used to the slight lesbian theme of these nights out, but also knew that it never ceased to make her uncomfortable. Sure, it definitely got men's attention, but Cort didn't think it was really necessary. Kimmie was betting it had something to do with the strict Catholic upbringing. Cort could drink and dance and have fun with the best of them, but add in just a slightly lessie attitude and she began to act a bit prudish.

Tonight, that was fine with Kimmie. She was looking for bigger fish than a quick peak at Julia's amazing rack. She wanted to find out just how hard it would be to grab the attention of Mr. Muscles. So as the three of them saluted over Swedish Fish, Kimmie stole a glance over her shot glass at those incredibly sexy shoulders. 

As she tilted back her glass, she noticed that he was drinking a bottle of Labbat Blue. Good, now she knew what type of drink to send over in ten or fifteen minutes. Nothing gets a guy's attention like a woman ordering him a drink.

"Okay, Kimmie, what, or who, has got your attention this early?" Cort was very observant. Kimmie had no doubt that within ten seconds of stepping into the bar, Cort had assessed every man in here and had found the most likely candidates for a fabulous hookup.

"Ten o'clock, black tee shirt," she said with a smile as she put her empty shot glass down and grabbed her rum and coke. "I'm dying to find out if those shoulders are as strong as they look."

Julia turned to look, and made it seem like she was checking out the juke box instead of the group of men not two feet from it. "Oh man, hon. I bet he could bench press you. Totally sexy."

Kimmie blushed a little at that. Sure, she was petite. At five foot six, she weighted a hair under 120. It meant that she didn't have many curves, but the ones she did have were a plus. And yeah, Muscles could probably dominate her in ways that would have her head spinning for days. Hell, it was Saturday night, and if her fantasies were anything close to what could happen in reality, she may be calling in sick on Monday.

Cort pulled out a few singles and held them teasingly in front of Kimmie. "Go play some songs. We'll let you know how interested he seems when you come back." She winked when Kimmie grabbed them and followed her instructions.

It was hard for Kimmie to look at the juke box and not the incredibly sensual man leaning on the wall two feet from it. The jeans looked painted on his slender hips. She wondered what her legs would look like wound around him. Damn, she hadn't found a guy that turned her on this much in years. And all it took was one glance at him and she was wet. Her thong was not doing much to hold back the moisture, either. She really hoped he was as good as he looked. It would be a damn shame if she threw herself at him and he was totally inadequate.

It took her ten minutes to find four songs that she wanted to hear. She was looking for songs that she and her friends could dance to, and it was hard with all of the country and southern rock that was up for display. By the time she found a few good songs to show off her assets, her drink was almost empty. She smiled as she turned away from the neon machine. Now was her chance to send over a Blue to her hunk.

Cort and Julia were singing along to the Pussycat Dolls when she returned, and Kimmie motioned questioningly if they were ready for another round. They nodded, and Julia tilted her head towards the man of the evening and gave her the thumbs up. Phase one was complete, and now it was time to show him her interest. In half an hour, Kimmie would have him hooked and be in her house in an hour with any luck.

Julia saw Kimmie order the beer for the hunk, and nudged Cort with a wicked smile on her face. It constantly amazed her at how often Kimmie got whatever man she wanted just by buying him a drink. She couldn't even count the number of girls nights where Kimmie left them early and had her way with one hunky guy or another. But even she had to admit that this one took the cake. He obviously worked out and took care of his body. And by watching the way he interacted with the rest of the guys in the group, he didn't seem overly cocky and self absorbed. She hadn't seen Kimmie work this fast in almost four years. She must really want this one.

Kimmie leaned across the bar, hoping that Muscles was getting a nice shot of her ass in her short plaid skirt. In two seconds there was a tall, beefy bartender ready to look down her shirt and take her money for the privilege. "I need two rum and cokes, one vodka cranberry, and a bottle of Blue for the guy in the black tee shirt by the juke box. Can you have someone send it over, and let him know it's from me?"

"Sure thing, doll." Kimmie smiled at the simple fact that tits got better service in crowded bars than men holding out twenties. In less than a minute they had a round of drinks in front of them and were dancing to the first song that she had played. Prodigy was booming out across the bar, and women everywhere were bumping and grinding to the heavy, animalistic bass lines. Men were drooling in their drinks.

But at that moment, Kimmie was moving for only one man. It was weird, she barely even looked at any of the other men in the bar. After ten seconds inside, there was only one man that caught her attention and made her dizzy with anticipation. And she was hoping that at that moment he was thinking the same thing about her.

Kimmie raised her arms above her head and swiveled her hips to the rhythm of the music. She was facing her friends and the bar, her back to Muscles as she danced to have fun. She smiled at her friends, enjoying her night out. Her only warning that something was about to happen was the wide eyes that Cort flashed her a second before she felt a warm, hard body push against her back and follow her movements like a second skin. She questioned Julia and Cort with her eyes to see who was behind her, and Julia nodded briefly with a slight smile, trying not to give too much away to the gentleman at her back.

God, his body felt so good pushed up against her. He was only slightly taller than she was, and his body fit perfectly against her. His hips hugged her ass, his rock hard chest was pushed against her shoulder blades, and she could feel his breath tickling her neck. The boy could move! His hips were following hers without any hesitation. His hands slid to the sides of her waist when he realized she wasn't going to push him away. Kimmie decided to encourage him a bit more and lowered her arms behind her head and pulled him closer.

"God you're sexy," he whispered huskily into her ear. The sound of his voice and the hot air across her sensitive neck sent shivers down her body that she was sure he could feel. Her nipples tightened with anticipation of that breath blowing over them.

Not wanting to seem to eager and easy, Kimmie pulled away slightly and turned to face him. His hands stayed on her, flowing over her back and taut stomach and settling on her hips once more. She continued dancing, but not so closely. "I hope that's not the alcohol talking," she teased. 

The song ended, and just as she planned, a slow country song started. She was so not ready to dance to this, so she finished her drink and put it down on the bar. "Girls, I'll be back." She gave Muscles a wink and headed towards the bathroom. Always leave them wanting more, as her mom used to say. Although that was probably more about stage performances than seductions.

The door closed with a thud behind her, and she noticed that she was the only one in there. Totally unusual for such a packed bar. She had thought that there would be a line and a ten minute wait. Oh well, all the better. She went to the crackled mirror and double-checked her hair. Short brown curls framed her face in a cut that was just longer than a pixie. It suited her face, which was slightly long, with a cute chin and high cheek bones. Her hazel eyes looked more green tonight with the yellow tank top. The shirt showed off her tiny waist, and almost made it look like she had a full C cup.

The door began to open, and Kimmie moved back a step so that whoever was coming in wouldn't slam into her. Her eyes grew wide as a black tee shirt and bald head came into view. Oh dear, she thought as her heart sped up. Fear and giddy anticipation battled with each other. What could he possibly have in mind in the bathroom of a crowded bar?

Muscles closed the door and pushed his back into it, making it almost impossible for someone to walk in on them. "That was quite some show you were putting on out there, princess. Was that all for my benefit?"

Kimmie raised an eyebrow. Maybe he was cockier than he looked. That could be a plus in the bedroom. "Aren't you full of yourself."

"Fine. Come here and tell me it wasn't." A well-defined arm stretched out to her, beckoning her to come to him, or not to, and prove him wrong. She could see the muscles ripple in his biceps as the tee shirt tightened. That one movement made parts low in Kimmie's anatomy tense in response. Her breath caught in her throat and she couldn't take her eyes off of him.

"I said come here," he growled. Without hesitating, Kimmie stepped forward and took his hand in hers. He pulled her towards him with strength enough that she almost toppled right into his chest. She put her other hand out to steady her, and found all of those muscles just as tight and inviting as she had imagined them. 

His other arm snaked around her waist, nearly touching his own body again as he pulled her tiny waist tightly into his pelvis. She could feel his hard cock digging into her hip the same second his lips crashed down on hers. Kimmie's lips opened with a moan and his tongue invaded her mouth. It was strong and talented, and she again thought of it doing sinful things to other parts of her body. Wouldn't it be grand to feel it sliding inside of her juicy cunt the same way it was going around in circles in her mouth?

"Not here," she whispered when he eventually pulled away. "My house is two blocks away, the fifth house on the left on Sandfield. Meet me there in five minutes." She could see his eyebrows raise. It probably wasn't every day that a strange woman buys him a drink and lets him accost her in a bathroom, then invites him to her house. To show him that she was serious, she bent down and slid her yellow lace thong down her legs and handed it to him. "White house, fifth on the left. I'll leave the porch light on and the front door unlocked. The bedroom is upstairs on the right."

Kimmie pushed him aside with a smile and a peck on the cheek (not even a five-o'clock shadow), then left the bathroom with a smile. This might just be a new record for her. Twenty minutes at the bar and she was already taking the guy home. She stopped at the bar and said a brief goodbye to the girls.

"Slut," Julia teased as she gave her a hug. "You better tell us everything tomorrow at dinner."

"Of course. And likewise if either of you get lucky. Have fun, I'm sure I will!"

Kimmie stepped outside without checking to see if her mystery man had returned to the bar proper. She knew she had him, and was sure that he would be right behind her. Now all she had to do was make sure that her bedroom was ready for visitors.

A slight breeze had come off the lake, and her short skirt threatened to do a Marilyn Monroe on her. She smiled and put a hand on the front to make sure that any stray bar patrons outside smoking didn't get a free show. But once she turned the corner onto her street, she let the wind do what it wanted. The air felt amazing next to her bare skin, and she felt her pussy juices begin to wetten the tops of her thighs. Tonight was not going to be anything short of amazing, she was sure of it.

Once inside her house, she shed her skirt and draped it on the banister. Just a reminder of where she would be and what she wouldn't be wearing. Then at the top of the stairs, she pulled off her tank top and draped it on the door knob to her bedroom. If he had any doubts as to what room she would be in, hopefully this would alleviate them. She kicked off her sandals into a dark corner of her bedroom and clicked on a dim pink lamp. She surveyed the room with a smile. Good, she had remembered to put the handcuffs on the thick maple headboard. She had a feeling they would definitely be getting used tonight. But on whom?

The front door opened and closed quietly. Kimmie heard the locks being engaged. She shivered with anticipation. Yeah, it was a little crazy to be locked in a house with a stranger, but that was part of the thrill of it. Allowing a stranger into your home, trusting them with not only yourself but all of your possessions. Not knowing what the man was capable of, hoping it was a lot.

She could hear the floorboards creaking on her stairs. He was so close. Kimmie trailed a hand down her throat and chest. Her skin broke out in goose bumps. God, why is he taking so much time to come to her?

The door opened; the small light in the hallway haloed the man that was making her heart beat in a quick staccato. He had removed his shirt somewhere in his travels, and his jeans were unbuttoned, leaving little to her imagination. Not that imagination hadn't been filling in all night so far. Kimmie backed up as he stalked into her room. God, he was imposing and sensual. Sex oozed off of him in waves, and she could smell his cologne surrounding her and making her want him even more. Her bedroom felt suddenly much smaller with his imposing mass stalking towards her. Running out of room, Kimmie sat down hard on the bed. Her headboard rattled, and the metallic sound made Muscles look up.

"Mmm, handcuffs," he growled as he kept coming closer to her. "For some reason, that doesn't surprise me too much." He bent down and put an arm on either side of her, effectively pinning her down without touching her. "So who are those for, princess?"

Kimmie shook her head. Normally, when she brought a man up to her room, she was the one in total control. She would tease and please until the man would do anything she asked. Then she bound him and had her way with him, pleasing herself as much as she wanted, and him by default. For some reason, she thought that tonight was going to be just a little bit different.

His head bent down, and he brushed a light kiss across her lips. "You didn't think you were going to have me in those tonight, did you?" His gaze traveled down her naked body. "I have to admit, the thought of being bound with you naked over me does have a certain appeal. I bet you're a demon on top, aren't you, princess?"

Okay, this was Kimmie's chance to gain back some of the control. He was giving her a clear way to swing the momentum of the evening in her favor. But before she could collect her thoughts, Muscles grabbed her hands and pushed her onto her back. His chest fell on top of hers, pinning her underneath him. Kimmie could feel every inch of him pressed against her, and his jeans rubbed enticingly between her legs.

"Maybe next time I'll let you surprise me like that. Tonight, I've got to have you my way. You're such a cock tease, princess. Look at how hard you've gotten me." He lifted his left hip slightly, pulling her hand towards his cock. She moaned as she felt how hard and imposing he felt. And that was with two layers of clothing separating her from his full glory!

In one fluid motion, he stood up and brought her with him. He guided both hands to his pants, and without further instruction she began to pull them and his underwear down his hips and off his legs. Kimmie was on her knees in front of his cock, and didn't even wait until his pants were off before she began sucking on him. 

He wasn't extremely long, maybe six inches, or very wide, maybe an inch and a half, but it seemed just right for Kimmie. In one motion she had him all in her mouth, and could feel the tension in his legs as he braced himself. His pants were forgotten for the moment, and Kimmie moved her hands back up his legs and cupped his ass, angling herself for a most enjoyable event.

But before she could really get into it, after only a few good, deep strokes, his hands were pulling her back up to her feet. "Not yet, princess. I want this to last more than just five minutes. On the bed."

Kimmie sat back down, disappointed that he didn't let her have more fun. He really was the perfect size for her to enjoy sucking on. But if he wanted the night to last, who was she to argue? Instead she watched as he took his pants off the rest of the way. His pecs were tight, his shoulders just as gorgeous without the shirt. And he had the sexiest six-pack she'd ever seen. This man did serious crunches. She couldn't wait to run hands and tongue across those hills and valleys. 

If he didn't do something, or let her do something, soon, Kimmie was willing to bet that she could come just by looking at him and fantasizing.

"Back up, princess. Let's see if those cuffs work or if they're just for decoration."

It occurred to her that she hadn't said a word since he entered her house. She could say no, just reach out and touch him like she wanted to. Who was he to tell her what to do? But again, just like it was a thrill to let a stranger into her house and fuck her, it was turning her on that this man was controlling her so completely. There was nothing stopping him from taking her by force, and she had no doubt that he could, but so far he was taking as much pleasure from pleasing her as she was receiving it.

So she backed up dutifully, watching him crawl across her bed like a predatory tiger. "Arms up, sweetness. Be a good girl." Kimmie's breath caught in her throat as he trailed kisses up the inside of her arm before tightening the handcuffs to her right wrist. She was laying down with him on his hands and knees above her, and he moved seductively over her to do the same to her left arm and wrist. A moan escaped her and she closed her eyes in ecstasy.


Pursuit



Rule number 1: Know your prey.

I eye him as he enters the bar. He looks good tonight; like any other night. Tight white jeans, black leather belt, two chains hanging down his thigh, pink top with the face of a roaring tiger, a vest in some sort of golden and red brocade, several necklaces decorating his chest, snakebite, eyes heavily lined with thick, black eyeliner and hot pink eyelids, shiny black hair to down past his shoulders, with streaks of green. Beautiful. He is so sure of himself that the arrogance he exudes is almost palpable. My favourite kind. They are so much fun to break. 

He's chatting with his friends as they head for the bar, passing me on the way. He knows I want him, I haven't tried to hide it and he winks at me as he walks past. Tease. I nod and smirk in reply, no words necessary. 

I have wanted him from the first moment I saw him and I have wasted no time beating around the bush. He didn't fall for it though, just laughed at me and told me to forget it. Forget it? No way. I am a hunter and I always fell my prey, sooner or later. 

I have been working on him for almost five months now and I know that the time has finally come; he's gonna give in very soon, all the sign are there. Oh the thrill, it will be sweeter than any of my previous victories; I can feel it. While I have been waiting for this day to come around I have seen him here almost every week and I have watched as he has seduced several of the other guests. There is no doubt that he considers himself a hunter as well, and a pretty successful one at that, but he doesn't know what a real hunter is like. He will learn though, he will learn. 

Rule number 2: Always attack when they are alone.

I give him one hour before I make my first move of the evening. I see him get up from the table he's sharing with his friends and go towards the men's room. I move to follow him.

He sees me enter but says nothing, just continues with his business. I wait until the only other man has left before I speak.

"So.... You're not even gonna say hi tonight?" I cross my arms and lean against the door; effectively making sure no one else enters before I am done. He smirks at me.

"Hi"

"Good boy, so well behaved. Tell me, what are your plans for the evening?"

"Having fun with my friends, as always" he smiles as he zips his jeans and goes to wash his hands. "And sadly, that doesn't involve you," he adds with a cheeky smile in the mirror.

"Uh baby, such harsh words!" I mock him. "You have no idea what fun I could show you!"

He laughs and waves his hands in front of him to dry them. "I'm sure it would be interesting alright but my answer is still no. Now, are you gonna let me out?"

He's standing right in front of me, mimicking my pose and the side of his mouth just slightly curled into a smile, staring me right in the eye. He thinks he's in control, he's feeling powerful because I'm the one pursuing him like a lovesick puppy but he doesn't know the first thing. He doesn't know that I read him like an open book, that I know exactly when he is gonna break and surrender. He will learn though, he will learn.

"Not yet." I let my eyes wander over his body. "You look very good tonight kid, the green a new thing?"

"Thank you, and yes."

"You're welcome." I lock his eyes in a stare. He doesn't avert his gaze and he doesn't wipe off that semi-smile; he thinks it some game we're playing. It is, I suppose, but he doesn't know that he's the prize. And that I will win no matter what. 

Rule number 3: Run them tired.

"So are you having fun? With your friends?" 

"Very much so."

"What kind of fun are you having?

"The relaxed kind."

"I see," I nod, "not really my kind of fun."

"How sad."

"Yes, isn't it?"

"So what's your kind of fun then?"

"My kind of fun?" I pretend to think about the question. "It's the... sweaty kind... the shivering kind... the lustful kind..." I lick my lips, imagining for the hmpth time having that kind of fun with him.

"Seems like you won't be having much fun tonight then."

"Don't be so sure of it, kid." 

"Whatever you say," he giggles and shakes his head.

"Can I buy you a drink?"

"You know you have asked me that question every time we have been here for the last five months?"

"Yes."

"And have I at any point said yes?"

"No."

"So what makes you think my answer is gonna be any different tonight?"

"Two reasons: You are flattered that I have not yet relented, plus you are secretly wondering what will happen WHEN you allow me to buy you a drink and your curiosity commands you to find out soon."

He laughs me right in my face, cocky bastard. "You think you've got me all figured out, huh?"

"Are you telling me I'm wrong?" I challenge him.

"I'm telling you that your little assumptions are somewhat far-fetched." He smugly replies.

"Ah, but see, you are not dismissing them completely then." My turn to be smug.

He chuckles and rolls his eyes. "Man, you don't give up, do you?"

"Never." 

"Well, maybe one day I will change my mind. Now, will you let me out?"

"Of course" I answer politely and step aside. One day, he says? No kid, TOday.

As he slips out, he pauses for a second with a "enjoy the night" and a wink before the door shuts closed behind him. I snort; it won't be long until he loses some of that self-assuredness. 

Rule number 4: Let them think there is no real danger.

Back outside I take a seat by the bar so that I can see him clearly and if he wishes he will be able to look at me as well. And he does. I feel him looking at me several times but for the longest time I ignore it; I let him take in the sight of me. My burgundy leather pants are worn to fit perfectly and together with my black top and heavy jewellery I know that I look good. 

For a while I let him think that he can get away with looking at me that blatantly, let him feel safe that I don't notice his eyes. Then I turn my head and catch him by surprise. At least now he has the decency to look away but I don't care; I keep staring at him and it doesn't take long until he looks up to meet my eyes again. Of course he does, he can't help it. He's getting weaker by the second.

Without taking my eyes from his, I motion for the bartender to bring him a drink of whatever it is he's drinking.

When the waitress walks over and puts the poisonous red liquid in front of him he looks confused at first but then he tilts his head back and laughs before once again looking at me and shaking his head. He eyes the glass for a moment before raising it to a toast and I raise my glass in response. He drinks. Hook, line, sinker. I've got him. 

I am almost trembling; I am so close to finally catching him, I can practically taste him on my lips. I take a deep breath and compose myself. Patience, I mustn't blow it now... in my head I go over what is about to happen and the mere thought is enough to excite me. Feeling him give in, his body move with mine, touching his warm skin, making him shiver from lust... 

I see him go to the dance floor along with a group of his friends. This time I don't follow him but never for a second do I take my eyes from him; I know exactly where he is all the time and who he is dancing with. 

First it's the cute blonde -- he's pretty but he is trying too hard to be like the others and that turns me off. The two of them together do look quite enticing though, I must admit. Maybe I'll go for him when he's grown up a little. Or if I just feel lazily horny one night.

Then it's the tall blonde. He is quite interesting too but he's taller than me and that disqualifies him automatically. 

After him my beautiful boy dances with the Goth kid -- I have never been into Goths, they require too much attention for my liking and even though he sure knows how to move, and move my prey with him, I don't find him interesting. 

I catch him looking at me as he's dancing; he wants me to see him as he's swaying to the music but I nonchalantly look away the times he tries too hard.

After a few songs I see him move towards the edge of the dance floor, alone. It's time. 

I make sure he doesn't see me as I move closer until I am standing right behind him and breathe into his ear: "Now that you have let me buy you a drink I bet you are wondering what will happen next, right?"

He slowly turns around with a coke in his hand and looks at me.

"Maybe."

"Maybe?" I chuckle. "Will I need to get you another drink to make you admit it or are you gonna just follow me and stop playing so hard to get?"

He doesn't say anything, just screws up his eyes a little, looking as if he's considering what I just said. 

"What makes you so sure I didn't accept the drink just so you would leave me alone?" he finally asks.

"Because someone who wants to be left alone doesn't keep staring the way you have all night. And because someone who wants to be left alone would have gone back out to dance with his friends the second I approached him. So just come on" I say as I put down his coke and grab his hand, dragging him to the dance floor -- to a place as far away from the rest of his group as possible.

I turn him towards me and put my arms around him. He doesn't speak, just looks at me with a pondering look. Poor kid, he still doesn't know that he's lost. 

I slowly start moving my hips to the rhythm of the music and shortly after I feel him do the same, tentatively. He's still not sure if he should fight me or give in; hasn't he heard that resistance is futile? 

Little by little I feel him relax more and more and eventually he allows himself to even push against me just the slightest. I tighten my grip around his back and pull him in a little further. He immediately stiffens so I stop and give him time to relax once more.

The music changes to a more upbeat song and before he has a chance to say anything or excuse himself, I grab both of his hands and spin him around so that he now has his back against my front, his arms crossed before his chest and I have him locked to me when I gently start grinding my crotch against his ass. I'm being careful; I want to push him but not so much that he freaks out. 

He's softening up; it only takes him a few moments before he starts moving as well. After half a song I pull away just an inkling and he instantly pushes his ass backwards, making me grin to myself; now I'm definitely sure. 

I release my grip on his wrists so that I can finally get to touch that smooth stomach. I run my hands up and down his torso, sometimes feather light, sometimes with more pressure. When I finally touch his nipples I am rewarded with a moan and I feel him reach behind me and grab my ass, pulling me even closer to him. 

With such sweet reactions I can't help but continue my assault on his body and I sneak my hand up under his pretty pink top. He shivers when he feels my fingers directly on his warm skin and that makes me shiver in return; this is even better than I dared hope for. 

Rule number 5: Once you have initiated the attack, you don't let go.

I take my time caressing his chest, all the while grinding against him and I feel myself getting harder by the minute. I'm sure he can feel it too, the way I'm moving up and down his ass crack.

When I am ready to explore more of his beautiful body, I slowly slide my hand down and trace the outline of his cock through his jeans. He tenses and starts babbling.

"I really don't think that-"

"Oh, but I do" I cut him short. 

"But the other people-" 

"You are in a gay club; do you think we are doing anything they haven't seen before?"

"N... no...ah!" he yelps when I bite the side of his neck. Enough with all this hesitancy, it's getting dreary.

"Oh, do that again!" he moans. Why did he even try and object? Stupid kid. 

I am happy to oblige and continue biting and licking his neck. He grinds against me with more force and he no longer seems to mind my public fondling of his cock. 

I knew that he would give in eventually, of course I did, they all do, but that he would be this eager surprises me and confirms to me that I picked the right guy.

His small moans and sighs turn me on far more than I anticipated and when he lets his hands actually move on my ass and back legs rather than just grab my ass checks, I feel myself getting closer to cuming. 

"Come here." I grunt and drag him with me, off of the dance floor and into the disabled toilet which luckily isn't occupied. Why in the world they have a disabled toilet in a gay club like this is beyond me but I'm not complaining; it's oh so handy. 

Rule number 6: Slowly let them know they have lost.

Once inside, I quickly lock the door and shove him up against it before I crush my lips against his. I'm not being gentle or tender, I am claiming my prize and I feel and hear our teeth clashing together. It's not pretty but it's sexy and I moan in content when I feel that he doesn't try and resist. He willingly opens his mouth and when my tongue enters, he plays along with the same force but he doesn't try and gain control. Good boy. I suspect it's just because he's still not sure what is happening.

Without breaking off my attack on his mouth, I pull off his vest and push his top up to over his nipples so I can have free access to the areas I am interested in. Only all those damn necklaces are in the way and I pull away in annoyance.

"Get rid of those things!" I order as I flick my hand across all the beads and stones. 

He doesn't hesitate and pulls them over his head in a swift move, tossing them aside.

Now that I am no longer touching him, I step back and take in the sight before me. He looks sexy as hell, the way he's standing there, his shoulders leaning against the door, pelvis thrust slightly forward, arms and hands pressed against the door along his sides, his top pushed up and revealing his stomach and nipples. He doesn't take his eyes off of me but gives me a lustful look as he bites his lower lip. He looks like a whore. That sight alone makes it worth the five months wait.

"Unbuckle your belt." It sounds like a simple command but really, it's more of a test.

He immediately obeys and I wait to see what he will do next. I am extremely pleased when he has opened the belt buckle and brings his hands back against the door, where they were before. He did exactly as I told him and nothing more; I have found myself the perfect prey and I silently congratulate myself on my selection once more. 

"Unzip."

He brings his hands to his abdomen again and slowly unzips. He is still trying to tease me; his naivety makes me chuckle. Was that a vague flash of uncertainty I saw in his eyes? I do believe it was.

"Take off your pants." 

I watch him kick off his shoes before he hooks his thumbs in the sides of his tight jeans and wiggle out of them, kicking them to a side before he resumes his position against the door. 

"Commando, huh?" 

"Always," he answers. 

I let my eyes wander all over his body, careful not to let my face give away any indication of how pleased I am with what I'm seeing. His flat chest, wonderfully free of hair, the chiselled hip bones, the thin and yet muscular thighs. And his cock. He must keep it tucked in when he wears the tight jeans because I hadn't thought that it would be this size. I feel my own cock stirring in my pants.

"Go sit over there" I indicate with my head towards the stone table with the inlaid sink. He saunters over there and carefully climbs up. I know the stone is cold -- after all, it's not my first time here -- and I'm not surprised when he flinches as his ass hits the surface.

"Fuck! It's cold! My ass!" he exclaims, but what do I care?

"Just get up there, or I'll make sure to warm your backside," I brush him off. 

He leers at me: "Ooh, is that a promise?"

"No, kid. It's a threat." I love how the gravity of my voice wipes the smile off his face.

By now I have gotten my hard-on somewhat under control so I decide to give him a little treat. Rather than just lubing him up and getting what I have come for, I bend down and lick his inner thighs, earning myself a hiss. I continue licking, nibbling, and biting the area around his cock for a while until I feel his hand in my hair. 

I abruptly stop what I'm doing and raise my body to look down on him. "Do. NOT. Do. That. Again." I emphasise the words and I make sure my eyes help in driving the point home. He shies away just an inch and the look in his eyes tells me that he is beginning to realise that I'm not messing around. Doubt, hesitancy and maybe even a hint of fear. I told you I would get him down from his high horse, didn't I?

"Do you want me to touch your cock?" I ask in a firm voice, completely devoid of humour and sexy undertones.

"Yea..." he gulps, "yes"

"Then ask me."

I see how he's struggling; I bet he has never had to ask for anything before. But he wants this and I know I can make him say it.

"What's it gonna be?" I ask with my face close enough to his that our lips are practically touching and I can feel his ragged breathing on my skin. "Are you gonna ask me? Or do I really need to leave you here, like this? It would be a damned shame..." I whisper.

"No, no, it's.... it's just.... shit...." Yes kid, the words don't come easy. I stay silent and wait, wait until he realises that I mean it. "Touch... touch my cock... please?"

I don't bother with a reply, I simply bend down and continue but this time I am kind. While my tongue is licking his thigh, I use my hand to gently grab a hold of him and his moan fills the room. I slowly stroke him, using his precum for lubrication, and I feel him grow harder.

When he starts bucking his hips forward I finally give him what he wants and take him in my mouth. Oh the sweet joy. I only give head on the rare occasions but I do actually enjoy it. Tonight is no exception. He tastes lovely and the musky smell of his crotch thrill me; I feel my pants getting tighter around my cock once more.

I sense his hands hovering above my head a few times but he doesn't touch me and I feel satisfied that he doesn't dare try again. 

For quite some time I work on him with the exciting sounds of his mouth as a musical backdrop; continuously changing between sucking, stroking, licking and kissing all over his cock and balls, until the tightening of his balls lets me know that he's close. Then I stop. He moans loudly in despair but that makes no difference; if anything it just turns me on even more.

I take a step back and start opening my pants -- my turn to get some attention. Seeing how he can't keep his eyes off of my crotch sends shivers down my spine, and the way he licks his lips... divine. I know that no matter what I want, he will give it; he's too far gone in his lust. 

I stand with my back against the wall and finally free my cock from the tight confines of my pants, pulling them down just enough to get it out. His eyes dilate at the sight and he quickly looks up into my eyes before looking down again. Yes boy, take a good look.

"Get down and crawl over here" I order and he scoots down from the table, standing before the sink for a moment as if he's not sure what to do; as if my order wasn't clear. I am not in the mood for waiting anymore so I clear my throat to let him know I'm waiting. He glances at me before getting down on his hands and knees.

I watch him crawl the short distance until he is right in front of me before he gets up on his knees and looks up at me. I take a grip of his hair and lead his head to where I want him -- not that there would be any doubt.

He tentatively sticks out his tongue and licks along the slit, causing me to groan deeply. When he slowly takes me further into his mouth and I feel myself being engulfed in his soft, warm mouth, I almost lose it. 




Pursuit



It doesn't take him long to get used to the situation and shortly after he is sucking and licking away, bringing me still closer to an orgasm. When he reaches up and begins to fondle my balls I can't hold it anymore; I start fucking his mouth furiously and hearing how he's gagging brings me over the edge. I cum hard with a solid grip on his hair, forcing him to swallow it. 

When my breathing has calmed down I release my hold and push him away a little. I feel him looking up at me, probably wondering if he should get up. I know his knees have got to be hurting by now, after sitting on the hard floor for a good ten minutes but I'm not ready for him to get up yet so I ignore him completely.

Eventually I move to stand behind him. He begins to shift around a little, as if planning on getting up but I stop him with a yank in his hair, keeping him looking straight into the wall. I know it's hard for him to get used to the idea of not being in control but this is nevertheless MY game and he better play according to my rules.

"Tell me, what do you want, kid?" I quietly ask him.

"I want you to stop calling me kid, for one" is his immediate reply and I can't help but laugh at his stubborn pride. Really, he's no kid, maybe 23, 24, but he's still a few years younger than me.

"You should laugh more often."

"Wha -- what?" His statement takes me completely by surprise and I don't like it. I tighten my grip on his hair. 

"Yeah, you have one of those deep, raspy, sexy laughs; it's a shame you don't laugh more," he continues.

"Is that so, huh? Well, kid, if I were you I would worry less about my laugh and more about telling me what you want to happen now. Otherwise I will just have to decide for you." I hiss in his ear

"Something tells me you will decide no matter what" he hisses back. Feisty, I like it.

"The more you piss about like that, the less time you will have to tell me what you want" I inform him as I reach down and twist a nipple between my fingers.

"Fuck me," he mumbles. I hear him but that's not good enough for me. He needs to realise that begging for it is the only way he's gonna get what he so obviously wants; his stiff and leaking hard-on is all the evidence needed.

"What did you say, kid? Speak up!" I roughly pull his head backwards, exposing the soft skin on his throat.

Now he turns his head in spite of my hold of his hair, and almost yells at me in frustration and shame: "I want you to fuck me, okay!"

Thank you; that was all I wanted. Without a word I pull him up and slam him against the wall, face first. I let my hands roam wildly over his body as I get down on my knees and roughly spread his legs. I don't waste a second before my tongue enters him and much like I anticipated, he doesn't offer any resistance; in fact he even reaches back and spreads his cheeks himself, giving me better access.

"Oh GOD!" he moans with his face pressed against the tiled wall; if I were to look up from where I'm currently occupied, I'm sure it would be a beautiful sight. 

I tease him with my mouth, licking his crack, circling around the tight hole, sometimes just poking him, other times shoving my tongue in with no warning. And all the time he is moaning and hissing and mumbling the most obscene words. 

When I remove my tongue completely, he lets out an agonising guttural cry that he probably didn't even know he was capable of making.

I stand up and roughly turn his head by his hair, making him look at me over his shoulder. He's panting like a bitch and his eyes are dark with lust. Again I crash my mouth against his; if he can have me rim him then he can also kiss me immediately afterwards.

While I keep him engaged in the kiss, I reach in my pocket and pull out a condom. I hold it before his eyes and pull away to ask: "Are you ready, kid?"

"Fuck yes! Just get on with it!" he gasps.

It doesn't take me many moments to get the condom on and I push him against the wall again while positioning myself behind him. If he thought I was gonna be gentle, he was wrong. I ram my cock in to the hilt in one swift move and he goes rigid like a tent peg.

"What the fuck?!" he screams and tries to get away from me.

I press him firmly against the wall and I can't keep the arrogance from my voice when I mumble: "I thought you said you were ready?"

His shocked screams have calmed down when he answers me with a whimper. "It fucking hurts!" 

"Just relax, okay? You're no virgin, you know how this works. You'll get used to it." To distract him from his ass I start stroking him. I know he's in pain, of course he is. Even if I have prepared him with my tongue, it's still nothing compared to being filled in one go like this. 

I have to control myself but I manage to not move at all until I can feel that he has relaxed completely around me. Then I start fucking him like I have wanted to for so long, searching out his prostate while doing so.

"Fuck YES!" he shouts when I hit it and I make sure to brush it with every thrust. After all, I'm not mean; I want this to be good for him too. Okay, maybe I'm a little mean. I'm not doing it out of the kindness of my heart, no, I'm making sure this is the fuck of his life so that when it's done he is gonna want more. And more. And more. And he won't get it. 

"Oh yes, like that... fuck... harder... yes..." He's panting hard and I know he's close.

"You like this, don't you?" I groan in his ear.

"Yes!" 

"You like being fucked like this, just taking it rough, huh? You like having to beg for it? Don't you?" 

"Oh yes, yes, I like it... fuck... more..."

I can ask him anything right now and he will agree. Did you ever doubt I would break him? I didn't. 

I pick up the pace and it doesn't take long before I'm not holding back anymore; I pull out and ram into him again and again as hard as I can, gripping his hips to keep balance, and he eagerly pushes back against me. The sound of our bodies colliding almost echoes in the room and I know I can't postpone my orgasm much longer. 

I reach around and start stroking him furiously again and that does it for him; with a loud howl he shoots cum all over the wall in front of him and I feel it coating my hand. I am so close now; it's just a matter of seconds. When he grabs my sperm-covered hand and brings it to his mouth, sucking my fingers clean, I can't hold it any more and I let go. The orgasm makes me black out for a moment or two and if I hadn't been using him for support, I would have fallen to the floor. 

Rule number 7: Take what you need and leave the rest for the scavengers. 

"Oh fuck... oh my god... oh shit..." he's mumbling to himself as he's slowly getting back to normal. I'm panting so hard I couldn't even answer him if I had wanted to.

"Oh man... that was intense...fuck... so worth the wait..." Why does he have to talk that much? I need a few moments to recover from the intensity of the orgasm, allowing my heartbeat to slow down. For five months I have been planning this. There is of course always a risk that someone doesn't live up to my expectations but this guy... this beautiful kid in front of me more than delivered. It's almost a shame to dismiss him. 

When I go soft, I pull out of him and feel the condom slip off of me and land on the floor between my feet with a wet sound. 

Still pressed against the wall, he manages to turn so we're facing each other. He removes his sweaty hair from his eyes and looks at me with a very intense stare.

"That was the best sex I have ever had." 

"I know." Why be humble? 

"Thank you," he mumbles before leaning in to kiss me again. I allow it though I wouldn't normally. After all, he was every bit as great as I had made him out to be in my fantasies, he deserves a little reward. I lazily kiss him back, just letting my tongue slowly explore his mouth; it's nice. 

After a few minutes he breaks it off.

"Phew!" he smiles, "I think I could get addicted to that!"

I just chuckle to myself. Sad fool doesn't know that he already is.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot." 

"Why did you pursue me for so long when I kept turning you down?" 

"Because I wanted you and I never give up." It's one version of the truth.

"You made me feel special, you know? The way you kept trying and trying... I couldn't help but be intrigued by you..." The only reason I don't interrupt his jabbering is because he's playing with my nipples as he's talking.

"In fact...," he goes on a little hesitant, giving me an almost bashful look. "I think... that maybe... I could even... fall in love with you." He looks up at me with his pretty eyes, silently begging me to welcome his offer. I snort.

"Then you are more stupid that I thought." I pull away and start tucking my cock back into my pants. "You better put some clothes back on, you know," I tell him as I indicate towards his jeans on the floor. "Maybe other people want to use the room as well."

I go to the mirror and check my appearances; wiping the small beads of sweat off of my forehead, making sure the eyeliner isn't smeared beyond its intention, fixing my hair. I watch him in the mirror, out the corner of my eyes, as he starts getting dressed again. 

"Do you even know my name?" he asks after a short silence.

"No." It's a lie but he doesn't need to know that.

"Do you want to know?"

"No." I see how his lips have become just a thin line in his face and how he's pulling on his clothes with angry movements.

"I see," he snaps. "And even if I were to tell you, you wouldn't remember it, right?" He's forcing the words out through clenched teeth. 

"Right." With a sigh I turn to look at him. "Look kid,-" His head jerks up and he fixes his stare on me and I can practically see the daggers flying from his eyes at my use of the k-word. I throw up my hands in surrender. "Okay, I'm not gonna call you kid again, alright?" He slowly nods his head in agreement but the fire never leaves his eyes.

"Look, you were a great fuck, 'kay? One of my best, as a matter of fact. But that's all there is to it -- it was a fuck, nothing more." Except the sweet thrill of the hunt itself but he won't understand that anyway.

"So you spend five months trying to charm my pants off, wait for me to beg for it, fuck me once and then that's it?" I pretend I don't hear the bitterness and the accusations in his question.

"Yeah, that's pretty much it," I shrug. "So, you ready?" I ask as I unlock the door.

He quickly collects his necklaces before pushing me aside and storming out into the club again.

I chuckle to myself as I follow him; man, was it worth it! 

Back out in the club I scan the room for him and spot his pink top over by the table he shared with his friends. It looks as if he's looking for something and I get my answer when I see him pull his coat from the pile before he heads towards the exit. 

He is out so quickly that I hardly register what's going on. When I realise that he has in fact left the club I can't help the grin spreading on my face. I broke him yeah; I broke him good. I take a seat by the bar and order another beer. 

Rule number 8: Don't ever feel bad.



Pursuit of Happiness



(Disclaimer: This story is about love between two women. If that offends you, please read no further. Any feedback or comments regarding my story are welcome, but please let's keep those comments constructive. Thank you.)

From this mind to your heart, this is a love letter meant for the one I seek.

-Christene

********

**Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives:

Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.**

********

The year was 1944. The world was a very different place. Its surface had been forever altered by the happenings sweeping across it. 

Lauren wished that she could say she was brave. She ached to say that all her decisions had been for the right reasons, but the truth of it slapped her as bitterly as the cool wind rushing against her tearful face. She was running away. 

The howl of the train drawing nearer warned that life as she knew it was about to change. She drew the collar of her flowing coat around her neck. Her haunted olive eyes blinked away the vision of the woman she thought she'd glimpsed emerging through the fog. 

It wasn't her, she thought. It couldn't be her. 

She released her coat collar just long enough to wipe away the tears rolling hotly down her porcelain cheeks. Two children playing along the platform made her smile through her tears. The little girls were doing all they could to defy the sleep creeping up to cloud their young eyes. 

Then, after a moment, they raced by her in a whirl of vibrant colors.

"Come on, little sister!" she heard. Her heart thudded down into her stomach.

"Paige," she whispered longingly.

She used to believe that whatever demons a person ran from would only pursue them with equal intensity, but she had abandoned that belief. She had been forced to. After all, she could hardly throw herself into this war if she had any reservations about what she was doing. 

Just then, Fate gave her one final reminder that it would not be ignored. 

A radio perched inside the nearby ticket booth crackled loudly. From its small body, a voice fought to be heard:

"Night and day... you are the one---"

Her skin blanched.

All around her, couples drew closer together with dreamy smiles alive inside their eyes. Others still cleaved to one another, cursing the threat brought to the world and how that threat was separating them. Possibly forever.

Another long, mournful howl came. It was closer than before. And yet, she did not hear its sound. Instead she further distanced herself from this moment and from the memory of eyes which rivaled the beauty of raw honey. 

Numbly, she boarded the train. She was leaving. She was enlisting along with all these other souls leaving for the nearest recruiting office. And soon, she would be joining the other men and women doing their part to save the world from the devastation of the second World War. 

********

"What do you mean, she's gone?!" Paige's voice had been filled with panic. 

Her father gazed down at his newspaper with a furrowed brow. He appeared to be focused on an article of great importance, but the sheer truth of it was that he did not wish to think of it, did not wish to think of her. "She went to the station, Paige." He sighed, folding the paper with a frustrated expression before roughly slapping the paper to his lap. "Why do I care? She's never listened to me a day in her life. Why should I waste my breath thinking that she would now? Just let her go."

Paige tilted her head with a pained look on her face. She opened her rouged lips to speech, but the chime at the door silenced her. 

"Well, answer it," her father uttered in annoyance. "It's Jeffery, come to take you to dinner." He favored her with a stern look. "There will be a lot of important people there, so you be sure to make a good impression."

Paige blinked while lost within her reeling emotions. She opened the door to see Jeffery standing in his finest suit. His right hand clutched the cane he heavily relied upon.

Jeffery entered the house with the air that he belonged there. He gently kissed Paige's cheek before immediately pressing past her to join Paige's father in the study. "Mr. Humphrey," he greeted warmly. He extended his hand, receiving a firm handshake from his soon to be father. "How are you, sir?"

Mr. Humphrey nodded his head, never truly answering the question.

Jeffery was motioned to sit, which he did awkwardly. After a lengthy silence, he cleared his throat. "Terrible business about the war," he said. "Why, if I didn't have this bum leg---"

Mr. Humphrey nodded his head absently, then woke from his thoughts. "I know," he said. "I'd love to--"

Their voices faltered when they each took note of Paige's face.

Her skin was ashen. The intelligent depths of her eyes glistened with the tears clinging desperately to her thick lashes.

"Paige?" Jeffery prodded fearfully.

With a sudden burst of speed, Paige turned and ran out the front door. 

Jeffery moved to rise from his chair, but he did not have the speed to catch her. He stopped when Mr. Humphrey motioned him to stay. The man with dark reddish-brown hair and white bands along his temples rose from his leather chair. He went to the liquor cabinet, removing a large crystal bottle of brandy. He poured himself a glass with a lowered head. Jeffery watched him anxiously.

"Sir, what's going on?" Jeffery demanded.

"It's Lauren," Mr. Humphrey said. He drank heartily from his glass.

********

Paige moved with all the power her shapely legs could muster. She sprinted into the night, but the heels upon her feet were not meant for running. She angrily ripped them from her feet then ran barefoot down the quiet streets. 

Her burgundy dress should have been worn out on the town, but instead she was racing against hope, racing against the time she simply did not possess to reach the train station. If providence was with her at all, then perhaps she would reach her sister in time.

The shining length of her dark mahogany hair was slipping from her usually elegant victory rolls. It was slipping from its pins to tussle wistfully around her milky face. She breathed heavily through moistened lips which trembled with the onset of tears. 

She caught sight of the station in the distance. She spirited toward it just as she heard the first whistle sounding the train's approach. Her heart thundered inside her chest.

"Oh, please," she murmured. She ran faster with the memory of mesmerizing green eyes which would rather close than allow her to see too much into them. Why was she hiding her eyes from her? What was in them that was different than all the other times they had held each other's eyes before? 

Paige swallowed the lump in her throat. She knew what was different. Change had come in the small package of a leather-bound journal.

********

**Lauren sat inside the study, scribing feverishly into her journal. Her red hair burned passionately within the candlelight as she worked at her desk. 

Paige watched her curiously from the narrow crack remaining between the French doors left slightly ajar. She felt her heart all but burst as Lauren quickly stood. Paige hurriedly moved down the hall to avoid being seen.**

********

Upon reaching the station, Paige maneuvered through the throng of people. At the far end of the platform, she glimpsed a breathtaking woman with crimson hair. She called out to her. Her voice was drowned out by the sound of the train whistling its arrival.

The people around her began to move as a booming voice said, "Now boarding!"

She struggled to close the distance between them. She had to stop her. She had to explain. It was not what she wanted. It was what was expected. Lauren had to know that it was only out of that sense of obligation. Because her heart yearned for something so far from what others wanted for her.

"Lauren!" Paige screamed, trying to lift her voice above the chaos. "Lauren, here! I'm here!"

The steam coming from the train expelled as if it were the smoldering breath of a great beast. Its breath washed over her, drowning out her visions of Lauren. When at last the copious fog had died away, she was standing in a meager gathering of others. All eyes were transfixed sadly upon the train. Her head turned toward the coaches. She quickly searched each set of windows, but Lauren was nowhere to be seen.

She watched with a horrified expression marring her beautiful face as the train began to power cumbersomely away.

The plush softness of old hands cupped her shoulders supportively. An old woman with a kind face smiled tenderly. "Oh, don't worry, sweetheart," she soothed. "I know times are hard, but our boys will be coming home before you know it." She gentled her expression. "You'll see."

Bewilderment swept across her face as Paige looked into the old woman. 

"Do you have a soldier shipping out?" the old woman queried softly.

Paige's eyes welled with tears.

"Oh, he'll be okay," the old woman cooed. She held the tall woman close to her. 

As honey eyes gazed after the train drawing further away, Paige spoke in a lyrical softness. "Not a soldier," she sniffled. "A nurse. She's my sister."

The old woman flinched inwardly. She struggled not to shift in her awkwardness. "I'm sorry," she stumbled. "I just assumed, based on the look in your eyes." She paused, hoping to explain herself. "You looked like you had just lost the love of your life." 

Paige slipped out of the old woman's arms. She turned away, slipping back into the night with a lowered head. "I did."

********

They had been together every day of their childhood lives. They had gone to school together with two years separating them. They had attended the same college before ultimately returning home to where it had all began. 

Paige had thought that with Lauren having newly finished nursing school, the beautiful young woman would take to being a nurse in their father's practice. But Lauren had had very different ideas. 

She wanted to make a difference. She wanted to 'save the world,' as their father had called it. Their father could not understand why Lauren felt the need to leave her hometown for the pursuit of happiness, or why she could not just settle down and marry a nice young man. A doctor, or perhaps even a lawyer.

At the time, Paige had been courted by a nice young man interning to be a doctor. And once he'd joined her father's practice, they'd become engaged. Her father adored him for the sheer fact that he was so much like himself.

As Paige recalled those things now, that life seemed so far away. The time of her engagement was also, she remembered, around the time when Lauren began keeping her journal. The time when Lauren stopped meeting her eyes.

The surge of people moving forward woke Paige from her thoughts. She was another face within a sea of faces trudging toward the factory. This was her life now. The graceful young socialite was a worker on the assembly line.

She remembered her father's reaction when he'd realized that she would be covered in soot and grime, working as a laborer. And yet, his rage had not mattered. All that was important was doing something to help Lauren. And right now, the only means of helping her was to do something to help their soldiers. 

Each day, Paige lived in fear. She toiled through her work. It was hard work, but there was a certain sense of accomplishment in it which she had not realized she was missing. 

Each night, she spent crying into a pillow which still smelled of her sister's hair. Within her dreams, she said so many things which distance and fear prevented her from saying now. What would she do when Lauren returned? She cried harder into her pillow, thinking something which made her blood run cold. 

**If Lauren came home.**

She tightened her hold on the pillow.

**Please, baby sister... come home to me.**

********

The high-pitched whine of bombs falling from the sky sent shivers down their spines. It was another air-raid. The windows rattled loudly even as doctors and nurses lowered their heads with a determined air to continue treating their patients.

Lauren threw herself over her patient in unison with so many other nurses while the lights hanging from above shook wildly. 

That one had been too close, they thought collectively. 

With a slow reluctance, they eased away from their patients.

Lauren lifted her olive eyes. She felt her crimson hair falling from its pins beneath her nurse's hat. Her thoughts ventured to those who had felt her healing touch. She understood that dire need for healing. She felt it each time she experienced the painful ache to be embraced. The bitter truth of her situation, and for so many others, was that she could not be consoled by any pair of arms. She craved a very special pair.

She sighed, then set to her work yet again.

********

It was late when Paige found herself wearily passing through her front door. It had been another late shift. 

She wore a dark red bandanna over her thick, long hair in the hopes of keeping it from her elegant face. It had not, however, been able to shield her from dust. Her athletic body was hidden beneath the dirty navy-blue coveralls adorning her wiles. 

Paige paused inside the foyer with a stunned expression upon her face.

Her father was sitting near the fire with her fiance. Together, they were listening to the announcer speaking with a commanding tone about the allied forces.

She wanted to listen. She wanted to know, but something in her screamed not to. Slowly, Paige turned to leave. 

"Oh, Paige," Jeffery called, taking note of her for the first time. "How was... um... work?" He withdrew from her shabby appearance. She was not the woman he had affectionately taken in at his side, the woman who'd possessed a beauty to rival any silver-screen starlet. 

"It was hard," she admitted. "Then again, it will be until our GIs are home."

"Yes, of course," he stuttered. 

Paige favored them with a radiant smile which spoke of politeness, but someone who truly knew her would have recognized that it was also a mask. It hid what emotions brooded beneath her surface. "Please excuse me," she said. "It's been a very long day and I want to retire early."

Mr. Humphrey nodded his head. Absently, he motioned her away while Jeffery rose to his feet with a gentlemanly air. 

Paige heard the distant sounds of her own footsteps against the hardwood floors. She ascended the stairs, feeling her lithe hand slide over the polished railing. Once she'd reached the head of the stairs, she gazed longingly in the direction of Lauren's room. 

********

**Lauren laughed as she peeked past her bedroom door. Her skin was glowing with happiness. Her olive eyes never failed to smolder while surrounded by the rich woods inside their home. The sultry waves of her crimson hair flashed in the light. "Another late night on the town, huh?" she teased.**

********

Paige sighed. She closed her eyes, forcing her memories of Lauren to subside, if only for the moment. 

She bathed and dressed for the night with an odd sort of absentmindedness. Before she had realized what was happening, she found herself slipping beneath the coolness of crisp cotton sheets. She breathed deeply. Her hand reached out and slid over the bed, exploring it with an intimate sense of discovery. She closed her eyes, letting the scents of Lauren's room wash over her.

She knew she should not be there. She told herself that she should return to her own room, but she could not leave. She needed to be there, needed to be as close to Lauren as she could. In her mind, the sheets caressing her body felt like whispering fingertips traversing her skin. Her hand slid underneath the pillows. Her fingertips grazed the leather-bound book hidden from the outside world. 

Her heart thundered violently beneath her full breasts. She clasped the book inside her hand and pulled it from the comforts of its sleepy world. With the moonlight to read by, she opened her sister's diary.

Paige bit her pouty bottom lip. She drew in a deep breath, then summoned the courage to read.

********

**I've never been much of a writer. I feel a bit silly filling this book with all my innermost thoughts, but I was not left with any other option. Had I found myself in this situation a few years ago--- Or less, even as little as a few months ago, a few precious weeks!---- I would have unburdened my soul to my Sweet Paige. Things are so different now... so horribly, tragically different now. You see, she's getting married.

I should be happy for her. I should be helping to plan the wedding and doing my part to be the best maid of honor this land has ever seen, but I'm not happy. I'm not!

It's not that Jeffery isn't a good man. He's keen. A bit bland and boring for my tastes, but Paige seems sweet on him. Shouldn't that be enough?

I hate him. I hate him so much because, more than anything, I want to be him.**

********

Paige is in the backyard reading beneath a tree. She looks so beautiful. I wonder if she knows. I try to hide what's in my eyes, but Paige knows me better than anyone ever has or ever will. Does she know how deeply I love her? Does she know that I am madly, passionately, head-over-heels in love with her? 

I should tell her. I want to tell her. And yet... how do you tell your best friend that what you feel is more than friendship? For that matter, how do you tell your best friend that when she's your sister?

********

**When I came home, I found Paige inside my room. She was reading my diary! I don't know what she saw. I'm almost scared to ask. Just thinking of it makes my stomach knot. What if she knows? She hasn't said a word to me. She actually rushed from my room. She couldn't even look at me. I've messed up. I've colossally messed up! Dear God, what am I going to do?!**

********

**We fought today. I'm not even sure what we were fighting about. We were yelling at each other before we even realized it. She was crying. I hate seeing Paige cry. It breaks my heart. I just want to take her into my arms and hold her. I want to kiss her tears away and make everything all right. 

She knows. She knows everything now and she hates me for it. That's why she's going ahead with the wedding. That's why she's not speaking to me. That's why we fought today over absolutely nothing!

I can't stay here. I can't stay here when she'll be laughing and loving someone else. My heart can't take it!**

********

Paige lifted her eyes from the pages smudged by tears. She traced the handwriting she knew so well. Slowly, she lowered her head. With eyes slowly closing, she touched her lips to the lines making mention of Lauren's heart. Paige could only hope that somehow, between the distance between them, Lauren could feel her. 

The apology welling inside her throat could not surpass the lump sadness had placed there first. "That's why you left," she said in a hoarse whisper. "That's why I lost you to this war."

She hugged the diary close to her heart. Tearfully, she gazed out the window. She took in the starry horizon and the moon which reigned over the world. A sudden sense of purpose filled her. There was something she had to do, something she could not run away from any longer.

********

Lauren was exhausted when she staggered into the room. So many of her friends were sitting with similar expressions of exhaustion. She sank down into a chair. 

They had all seen so many patients. Some of them had been their boys, but some of them had been POWs left behind.

Lauren lifted her head. She ran her fingers through her long red hair. Her hands were shaking. She was so tired. Her deep green eyes reflected how long she had gone without sleep. She could hear the loud chaos of the hospital, but she could also hear the sounds coming from the streets outside.




Pursuit of Happiness 01



Dear Readers,

Following is the first chapter in the next installment of Lyssa and Emmett's story

Enjoy..

********

Emmett wakes slowly in a now-familiar, comfortable way.

He lays there, eyes closed, taking in his surroundings with his other senses.

He could hear the wind picking up, the dragging of branches against the side of the house. Mmm. That should be taken care of.

Then, on to more pleasant things, the sound of a heartbeat and the deep, steady breathing of the one beside him.

The smells, oh, how good! There was a faint smell of breakfast, certainly, but much more tantalizing scents were stronger.

The smell of his mate, Lyssa, and the results of their lovemaking last night.

Eyes still closed, he turns his head toward her. She is covered in his scent, and he in hers. He smells her hair.

Next, he concentrates on touch. The feel of the sheet beneath him.

Lyssa had complained about the way the others had felt.

Her skin's sensitivity had increased when she was changed to a wolf and she had complained that they were scratchy. They had saved up and bought several sets of sheets. High threadcount Egyptian cotton. Satin. Silk.

While the silk and satin had felt the best both fabrics were much too fragile.

Claws and teeth made short work of such things.

So, they had ended up with a couple sets of silks, for special occasions, and several sets of high quality cotton.

Her clothing had gone through similar changes, and it had taken some time for her to get used to jeans and t-shirts again.

At present, however, she was curled up next to him, her head on his shoulder, without a stitch of clothing.

The top sheet was pulled over her hip, and his hand rested there.

So, he concentrates on the feel of her, nestled against him, and smiles. His mate, warm and soft beside him, in their bed.

She had let her chestnut hair grow out a bit longer but it was still on the short side; it didn't reach her shoulder. He could feel the strands spilling over his chest and shoulder. Her arm was across his chest and the palm of her warm hand lay atop his heart.

In the closeness, her breasts were mashed up against his ribcage. If he wiggled slightly he could probably get the nipples to crinkle up.

She had thrown her right leg over his which meant the curled hairs of her core were pressed up against his hip.

His cock begins filling as he considers the attributes of the warm, soft female beside him. His mate, his Lyssa.

He opens his eyes to look at her, his arm wrapped around her shoulder.

He had no true idea of what he had been missing before he found her. There was only one more thing needed to make his life absolutely perfect, not that it wasn't wonderful now. Pups.

They had been mated a little over a year and a half now. She had come into heat three times but hadn't caught yet. Not that any of the other females caught at every cycle but he was beginning to wonder.

Lyssa shifts in the bed, the light coming in the windows beginning to bring her up from sleep. He gives her a few more seconds and then drags her over his body.

Her brown eyes go wide briefly and then she smiles down at her mate. He quickly brings her lips to his and kisses her deeply.

When he releases her, she props herself up on her elbows and looks at him. "Morning, Em. What's up?"

Chocolate eyes look up into darker brown eyes and his lips hold a quirky smile. "Just showing my mate how much I love her."

"I see. Is that all you have to show her?" She gets a devilish smile on her face and wriggles her hips over his erection.

"Well, now that you mention it..."

She glances at the clock. "Damn. We've got a meeting in 20 minutes. How 'bout a quickie?"

Lyssa climbs over his body on her hands and knees, grabs the headboard, and wiggles her ass temptingly.

Emmett quickly slides downward and, grasping her hips, pulls her down to his face. "Emm..."

He starts licking, probing with his tongue, and the protest stops. And the moaning begins.

He loves the sounds she makes, whimpers, moans, cries. He licks her pussy lips until she begins to seep. The mingled juices from the night before coat her nether lips and upper thighs. He holds her firmly as he concentrates on her clit, running his tongue over it and then sucking it into his mouth.

As she moans and tries to press herself closer to him he switches to biting lightly and her hips begin to buck. "Oh. Oh. Oh." He shifts back to flicking his tongue over it.

Her breath catches and she goes stiff as the orgasm takes her. "OooOooOooEm.."

He continues to hold her there, panting, as he inhales, taking in her scent.

After a minute, she says, "We really need to get some metal around this headboard." Sure enough, she's cracked another piece off.

She sits back on his chest. "Now. If you'd care to sit on the edge of the bed, I can take care of your little," he narrows his eyes at her, "OK, not so little, issue."

She slides down his body so that she can kiss him. Her legs spread as she slides down, the head of his cock manages to breach her opening, and she stops. He wraps his arms around her before she can pull away and he holds her there. "No, no, Em. I've got a meeting. We can't get tied, we'll be late."

With a sigh, he relents. This was an important meeting and she should not be late.

"I'll make it up to you later." She kisses him and slides further down.

His hands go to her hair as she takes his stiff length into her mouth.

Getting as close to the base as she can manage, he groans as she hums around the head of his cock. His hips come up as she bobs up and down on his shaft, licking and sucking, while cradling his balls. She works a little more quickly and feels Emmett's balls tighten up just before he thrusts upward, howls, and spurts into her mouth.

Lyssa swallows convulsively, taking what he has given her. He collapses backward onto the bed.

Lyssa washes up quickly as Emmett recovers and he walks into the bathroom as she towels off.

She looks at him, "What should I wear?" He walks over and wraps his arms around her.

"Other than my scent, sweetheart, I doubt he'll notice."

She rubs against him, then pushes him away. "You're a lot of help. You'd better hurry."

"I'm coming, neither Randall nor Roland has sent out an alert."

The Ross Alpha was arriving this morning, so that Lyssa could meet him, and she was rather nervous about it.

He comes out to her wearing a navy blue silk sheath, smoothing down her hair and sliding into ballet flats. He could see the tension in her body.

"Hey, sweetheart, they just want to see what you can do. There's no reason to be afraid."

"I know, but..."

[Lyssa, Emmett. Alpha Ross is arriving.]

[On our way, Randall.]

Emmett kisses the side of her head and grabs jeans and a t-shirt, pulling them on quickly. "C'mon."

They run down the two flights of stairs to the front door.

Ariel and Randall stand at the doorway with Roland standing nearby. Emmett and Lyssa come to stand behind them, Lyssa clutching Emmett's hand. Roland turns, taking a deep breath.

[Lyssa, try to relax. He isn't going to hurt you.] Ariel stands confidently, almost regally, wearing black pants and an ivory blouse.

[I'm sorry, I can't help it.]

A blue Buick pulls up before the front door and three men step out.

The Alpha is readily recognizable, exiting the passenger side. Just about 6 feet, black hair, greying at the temples. He carries himself confidently, if a little stiffly. No wolf was entirely comfortable in another's den.

The other two were also male, and large. Obviously bodyguards.

Lyssa feels the slightest increase in pressure in the fingers twined in hers.

So. He wasn't unaffected.

"Good day to you, Cal. Thank you for coming."

"You've posited a very interesting theory, Randall. I see usefulness in what you propose." He gestures with his chin. "Is this the female?"

Lyssa stands, head bowed, chest heaving. She knew better than to look him in the eye, as that was considered a challenge. And she certainly didn't intend to challenge an Alpha.

"Indeed. Lyssa is mate to our Beta, Emmett Forester."

"Why is she standing like that?"

Ariel responds. "She has only been one of us a little over a year. In stressful situations she still reverts to human behavior. Her posture indicates respect and submission."

Calvin Ross steps closer to her and Emmett suppresses a growl, struggling to maintain his composure in the presence of another Alpha so close to his mate.

"You needn't be afraid of me, little one." Cal looks to Emmett. "Nor you."

"Perhaps we should move to the meeting room."

"Forgive me, but I would appreciate a brief demonstration before we proceed."

"Such as?"

He gestures one of the men forward. "I want you to send to him. With your full strength."

Lyssa's eyes widen and she looks at Emmett. He looks at her and nods.

Randall turns and puts a hand out to her. "Lyssa, please. Do as he asks."

She bites her lower lip and shoots a query to Emmett. [What do I send?]

[How about 'Hello'?]

She sends a quick question to the indicated wolf. [Ready?]

He gives her a smile, skeptical.

[DUCK.]

The male groans and drops to his knees. Roland chuckles. Emmett moves to interpose his body between the male and his mate.

Randall turns to her. "Lyssa? Duck?"

"I apologize, Alpha Wyeth. I'm nervous. Is..." She stops. It was not a good idea to ask if the male was OK.

"This is something we've not worked on a lot. Our focus has been to modulate her sending to a normal level. As you can see, when she uses that much power, she leaks."

"Still, impressive. This begs further discussion."

The eight of them proceed to a small meeting room. The three Alphas in front, Lyssa and Emmett in the middle, the three males in the rear.

"Cal, how is Sabine?"

A large exhale. "Not well, Ariel. I fear I will lose her before the year is out. I've brought Michael with me since I'll probably be stepping down in a couple of years."

Randall claps Calvin on the shoulder. "We'll miss your wisdom and voice, my friend."

Lyssa quietly takes in the exchange. Michael, the male he'd asked her to send to, was the Alpha heir. [Emmett, he'll be Alpha!]

[A little quieter, sweetheart. You did as the Alphas asked.]

They all sit in overstuffed chairs in a circle on one end of the meeting room. Drinks and several types of snacks are laid out, rare slices of beef along with slices of ham.

"You remembered."

"Hard to forget a wolf with a fondness for smoked ham."

Calvin picks up a mug of coffee and a ham sandwich. "So, Randall, tell me about Lyssa's?", Randall nods, "abilities."

"When Lyssa was turned and began sending, she was very loud, broadcasting broadly, unfocused."

"We worked much of that first day to get her to reduce the volume of her sendings and to focus on sending only to specific individuals."

"We have since tested her sending abilities and Lyssa's range is far greater than any of the others'."

Roland watches Michael and the other Ross wolf.

Michael first examines Lyssa rather thoroughly, the look on his face showing he was less than happy with her, although interested.

He considered how he would feel, if he were blindsided by a female like that. He'd probably be pretty pissed. After all, he had been sucker punched.

Michael Ross would bear watching.

Emmett lightly squeezes Lyssa's hand. [Feeling a bit more relaxed, Lys?]

[A little better, Em. He seems like a good guy.]

[He is. That's why Randall wanted to start with him.]

[I'm not sure about his son, though.]

[Michael? He's alright.]

"No. We have no idea why there is such a discrepancy between her sending and receiving ranges but the ability appears to be stable."

"Michael."

"Yes, sir."

"What did you experience?"

"It was pressure, almost as if something exploded inside my skull."

"Did you hear the word she spoke?"

"I got the idea of a word but didn't hear it exactly. It was too loud."

Calvin turns back to the Alpha pair, sipping the coffee. "And how long can she maintain it?"

"We've tested her distance sending and gave up after 45 minutes."

"Lyssa?"

Startled out of her conversation with Emmett, "Yes? Um, Alpha Ross."

"Does it tire you, sending like that?"

"No, sir. It hasn't yet."

"I should like you to perform an experiment with me, my dear, if your Alphas and your mate will allow it."

"Sir?" Her fear ratchets up again.

"I would like you to send to me, starting in a normal, conversational tone, and increasing in volume until I ask you to stop."

Lyssa looks at her Alphas. Ariel smiles and Randall says, "I agree." She looks at her mate and he nods.

She sighs and closes her eyes.

Calvin shifts forward in his seat, watching her. [Alpha Ross, are you ready?] Her mindspeak matched her voice, if a little quiet.

[Yes, young one, louder now.]

[alpha ross.]

[Louder.]

[alpha ross!]

[Again, little one.]

[Alpha Ross.] Calvin Ross winces slightly but sees no sign of exertion on her.

[Once more.]

[Alpha Ross!] Calvin actually recoils a bit.

[Now, Lyssa, louder again.]

[ALPHA ROSS.] He gasps, then draws in a breath.

"Enough. Thank you, child. Was that the volume you sent to my son?"

Her eyes go wide. "No, sir. I, well, I 'screamed' at him. I was only 'yelling' at you."

"Well, Randall, I have known loud wolves in my day but the distance sending is what you wanted to discuss and is of greater interest."

"Indeed. There may be times, as you know, when we might need to communicate as wolves, but be too far away to do so under normal circumstances. I'd like to have Lyssa send to you, at three or four predetermined times, in your den."

"In this way, we may determine her range more fully as well as the utility of the sending."

"I agree. We should take advantage of all the tools we have at our disposal."

"Pity she can't receive long distance, as well."

The meeting concludes with times scheduled for Lyssa's attempts to contact Calvin in his den.

Lyssa and Emmett are dismissed to their duties and Calvin is invited to visit with some of his former pack members.

As with any limited population, the packs needed to mix to prevent the weaknesses associated with inbreeding. Even though there might be squabbles or competition amongst the various packs, there also needed to be some intermingling and cooperation. While the Wyeth pack made its money by importing and exporting goods, the Ross pack was involved in transport and moving services, primarily by truck. Wolves didn't take particularly well to water, unfortunately. For this reason, the Ross and Wyeth packs had a closer relation than most.

Emmett hugs Lyssa tightly to him as they leave the meeting and kisses the top of her head. "See? Nothing to worry about."

"Then why was I so nervous?" She holds him a bit longer, then pushes him away. "I'd better go. Joanna's probably vibrating by now."

"Alright, then. Go on." He pushes her away with a swat to her behind.

Joanna is sitting at a table, flipping through a binder. She's wearing a short-sleeved white blouse and black capris. One of her knees is bouncing furiously.

Her head whips to the door as Lyssa enters.

"Lyssa. Finally." She looks further, "Where's Mom?"

"Still with the Ross Alpha. We have plenty to do that she doesn't need to be a part of."

"Um. OK. Where do we start?"

"How about the colors?"

Joanna would be 18 in a couple of months. As daughter to the Alphas, she would have an elaborate maturation party. Since members of other packs would be invited, it was also a good excuse to bring together unmated adults, along with those who would reach maturation within the next year.

So, not only would this be a celebration of Joanna reaching adulthood, it would be a matchmaking opportunity for those who had not found mates within their own packs.

There would be two days mingling, various occasions for wolves to meet, talk, run, perhaps other things, culminating in the big party for Joanna.

Lyssa had been put in charge of the entire affair.

She is a bit overwhelmed. Something of this size would normally have an entire team working on it. Although she would get some help, later on, she was expected to get most of the details worked out herself.

"Teal? I don't know, Jo. I would think a softer green, with the fuschia, or a pale blue."

Joanna looks stubborn. "Alright. You know what? I have an idea. If we go to the fabric store, we can probably find something with the colors you'd like, and work from there."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's a great place for things like that."

"Cool. Should we wait for Mom?"

"Do you think we need to?"

Joanna jumps up, grabbing Lyssa's hand. "C'mon."

Lyssa laughs. "Need a purse, Jo. And permission to use a car. And I really should get a scarf or something, to cover my hair."

Lyssa had gone missing to the human world a couple of years prior. While the furor and intense searching had died down some time ago, it was still possible that someone might recognize her. They would travel a little distance away, to reduce the odds.

They had decided to allow Lyssa to remain dead to the world.

She could have gone to the police, said she was hiding out from Ronnie, but where?

If she said she had been in the den with Emmett the police would probably come in and question everyone. Scrutiny by the authorities was to be avoided.

Ronnie was spending time in prison for burning down her house but was not charged with her disappearance. He was, however, under suspicion.

She really had no family left. At least, none that she really wanted to see.

She had no good reason to reveal herself.

Lyssa Baker was gone. Lyssa Forester now lived with the Wyeths.

Lyssa grabs a hat, her purse, and a pair of sunglasses. Summer was beginning and the glare of the sun hurt sensitive eyes.

She comes back down to Joanna, with her own bag, dangling a set of keys. "Dad said we could take the Mini." Lyssa reaches for the keys and Joanna snatches them away, "I get to drive."

She didn't have a lot of reason to drive a car, sequestered in the den as she was, and would take any opportunity to do it. Lyssa responds, "OK. But I get to drive back."

Joanna pulls out, driving the standard shift as if born to it. As they pass out of the gate, she asks, "Where to?"

Lyssa directs her out and away from the nearest town.

They chat about pack gossip, who liked who, which of the females were likely to have pups next, then on to the other packs.

Lyssa listens closely as she didn't know a lot about the other packs.

"What about the Ross pack? Ariel asked about someone named Sabine. I take it she's ill?"

Joanna goes sad. "Alpha Calvin's mate. She was really beautiful. Tall. Long blond hair. Bright green eyes. She was nice to be around, the times I saw her. But she's got wasting disease. And she's gotten really weak." Her voice gets really small. "She's about Mom's age. And I think she's gonna die soon."

Lyssa sighs. "That's what the Alpha said. He also said that he'd probably step down in a couple years and let Michael take over."

Joanna grimaces. "I don't trust him."

"Why? What has he done?"

"Nothing. At least, nothing I know about. But he makes me feel...I dunno."

Lyssa considers what she had seen of him that morning. "Alpha Ross had me hit him with a full power send."

"Oooh." Joanna looks at her.

"Eyes on the road."

"Did you knock him down?"

"Yes."

"Uh, oh."

"What, uh, oh? His father asked me to do it."

"Was it just the two of them?"

"No. There was another male. I have no idea who it was."

"If he talks... The Alpha heir knocked down by a changed female? Serious loss of macho points. Oh, crap."

Joanna puts on a blinker, slows, and pulls off onto the shoulder.




Pursuit of Happiness 01



Lyssa glances in the side view mirror. Cops. Damn. They did not need this.

"What do I do?"

"Stay calm. No fast moves. Do as they ask."

The officer sits behind them for a couple of minutes. Joanna watches in the rearview mirror. "What's he doing?"

"Checking to see if the car is stolen. Take it easy. Sit still."

Joanna watches as he exits the patrol car and puts on his hat. "Here he comes."

"Roll down the window then put your hands on the steering wheel."

He was tall and really had to lean down to look in the window. "Do you have any idea why I've pulled you over?"

A breeze blows in the window and both Lyssa and Joanna's nostrils flare. The officer was another werewolf.

"Ladies? Where were you going in such a hurry?"

Joanna squeaks, "Severn?"

He smiles at them. "Nathan Severn, at your service. I've never seen either of you before, although," an inhale, "somebody smells rather familiar."

Joanna looks into big blue eyes, dumbstruck. Close. He was so close.

Lyssa smiles. "Our driver is Joanna Wyeth. My name is Lyssa Forester."

His eyes shift to her. "Ah. That's it. Alpha Wyeth had us looking for you a couple of years ago. I thought I recognized the scent."

"I... what?"

"And the Alpha's daughter. It's a pleasure."

Joanna sits, hands frozen to the wheel, just staring.

He touches her forearm, lightly. "Slow down, Joanna. Have a pleasant day, ladies."

Joanna watches the side mirror as he walks back to the police car, removes his hat, and climbs back in.

The lights go off and the car pulls around them and takes off.

Joanna continues to sit there, frozen, working on hyperventilating.

"Jo!"

Her head whips to the side. "Huh?"

Lyssa laughs. "Sweetie, we can go to the store now."

"Oh. Uh. Yeah. Alright."

Lyssa had to admit, he was a hottie. She had to make sure he wasn't mated and get him invited to Joanna's party. She'd ask Emmett if he knew anything about him. Since his name was Severn he had to be blood relation to the Alpha. It was a match her parents would likely approve of.

She drives the rest of the way rather quietly, sniffs her arm a couple of times.

It took a few minutes for her to get into looking for fabrics with colors she liked but, once 

she got started, she got right back into the spirit of things. Thinking about a dress she wanted to wear, decorations, desserts.

They buy two bolts of cloth. One, a spring green with speckles of pale blue, yellow, and pink. The other deeper, a rosy fuschia color.

And, so, the primary colors were chosen.

On the way back, Lyssa ventures the question. "How would he know what I smell like?"

"You mean, nobody ever told you?"

"Huh, uh."

"After you guys left, some of the males tracked Emmett to the edge of the range. Then they talked to some pack members that lived off that way."

"Once you got off our range you were in Severn territory and a lot of them are cops. Dad gave them your description and some clothes so they could get your scent."

"But,.. did they find us? Emmett never said anything."

"No, not really. They did give us the clue to finding you, though."

"What clue?"

"A security camera at the gas station showed which way you were going. Erich happened to pass the car as a farmer was hauling it down the road. He's the one who found you."

Lyssa is quiet a few moments. "I'm really sorry I shot you."

"We scared you. You thought we were going to kill you. And, you said it was an accident."

"It was!"

"Hey. Not accusing. You didn't have claws then."

"I still need to work on my fighting."

"I don't know, you do pretty good."

"But, I want to do better. Just in case."

"Just in case? What do you think is going to happen?"

"Anything can happen." Lyssa's voice goes quieter. "Everything can change in an instant." Her voice is haunted, her eyes far away, focusing on memories of loss.

They drive in silence for a time. Joanna, unsure of what to say; Lyssa, lost in thought.

Her eyes brighten and she shakes herself from her melancholy.

Joanna is looking out the window. "Mmm. A run would be great right about now."

"Don't you have class this afternoon?"

"Yes. But I've got time for a run if I don't spend a lot of time at lunch. Wanna come?"

"Actually, I think I will." [Hey, Emmett.]

[Lyssa, what's up?] The send is warm, gentle.

[Jo wants to go for a run; I'm going to go with her.]

[Wish I could come, too. Have fun.]

[Love you.]

Lyssa parks the car and they get out, relinquishing the keys to Paul. Their purchases were unloaded and taken to Joanna's room.

They meet back outside, a cream colored wolf and a larger, chestnut colored one.

They then took off, running into the green, gravid woodlands.



Pursuit of Happiness 02



Lyssa meets later with Ariel for a discussion of approaching the other packs about the meeting of their unmated members at the Wyeth den. Each Alpha would submit a list of potential attendees and suggest something that they would contribute.

While this time hosted by the Wyeth pack, the others also stood to gain at such a gathering and, thus, would help with the expense in some manner.

Lyssa and Ariel would either accept the lists or might ask to have the numbers reduced. While wolves did mate young sometimes it was not unusual for it to take some time for them to find their mates. Occasionally, also, a wolf might find a second mate.

It wasn't an instantaneous recognition but there would be an attraction between two werewolves which would usually grow. Scent played a big role.

Lyssa would need to be introduced to all the Alphas to complete this task.

She decides against asking Ariel about Nathan Severn.

That evening, in their room, Lyssa is curled up with Emmett on the couch.

"Did you really hit him with everything?"

"Hmm? Oh. Alpha Ross' son? Well..."

"Held back a bit, huh?"

"I didn't want to hurt him." She frowns.

"What's that for?"

"Joanna didn't think it was a good idea."

"She didn't think what was a good idea?"

"That I knocked him down, especially with the other male around. 'Serious loss of macho points..' Me being a changed female and all."

"Hmm."

"How would you feel if I knocked you down?"

He grabs her wrists and pins her to the couch. "Sounds like it could be fun." He rubs himself against her and kisses her.

[Serious, here.]

Emmett breaks the kiss and sighs. "It would probably annoy me."

"Probably?" She looks up at him. Those chocolate brown eyes. He's grinning, looking at her, hungry. She moves her legs a bit and twists, rolling him off the couch. She lands on him then jumps up and leaps over the couch.

As he sits up she says, "I want more time sparring. With a couple of the males."

A growl starts in his chest at the thought. The word comes out clipped, "Why?"

Feeling the jealousy roll off him, she circles back around the couch, crouches, throws her arms around him and licks the corner of his mouth. 

"I've only been sparring with the females. A lot of them are smaller than me. I want to learn to fight against someone bigger. I want to be able to defend myself."

The growl subsides and he pulls her onto his lap. "You'll never have to face a male. Have you learned all you can from fighting the other females?"

"No. But they've been fighting forever. I just think it would be a good idea. What would it hurt?"

"You." He squeezes her tightly. "They could hurt you, without meaning to."

"Please?"

"I'm not sure who we'd get to agree to it."

He flops backward, pulling her down with him and yawns hugely. "Time for bed."

They snuggle together in the bed, skin to skin. He's falling asleep.

"What do you know about Nathan Severn?"

He twists and looks at her. "Why?"

She traces circles in his chest hair. "We met him today. Joanna couldn't stop staring."

"Mmm. Nathan is nephew to the Alpha. Don't know too much about him. How did you happen to meet?"

"Jo was driving. I guess she got going a little fast."

Another huge yawn. "You need to be careful."

"I know. Is he mated?"

"Not sure. Don't think so. I'll check." He hugs her close, releases her. "Sleep."

"Yes, dear."

Lyssa goes the next morning to Wyeth Imports to check on the shipping logs. She wanted to see if any improvements could be made. Efficiencies to be gained. Transport changes to exploit. Savings to be earned. Things changed constantly.

Emmett broaches the subject with Erich. "So, Erich, Lyssa asked me something unusual last night."

Erich grins. "Oh, something kinky? Need a third?" Emmett growls and Erich backs away.

"No. It wasn't sex. Luna, you need a mate."

"OK, spoilsport, what was it?"

"She wants to do some sparring with a couple of males."

"Really. I find that odd... and kinda sexy."

Emmett backs Erich against the wall. "Keep it up and you get no chance of being one of the males."

"Seriously. You're actually considering it?"

"She does leave the den more often than a lot of the others. And a human male really isn't a threat to her anymore."

"Unless they're armed. Still, has she beaten all the females or something?"

"I doubt it. But she's right, she's larger than almost all of them. I guess she wants to learn to fight a larger opponent."

"But she's never gonna have to."

"That's what I told her."

"OK, but why me? Why not one of the younger males?"

"I need someone I can trust, someone who knows what they're doing. A younger male with less experience could really hurt her unintentionally."

"Alright. So you've decided then?"

"We'll see. I'm going to take her to the circle tonight and find out how serious she really is."

Joanna starts leaving Lyssa messages: music she'd like to have played, flowers she'd like to have, who she wanted at her table.

Lyssa notes some things and keeps others in the back of her mind. The Alphas had given her a strict budget for the entire event and she would need to balance the gathering of unmated wolves with Jo's party. She starts making several lists.

"What are they getting me?"

"I have no idea, Jo." Oh, god, present. This was a big birthday for her. She and Emmett would have to come up with something.

But, first, she needed a head count. The entire pack would be present for Joanna's party, as would the unmated wolves.

The days prior would be for the unmated wolves. But there would also be some males around to make sure nothing would get out of hand.

God. Where would they all stay?

Head count. Need a head count.

Ariel is putting together the list for Wyeth. Calvin Ross was assembling the list for his pack. Lyssa had to contact the others, which meant Ariel or Randall had to introduce her.

And so, via video feed on the computer, Lyssa is introduced to Aaron Severn. He gives a ballpark estimate of 15 with a promise of a complete list in two days.

Lyssa studies him during the brief conversation.

His hair was light brown, eyes hazel. Blue polo shirt. Hard to get an idea of his size but he seemed to be a bit larger than average. Age between Randall and Calvin, which really didn't narrow it down.

William Macy was darker. Black hair, brown eyes. Dark skin. Red button down shirt.

"Alpha Macy. Good day to you."

"Ariel. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"You may have heard that we will be celebrating the maturation of our daughter. We intend to host a gathering of unmated werewolves in conjunction with this celebration."

"As you will be interacting with her I wanted to introduce you to the individual organizing the gathering. William, this is Lyssa, mate to Emmett Forester."

"Forester?" He looks at her closely. "So, this is the female my pack member died for?"

Lyssa looks shocked. "D, died? Um, sir?" [Not now, Lyssa. To business now.]

Lyssa takes a deep breath. "Alpha Macy. We invite your unmated wolves to the gathering we will be hosting in September. In order to prepare for this event, I request a listing of those who will be attending."

He waits, looks at her. She sits, breathing, beginning to get really uncomfortable when he says, "Of course. The number is six. I will forward their names to you."

"Thank you, Alpha Macy."

"Good day, William."

"Ariel. Lyssa." The screen goes black.

Lyssa turns to Ariel. "What the hell?"

"He's never told you?" Lyssa shakes her head. "He was injured when he lay on your doorstep."

"So that's... But, why?"

"Emmett had been watching you. One of the Macy males came by and, seeing what had caught his interest, challenged him for you. They fought for you. Emmett won."

"The matter was investigated by both sides and determined to be a legitimate challenge. Alpha Macy has accepted it, but he has not been happy about it."

"Why am I only finding out about this now?"

"Lyssa, this is something we would have expected Emmett to have told you. It was one of the things we investigated and dealt with upon his return, your return."

Lyssa stops, considering. His return. Then my return. Or was it our return? She wasn't one of them yet. Maybe she never would be, like those towns, no, those islands, where you'd always be an outsider because you weren't born there.

She really didn't think of herself as different from the others. She could change. She could mindspeak. She came into heat. They didn't seem to treat Anna any differently, but then Anna had mated an Omega. She was higher profile, being mated to the Beta.

And the way she was introduced, as mate to Emmett Forester. Not by her own name, like she was her own person.

"Lyssa?"

"Huh?"

"We're ready to contact Alpha Gates."

Henry Gates, the fourth Alpha whose unmated members would be invited. "Uh. Yeah."

The screen opens to a face that looks surprisingly like Emmett's.

"Madam Alpha."

"Good day, Cecil. Is Henry available?"

"I apologize, Madam Alpha. Alpha Gates has been called away on business. May I help you?"

"Our daughter is coming to maturation, Cecil." He nods. "The celebration is being organized and I wanted to introduce Henry to Lyssa, since she has been given this task. You, of course, may be interested in Emmett's mate."

"Indeed. This is the female?"

Ariel turns to Lyssa. "Lyssa, this is Cecil Madison, one of Emmett's cousins."

"Oh. Hello." Cecil smiles. Ariel nudges her. Lyssa clears her throat. "We will be celebrating the Alpha daughter's maturation day in September. We invite the unmated wolves of the Gates pack to a gathering. So that we may be prepared, I request a list of the unmated wolves that will be attending."

"Certainly, Lyssa. I believe we would have 11 attending. We will present the list as soon as possible."

"Thank you."

"I was pleased to hear that Emmett had found his mate. Good day to you, Lyssa. Madam Alpha."

"Thank you, Cecil." Ariel blanks the screen.

Ariel looks at Lyssa, wondering at the look on her face, unsure of what it meant. "Lyssa?"

Lyssa exhales. "I need to speak with Simon and Roland. Is there anything you need from me at this time?"

Lyssa shakes her head. "Alright, we'll discuss some aspects of Joanna's party later." Ariel stands and leaves, glancing back once at Lyssa.

Lyssa sits there, trying to gather her feelings together and figure out what was wrong.

A bunch of things had come up the last couple of days that had her uneasy, and a little pissed. Things that were about her that no one had bothered to tell her. Emmett, her Emmett, had killed someone to get to her. Werewolves from another pack knew what she smelled like. She was being introduced as Emmett's mate. And she'd 'met' one of his cousins, who was pleased Emmett had mated. No 'pleased to meet you.' No 'welcome to the family.' She'd lost herself.

She used to have her own job, her own money, her own house.

Now, it was all about someone else. Her, as a part of someone else.

She didn't know what to do, what to think. She loved Emmett. She was happy with Emmett. She had friends here. Why did she suddenly feel so lost?

She put her head on her arms on the desk. She almost felt like crying.

[Lyssa?]

Damn. She couldn't ignore him. [Erich. Can it wait until after lunch?]

[Are you alright?]

[Yeah, fine. Just need to work on something for a bit.]

[OK.]

Lyssa is quiet at lunch, sitting beside Joanna, who is chattering away about her party. Emmett glances at her, noticing the change in her normally cheerful demeanor. He would have to find out what was going on. She had met with the other Alphas, had something gone wrong?

She and Erich work on some details with respect to provisioning the pack while Emmett works with Randall.

She's got one hand in her hair, a pen in the other hand, looking at her lists for the gatherings when Emmett walks in to their room before dinner. "Is something wrong, sweetheart?"

"Fifteen from Severn."

"They have more males than females, Lys."

She gets up from the table as he moves toward her, avoiding him. "We'll be late for dinner." She walks out the door and heads for the stairs.

He catches her at the second landing and pulls her against him. Misinterpreting her mood he says, "You'll do fine, Lyssa. I know it seems overwhelming now."

She exhales and pulls away. "Yeah."

Lyssa is quiet again at dinner, her interactions unusually muted. Ariel notices she is unlike herself. [Lyssa, are you alright?]

[Fine. I'm fine.]

[Emmett, something's wrong with Lyssa.]

[I know, Ariel. I think it's everything needed for the party.]

[I assumed she would ask if she needed help.]

[Let me see what I can find out.]

Lyssa eats less than usual, sighing, pensive.

As Emmett finishes he turns to his mate and lays a hand on her forearm. "If you're done, I have a surprise for you."

She looks down at her plate, then up at him. His chocolate brown eyes shine with excitement. "What?"

"Come outside with me."

Another sigh. "OK."

She rises and he snakes an arm around her waist as they exit the house.

When they get to the circle, he kisses her, strips, and goes wolf.

Inside the circle, he turns and faces her, expectantly.

She stands, arms crossed, facing him. [C'mon, Lyssa.]

[Don't feel like it.]

[You were all gung ho last night. C'mon, let's see what you can do.]

[Why you? Why do you wanna fight with me?]

He sits on his haunches and looks at her. [I have to find out where your skills are so that I can pair you with the right sparring partner.]

Erich, Roland, and Samuel wander out to watch them spar. They find Lyssa standing stiffly outside the circle in human form, Emmett, the grey wolf, sitting inside. [Uh, oh, guys, I don't think this is gonna happen.]

[Too bad. What's going on?]

[Not sure. She's been sulking this afternoon.]

[Well, then, let's go for a run.]

The three males take off as Joanna skids to a stop, staring at the two of them. [Mom? Emmett's in the circle with Lyssa, what's going on?]

[I'm not sure, sweetie. Best let them be for now.]

[We'll get you some help for planning the party.]

[The party's fine.]

[Then what's wrong?]

She paces, casting sideways glances at him. He follows, matching her pace. [You killed someone.]

He practically stumbles. [What? When?]

[Before you ended up at my door. One of the Macy pack.]

[Oh, yeah. The challenge.]

[You told me you fought. You never said you killed him.]

She hears the sigh in her mind. [That's what a challenge is, Lys. Unless we're just sparring, a challenge fight is to the death.]

[You killed someone for looking at me!]

[No. He challenged me for you. It was him or me.]

[And how did he end up there?]

[That's where our ranges meet. C'mon in.]

Lyssa shakes her head. [This is what you wanted.] She turns to leave. He runs over and gently takes her hand with his teeth. Jaws that could crush bones could also be gentle enough to handle an egg. [Something else is wrong.]

She stops. [I'm not me anymore. I'm Emmett's mate.]

He shifts back to human form. [Of course you're you. And you are my mate. What brought this on?]

Lyssa mimics some of the conversations. [This is the female? Yes. This is Lyssa, Emmett Forester's mate. This is the female my pack member died for. You might be interested in Emmett's mate. I'm pleased he found his mate. No one congratulated me, welcomed me. It was all about you and your mate.]

Other werewolves wander out, to run, perhaps to spar. They look at Lyssa and Emmett at the circle and move on.

[Sweetheart, Ariel introduced you to the Alphas today, yes?] Lyssa huffs an affirmative. [How would you introduce me to your friends? You start with the relation they know. You would introduce me as your mate; they wouldn't know me, except through you. This is the same. The Alphas know me and recognize you through your relationship to me.] She still stands stiffly. He strokes her upper arms, then pulls her tightly to him. She resists but can't possibly get away from him.

[Alphas are upset when pack members die and are happy when they find mates. The others are finding out about you and it's different, since you didn't grow up in the packs. What else?]

[Your cousin, happy you found your mate but otherwise barely acknowledged me.]

[Ah. That would be Cecil. Alpha Gates was busy.] Lyssa sighs. [Unsentimental, I don't know how his mate puts up with him sometimes.] She still stands there. [There's more, then. Tell me.]

[Nathan Severn knows what I smell like.]

[Now that's how a wolf thinks.]

She shoves against his chest. [Sure, you think that's OK.]

[Lyssa. Nothing here is unusual. Things just came together at one time. The others are learning about you and you're still learning about being a werewolf. Working on Joanna's party and meeting the Alphas is stressful.]

[Alpha Ross! I need to send to him tonight.]

[We've still got some time. The paper's in our room?] Lyssa nods. [If you don't want to spar... I have it.]

Emmett grabs her, throws her over his shoulder, and heads for the den. "Hey. Hey!"

She pounds on his back. "Put me down!"

He continues into the den, ignoring her protests. [I am not having sex with you.]

[Not what I had in mind.]

Now she's confused, what was he up to?

He carries her up to their room and places her in one of the chairs. "Stay." She sits there, arms crossed, as he goes to the small refrigerator and pours her a glass of wine.

"Getting me drunk won't work either."

He sighs. "Alright, Lyssa, that's enough. I'm not trying to get you drunk. I'm not going to coerce you into having sex with me, though we'd both enjoy it. I just want you to calm down and relax a little. Here." He hands her the glass, which she sets on the side table as he flips off her shoes.

"What are you..."

He grabs a foot and begins to rub. He looks up at her face, dark brown eyes, lips set in a determined line. After a couple of minutes, her head tips back against the chair and she heaves a sigh.

"Lyssa, dear heart," he starts quietly, " I thought I had told you about the Macy male, or that you understood. Does this change anything between us?"

"I guess I just," sigh, " have to get used to it."

"The Severn wolves were given our description and scent when we ran, so that they could identify us. That was unusual, as you well know. You normally only get the other's scent when you meet them." She nods. He switches to the other foot.

"Cecil? Well, that's just the way he is. Have you never known a human like that?"

Lyssa thinks back. One of her coworkers. Her uncle was rather standoffish. "I suppose."

"And, as for the rest," he walks behind the chair and puts warm strong hands on her shoulders and begins to rub. She groans. "..the other packs may or may not know a human has joined the Wyeth pack. They wouldn't know who you are; they know me. So, you were introduced by your association with me, since we are mated. Now, they know who you are."

"But, I'll always be your mate."

He slides his arms around her, "I hope so." and kisses the top of her head.

She looks up at him. "If you insist on using logic." A large exhale. "I guess I'll need to tell you if I wanna go off on a rant."

"Please do. It's almost time for you to contact Alpha Ross."

She takes a sip of the wine and stands. Emmett takes her hand. "Where do you want to be?"

"I'll just stand at the window."

Emmett wraps his arms around her as she holds the script.

Calvin Ross sits at his mate's bedside. Sabine Ross lays on their bed, curled up on her side. Her skin is yellowish and tight over her bones. Her breathing is shallow; her eyes closed. She has lost most of her blond hair. He holds her hand.

"Dad. The Wyeth female is going to attempt to send to you shortly."




Pursuit of Happiness 02



"Thank you, Michael."

Calvin presses a kiss to his mate's forehead, "I'll be back soon, my Sabine," and goes to his desk.

A tall blond female walks in to check on her. "Thank you, Sharilyn."

"Certainly, Alpha Ross."

He sets up his computer and waits, eyes closed.

Suddenly, his eyes open and he speaks. "Alpha Ross. This is Lyssa Forester of the Wyeth pack. This concludes our first test. Good evening to you."

The blond female attending to his mate looks at him. "Sharilyn. Did you hear anything?"

"Not exactly, Alpha. More felt something, I heard no words."

"It's astounding. I wonder where she sent from." He shakes his head, watching as one of their healers washes his wife, gently. "I'll report to the Wyeth pack in the morning."

As Sharilyn finishes her care of the Alpha female, Calvin walks back over to the bed. The healer straightens, then looks at the liquids on a tray beside the bed. "Alpha? Has she eaten anything this evening?"

Calvin closes his eyes. "She's having trouble swallowing. I was only able to get a couple of spoonfuls into her."

She opens her mouth, to repeat instructions to feed his mate as much as possible, then thinks better of it. They might be able to delay her death, but it was coming, and soon.

She nods, and leaves the room.

"Dad. Is there something I should do?"

The Alpha heaves a great sigh. The Alpha heir should be showing a bit more initiative. "Kiss your mother, go for a run, and contemplate your choice of Beta."

"OK, Dad." Michael turns and leaves.

Calvin sits by his wife's side, brushing stray hairs from her face. "I don't know, Sabine. He worries me." [I love you, my mate.]

Lyssa lowers the script. "It's done."

"I didn't hear anything. You're getting better all the time." He slides his hands up her arms. "Alright, then. Is there a movie or something you'd like to watch?"

She considers the question. "No. I think I just want to read for a while."

"Come sit on the couch with me while you read."

She picks up the fantasy book she's been reading, grabs the glass of wine, and curls up beside Emmett. Emmett, still naked, pulls out the remote and flips on the television. Finding something appealing, he drags her against him and grabs a bag of Doritos.

Lyssa laughs as he start crunching. "Have enough to share?"

He tips the bag towards her and she pulls out several of the triangular chips. He goes back in for another handful as she munches and begins to read.

She falls asleep against him, his arm around her.

He's stayed up far too late, watching a show. He turns the TV off and gently pulls her into his lap. She snuggles against him, her face in his chest.

He stands and smiles, looking down at her, and takes her to their bed.

He carefully strips her, then lays beside her, pulling her close.



Pursuit of Happiness 03



She's a little grumpy when they wake the next morning but generally in a better frame of mind. As they walk into the dining room, she spots Joanna and shoots Emmett a question, [What are we gonna get her for her birthday?]

[Who? Oh, Joanna? We've got time to decide.]

"Hey, Lyssa. How are you?"

"Good, Jo. Want to work on the party some more this morning?"

The response comes quickly. "Yes. Dad says we might want to invite Tucker's unmated, too."

"We've already got about 40 coming. Where are we gonna put them all?"

"It'll be warm enough outside. And some of us will double up."

Emmett leaves the two of them to sit near Ariel and takes a seat beside Roland and Erich.

"What happened last night, Em? We were looking forward to you two in a match."

"A bunch of things came up, all at once. We just needed to talk about some things."

"Did you have an enjoyable, conversation?"

"Erich, I swear, if you don't find a female.."

"You used to think the same way."

"I don't think so."

Emmett and Erich leave the den to approach a pig farmer about supplying them with some of their meat.

Lyssa and Joanna start talking about the food she wants at her party and they discuss some of the decorations.

Lyssa stands and begins pacing. Joanna watches her. "Hey, Lyssa?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you and Emmett OK?"

"Um, yeah."

"You don't seem OK."

Lyssa turns and looks at her. And inhales deeply. Deep reddish brown fur begins to sprout on her arms.

"Oh, no." [Emmett?]

Lyssa heads for the door. Joanna drops everything to follow her. [Emmett!]

[Dad. Where's Emmett?]

[Gone for a few hours. What's wrong?]

[Lyssa's gone into heat again!]

Outside the room, Lyssa sniffs, turns, and runs, heading for the den's command center, where her mate should be.

Joanna pads behind as they approach one of the other pack males.

"Thomas!" He turns, startled and somewhat fearful. "She's gone into estrus. Emmett's not here. We need to keep her from taking the place apart."

"What do you suggest?"

Thomas blocks her path and she growls at him. Joanna thinks for a second. "The bunker!"

"OK, how do we get her there?" Lyssa is trying to evade him, to pass by, growling almost continuously.

Joanna puts a hand on Lyssa's arm. Lyssa's head whips around and she snarls at Joanna. "You're gonna hafta grab her."

[Wade. Natalie. Need to knock Lyssa out for a bit. We're in the main hallway.]

"Thomas, now! Help me!" Lyssa has pushed past him and is striding down the hall.

Thomas swallows, shifts to the intermediate form and grabs her by her upper arms, stopping forward motion.

[Joanna? What's going on?]

[Natalie. Lyssa's in estrus and Emmett's not here.]

Lyssa howls, struggling in Thomas' grip. [Hurry!]

[Coming.]

Roland and Randall emerge at the frustrated howl and see Thomas holding a struggling, snarling wolf woman. "Help me hold her!"

Roland moves forward as she howls her displeasure again.

"Natalie's coming with a sedative."

Lyssa looks at the male coming toward her. Not her mate, but strong and virile. He'd do. She breaks Thomas' hold and knocks Roland down, straddling him. She sniffs his neck and rips open his shirt.

Thomas pulls her off, to another frustrated howl.

Natalie rounds the corner and heads for the assembled group, pushing through the curious. "Hold her."

The males press her against the wall as Natalie approaches with the syringe.

Lyssa struggles, growls, snarls. As she feels the sting of the needle, she screams, "EMM[MME]ETTT[TT!]."

Joanna, unsteady herself, catches Natalie. Randall rocks backward on his heels. Thomas and Roland wince and cringe, knees buckling.

Lyssa pants and growls, pulling away.

Randall grabs the syringe, plunges the needle into her upper arm, and finishes administering the drug.

Lyssa staggers, drops to her knees. The heaving of her chest slows, although she continues growling, and crawling toward Roland.

As Natalie regains her senses, Joanna asks, "Why isn't she out?"

"I thought the dose I would normally give anyone else might kill her. Does she need to be out?"

Lyssa looks dazed, drugged, and is still crawling.

Randall looks at Thomas. "Thank you, Thomas. Take her to the bunker and stand guard until Emmett returns or someone comes to relieve you."

"Of course, Alpha Wyeth."

"I'm going, too, Dad."

"Alright, just don't go in with her."

Emmett drives off the road and into the ditch.

As the car comes to an abrupt halt, Erich exclaims, "Selene!" and Emmett breathes, "Lyssa. We have to get back to the den."

Emmett climbs out of the car as passing farmer stops. "You boys alright?"

"Yes, sir."

"Deer?"

"Uh.. huh." Erich comes out to stand beside Emmett, the two looking at the car.

"Let me get my tractor and I'll get you towed out of there."

Emmett grinds his teeth. "Thank you. We'd appreciate that."

[Why don't we just push it out?]

[Too many humans about. We'll have to wait.]

It takes 15 minutes for the farmer to return with his tractor and another ten for him to pull the car out.

Emmett paces, clenching his fists and trying not to growl in frustration. Erich calls the Wyeth den and reassures Emmett that Lyssa was not injured but in estrus. [I need to get home.]

[Soon, Em. Soon.]

The farmer unhooks the car and Emmett offers him money. "No son, no money. Just do a good deed for someone else. Drive safe."

"Thank you, sir. I will." They shake hands, Emmett using care so as not to crush the man's hand.

Emmett growls as Erich slides into the driver's seat. [I'm driving.]

[No, you're not. You'll speed, or worse. She's safe. We'll get there.]

Frustrated, unhappy, Emmett sits in the passenger seat, growling. "Faster, Erich."

"We get stopped by the police or thrown in a jail and you won't get to her. I know it's eating at you. Why don't you call home? See how she is?"

"I know how she is, dammit! Needing me and I'm not there." Grey fur sprouts on his arms as he grips the dash. "Needing a male. And I'm not there."

"Alright, don't take the car apart, either." A growl is his response. "You know Randall will keep her safe."

Thomas stands guard outside the bunker. The door is braced to keep Lyssa from getting out. She had reached for his cock as he carried her there. He was still aroused by her touch and her scent.

At this point, with her mate absent, she would settle for almost any male. That was probably why Joanna had walked here with him. She knew that Lyssa would jump him in her current state, given the chance.

This was a test. Hopefully, if he served well, he could regain the Alpha's good graces.

"Why me?"

"You were just lucky enough to be there, Thomas."

Sabine's green eyes open and she struggles to rise.

Sharilyn helps her up to a seated position, shoving pillows behind her back. "Madam Alpha. Good day to you. I'll get the Alpha."

"Did you hear that?" Her voice is weak and raspy.

"Yes, ma'am. I don't know who it was."

Her mate, Calvin Ross, strides into the room, his voice soft. "Ah, my mate, you're awake."

[Someone called, and woke me.]

[That was a female of the Wyeth pack, my love. Evidently, in some distress and calling for her mate. She sent to me last night, from their den. We were testing her range.]

[Needing her mate. So far. So strong.]

[Yes, love. Very strong. Here, eat.]

Calvin spoons a rich broth into her mouth. "The Wyeth pack is having a mixer of the unmated."

[Oh?]

"Their daughter reaches her maturation day soon."

[Anna?]

"I believe it's Joanna, love."

She nods, closing her eyes. [I remember my party...]

Sabine drifts off to sleep again and Calvin closes his eyes and bows his head.

After a few moments, he sets the bowl on the tray, rises, kisses his mate, and walks out.

The male carrying her had hurt her before, but he was still male. Without her mate to satisfy her needs, this male would suffice, so she had grabbed him.

She felt his penis start to fill and stiffen under her hand, and whimpered.

But, before she could expose it, he tossed her into a dark room and closed the door.

Lyssa howled her frustration and, unsteady because of the drug, shoved at the door. It opened a fraction, and slammed closed. It didn't budge the next time.

Disoriented, she stopped for a time, sitting on the floor.

She begins to feel better after a few minutes and starts looking around.

Chairs. Cabinets. Food. First aid supplies. Tools.

She looks at the door, hinges on the outside. She grabs the hammer and swings. A loud thud echoes; the door doesn't move.

Her strength returning, she swings again, and howls. And screams for Emmett. And swings. And howls. And screams for Emmett.

Emmett clutches the dash, claws digging into the plastic and foam.

Almost there. Almost there.

Her sending had disappeared after the first scream but they were close enough now that he was beginning to hear her again. Which meant that everyone else in the den could, too.

[Alpha, we're closing on the compound. Where is Lyssa?]

[She's in the bunker, Erich. How is Emmett?]

[Wound tight. Ready to take the car apart. Upset that he wasn't here. Worried about what she might have done.]

Erich hears Randall's send to Emmett. [My friend, your mate is well and untouched. She was sedated lightly so that we could control her and damp her send. She is in the bunker, under guard. Joanna is also keeping watch.]

Randall and Erich both hear his growl as reply.

Erich drives beyond the driveway toward the bunker. Before the car stops completely, Emmett is out the door.

The male on guard retreats quickly. Emmett growls as he realizes who had been guarding his mate. He actually begins to pursue Thomas when Joanna stops him. "Emmett!"

He turns then, hearing a thud against the door, a frustrated howl, and Lyssa's mind scream.

He pulls the brace away and the door bursts open. A chestnut colored wolf woman, with dark brown eyes, stands briefly in the threshold, blinking. Then, a deep sniff, and she launches herself at Emmett, faintly reminiscent of her first estrus.

This time, however, he's ready for her.

He catches her and she stops, sniffing him. [Emmett.]

[Yes, sweetheart. I'm here.] The growl begins as he smells Thomas' scent on her.

[He carried her, Em. That's all.]

Lyssa begins tearing at his clothes as Joanna walks back to the house.

Thomas watches as the car closes on the bunker, well aware of who it carried.

Emmett had never come to him for his treatment of Lyssa. Considering the punishment he had received at the teeth and claws of the female Alpha, Emmett would have probably been allowed to kill him. His position in the pack was still precarious.

So, he was nervous about guarding her.

Nervous about having his scent on her.

And nervous that she had touched him and he was still hard as a rock.

So, as Emmett exits the car, he takes off.

After getting about a quarter mile away without pursuit he circles back and, half hidden in the trees, he watches Emmett fuck her against the bunker door.

His dick feels so painful, stuffed in his pants, so he pulls it out and starts to stroke. He starts slowly, feeling the smooth skin covering his hard length, considering a female's touch.

Her touch.

Her smell in heat.

He pulls harder, faster, grunting and groaning as he spatters the ground in front of him.

After watching them a bit longer, and hearing the howls of completion, he returns to his duties in the infirmary.

As Erich backs the car toward the garage, the entire pack breathes a collective sigh of relief.

It was finally quiet again. 

The Wyeth wolves gratefully return to their duties.

Emmett pushes his mate up against the door of the bunker and crushes her lips with his. [I'm so sorry, sweetheart.]

She growls, wrapping furred legs around him. [Give me your cock, mate.]

He wants to get Thomas' scent off her first but she wasn't going to stand for it. Right now the only thing she wanted, what she needed, was to have him inside her.

He puts his large, strong hands on her ass and raises her slightly. Shifting a bit, he rubs the head of his cock against her dripping pussy. She bounces a bit, trying to slide onto him. [Now!]

Emmett lowers Lyssa onto his stiffened length and she sighs as he groans.

As he pumps into her the fur on her body begins to recede.

It isn't long before he feels the first contractions around him. He lodges his knot in her as he bites at one of her nipples.

Her howl is followed shortly by his.

Calvin Ross reports on the successful contact by Lyssa the previous evening and the scream heard by many of his members that day.

Lyssa's estrus ends two days later.

The bunker door was dented but did not need replacement.

Joanna attends to her studies and consults with her mother with regard to her party.

The lists of unmated wolves arrive and Severn is asked to reduce their count by three. And Tucker is invited.

"Why was he left in charge of my mate?"

"He was in the corridor when she came this way, looking for you. Did he do anything improper?"

Emmett growls. "No. Not that I saw, but of all the males in the den..."

"Emmett." Emmett stops. "Thomas has been punished. He has done nothing wrong since then. He is a member of this pack and did what was needed."

"Is the issue that Thomas restrained and guarded her or that you were not here?"

There is a pause. "Both. How would you feel if it were you?"

"I'm not you, my friend. I don't have the luxury of leaving idle able-bodied members of my pack."

"He could have..."

"No. Emmett, stop. Of all the males in this pack, it is Thomas who would be least likely to touch her or to allow her to fulfill her needs with him."

Emmett closes his eyes and breathes, his objections evaporating. Randall was right.

Lyssa was embarrassed about her actions before Emmett arrived. She had launched herself at Roland, and Thomas.

Oh, how could she even have considered him?

Emmett had apologized to her for his absence but it wasn't his fault. He had duties for the pack that called him away from time to time. And her estrus cycle hadn't stabilized yet. Was that why she wasn't pregnant yet? Was her body still adjusting to being a werewolf?

She knew Emmett wanted babies, pups, and she wanted to give them to him. Maybe, maybe they couldn't have kids.

She'd know soon if she'd gotten pregnant this time.



Pursuit of Happiness 04



Lyssa looks again at the lists from the other packs.

Severn had pared their list down to 12, nine of them male. She was pleased to see Nathan's name was on the list.

Aaron had offered several of his pack members to help keep track of things, break up disputes, provide security.

Randall had very specific instructions as to what they would have access to. They would simply provide a physical presence.

The Macy pack was sending five, three females, two males. The Alpha offered to bring the food for the introductory meal.

The Gates pack was indeed sending 11, a fairly balanced mix of male and females, and offered to provide some temporary shelter for the visitors.

Tucker was sending three and offered to help in the kitchens.

The Ross pack listed seven pack members and would help in moving things, whether food, individuals, or additional items for the gathering.

And Wyeth had five, including Erich, Roland, Joanna, Celia, and Martin. Lyssa briefly wondered why Thomas wasn't on the list, but then again, Stephanie wasn't either.

So, there were 43 unmated wolves going to be loose on the grounds, 38 from outside the pack.

OK. While still a lot of work, things were beginning to sound more manageable.

Joanna had gotten her invitations made and had filled them out for the Alphas of each of the five packs. Emmett would be dispatched to deliver them.

"Alright, Joanna, we've got the invitations done, the decorations figured out. We need to finish up with the food and the music."

Joanna had brought a listing of songs she wanted played at her party.

Lyssa looks down the list. While she knew most of the artists there were a few she was unfamiliar with. "You need to have a few slow songs, Jo, so that couples can dance together."

"There's a couple here that mates can dance to."

"I'm not talking about grinding, Joanna. Something slow that they can get close, hold each other, and sway to."

Joanna looks confused. "Like what?"

"Oh, Time in a Bottle. Kiss from a Rose. Stuff like that."

She wrinkles her nose. "It's my party."

"Don't whine. You're not 8, you're eighteen. I didn't say you had to change everything. The party will be hours long. It would please your guests if you include a few songs they would be familiar with."

Joanna huffs. "Alright."

"You have your dress figured out?"

"Oh, yeah, it should be here in another week or so." Her face lights up.

Lyssa contacts Calvin Ross again and Emmett makes a test of her fighting ability.

He sits in the center of the circle and she paces to one side of him.

[Why are you sitting there? We're supposed to be fighting.]

[Attack me.]

[Me? Aren't you supposed to come at me?]

[I'll teach you defense. But you'll surprise most males if you come at them. Show me what you got.]

[You're not even standing.] He can feel the irritation in her send.

[You won't even get a tooth on me.]

She launches herself at him, growling, mouth open. She was on her back with his jaws around her throat before she knew what had happened.

[Wrong idea, mate. I'm bigger than you.]

He lets her up and she growls in annoyance. She paces again and notices he's watching Erich walk up. She snarls and launches herself at him.

And finds herself on the ground again.

[If you're attacking from behind, don't broadcast your intent by snarling.]

He lets her up again as Samuel comes up beside Erich. She paces to one side watching him. Coming around him again, she quietly rushes him from behind. Aha!

At the last second, he moves, bowling her over.

She stands, panting, looking at him. He'd barely even moved.

She tries a couple of other things and kept ending up on her back.

[Don't let your annoyance get the best of you.]

Yeah, like that helped. She stalks up behind him, quietly. His ear flicks back; he heard her coming.

She comes closer, nips at his tail, and leaps back. He turns and she goes for him but he knocks her down again. [Better, mate. You're thinking now.]

She was tired, felt bruised, but she was damned if she'd let him be so smug.

So, she drops down before him, in a posture of play. [Lyssa...] And she runs, circling him once, twice. As she turns toward him she yells [HEY!]

He winces, and blinks, and she knocks him down.

A howl goes up from the dozen or so wolves gathered at the circle.

Lyssa yells, [Gotcha.] and takes off, out of the circle, through the assembled wolves.

She runs, into the woods, into the foggy dusk, chased by a large grey wolf.

She catches a glimpse of him to her right, and veers. He comes up behind her and nips at her hindquarters. [Good, mate. You have a weapon besides claws and teeth. Now, let me reward you.]

Putting on a burst of speed she throws back, [You'll have to catch me first.]

[Care to join them, my mate?]

[Actually, Ariel, I have something else in mind, if you will oblige me by shifting.]

A pale skinned, dark auburn haired woman stands beside a dark haired man. "And what did you have in mind?"

He grabs her, throws her over his shoulder, and heads for the house. "Patience, wife."

He hauls her into their bedroom and deposits her on the dark red satin sheets. She gets on her hands and knees, purring in anticipation.

He reaches for something under the bed.

"I'm ready for you, mate."

She certainly was, he could smell her.

"On your back, woman."

She complies, smiling and writhing seductively. "Arms above your head."

She raises her arms and he binds them with handcuffs and ties her wrists to the bedrail. "I don't intend on going anywhere."

"No. You won't." He then ties each ankle to a leg of the bed.

"Randall." He crawls up his mate's legs, inhaling deeply. She picks up her head and watches as his tongue extends toward her dripping pussy. He licks her, twice, then pulls away. "Randall?"

He disappears into their bathroom. "Randall?"

He can hear the irritation in her voice now. He returns with three items. Setting two on he floor beside the bed, he slides a towel under her behind. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Lyssa has given me an idea and I thought we might try it." He holds up a razor and a can of shaving cream. Her eyes go wide.

"I intend on shaving you naked."

She watches as he pumps a dollop of shaving cream into the palm of his hand. Before he proceeds, he looks into her eyes.

Hearing no protest, he slathers the cream over the dark reddish curls on her mound, over her outer lips. "That's cold."

He smiles.  "It will warm. Now. Hold still."

After wiping his hands off on the towel he picks up the razor. He starts to move it to her lower lips then thinks better of the angle of approach. He moves from between her legs and straddles her waist, facing her feet. "This is an interesting view of you, Ran."

"Don't move, wife. I don't want to hurt you." The hardness of his erection presses into her belly.

He carefully holds her open, stroking the razor through the shaving cream between her thighs. It takes a bit more work than he expected. "There. I think that was the hard part."

The razor then makes fairly quick work of the hair on her mound.

A small strip remains atop her pubic bone, above her clitoral hood. "Well. This might be a bit tricky. Stay still."

Carefully, he works to remove the last of the coarse hair. "Oops. I'm sorry, Ariel. I've nicked you. Does it hurt?"

"Stings a little. Will you let me loose now?"

"Not yet. First, I'm going to wash you off, then I may just lick you until you don't know your own name."

He watches her rose colored nipples crinkle up. The aureoles on her breasts were large and contrasted nicely with her skin. He smells her juices again, no longer masked by the odor of the shaving cream.

He throws the towel on the bathroom floor and grabs a washcloth.

Randall wipes away all traces of the shaving cream from his mate's private parts, then throws the washcloth toward the bathroom.

"What do you think?"

"It doesn't feel any different."

"Let's see if that's true." He stands at the foot of the bed, surveying his handiwork, and noting the glistening sheen on his mate's labia.

Ariel looks down the bed at him. Her mate, these many years. Dark hair, green eyes. His skin, several shades darker than hers and crisscrossed with scars. The dark sprinkling of hair on his chest. The curled hairs his rigid manhood sprung from.

She licks her lips and looks up to his eyes. They're hungry, possessive.

Ariel writhes on the bed and thrusts her breasts up. A growl starts in Randall's chest. [I want you. Come to me.]

Slowly, he climbs onto the bed, eyes now latched onto her naked sex.

He inhales and frowns slightly. [What?]

[Your scent mixed with shaving cream.]

[Do something about it, then.]

Randall uses his fingers, running them over her lower lips, rubbing his palm across her stripped mound, then sniffs again. [Better.]

She watches as he closes on her, watches his mouth open, watches his tongue extend, then disappear from her sight as he strips her of some of her dew. [MMmm. Better still.]

Ariel twists, pulling against her bonds. [Touch me.]

He kisses her thighs and lightly runs his thumb across her clit. [Mmm. Yes. There.]

He backs off, stroking her wet folds. "Soft, so very soft, Ariel. Like velvet."

Ariel makes a frustrated sound. "Randall."

He dives in now, putting large hands under her buttocks and opening her to him. "Ah, gorgeous." He admires the sight of her womanhood, reddened, swollen, weeping.

He nibbles at her lower lips, nipping at the swollen flesh there. She moans and pants as he begins to lick, sweeping over her glistening labia. "Oohh." As his tongues delves into her slick sheath he rubs her clitoris. "Aaah. Yes!"

Her legs shake as he pushes her higher and, when he switches to tonguing her clit, she breaks.

Her back arches and she shrieks.

Randall releases her, briefly, then shoves two fingers into her soaked depths and sucks her hardened nub into his mouth. She shudders and grunts as he feels her pulse around his fingers.

He caresses her as the pulsing slows then resumes thrusting his fingers into her.

A lick to her clit. [Stop.]

[One more. I want to hear you scream my name.]

Overly sensitive now, it only takes a twist of her nipple and a light bite of her clitoris to send her crashing over the edge a third time. "RAnndalll!"

He releases her then, trembling, sweating, and removes her restraints.

"Now, El. I will fill you, and you'll know you are mine."

He climbs up her body, kisses her, and slides into her. Her sending is dreamy. [Always yours.]

He cocks her leg up around his waist and thrusts deeply, dipping his head to lightly bite her nipple. At that he feels the contractions begin again and he pushes harder, deeper, until he spews his seed into her, howls his climax, and they are locked together.

He comes down on his elbows, pushes a strand of damp hair from her face, and kisses her again. [Mine. My Ariel. My love.]

[Ah, Randall, I love you.]

The call comes a couple of hours later.

Calvin is awakened by a light touch to his face and another in his mind.

[Cal. Love?]

He jerks awake. "Sabine? Oh, my love, you should sleep."

[You need a mate.]

[You're my mate, Sabine. I have you.]

[There will be turmoil.]

He takes her thin, frail hand and kisses it gently. He says [I don't understand.] as she falls back into sleep.

He watches, for a little while, then allows himself to move toward sleep again.

But, something changes, and he rouses himself.

What was it?

Her breathing. It was slower, shallower.

He gathers her into his arms and tears begin to well up in his eyes. He kisses the side of her head and rocks slightly, whispering, "I love you, Sabine. I always will."

Sharilyn comes in an hour later and finds him holding her body, rocking her. "I love you, Sabine. I love you."

She takes in his grief stricken look and the tears rolling down his face. The Alpha female was dead.

A loud rap on the door startles Emmett and Lyssa. Both tense and look to the door, determining if there was a threat.

[Beta?.. Emmett?]

[What is it, Maggie?]

[Alpha Ross' mate has died. The memorial will be held at dusk.]

[Thank you, Maggie. I'll inform the Alpha.]

Lyssa looks at him.

He squeezes her tightly and kisses her. Calvin Ross had to be in agony. He knew he would be if he lost Lyssa. "Sabine Ross has died."

She blinks. "Oh. I'm sorry."

"We will be expected to attend the ceremony. Her body will be burned at dusk. I have to tell Randall and Ariel."

Emmett rises and heads for the door. "I don't know that I have anything black to wear."

He stops and turns to look at her. "Black?"

"Humans wear black to funerals and memorials. What do you wear?"

He smiles, sadly. "Nothing."

Emmett knocks on the door of the Alpha's suite. [Who is it?]

[Me, Randall, I have news.]

A sigh is felt through the send. [Sabine?]

[Yes. Ceremony to be held at dusk.]

[Thank you, my friend. This is a sad day.]

[Indeed.]

The two couples fall back asleep for a while, then rise to greet the sad day.

Even the skies appear to mourn Sabine as a morning shower passes through.

The pack members all seem quiet, subdued that day, particularly the adults. The youngest pups play, not entirely oblivious, but with the enthusiasm of youth.

Lyssa watches, seeing a bit more contact among mated pairs. Touching. Caressing.

"How long had they been together?"

Erich, his focus on the task at hand, glances at her. "What? Who?"

"Alpha Ross and his mate?"

"Mm. Dunno. They mated young. Probably sixty years or so."

This continues to distract Lyssa. 60 years. How would it feel to lose someone you loved that much after that long? It had been so horrible when she lost her family. She'd felt like half a person for so long. And, now, with Emmett? It would tear her heart out, if he died.

[Emmett. Where are you? Can you get away for a while?]

[Probably, for a while. What's up?]

[Make love to me.]

[Where do you want to go?] She feels his concern, as he feels sorrow and loss from her.

[Can we go to our room?]

[I'll be there soon.]

"Excuse me, Anton. I have something I need to attend to. Can we resume in an hour?"

"Of course, Emmett. I'll check with Simon about the kitchen supplies."

Emmett climbs the back stairs and finds his mate chewing on her thumb and staring out the window.

As he walks up behind her, he says [What's wrong, sweetheart?]

"It's just so sad. Erich said they'd been together 60 years." Emmett considers, the time frame sounded correct. He puts his arms around her and pulls her back against him. "And I started thinking of how I'd feel if you died. I can't imagine how horrible it is for Alpha Ross right now. And I," she inhales, "I just wanted you to hold me."

He stares out the window over her shoulder. He'd kill anyone who hurt her. But what if it was a disease? How do you respond to something like that claiming your mate? There was nothing to hurt, to make bleed. Nothing to take out your pain on.

What would he do?

He hugs her tighter and whispers in her ear. "I'm here, Lyssa. I love you. I'm not going anywhere."

"How do you know? You grew up with Ariel. How old are you anyway? 80? 70? Older? How long will you live? You're a lot older than me, aren't you?"

"Yes, dear heart, I'm quite a bit older than you. The lifespan of a werewolf is easily twice that of a human." He exposes and kisses her shoulder. "And you will live longer now that you're one of us."

She spins in his arms and grabs them. He allows himself to be dragged to the bed.

She sits down on the end, on the dark blue sheets, with him standing in front of her. "I want to feel you." He wasn't wearing a shirt and she runs her hands over his chest.

He looks down at the dark brown eyes of his mate, slightly glittering with wetness. She's wearing a soft green cotton sundress. "How much do you like the dress?"

Startled, she looks down at herself. "Um, it's OK."

The grey fur comes up on his arms and he neatly slices the dress open with his claws. Her panties are cut off next, followed by her bra. He goes down on his knees as the fur recedes and pushes the dress and bra straps over her shoulders.

He then lovingly cups a breast, rubbing a thumb over the dark rose colored nipple there. His mouth goes to the other, the one marred by Thomas' teeth, on a brief exploration of every mark left by the other male. Emmett then latches on to the tight nub there, and sucks.

Lyssa's head tips back and she makes a pleasured sound.

Her hands find the button on his jeans and, after sliding her fingers inside the waistband, carefully pulls down the zipper. He tended to go commando and she had no intention of hurting him.

As his ready cock springs free she grasps him lightly with both hands, one thumb running over the head.

He puts a hand behind her head and brings her into a fierce kiss.

As he releases her she falls backward onto the bed. [I want to feel you inside me.]

He shucks his pants and crawls over her body as she moves farther backward on the bed. As she stops he latches on to her breast again, sucking and nipping lightly.

The head of his cock rubs against her moist folds. As he pushes into her warm, wet sheath he says, "Wrap your legs around me."

He thrusts slowly, deeply, so that she can feel all of him. He looks down into Lyssa's dark eyes, watching her breasts bounce with his thrusts, and leans down to kiss her.

She clings to him, her nails scratching his shoulders, digging in.

She builds up, slowly, and he holds back. She was looking for physical comfort. To feel her mate's love for her. She tries to pull him closer and he pulls her upright, sitting in his lap, pulling her tightly to him. He feels the softness of her skin under his hands, feels her breasts rubbing up and down against his chest, inhales her scent.

He feels the first tightenings around his cock and moves a bit more quickly.

She moans into his shoulder as she squeezes his cock in rhythmic waves. Two more thrusts and he empties himself into her, clutching her to him and kissing her as he did so.

He holds her, stroking her back quietly.

It's several minutes later, as he goes soft inside her, that she raises her head from his shoulder. "Thank you. I'm.."

"Shh.. I know," he says, quietly.

They are not the only mated couple to comfort one another in such a manner. The smell of sex pervades the air. They pass Cassie and Samuel in a corner, her on her hands and knees with her mate covering her. Anna and Jeremy are found pulling each other's clothing off.

The mood of the pack is somber as they continue the day.



Pursuit of Happiness 05



That evening, the Alphas and their children, and the Beta pair, Lyssa and Emmett, climb into a couple of cars for the drive to the Ross den.

Randall pats Ariel's thigh. Lyssa reaches for Emmett's hand; he gives hers a squeeze. Security is tight as the Alphas and Betas would all be in one place.

The leaders of the packs greet one another and wait for Calvin Ross to appear. The Tucker Alphas are the last to arrive. Their Betas are back in the den, the female currently in estrus.

All heads turn as Calvin and Michael appear at the front door.

The guests begin to strip down.

Ariel, with her red hair, is easily spotted and Michael's eyes come to rest on her, then her daughter, Joanna. She would be of age soon.

Light brown hair, a lithe, athletic body, like her mother's. They were about the same size. Her breasts perhaps a little larger than average.

The Beta female's were quite a bit bigger and she had wider hips. There was a tattoo on her left breast of a grey wolf. She had the usual mark on her neck as well as tooth marks on the other breast. Hmm, interesting.

Calvin steps down from the front door and turns to the right, around the back of the house. The guests fall in behind Calvin and Michael, silently walking to a cleared area.

Lyssa briefly considers asking a question but decides that it can wait.

The rest of the Ross pack is arrayed beyond a pile of wood covered by a green cloth. Sabine's body is laid out upon the bier, draped in a green shroud. The outline of the figure is thin.

Lyssa contemplates what the poor woman must have endured before the end. A wasting disease, Joanna had said. Was she able to eat? Was she just so weak, for months? Or did it go more quickly? She hadn't really heard anything about it so it had probably started years ago.

Emmett takes her hand as Calvin takes a torch and approaches the bier. His hands shake as he tips the torch. He pauses, taking a deep breath.

Michael walks over and puts a hand on the haft of the torch. Calvin growls at him, pulling it away.

The other Alphas and Betas watch and wait.

Calvin moves to the head of the bier, and, with his free hand, flips the shroud up then leans over to kiss his mate's cold lips as he thrusts the flame into the wood.

The flames begin to spread as Lyssa examines the face and virtually bald head of Sabine Ross.

The others stand stiffly, silently, as the flames build.

Emmett feels another small hand creep into his. Looking down, he notices Joanna next to him. So he holds both Lyssa and Joanna's hands as the flames begin to lick at the shroud covering Sabine. Calvin stands by, stoically.

As the flames flare up, obscuring the body, a low moan goes up from the assembled wolves. Calvin howls.

It is a howl of pain and sorrow, despair and loss.

The rest of the Ross pack howl in response.

Lyssa mostly watches the other wolves. She couldn't bear to see the flames begin to eat away at flesh. The smell was enough. She wrinkles her nose, nauseated by the smell of burning flesh and hoping she wouldn't throw up.

She might have to smell, but she didn't have to watch, so she looks around at the others. The Alpha males she knew now by sight and she could now see who their mates were. The Betas and family members were standing nearby.

And, behind them, were the Ross pack members. Her eyes briefly light on a couple off to one side. They look familiar, for some reason. The female notices her looking, and gives a slight nod and a sad smile. Wait. That was it. Emmett had said they were in Ross range when she took him to the park for a run. Back when she was human and he was only a dog to her. Lyssa gives a slight nod in acknowledgment.

Many of the females and a goodly number of the males keep shooting glances at Ariel. More specifically, at her crotch.

Lyssa chances a look. Aha! She had shaved, her mound completely nude. It was doubtless an unusual thing for them, hell, shaving completely was fairly unusual for human women. She looks back at them, seeing confusion, interest on some, distaste on others. Ariel stands proudly beside Randall, ignoring the looks. Lyssa briefly wondered if she and Randall had enjoyed the experience.

Lyssa then returns to examining the others.

Aaron Severn's mate looked somewhat like him, light brown hair, although her eyes were a grey-blue in color. And, while all the female werewolves were athletic in build they were somewhat lean. The female Alpha of Severn was bulkier, with a larger frame but smaller breasts, although significantly smaller than her husband, who was on the larger size for a male.

William Macy's mate was almost his opposite. Light hair, blue eyes, lighter skin tone, but of the typical body size as the other females.

Emmett's cousin, Cecil, stood beside a petite female, medium brown hair, brown eyes. She notices Lyssa looking at her, nods, and smiles. The Gates Alpha pair were similar in appearance, dark brown hair, brown eyes, both tall.

And Lyssa begins to wonder how the women came to be Alphas. Was it because they were the children of Alphas or Betas? Was it something else? For that matter, what did it take to be a Beta's mate? She was certainly an unusual case.

A noise brings her back to the cremation. Part of the burning bier had collapsed and a few of the participants step back a bit.

Nothing remains that looks like Sabine Ross although the smell of burning flesh lingers.

When the fire burns down to embers the guests begin to leave. No words were spoken. There was no eulogy, no reminiscences, no talk of who or what she was. Unless they had been talking amongst themselves.

Emmett puts an arm around each of the females beside him and steers them back toward the cars. "That's it?"

"What more would you have us do? We know the Madam Alpha is dead. We were witness to the destruction of her body."

Cecil and his mate approach them. "Emmett!"

"Julia. How are you? How's Mason?"

"Well, Emmett. I can barely keep up with him anymore."

"Julia, this is my mate, Lyssa."

"Ah, Lyssa," Julia captures her hand, "it is good to meet the female who got our Emmett determined to mate." She closes and sniffs, then releases Lyssa's hand and strokes over the tattoo on her breast, smiling.

Lyssa gasps slightly at the touch; she still wasn't completely comfortable with the perceived informalities of werewolf meetings. "This is Emmett?" She gulps and nods.

"How do you like being a werewolf?"

"It's very interesting. Em's teaching me how to fight."

Cecil looks startled and Julia turns to him with a glare. "Emmett, is this how you care for your mate?"

"Julia! This is not our business."

"But, Cecil, fighting a male?"

Lyssa chuckles behind a hand. Emmett, Joanna, Cecil, and Julia look at her, startled by her amusement. "I'm sorry, but you all sound like you come straight out of the Victorian era. I can't be some defenseless, overprotected little female. I won't be. I'm a Beta."

Cecil recovers first. "Well, Emmett, you've a handful for a mate." He looks to his Alpha. "We need to go."

"It was good to meet you, Lyssa. Emmett. Joanna."

"Nice to meet you, Julia. Good evening, Cecil."

Cecil and Emmett clasp arms. "A sad occasion, Emmett. Hope to see you at a better one."

"Another time, Cecil. Julia." The Beta pair of the Gates pack hurry to the car they arrived in.

Emmett squeezes Lyssa and kisses her. Lyssa looks past his shoulder to Calvin Ross, standing, staring morosely at the embers and ashes, all that remains of his mate.

Joanna climbs into the car with Emmett and Lyssa for the return trip.

The ride is relatively quiet. Lyssa finally breaks the silence. "Does that happen every time one of you dies? Um, one of us?"

Emmett looks at her, the slip was telling. If she hadn't felt completely accepted before, recent events had given her the feeling of being an outsider. He wasn't sure what he could do to make her feel better.

He sighs. "The Alphas and Betas are called only to witness the passing of an Alpha. Other pack members are mourned by the pack itself."

Joanna's voice cracks. "I can't believe she's gone. She was so young."

Lyssa pulls Joanna against her, cradling her head to her shoulder, but can't come up with any words of comfort.

[Everyone is... cremated?]

[Yes. Anything remaining is then buried.] He pulls her against him, pulling Joanna closer as well. [Are you alright?]

Lyssa sighs. [Yeah. It's just so sad.]

They arrive back at the den.

Joanna slowly climbs the stairs to her room.

Emmett sweeps Lyssa up into his arms, kissing her. [I love you, Lyssa. Thank you for being my mate.] She feels it in his send, the warmth, the love.

She pulls herself more tightly to him, emotion so thick, she was unable to respond to him any other way.

All he got from her was a feeling of love and sadness.

He puts her into their bed, crawls in beside her, and holds her close.

***********

August

A little less than five weeks to Joanna's party.

Things were coming together rather nicely and she figured she would come in under budget. Food was the bulk of the cost. Meat was not inexpensive. Hunting by visiting wolves would be heavily restricted. Though they were guests, the Wyeth pack could not support the hunting of that many additional wolves.

Lyssa had requested a list of pack preferences from the Alphas. She shouldn't have been surprised at the prevalence of rare, red meat although ham and chicken did appear a couple of times.

She needed to talk to Simon about the storage of enough meat for 90 wolves for three days plus the additional ten, no, nine now, for Joanna's birthday party.

There was also the beer to consider. Most wolves had a fondness for ale. But she'd have to be careful about how much she allowed out. A drunken werewolf in the house would be trouble.

When it all got a little too overwhelming she'd go for a run, or go to the weight room, or grab Stephanie or Emmett or Erich to spar with.

Emmett follows her scent to the training room.

Lyssa was benchpressing 120 pounds.

He looks at the floor, recently repaired. When she first tried the weights, she had wanted to start with 20 pounds. He had coaxed her into trying 40. Thinking she really needed to exert herself, she had pushed hard enough to launch the weighted bar halfway across the room. It had put quite a dent in the floor.

"Could you give me another 10 pounds?"

He looks at his mate and licks his lips. Lyssa is lying back on the weight bench, wearing a red tank top and black shorts.

Two pups chase a third into the room, around it, then out the door.

She is grasping the bar, arms extended above her, looking at him. She had been sweating lightly, which increased her scent. Her legs were spread wide, planted around the bench, to stabilize the weight as she pushed it upward. He could see the tops of her thighs, smell her sex.

His cock fills rapidly and he growls low in his throat.

The two females sparring in the room pause briefly at the sound, then return to harrying each other.

Emmett pulls off his pants and sits at the end of the bench. Grabbing her knees, he slides her legs over his and pulls her crotch closer to his rigid manhood.

He rips the shorts from her hips, inhales deeply, and smiles. No panties.

The growl deepens as he places a large hand on her flat stomach and rubs the pad of his thumb across her folds and clitoris.

She sighs, still stretched out before him, hands still on the bar. [I smell you.]

Her smile gets broader, looking up into his chocolate brown eyes, seeing both lust and love there. [You're interrupting my exercise program.]

He continues to rub, running his thumb against her now weeping opening, spreading the slickness her body was creating for him, watching muscles jump in her thighs and pubic region when he concentrated on her sensitive bud. He looks into her dark brown eyes, sparkling now. [Exercise should be varied.]

[So, did you intend on joining me?] "Mmm."

[No. I intend on joining with you. C'mere.] His free hand takes hers off the bar and he pulls her upright while he continues to rub and stroke.

She was tipped toward him, arms above her head, leaking her womanly juices onto the bench.

When he releases her hands she locks her arms around his neck and nuzzles his chest, taking in his wild, virile, masculine scent. "Mmm."

His arm is around her to support the unusual position she was in.

She licks around one of his lightly haired aureoles and then sucks on his nipple. He jerks. "Luna." She flicks her tongue over his tight little nipple and then nips at it. "Aaah!" He'd never made a sound like that before. [Stop! I will not spew my seed like an adolescent.]

She runs a finger down his shoulder, across his collarbone, down his chest to flick that nipple with a fingernail. He jerks again. [Perhaps I should tie you to the bed and teach you some control.]

His hands move to her butt and he lifts her, poising her sodden pussy over his throbbing cock. [It's hard to keep control around you, mate.]

[Let me down and we'll see.] He lowers her, slowly, oh, so slowly. He felt her begin to surround him, knowing he'd have to go slowly at this point or he'd be done before he'd made three thrusts.

She closes her eyes as she feels all of him going in. She'd never been entered so slowly. She begins to tremble as she feels the head of his cock go deeper, the vein on the bottom moving along her walls.

It was taking too long. So she bounces, out of his hands, and slides completely down on him. He sucks in a deep breath and grabs her again. He growls in her ear. "Hold still." His chest heaves.

She releases a needy, "Emm..."

[Hold still or this will be over far more quickly than either of us would like.]

She wiggles slightly, "Yes, dear." She then leans against his chest, wrapping her arms around him and scratching his shoulders lightly.

[Not helping.]

She huffs then and sits still, until he masters himself.

He pulls her mouth to his and kisses her fiercely, pulling her tank top strap down, and exposing a breast topped with a crinkled tip. [Ah, sweetheart, what you do to me.]

The sparring females leave the room as he raises her up slightly and latches onto one of her nipples.

There's a slight spasming of her vaginal walls as he sucks and nibbles on that tightened tip. She tips her head back and moans.

She places her hands on his shoulders as he lowers her again and she helps him as he plunges into her inviting warmth.

He rotates his hips as she comes down, rubbing her clit deliciously. Closer, closer. Was he swelling?

He pulls her close and bites into her mating mark. "Oh, aahooOO!" It starts as a moan and ends in an approximation of a howl.

Her muscles clench around him and, as close as he already was, one more push upward finishes him, and he howls his completion.

Spent, he rests his forehead briefly against hers. He runs his hands up and down her arms. "Ah, Lyssa. Just don't get too hard on me. I like your softness, your curves." He kisses her forehead.

She looks up into those chocolate eyes. She considers explaining to him. She was inherently weaker than the others, the born wolven, and it bothered her.

Werewolves were strong, fast, agile and, over the course of time with them, their attitudes were rubbing off on her. They prized such qualities as strength and speed, as well as leadership and loyalty. As mate to the Wyeth Beta, she felt a need to measure up to their expectations.

Ariel regularly sparred with the males and beat almost all of them. She also meted out punishment, without having to go to Randall, particularly if it had to do with any of the females. So, she wanted to be able to do some of the same. She needed to get stronger, but she never intended on becoming a female bodybuilder.

She kisses her mate. "I won't."

It was a few days later that she hunted down Natalie.

Natalie looks up from the supplies. She and Wade were making sure they had enough material on hand for the gathering of unmated wolves.

Although the visiting wolves would be on their best behavior, they would still be uncomfortable off their ranges and in the presence of so many others from other packs. In attempting to maintain a tighter control over themselves, it would take less for one of them to snap.

It was expected that the Alphas would choose the guests carefully so as to minimize such an occurrence and the gatherings would be organized so that the unmated wolves would meet in stages, without being too crowded.

However, there would be fighting. Males might fight over a female. Conversely, females would sometimes fight for a male's preference. Males would fight to show off their strength and stamina. To show they were a worthy mate.

There would be blood, claw and toothmarks. Wounds to stitch.

It was not unknown for serious injuries to occur. Thankfully, only one death had been reported in the memory of the Alpha pair.

"Natalie, do you have a few minutes?"

Natalie glances at her mate and back. "Of course, Lyssa, what can I do for you?"

"I'd like to speak to you privately."

Natalie looks confused. "Uh, certainly, come with me."

They walk into a room between the Medical ward and the nursery, where birthing women would often come to have their pups. There was a nest area to one side, if the gravid female preferred to birth as a wolf, and a large bed for those who wished to give birth in human form.

Lyssa sits on the bed and sighs.

Natalie stands, uncomfortable. "Lyssa? Are you alright?"

"I don't know."

"Tell me what's wrong"

Lyssa leaves Natalie with no resolution and feels not at all reassured by her reassurances.

Calvin Ross has dropped into a state of melancholy since his mate's death. He shows no interest in sparring, or running in the woods.

He performs his duties, as Alpha, but was content to allow Michael to take over more of the day to day running of the pack.

Calvin's Beta, Sampson, tries to engage his Alpha, but has limited success. So, he feared for the pack. Each passing day has Calvin sinking deeper, as if he wished to follow his mate to the grave.

And, as for the Alpha heir? Michael Ross was certainly not his father. He started picking up some of the things that needed to be done, trying to wrest responsibilities from both him and his father. And was making a bit of a mess.

A dispute between a couple of the Omega females had been handled ham-handedly. Michael had neither the tact nor the grace of his father. He had apparently learned little at his father's side.

Michael had made it clear that Sampson would not be his choice of Beta.

The Ross pack was headed straight to hell.

Sampson considers asking to join another pack.

[OK. No blitzing me.]

[What?] The chestnut colored wolf woman stands, hands on hips, looking confused.

[You want to learn grappling and breaking holds?] She nods. [Then no mind hits. Got it?]

Alex was light-colored, almost golden, with dark legs, arms, and head.

[Oh. OK.]

He walks up to her. [We all know you can smack us but it won't help you learn. Now. Get out of this.] He simply grabs her wrists.

She looks up at his bemused expression. [Seriously?]

[Just do it.]

Looking up at him, like most of the males he was taller than she was, she counted to seven, flexed her arms, and broke the hold.

"Good."

"Simple. Oppose the thumbs."

"Alright, stand still." He walks up behind her, wraps his arms around her, and pulls her tightly against him.

"Alex, I don't know. I don't feel so good."

"Really? Oh..." He gasps as she becomes dead weight in his arms. His grip changes, to catch her.

She slithers out of his arms and drops to the ground.

...where she crouches and sweeps his legs out from under him as he overbalances.

"OOoff!"





Pursuit of Happiness 05



They both hear the chuckling as Alex hits the ground.

He jumps up, growling, as Erich claps. "Well done, Lyssa. Well done."

Alex stands, eyes narrowed, looking at her. He takes a deep breath. "Alright, third hold."

As Emmett saunters up to watch, Alex walks over and grabs her by the throat.

She looks at him, a brief moment of surprise, then reacts.

Lyssa sweeps her arm across their bodies and brings it down across his elbow. As his elbow unlocks, she grabs his hand and twists it, pushing on the pressure point.

Emmett smirks at Erich as Alex drops to his knees, grimacing.

"Who taught you? Emmett? Erich?" He looks up at her, dumbfounded.

She shakes her head. "Self defense classes. Where humans, usually females, learn to defend themselves from attackers. Part of it was learning how to break some basic holds."

Alex growls lightly. [You didn't teach her?]

[No, Alex, that's all her.]

[You don't need to enjoy it so much.]

[Yes, I do. Go on.]

"Alright then. Get down on the ground."

This would be where he got her. She sighs. "Back or belly?"

"Let's start with the easier one. Backside."

Lyssa complies as the light colored wolf man crouches over her.

Joanna was a bit jealous. Lyssa was learning all kinds of things about fighting and all she'd ever done was spar against some of the other females.

"But, Mom, Lyssa's doing it. OK, what if I end up being Alpha? I should know how to fight. You do."

Ariel looked at her youngest. So young. Jo was just so young. Barely more than a pup.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, Jo, but you won't be Alpha anytime soon. Four more years of school, then you can start."

"I'm gonna be 18 next month, Mom. I'm not a baby anymore. I need to learn more than pack history and from schoolbooks. I could be mated this year."

Ariel stops and looks more closely at her daughter.

Joanna withers slightly under her mother's scrutiny.

"Joanna Wyeth. Is there something you need to tell me?"

Joanna exhales. "No, Mom."

"There's nothing you need to tell me?"

"No, Mom."

"Then why would you say such a thing?"

"Because it's true."

Ariel continues to look at Joanna for a bit longer. "Learning to fight takes a lot of time. It takes a lot of practice. It's a heavy commitment."

"But, Mom..."

Ariel closes her eyes and counts to 10.

She opens her eyes again and looks at Joanna.

"Alright, Jo. I'll start teaching you some things. But if I see you lose interest, I will not waste my time."

"Can I train with Lyssa and Emmett?"

"You must not interfere with their duties."

Joanna kisses her mother and takes off. "Thanks, Mom."

[You'll never guess what your daughter's asked for now.]

[She wants to expand her fighting skills.]

[How do you know that? She just told me.]

[Not blind, mate. She sees Lyssa doing it and wants to do the same.]



Pursuit of Happiness 06



Dear Readers,

Sorry this chapter is short. The next will be longer.

*********

It's three weeks from Joanna's party and about three weeks since Sabine Ross had died. Randall was beginning to hear rumblings about the Ross pack.

As one would expect, Calvin has taken the loss of his mate hard. He was mourning to the exclusion of almost everything else. He was barely eating, sleeping a lot.

Sampson was trying to hold things together but it seems, as often as not, that Michael would do or say something to contradict him. And Calvin was excluding himself from pack business.

This doesn't sit well with the pack. Dissension in the upper ranks was never good for pack animals such as werewolves. The structure of the pack was beginning to disintegrate.

Fights were starting to break out amongst the males and some of the females, and neither Michael nor Calvin were stopping them. Sampson tries, but is not Alpha or Alpha heir. He couldn't be everywhere at once.

It was accepted that Calvin would grieve, but, with his pack in turmoil, it would not be difficult for someone to challenge him by the old laws, kill him, and take leadership of the Ross pack.

While Randall hated to lose a friend, even that might be better than what he believed was happening now.

[Lyssa?]

Startled, Lyssa turns from Joanna and Ariel. [Yes, Alpha?]

[You'll need to make alternate arrangements for transporting the materiels for the gathering.]

The question in her mind died. One didn't ask, one obeyed. [Of course, Alpha.]

[Unless something changes, the Ross wolves won't be coming.]

[I understand.]

Joanna and Ariel look at her. "I'm sorry. But I have to find someone else to transport the things for the party."

Ariel and Joanna both look rather grim. "Of course."

Later that evening, beyond the circle, out in the woods, Joanna meets up with Lyssa.

[OK, Jo. What do you want to talk about that you don't want anyone else to know?]

Joanna looks startled. [Um...what?]

[What's the big secret? Is it a guy?] Lyssa sounds excited.

[Wait. No... Jeez, Lyssa. Is that all you think about? It's like you want me to get mated next week or something. I don't even... No. It's something else.]

[Sorry, Jo.] There's a pause. [What do you want to talk about?]

There is an earnestness in Joanna's send. [I want to learn how to fight males, too.]

[Shouldn't you be talking to your parents about this?]

[Mom says I could train with you guys if I don't interfere with your duties.]

[Oh. Um. OK. I guess we'll have to figure out where to start. I suppose we could have Emmett work with you.]

[I don't wanna do it in front of everyone.]

[OK. Tell me what you're thinking.]

Joanna starts pacing. [I want to work outside the circle, away from everyone, at least, for a while. And, I wanna start with you.]

[Me? Why me? I thought you wanted to work with the guys.]

[Yeah, but you're bigger than me. Can we start working together?]

[Uh, sure. I guess. I'm not sure I know how to teach you.]

[Too bad I can't just whack 'em in the head, like you do.]

[It's not something I should rely on. Hey, how did you stand it, being outside the bunker when I was screaming for Emmett?]

[I dunno. After a while I didn't even hear you anymore.]

Lyssa looks closely at her. [Really?] Joanna nods. [OK, Jo. I want to work on some things with you, when we get a chance, along with the sparring.]

Joanna rubs against her. [Oh, thank you, Lyssa. How do we start? When can we start?]

[Sit.] The chestnut colored wolf trots a short distance away and turns to face the cream colored one. [First, we do a couple tests. Now, let's try...]

Randall and Emmett, along with Roland, begin discussions of the tumult in the Ross pack.

They could do nothing directly since they would not interfere with another pack's leadership. Could not. A challenge to the leadership of a pack meant, of course, a challenge to the Alpha.

Randall has no wish to kill or be killed by Calvin Ross.

However, Sampson has called, asking if he could visit the Ross Alpha.

Randall understands the meaning behind the call. Sampson could not ask for help nor suggest any weakness of his Alpha. Sampson wanted Randall to assist him in gauging Calvin's state of mind and, therefore, the state of the Ross pack.

It would require a face-to-face visit and Randall had reason to be wary. While he did not fear Calvin in his right mind, he fears the loss of his mate may have unhinged him. Also, if the mood of the pack was unsettled, it would not take much to give offense and start a fight.

"Should we bring Ariel with us?"

"No. I don't want her there if there's trouble."

"It may be good for him to see her."

"Or, it could make matters worse."

"Alright, Dad, the three of us? You, me, and Emmett? I'm not sure I would."

"You instincts are correct, son. I will not have the three of us in a potentially explosive situation. I will take Alex and Samuel with me."

"And your pretense for going?"

"I'm going to see how my friend is doing after the loss of his mate."

"I'd feel better if you had three with you."

"No, Emmett. That would be too many; I'm going to visit a friend."

Lyssa works on finalizing all the plans for the gathering and the party. There were only a couple of loose ends to tie up. She was glad and felt as if an enormous weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

She double checked her lists and preparations. Food. Housing. Meeting instructions. Some of the packs were a little more antagonistic toward one another. Security. Medical. One of the females who would be attending had been mated. She was not expected to go into estrus during the gathering or she would not have been submitted as a candidate, but they would be ready, just in case.

Joanna's dress had arrived, although she refused to let anyone see what it looked like.

Lyssa still had no idea what to get for her birthday. Nothing she thought of seemed right.

Randall goes to the Ross compound to visit with Calvin.

Sampson comes to the gate when informed that a strange car was approaching. After Sampson allowed him in and the car approached the house, Michael came out and met them at the door.

"Michael. How are you?"

"Alright."

"And your father?"

"The Alpha is not well."

"I thought I might visit with him, for a bit."

"I'm not sure he's up for it."

Randall looks at the Alpha heir. He would not beg to see his friend but he really wanted to see how Calvin was.

Michael stands, looking at him for a time, then finally breaks into an almost feral grin. "Yeah, sure. Maybe it'll help." Another pause. "C'mon in."

Michael turns for the door and Randall frowns. There had been no formal greeting, no sincere pleasure at a friend's visit to his father. What was he thinking?

Sampson had been pleased to see him and gave a slight shrug and a knowing nod at Michael's behavior.

Alex and Samuel hang back outside of the Ross den, next to the car, waiting for their Alpha to conclude his business.

Calvin sits in what might be considered a drawing room, staring out the window. "Ah, Randall, old friend. The darkness keeps pressing down on me."

"I grieve with you, my friend. She was an outstanding female."

"The days are so much longer now." Calvin turns almost dead eyes on him. "I can't sleep without her."

He had no response for that. Every thought that came into his head sounded like a cliche.

"I'm sorry, Cal. How does the pack fare?"

"They eat. They sleep. They live."

The conversation is stilted; they had always spoken quite easily.

One of his pack members comes in, bearing a tray of coffee and snacks. Randall watches Calvin take a mug of coffee, but no food. He sits, drinking the coffee and nibbling on a rare roast beef sandwich.

They sit in silence for a time.

Finally, Randall breaks the silence. "We expect you at Joanna's party."

"I remember Sabine's maturation day. She wore black. Many of the older females were scandalized."

"She was gorgeous. Her blond hair hung down to her hips. Those green eyes. They pinned me to the wall. I couldn't breath."

Calvin turns to Randall with a sad smile. "Do you know how long she made me court her? How long I had to wait before she said yes?"

Randall smiles back. "Months?"

"Fifteen. She made me wait more than a year for her. And I've never regretted it. But, now..."

Randall puts a hand on Calvin's arm. "There's nothing I can say that won't sound trite."

"She told me I needed a mate."

"Excuse me?"

"Before she... She said I needed a mate."

Randall returns to the den, depressed and worried. The visit has not made him feel any better. He checked with Alex and Samuel. The mood of the pack was not good.

Joanna met periodically with Lyssa and they both practiced certain maneuvers.

Lyssa continues to spar with Erich, Alex, and Emmett. Her strategies improve. She ends up with a couple battlescars of her own.

She triple checks all the preparations for the party.

A couple members of the Severn pack would arrive a day early to familiarize themselves with the compound's layout and meeting areas.

Pack business continues on in the days leading up to the party. The mood is a mixture of expectation, excitement, and nervousness.

The Saturday before Joanna's birthday

Joanna wanted to go out for a run again with Lyssa to discuss the last details of the party, along with the unmated males that were coming. It was possible that she would find her mate within the week. It was four days until her maturation party.

So, after telling Emmett they were going out to discuss girlie stuff and Roland that they were off to talk about guys the two went out and took off.

At first there was little discussion as they allowed their wolves free rein to run. Joanna, with the exuberance of youth and Lyssa, with the joy of the relatively recently turned.

They chased one another, playfully nipping at each other's flanks, wove in and out of trees, chased a couple of rabbits. After a while they begin talking and, not paying the strictest attention to where they were, got farther from the den.

Finally, they stopped and sat, in a field of daisies. Joanna looks around.

[This is pretty. We're at the edge of the range. Hey, maybe I should have some daisies with the flowers.]

[The florist needs time to order the flowers in. There really isn't time to change the arrangements.]

[You're right, I guess.] A sigh. [They just look so nice out here.]

[It is a pretty spot.] Lyssa looks at her a little more closely, her dark brown eyes sparkling. However, in wolf form, she couldn't really grin as she asked the next question. [So, is there anyone in particular you'd like to dance with at the party?]

[Oh, Lyssa, I don't know.]

[Someone in the pack, like, Erich, maybe?]

[No. Erich's more like a big brother. Why? Has he said something?] She sounds a bit hopeful.

[No, he hasn't. But I don't think he'd tell me.]

[Oh.], a little crestfallen.

[So, someone else then? Which pack?]

[Oh, I don't know.] Now she sounds a bit embarrassed.

[There is someone! I can hear it in your voice.]

[He doesn't even know who I am.] A light drizzle starts, dotting their furs with droplets.

[Of course, he does. C'mon, tell me or I'll start guessing. I've got a good idea.]

[Don't, huh? Please? I really wanted to talk to you about something else.] Earnestness now.

[Sure, Jo. What is it?]

Another big sigh. [Umm. Uh. Sex. How does it feel? I mean, at least, the first time?]

Lyssa stops. She really hadn't considered that Joanna was a virgin, but she didn't have a regular guy, so...

[I mean, everybody likes it, from what I've seen, so, I just was wondering...]

[Hasn't Ariel had a talk with you?]

[Well, yeah, sure. But there isn't that much that needs to be said, I mean, it's not like I can get pregnant unless I go into heat. She said it'd probably hurt, the first time.]

Lyssa considers what to say. How well did she remember her own first time? How do you explain?

[You like it, don't you?]

[Yes, Jo, I do. Can I ask a question first?] The cream colored wolf nods slightly. [You haven't had a heat yet, have you?] A shake of the head. [What starts it? Age? A mating?]

[It's something to do with the male's bite, at the mating. That starts it.]

[Um. Oh. OK.]

[So?]

[It's not easy to explain. But, yeah, it can hurt the first time and there can be blood. You know why, right?] A nod. [But, it shouldn't hurt much. If it does there's something wrong.]

[Tell me about, about your first time.]

[Oh, jeez.] A sigh. [OK.] She thought back. [His name was Ryan and he'd never done it either. We were in the back seat of his parents' car. It was... well, not graceful. We kissed for a while and he felt me up.]

[Huh?]

[He put his hand in my shirt and felt my breasts, mostly squeezing. Then he got my shirt off and started sucking on them.]

[So, how does it feel?]

[Good. Kinda tingly. But you might not like what I like.]

[Really?]

[It's not all the same, all the time. You might like things gentler, or rougher, or longer, or... It's different, all the time.]

[I don't get it.]

[You will. Anyway, it feels good. Done right, you can't help but make noises. It feels, oh, you have to have masturbated by now.]

[What?]

[Oh, c'mon. Don't tell me you haven't touched yourself.]

Lyssa could see the crimson blush under Joanna's light fur.

Joanna and Lyssa are so intently focused on the conversation that they fail to notice the four figures creeping up on them.

The intruders, all in wolf man form, rush in. One grabs Joanna, another grabs Lyssa, a third comes forward with a syringe, as the fourth stands nearby and watches.

Lyssa has bitten the male holding her and been cuffed for it.

Intruders! Intruders in their range!

She feels the prick of the needle and has time to get out [EMMETT!] before things go dark.

The leader walks up to Joanna, who is in wolf woman form, struggling in her captor's grasp. "Come with us or I kill her where she lies."

Joanna gasps. "Michael, what are you doing?"

He puts his foot on Lyssa's neck. "Yes or no? Are you going to come with us?" He starts to put pressure on Lyssa's neck. 

"Yeah. OK. OK. Don't hurt her."

Michael smiles. Good. The Beta female gave him a means to control her. He stepped back. [Bring them.]

One of the males picks up Lyssa's limp body, while the other two flank Joanna. Michael leads them away.

"Why are you doing this? What do you want?"

Michael turns, steps back, and cracks her across the mouth. Joanna whimpers and tastes her own blood. "Quiet! I'm getting what I should have had, years ago."

Just outside of Wyeth range are four quads.

One male sets Joanna in front of him and another lays Lyssa over the seat, tightening a rope around her. The four men take off with their captives.



Pursuit of Happiness 07



Emmett feels the intense fear as Lyssa calls to him. He also gets a brief flash of several males.

He, Erich, and Roland stand abruptly as the send hits, knocking over their chairs.

"Where are they?"

"I don't know. Said they were going out for a run to talk about girly stuff."

"I saw males."

"It's raining."

"Shit."

Emmett sends out a broad call. [All able bodied males. To the front hall. Now!]

"Emmett, someone's got Jo! We've gotta go!"

"Where, Roland? Give us three minutes to plan."

"Why did Mom have to go into heat today?"

The males all gather in the front hall. Murmuring and speculation begin.

"Quiet!" Everyone immediately shuts up. "We may be under attack."

"By who?"

"I said 'Quiet!' Two of our females have encountered several males. We believe they've been taken. Erich, get the young and the pregnant females to the bunker. Set four to guard, then come find us."

Erich moves off, down the stairs, to the nursery with Paul, Gordon, and David following him while Jeremy goes upstairs to get a pregnant Cassie.

"Samuel, I want another four guarding the house, running wide perimeter. Samuel nods, three other wolves rise to follow him.

"Who saw the images my mate sent? Does anyone know where they were?"

A quiet voice speaks up. "I do. They're off to the northeast."

It was Thomas.

"You're certain?"

"Yes, Beta. I know that meadow."

"Roland. Inform your father, the pack outside the den, and the other Alphas. Then follow."

"But..."

Emmett snarls at him. "DO AS I SAY!"

"Alright. Samuel, go. Roland, you, too. All others, with me. Thomas, lead the way."

Thomas takes a deep breath and shoots out the front door, followed quickly by the other males. As he passes Wade, Emmett says [Healer, stay here.]

A stocky brown wolf is closely followed by a large grey wolf and several others.

Although frantic to find Lyssa and Joanna, several thoughts rush through his mind, including a question. [Have you been following my mate, Thomas?]

There is low menace in the question and Thomas stumbles slightly. Regaining his footing, he rushes onward. [No. After my punishment, I would go there to think, to be away for a while.]

Emmett worries. They had heard nothing since Lyssa's initial scream. That meant she was either incapacitated or dead. And what about Joanna?

The rain came heavier.

He feared what they would find when they reached the meadow. [How much farther?]

Joanna knew they were in Ross range, and moving more quickly than a wolf could run for more than a short time.

She briefly considered trying to get away but they'd just run her down and, since he'd already threatened it, she had no doubt they'd kill Lyssa.

She'd tried calling for help a couple of times but the wolf behind her simply chuckled the first time then growled at her the second. They were out of range of anyone but their captors, at least for her.

It was obvious Michael wanted her, for some reason. The Wyeth and Ross packs had always been on good terms. Was he trying to start a pack war? What had he said? Something he should have gotten a long time ago?

The quads rolled out of the fields and onto a dirt lane. Good. They were going to get her away after all. No one was chasing them. No, he was certain they were, but they'd never get close enough now to stop them. Besides, they were on Ross range and that would stop the pursuit. Since they were headed beyond it, the chances of being found were slim.

Wonderful. It was all working out well. The rain was drying up now but they were well away.

He only had to wait four more days. Then he could mate her, and claim her.

Almost there. Just a little more time. He could stand to wait that long.

They finally arrived at the meadow just as the sunlight began peeking out of the clouds. The sun made bright diamond brilliance of the droplets on the white flowers which blanketed the area.

It would have been lovely, but for the heaviness in his heart.

[Stop!] Thomas and the others skid to a halt. [Fan out. Slow walk across the field. If you find where they were sitting, where they went, or...] a hitch in his voice [any other trace, sing out.]

Emmett sits as the others begin a slow walk across the field. He concentrated even though he knew there was almost no chance to contact either of them. [Jo? ... Joanna, answer me.] He sat, and listened, his heart hammering in his chest. Nothing. [Lyssa? Sweetheart, talk to me.] Still nothing. He knew she would call if she could. He resists the urge to curl into a ball and give in to despair.

Alex calls out, [Here.] then Thomas [This way.]

Emmett bolts over. No bodies, thank Selene. They were probably both still alive. No sign of blood. [How many?]

[I make it four.]

[OK, wolves, hold.]

There are imprints from where they had been sitting, prints from four males in wolf man form. [Erich?]

[Coming.]

[Do you know where we are?]

[Trail's easy enough to follow. Where'd they go?]

[Ross range, looks like. Four males, it seems. We're holding for you.]

A lean, dark brown wolf with two white socks on his forelegs streaks into the meadow. He slows, walks around the assembled wolves, stops at the retreat trail.

[Five leaving. Four large, one small. One deeper, carrying something.] He tracks back to the capture area. [Surprised. Joanna shifted, struggled, no contest. Lyssa grabbed, then on the ground. Someone came over, one print deeper, standing on one leg?] A pause. [They were both grabbed, Lyssa was knocked out, the leader threatened to break her neck or crush her skull so Joanna would come quietly.] He heads off on the retreat trail, with the others following, but shortly skids to a stop.

[What are you doing? Follow.]

[We're on Ross range. We need permission.]

[I don't care! They have my mate and the Alpha daughter!] A breath, two. [ Calvin will allow it. Follow.]

Erich whines and paces slightly. At Emmett's growl, he takes off again.

He comes across the ATV tracks. [Quads. We'll never catch them.]

[The trail is fresh. We follow.] He thinks a moment. [Justin. Jamie. Return to the den. Get a car and the Jeep and find us on the other side of the Ross range. Go!]

The twins, dark and not yet filled out, turn as one and run for the den. While they were two more males, they were young and wouldn't be much good in a fight.

After driving down another dirt lane, the quads come to a stop.

Two Dodge pickups sit nearby. "Jason. With me. Gerry, Alan, put her in the other truck."

He dismounts and shifts to human form. "Joanna, come."

She sits, stubbornly refusing him. The wolf man behind her picks her up and sets her on her feet. "Now."

She glances back at Lyssa, limp, completely helpless, and sighs. She could only push him so far.

Ignoring his hand, she climbs into the back of the truck. Michael gets in beside her.

As Jason gets in the driver's seat, Michael runs his fingers down Joanna's face.

She pulls away, getting as far away from him as she can. He barks a laugh. "You'll learn to appreciate me, my dear. In five days, you'll have no choice."

Joanna's breath catches and she freezes. The situation strikes her with instant clarity. He was going to force her to mate with him. If they didn't get away before her birthday, Michael Ross would rape her, and claim her as his mate.

It was rare for a mating to happen before maturation and was only allowed if both sets of parents and the Alpha agreed to it.

However, consensual mating would happen any time after a wolf achieved adulthood. Females were considered strong enough to cause considerable damage to any male pursuing unwanted advances. But they weren't. Not really.

Oh, Joanna could hold her own against many of the women in the pack, but she'd never sparred against a male. Her mother was a fierce fighter in her own right, and could take half the males in the pack. Even Lyssa had been sparring with Emmett, Erich, and Alex.

She wouldn't be able to resist Michael.

If he wanted her badly enough, he'd beat her senseless and then mate her.

For adult females, the appearance of a male's bite implied consent.

She'd never do it willingly. They had to get away, somehow. And she couldn't leave Lyssa to be killed. What was she going to do?

The tracks of the quads are easy to follow in the woods and fields.

Erich leads, followed by Emmett and the other males.

He slows when they approach the dirt lane.

Everyone stops as he checks the sign. Making his decision, he takes off again.

[They're not trying to hide their track.]

[Probably figured we wouldn't follow them in.]

[We shouldn't be here.]

[I don't want to hear another word about it. Any other pack would do the same.]

[I'm not sure Randall would agree.]

[For his daughter?]

[Em...]

[If they were yours, Erich, what would stop you?]

Erich continues on, following the ATV tracks on the muddy lane.

Roland tries to get through to his parents.

His mother's cycle has a strong hold on her and, while she may have heard that her daughter had been taken, the pull to mate, at this point, was stronger.

Randall had his hands full with Ariel and briefly considers having her sedated so he could deal with the situation. He slows his thrusts and she voices her displeasure. [I need a couple minutes, El.]

[The pups and Cassie are in the bunker, under guard. We've got a running perimeter around the den. The outside members have been informed. I was going to call the other Alphas.]

[Is there any other sign that we are under attack?]

[Beyond that, no, sir. Emmett is chasing the kidnappers.]

[Alright, tell the other Alphas to tighten their perimeters and keep watch on their females. Let me know if the situation changes. And have Wade bring me a filled syringe.]

[Alright, Dad.]

Ariel bares her teeth and growls just before he deepens his thrusts.

Randall watches her breasts bounce in time as her claws dig into his forearms and she begins a light rumble in her chest.

Joanna had a vague idea of where they were. She had, of course, never been on the Ross range. But, her senses told her which way home was.

They had taken a couple of turns, on paved roads, and were now pulling into the driveway of a modest house.

The trucks pull into the garage and stop. The door comes down and the men exit the vehicles.

Michael indicates Lyssa. "Get her downstairs and chained."

The two men, Gerry and Alan, grab Lyssa and, none too gently, haul her into the house.

Since she's still sitting in the back of the truck, Michael grabs Joanna and drags her out. "HELLPP!"

For that outburst, he backhands her again. Shocked and frightened, she stops.

"Quiet, or I will have you gagged until I can get your vocal cords cut. I rather fancy you keeping your tongue." He leers at her and licks his lips.

"Come with me. We've made up a nice room for you here until I can take you home."

He takes her shoulder and, squeezing it painfully, guides her into the house. Jason follows, blocking her escape.

Michael pushes Joanna into the basement, where the others have already chained and collared Lyssa.

"Alright. I have told you what needs to be done. Hold her here." He points at Joanna. "She is not to be touched."

"Any time the other starts to wake," he holds up a couple of syringes, "give her another dose. Jason is in charge when I'm not here."

He turns and strides up to Joanna. "I've left you some things to entertain yourself. I have duties to attend to but, before I go...," he grabs her and crushes her lips with his.

As he releases her, he says, "A down payment for later. Mate."

She spits blood at him, wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. "I'll never be your mate."

He smiles. "I do so look forward to our mating."

She glares at him. "Bite me."

He chuckles now. "Oh, I will, darling."

He turns on a heel and leaves with only one word to the three males. "Guard."

Roland catches Justin and Jamie in the garage.

"Where are they?"

The answer comes out in stereo, with both twins answering at once.

"Erich is leading them into the Ross range." Roland sucks in a breath. "Emmett sent us back to get vehicles and wants us to catch up with them on the other side."

"Alright, I'm going with you."

Roland takes the wheel of the car as Justin and Jamie follow in the Jeep. He drives quickly, though mindful of his speed. He had no wish to be stopped by the police.

He leads, taking public roads on the fastest route to the opposite side of Ross.

They find the abandoned quads. Unfortunately, someone had sprayed them with vinegar and bleach. The scents were obliterated.

Erich tries a couple of spots, gets a noseful, and sneezes.

Emmett lingers, his nose and eyes burning, looking for any trace of his mate.

One of the quads had a rope on it, so he examines that.

The others stand back.

[Two vehicles, looks like trucks. Five sets of prints. One small.] A pause, as he watches Emmett handle the rope. [Em, we'll never catch them.]

Emmett looks at him and Erich sees anger and fear in his eyes. [Keep going. Don't stop until we find them.]

Erich breathes in, and out, then puts his nose down and follows the track.

Emmett looks at the rope. They'd tied something down so it wouldn't fall off. He continues to examine it as the others take off down the lane.

In one of the twists, he finds it. A few red-brown hairs.

Lyssa's fur. They had brought her this far. They were still on the trail of those who had taken his mate.

[I'm coming, Erich. I found some of Lyssa's fur in the rope.]

Erich refrains from asking Emmett if he was sure it was Lyssa's and continues to follow the tire tracks.

[Jamie. Justin. Where are you?]

The reply is rather faint. [Roland's leading.]

[Just got on 134, Em.]

[Don't get off the pavement.]

[Got it.]

Joanna goes over to Lyssa after Michael leaves.

She's lying on the floor, which is covered in green indoor/outdoor carpet. A metal collar rings her neck, and the chain connected to it is bolted into the concrete of the floor.

Joanna touches her friend. "Lyssa? Lyssa, are you alright?" [Lyssa?]

The three men chuckle. One of them says, "Aw. Is your widdle friend not talking to you?"

Joanna jumps up and snarls, claws out. She takes two steps toward them and sees a flicker of emotion cross Gerry and Alan's eyes. "Bastards!"

Jason's voice, low, stops her. "He said not to touch you but we'll defend ourselves. And we will hurt her."

Joanna's chest heaves as she crouches down again beside Lyssa. Over the pounding of her own heart she hears Lyssa's heartbeat, sees the rise and fall of her chest. She was alive. But, as long as she was out, she couldn't get a call to Emmett.

She looks around. If this basement was to be her prison, she should find out what it held.

The entire troupe of wolves fade into the hedgerow as a car comes down the lane.

After a few minutes, Erich sticks his nose out and the others follow along in the ditch. [Can you still track them?]

[Yeah, Emmett. There's enough here to follow.]

[Good.]

They approach a more highly traveled, paved road. The vehicle tracks indicate a turn.

[That's it, Em. We can't follow them on pavement.]

Emmett growls. [Roland, we're at the dirt road off of Moreland.]

[Coming. About 3 minutes.]

The wolves sit, obscured, while Emmett seethes. They couldn't track on pavement and the trail was growing colder by the minute.

Someone had taken Lyssa and Joanna. And now there was no longer a trail to follow.

[Lyssa? Lyssa, answer me. ... Joanna?] Nothing.

His mate and the Alpha's daughter were gone.

He resisted the urge to howl his loss to the sky.

Roland rolled up a couple of minutes later.

[The rest of you, back to the den. Roland and I are going to look around.]

[I'm coming, too, Emmett.]

Emmett sighs. [Alright, Erich. Alex, please inform the Alpha of our progress.]

[Yes, Beta.]

The males all scramble for sweatpants and climb into the jeep.

Erich slides into the passenger side of the car. Emmett growls, but says nothing, climbing in the back. [It'll be easier for me to see something, up here.]

[I know.] Emmett understands but is not happy.

Roland drives, rather slowly, while they all look for signs.

There were new tracks in a couple of the driveways but the treads were wrong. Erich gets out a couple of times to check a dirt lane and a long driveway. No good.

[They could have gone anywhere, Erich.]

[I know, Rolly. Give us a little more time, see if Emmett catches up.]

A few minutes later they both hear Emmett's breathing deepen and turn at the snarl and the sound of things breaking. He's destroyed the inside of the door. "They're gone."

"OK. So, we go back to the den and plan a search after we check on things."

"They could have taken them anywhere, anywhere." A pause. Lyssa. Joanna. He closes his eyes, scrubs his hands over his face. "Luna. We've lost them."

Roland turns the car around and speeds back to the den.

The Alpha pair stand in the garage when they return. Randall is pacing. Ariel is leaning against one of the posts, trembling rather violently.

As the three of them exit the car, Randall barks. "Erich. Report."

Erich stands stiffly. "Four wolves, apparently male, surprised Joanna and Lyssa in a meadow to the northeast. Joanna struggled initially and then went with them. Lyssa was knocked out and I believe one of the males threatened to kill her."

"We tracked them into Ross range, where they had quads waiting."

"We tracked the quads to a wide spot along a dirt lane where two vehicles were waiting, probably trucks."

"We tracked the vehicles until we hit pavement."

"Scent?"

"The rain washed it away."

"Even on the ATVs?"

"Sprayed down with bleach and vinegar."

"What else?"

"Emmett found some of Lyssa's fur caught in a rope they used to tie her to one of the quads."

"You're certain?"

Emmett grinds his teeth. "Yes, sir."

"In other words, we don't know who, why, or, more importantly, where?" His voice gains volume with every word.

"No, sir."

Randall stands, clenching his fists, looking at the three of them.

Ariel's voice sounds small, and is higher pitched than normal. "Randall? Our baby." She has her arms wrapped around herself.

Randall takes a deep breath. "El, you should lie down. Roland, take your mother to our bedroom."

"I want to be here," she replies.

Randall looks at his son. "Roland. Please."

Roland turns to his mother. "C'mon, Mom. Let's see if we can get you settled." [Stephanie?]

[Yes, Roland?]

[To the Alphas' room.]

[Coming.]

"Emmett, Erich. With me." Randall strides for the command center.

An image showing the Ross range and the surrounding area was pulled up on a large screen.

"Alright. Show me where."

Erich goes to the screen. "They were here. Tracks showed four males, intermediate form."

"And how did you determine their location so quickly?"

"Thomas recognized the meadow in Lyssa's send."

[Thomas!]

Thomas drops the box he was holding, and shoots upright. [Yes, Alpha.]

[Do you know anything about my daughter's disappearance?]

[No, sir. I only recognized the field.]

There is a pause while Randall considers. [Thank you.]

Thomas begins picking up the gauze that had spilled out of the box.

Randall looks at Erich. "Continue."

"They crossed in to Ross range here." Erich indicates a point at the boundary. "Just inside, they had left four ATVs. We followed through here, down this lane, then this one. They had two vehicles here. We followed to Moreland where they made a left hand turn."

"Both vehicles in the same direction?"

"Yes, sir."

Roland walks in. "It's gonna be difficult to keep Mom relaxed and quiet. Stephanie's watching her."

Randall closes his eyes. "Get everyone out of the bunker. There is no attack. We may have to put her there."




Pursuit of Happiness 07



"Yes, sir." Roland walks back out.

"You found no trace of them?"

"Only the fur I found caught in the rope. We drove around a bit but found nothing promising."

"This was a planned attack. We can't be sure if they wanted Jo, Lyssa, both, or simply females. I haven't heard of any rogues in the area. Have you?"

Emmett shakes his head. "I would have told you."

"So...," Randall taps his teeth with a claw, having shifted partway during the conversation.

"Randall, what do we do?"

"Ask Calvin to forgive our trespass onto his range. Spiral out and search from where the trail was lost. Maintain heightened security and perimeter sweep." A deep breath. "Wait for either a ransom request or for Lyssa to wake and send to us."

If she wasn't too far away. "And, the party?"

Randall snarls. "There will be no party until I get my daughter back!"

He takes a deep breath and calms himself. "Erich. Take command of perimeter security. Two sweep rings."

"Yes, sir." Erich heads out the door.

"Emmett." Emmett turns to his Alpha. "We'll get Roland to start the search while you and I speak to the other Alphas, find out if anyone is aware of any rogue activity, and try to figure out who did this, and why."

"I would rather be doing... something, Randall."

"As would I, Emmett. As would I."

Joanna has looked around the basement. It was made up as a small apartment.

Sink and toilet in one corner. Bed in another. A chest at the foot of the bed held clothes.

She looked through the clothing. Dresses. Sheer blouses. Short skirts. Nothing she would wear, not to mention the sizes were wrong. Is that how expected her to dress? What she'd give for a big old t-shirt.

She stands, suddenly, listening. The males go on full alert.

[Dad? .. Emmett? ... Roland?]

The males all relax as she identifies the noise. Squirrels.

There's a small table with a TV and a BluRay player. She looks at the movies. Nine and a half weeks. Dangerous Liaisons. The Story of O?

Ick!

There were a few magazines and some books. Half of them were along a similar vein.

Looked like stuff to entertain them, not her. Although, as she looks at the three males, she wonders if any of them read. Maybe Jason.

He wasn't half bad looking but that didn't keep him from being a dick.

She wonders what Michael has promised them. Between her dad and Emmett, they wouldn't last long.

A small refrigerator holds food and drink. Everything was fully cooked. Yuck!

She looks around, there's no stove.

So, she couldn't set the place on fire.

Turning the tap on would only have them turning it off, unless she really broke something, which wouldn't be hard. Lyssa would end up drowned.

She could hit one of them with a table leg or the fridge but the other two would grab her. And, of course, they'd hurt Lyssa for it.

[Lyssa. Talk to me.]

The three males sit on a couch quietly watching her.

She gets on the bed after grabbing the remote, pulls her knees up to her chest, and looks for something to watch.

Paul is told to have the cars fully fueled at all times.

Natalie and Wade check and keep an eye on Ariel.

The bunker is re-stocked, just in case.

Roland and Jeremy start searching.

Randall and Emmett receive no reports of rogue activity.

Calvin quietly listens to the situation. "Of course, Randall, I understand. You weren't hunting. You came with no ill intent. We would all do the same. Have you found anything?"

Calvin sees the pain on his face. "No, Cal. There's no trace of them."

"Let me know what happens and how I can help."

"Thank you."

Calvin looks at his son as the connection is cut. "I wish I could help."

"It's sad. But their problems are their own." His father looks at him, surprised. "They allowed two of their females to be taken."

"But, Alpha, Dad. There's something else we should discuss.."



Pursuit of Happiness 08



Nothing.

They find nothing, see nothing, learn nothing new.

Somebody knew who took them. And that someone wasn't telling. And they had not heard from Lyssa since her initial scream.

Emmett was growling continuously.

Randall was short, and trying not to bark orders for the sake of doing something.

Ariel was still in estrus and barely holding it together. She was trembling, feverish, and not at all her normal self. Unfocused, she was unable to think clearly and could only stand by, helpless.

Erich and Samuel had the males, and a couple of the females, running close and wide sweeps around the den.

As time passes, and darkness begins to fall, Roland continues to look for his sister and Lyssa, windows open, scenting the air for the women, for other werewolves.

They looks for lights, they look for shadows, they call for their pack members.

The Severn pack is on alert as a result of the kidnapping. They had connections the other packs didn't have, so, as requested, they begin looking into some things.

No one had claimed responsibility.

It was hours later and still no call from Lyssa.

Was she dead? Were they both dead?

Would he ever see his mate again?

Emmett burst into grey fur and shot out of the house.

[Lyssa? C'mon, Lyssa, wake up.]

Joanna, frightened, tired, falls asleep on the bed.

It's after midnight when Lyssa jerks and groans.

Gerry, currently on watch, grabs a syringe, jabs it into her leg, and pushes the plunger.

Lyssa whines and lays still again as Joanna wakes and realizes what's happened.

The Wyeth pack sleeps fitfully, those who sleep at all.

The next day dawns to a completely unnerved pack of werewolves and some unwelcome, but not unexpected, news.

Calvin Ross has handed over control of his pack to his son. Michael Ross has become Alpha.

In an exchange with Randall, Roland, and Emmett, Calvin introduces Michael as the Ross Alpha.

"Michael, Alpha Ross, we look forward to working with you in the future."

"As do I, Alpha Wyeth. Until I install my Beta, Sampson will continue in that capacity. I hope this will smooth the transition."

"Certainly. I understand. I'm sure there is much to attend to."

"I have one more item that I need to discuss with you." Randall raises an eyebrow. "You understand, with the upset, the need to maintain pack solidarity. We cannot have other wolves on the pack lands. We will investigate the matter and report back to you."

Randall closes his eyes briefly. "Of course. Good day to you, Alpha Ross, Calvin."

"We should check the area for more clues."

"We cannot, Emmett. It is their range."

Emmett stands abruptly, turning away, clenching his fists, and growling. "They've taken my mate. Your daughter. We've had no word. We have to look at it again. See how they came in."

Randall's response is quiet, deadly. "Emmett. If any part of you believes I don't want to be examining the route taken by the kidnappers," Randall stands and turns to face his Beta, "then we need to have a very frank discussion of your place in this pack." Emmett freezes at the tone. Now was not the time to push his Alpha. But he couldn't let it go.

Roland sucks in a breath at the statement and the fact that the two were trying to stare each other down.

Randall grits his teeth, the next words coming out clipped. "We cannot start a pack war over the fact that the kidnappers crossed their range."

One breath. Two. Three. Four.

The tension climbs between the two. Roland stands, transfixed.

"Outside. Now."

Randall shifts to a large, dark brown wolf, Emmett to the large grey.

Randall breaks open the door as Roland yells, [EVERYONE, OUT OF THE WAY!]

As they run down the stairs, [Someone, open the front door!] The two wolves harry each other on the way to the circle.

Curious, several wolves follow, to find out what was going on.

[Roland, what's happening?]

[Mom. It's... it's nothing you need to worry about right now.]

[Tell me.] Although a bit shaky, there is command in her voice.

[Michael Ross is now Alpha. We have been forbidden from going onto Ross range. Dad and Emmett disagree and have gone to the circle.]

Ariel gets up from the bed, mumbling, "Idiots!", under her breath.

The two wolves circle each other, snarling, looking for an opening. They were about the same size and fairly evenly matched in fighting ability.

Emmett rushes in, trying to shoulder Randall aside and got a rip across his ribs for it. He twists, quickly, and rips into Randall's haunch.

They break for a moment and circle again briefly before coming together, head to head.

[STOP THIS!] Ariel stands at the upper end of the circle, arms crossed, glaring at the two males. [This doesn't help us find them.]

They stop briefly, teeth buried in each other's pelts. [This is not the time to get into some macho pissing contest. Stop. Think. We need to find Jo and Lyssa.] Randall and Emmett both growl. [Finish this AFTER..]

One breath. Two. [NOW!]

The two break off, backing away from each other. "We have to work together. You know that. This may be what they're after. Has anyone heard from Lyssa?"

[No.]

The two wolves shift back into men.

"So, either unconscious or dead."

"They would have killed her at the meadow."

"Or somewhere she can't send to us."

"This was a planned attack. They came prepared. Did they want one or both?"

"We believe they threatened to kill Lyssa."

"Then, probably Jo."

"Still, could be both. Easier than carrying them."

"But, for what purpose?"

"Since no one has contacted us we can only conclude it's for one reason."

The word comes out of all three of their mouths. "Breeding." All three then growl at the thought.

Thomas had watched, and listened. And he had an idea.

Joanna woke to two of the males watching her, and Lyssa, and some crummy movie.

[Lyssa? Lyssa, wake up.]

She's hungry and feels her nakedness before these strange males. She claws through the chest and finds a dress to cover herself.

She then goes to check on Lyssa.

"She reeks."

"Yeah. Clean her up while you're at it."

Lyssa was alive, unconscious, still, again, and had voided her bladder in the night. Joanna wets a cloth and begins washing her off, then drags her out of the mess and cleans up the rug. It was smelly, dirty work but she couldn't leave Lyssa that way.

After washing up, Joanna goes into the refrigerator for something to eat. It seemed that the males, she refused to acknowledge their names, had been in there. Most of the better stuff was gone. She grabs a couple of hard boiled eggs and a sandwich and crawls back on the bed to eat.

Michael takes a few moments to take it all in. It was happening, at last. He was Alpha of the Ross pack.

His mother gone, his father had stepped aside. His things were being moved into the Alpha suite.

He was working with Sampson, until he could get his own Beta installed. He hadn't told the pack who it was or where he was at present.

Jason is, of course, currently guarding the rest of his treasure.

He groans, thrusting his hips upward. His dick is firmly seated in the throat of a black haired female. He howls as he shoots cum down her throat.

It feels wonderful as she swallows convulsively, her throat constricting around him.

She releases him from her mouth, looks up at him, and licks her lips. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Alpha Ross?"

"Naw, Erica. I gotta talk to Sampson. Get going."

He puts himself back in his pants and watches Erica walk away, swaying her hips. He admired the view and thought about keeping her around after he was mated. His little bitch probably would take some training to become what he expected in a mate.

Maybe Erica could help train her. Mmm. Maybe both at once. That made an entertaining fantasy. One dark, one light. Hmm. He'd have to think about this.

Samuel alerts the pack to the arrival of two wolves on motorcycles.

Two Severn males had arrived to get a look around before the gathering.

They stand, tensely, just inside the gate as the Wyeth Alpha and Beta approach.

One of the Severn wolves was older. Dirty blond hair was shot with grey. His eyes a blue that was almost silver. He stands stiffly, eyes roving, appraising the approaching Wyeth wolves.

The other was much younger, with darker brown hair, and blue eyes. He also carefully watches the men that came toward them.

Samuel speaks as his Alpha closes on them. "Alpha. These two are here from Severn, to get an assessment of security and strength needed for the gathering."

Randall looks at them and grinds his teeth. "I'm sorry that you have come all this way for nothing. The gathering is canceled; we should have informed you earlier. We are otherwise occupied."

The elder wolf speaks. "I understand, Alpha Wyeth, that two of your females have been taken, but your daughter still reaches maturation this week, doesn't she?"

Randall closes his eyes and counts to ten. Of course they wouldn't know, the information had not gone outside the pack.

Emmett speaks up. "The Alpha daughter is one of those taken."

The younger wolf starts, his eyes wide. "Joanna?"

The question has all of them looking at him closely. Randall plants himself before the young Severn wolf while the other tenses, expecting an attack. Through gritted teeth, Randall manages, "What do you know, pup?"

The young wolf stands straight, staring at the Wyeth Alpha's upper chest. "Sir! I was out on patrol. A green Mini Cooper was driving over the limit. I pulled them over. Your Beta female introduced us."

Emmett asks, "Nathan Severn?"

"Yes, sir."

"My mate was also taken."

"How can I help?" The older Severn wolf growls at him and Randall and Emmett eye him critically.

"Don't you need to talk to your Alpha, pup?"

Nathan stammers. "Y, yes, sir. I mean. I only want.."

"Enough, Nathan. We should leave them to their hunt. We apologize for disturbing you. I will inform our Alpha."

"What is your name?"

"David Ellison, Alpha Wyeth. Good hunting to you."

The two mount their motorcycles and leave, Nathan glancing back once at the Wyeth compound.

"I'm getting sick of sitting here. It's dark and it smells."

"Quit whining. We only gotta stay here a couple of days."

"Why doesn't he just take her and be done with it?"

"If it's contested and he loses there'll be hell to pay. We can afford to wait a couple of days."

"Would you two shut up?!"

"Hey, Jason, we just..."

Jason snarls at them. "Hey, man, we're sorry."

"What part of 'shut up' don't you get?"

The other two males cringe as Joanna snickers.

Jason rushes over, snarling. "Don't test me, girl. I may not be able to touch you but your friend will suffer for it."

Nathan Severn parks his bike on the front steps of the den, dismounts, and heads inside. "Nathan. Your bike doesn't belong there."

"Marcus, I have to speak to my uncle."

"He said he was going to the training room."

"Thank you."

"The bike?"

"Won't be there long." [Uncle, may I speak with you?]

[A bit busy now, Nathan.]

Nathan strides for the training room and paces while his uncle Aaron and his father spar. They're grappling, shoulders straining, each one trying to gain advantage.

It looked like a scene from a Greco-Roman wrestling match.

Jonathon Severn growls, "Son, don't you have somewhere else to be?"

"There's not going to be an unmated gathering, Dad."

The two men stop, clap each other on the shoulder, and turn to him.

"What's happened?"

"The two Wyeth females that were taken?" The men nod. "One was the Alpha daughter."

[David.]

[Coming, Alpha.] David walks into the room.

"The festivities are canceled?"

"Yes, sir. The Alpha daughter and the Beta's mate were taken."

"So, they have not made any headway?"

"We did not discuss anything beyond the cancellation."

"Alright. That's unfortunate. Thank you."

"Uncle? Alpha?"

"Nathan, is there something else?"

"I would like to help them search."

[Joanna? Jo, where are you?]

They hear a vehicle driving slowly by.

Jason shakes his head at Joanna, while Alan crouches near Lyssa. The women both have claws at their throats and Joanna smells Lyssa's blood.

Joanna bites her lip. She wasn't sure if it was Justin or Jamie so her send would have to be broad. Her captors would hear it.

So close.

They weren't far away, but she and Lyssa would be dead quickly if these males felt threatened.

She wanted to scream.

Erich reduces the perimeter sweeps to a single ring and has again looked at the evidence, such as it was. The field they were taken from, checking satellite images of the area, racking his brains for where they might be.

The kidnappers wouldn't need much, just a small room or a cage to keep them in, food, and other supplies.

It had to be werewolves, another pack or rogues. But, who? And where?

It didn't make any sense. Another pack would be starting a pack war. They'd announce the fact that they had Lyssa and Joanna. If another pack had them, why would they wait to say so?

Alright, then. Rogues.

The pack ranges were tight. If they were starting their own pack, it wouldn't be here. They'd have taken Jo and Lyssa away, far away.

Without any clues, without any leads, they'd never find them.

But, the way it was carried out, organized, precise, didn't seem like the behavior of rogues. And someone would have noticed something, seen something, smelled something.

Sense. It didn't make any.

So, how in the world would they find them and get them back?

Ariel had, by sheer will it seemed, pulled out of her estrus.

Randall was distracted, issuing orders, consulting with Erich, Alex, Emmett, Roland. Asking for information from other Alphas, particularly Severn. He also asked if any of the packs' members were missing. As that was a pack matter, most bristled at the request. None answered him.

Emmett did anything to distract himself, running sweeps of the perimeter, sparring with Erich, Samuel, Alex. Trying to exhaust himself so he would sleep.

The bed was different without his mate in it. Wrong. He couldn't sleep there.

Roland wondered and worried about his little sister.

Thomas was out looking into things on his own.

The males took turns running sweep or searching by car.

Aaron and Jonathon Severn look at Nathan. Aaron mulls over the unusual request.

"I have had no such request for help."

Nathan thinks quickly. His uncle was pretty reasonable but this was another pack's business.

"It is to the benefit of all the packs that we have a gathering of unmated wolves. This will not happen unless the Wyeth daughter is found. I wish to help."

There was an earnestness in his nephew's voice. He did want to help find Joanna Wyeth. And, for those who were police officers, such fell under their purview.

"Got your eye on someone, son?"

"Dad. I won't get the chance unless we get the Wyeth daughter back. We're all on alert. Nothing will go back to normal unless she's found."

"Do you have some reason to believe she's nearby? Wyeth thinks their females may have been taken by rogues. You know they are already searching for their own."

"No, Alpha. I don't know that the females are close. But I have been trained differently. I might see something they haven't."

"You are being both arrogant and presumptuous. I'm sure they have trackers as skilled as ours."

Nathan clenched his fists and took a deep breath. This was not going the way he wanted.

He looks at the two older males. What reason would be good enough, without being 'arrogant and presumptuous.?'

Aaron and Jonathon look at the young male. Headstrong. Determined. Currently fighting for control.

[So, brother, do you intend on torturing my son until he admits he wants her?]

[Look at him. Even he doesn't know that's what he wants. Do you know how they met?]

[He pulled her over a few weeks back.]

"I request, Alpha Severn, to be allowed to assist our pack and my fellow pack members by finding the Wyeth daughter so that a gathering of the unmated wolves may occur. Returning her to her pack will help all the packs. Another nose and pair of eyes can only help. Sir."

"How do you find her if you don't have her scent?"

"But I do, Alpha. I met them about a month ago."

"I see." [So young, Jon. What is he, 22?]

[23, Aaron.]

"You will not neglect your duties to this pack. You will not interfere with the Wyeth's search. You will pay for the resources used and for any damage to pack property. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good hunting. Go."

Nathan scurries off outside and jumps on the bike. He revs the engine, pops the clutch, and kicks the back wheel around, throwing up dust and leaving a black mark on the walk.

He tears off out of the compound, down the road.

Marcus sighs.

Joanna curls up in a corner of the bed, trying to ignore the males that watched them. She didn't know what else to do. They weren't that far from home but there were always two watching her. There was no way to get out other than past them. She'd never get away. But she had to before her birthday. If Michael decided to wait that long.

She had to get word to whoever was out there searching for them.

The males were laughing and making ribald comments. They'd basically taken over the TV.

And Lyssa. Drugged. Unconscious. Chained to the floor.

She'd never get them both away. She had to get help, for both of them. If only she could talk to Lyssa.

Joanna moved over to sit beside her, drawing the males' attention. One of them grabbed a syringe. She had to keep them from sedating her.

[Lyssa? Lyssa? Please?]

Lyssa moves a bit. [Lyssa. Don't move.]

Her eyelids flutter. [Uh, Jo?]

[If you move, Lyssa, they'll knock you out again.]

Tired, cramped, Lyssa stretches. [Who?]

Gerry crosses the room in two strides and jams the needle into Lyssa's thigh. [No! Lyssa?]

Lyssa yelps, groans. [Why?]

She loses the send as if she were falling down a deep well. [Kidnapped. .. Lyssa?] Nothing. No response. She was out again. And Joanna was alone again, waiting for the worst to happen.

The males of the Wyeth pack continue searching and patrolling.

Ariel comes close to breaking down as she collects Joanna's present. They had hidden it at the business and she now had it moved to one of the outer buildings of the compound. Now, they just had to find her.

It was Sunday and the gathering was supposed to start tomorrow. Joanna's birthday was in three days. Would she ever see her daughter again?

"Can't we go outside for a run? I hate it in here."

"No! Now shut up, already. You act like a spoiled pup."

"This sucks. We're underground. Closed in. Can't hunt. There's nothing good to eat. And nothing to do."

"Can it!"

"And I keep getting a stiffie and can't do anything about it."

"Then quit watching Nine and A Half Weeks."

"But I like the scene where..."

"I said, shut up!"

"We gotta watch one little girl. It doesn't take three of us to do that."

"Gerry, Selene, help me, I'm gonna rip your throat out if you don't shut up."

[I will maim both of you if you don't shut up. Michael said we watch the girl, we watch the girl. He says we sedate the other female, we sedate the other female. We've got two and a half days.]

"Great, you woke him up."

"Well, if you'd just..."

A snarl from upstairs makes them freeze.

80

Although they could be deadly silent, Jason's footfalls were readily heard as he came down the stairs. Gerry and Alan cowered and whimpered like pups. Their tails would be clamped tightly to their bellies if they were in wolven form.

Joanna wondered if one or the other might piss themselves.

Jason appears in the doorway, glowering. Cranky werewolf. Not good.

He growls out. "This is a simple task. Until sometime Wednesday we guard the Alpha's mate and keep her here. The other one gets another dose any time she seems to be waking up. Complete the task and we will be rewarded. Fail and we will be killed. Do you understand?"




Pursuit of Happiness 08



The other two males practically give themselves whiplash, nodding.

Jason turns, "And, Gerry?" Gerry looks at him, eyes wide in fear. "If you continue to act like an idiot, I will kill you myself. Shut up and watch the girl."

Joanna turned her face to the wall as Jason stomped up the stairs to get more sleep. She didn't want them to see her smile.

It was funny if she didn't think about the fact that she was being held against her will by a rival pack. To be forcibly mated to... Wait, had he said Alpha? She knew Michael Ross was destined to be Alpha. Was he already? Had Calvin Ross stepped down? Or were they planning something else? No, they wouldn't be forming their own pack, that made no sense.

The smell comes to her and she turns to look at her friend, wishing she could talk to her.

Lyssa needed to be cleaned up again. The males wouldn't care if she laid in her own waste, but for the smell.

Nathan Severn rides his motorcycle on the dirt lanes and roads to the east side of the Ross range. Shaft driven and well-tuned, the bike was substantially quieter than most motorcycles but not silent.

Any wolf would recognize it as a vehicle, not to mention the smell of the exhaust. But, unless he got close or went by their refuge too many times, no one would take note.

He rode fluidly, skillfully, with an ease and skill on the bike that even few of his kind had mastered. He thoroughly enjoyed himself under normal circumstances.

He had applied to be a motorcycle officer but had been relegated to driving a patrol car. Motorcycle positions were coveted in the area and his application was behind those of a few more senior officers.

He looks and thinks as he rides around trying to figure another angle for the disappearance of the two Wyeth females.

His older brother had made detective; the humans had found his family to be adept at figuring out crime scenes. Of course, a wolf's sight, hearing, and sense of smell were advantageous in such an endeavor. They looked to Nathan to do the same.

Nathan was also a fan of crime shows and novels.

One of the first tenets of crime solving - never dismiss family members out of hand.

So, the Wyeth pack acted as if the two had been kidnapped, but what if they weren't?

What if they escaped? What if there was some sort of conspiracy? What if they were planning on pulling down the Wyeth pack? And, perhaps, the rest?

It was reported that there were signs of a struggle.

No, it didn't make sense. All they needed was to leave the den for something related to the party. Leave and not come back.

Why stage an elaborate ruse?

If they wanted the pack in an uproar, a simple absence would suffice.

Alright, then. Next theory. What if it was someone in the Wyeth pack?

OK. Who would it be? He had seen both the Alpha and Beta of the pack, seen their reactions.

Werewolves were terrible liars. Between observations of body posture, scent, sound of heartbeat and voice timbre it was not hard to divine another wolf's true intent. Neither Alpha Wyeth, nor his Beta, showed anything but genuine concern.

Alright, then, someone else?

Unfortunately, he had no idea of the dynamics of the pack, or which members might have reason to remove or harm the two females.

Next. Rogues. None sighted in the vicinity in recent memory. The attack was organized, planned. Rogues generally worked from opportunity.

Again, why there? Females could more easily be taken away from the den, off the pack lands.

So, they were targeted. Someone specifically wanted one or both of them.

It could be anyone.

No. It couldn't be.

It was someone who had been watching them. Someone who had an idea of their movements. Which pointed to Wyeth pack.

But they escaped across Ross range. They had been waiting there. If they had no idea when Joanna and the Beta female would be there, the kidnappers could have been there for some time. Which pointed to Ross pack, or someone in collusion with them.

The Ross pack had gone through a lot of changes lately. The loss of the Madam Alpha. A sad, sad thing. The Alpha's deterioration. The change of Alpha to their son, Michael Ross. A lot of changes, it would rattle some.

He decided. He would look more closely at the Ross pack.

Night was coming. Time to go home and look at things in another way.

He hoped they were alright.

He hoped they would be found.

Night was falling. The second night Emmett was without his mate. That Joanna was gone. The pack was edgy, quiet.

Everyone was walking on eggshells around Emmett and the Alpha pair.

All other pack members were accounted for. No one within the Wyeth pack had any active part in the abductions.

The other five packs were supposedly conducting their own investigations. Nothing useful had come to light. No one had admitted to anything.

While the basics of pack life continued unabated, there was a concentration of activity based on finding their missing members.

Joanna and Lyssa had been missing for 28 hours.

Gerry pulls his stiff dick from his pants. "Hey, girlie."

Joanna's eyes flick over to him and go wide. Michael had told them not to touch her.

"Come over here and get on your knees."

Jason growls. "No touching."

"Hey. I wouldn't be touching her. She'd be touching me."

"No, idiot." Jason points at her. "Stay there." Yeah, like she was planning on getting closer to him. "He wants her untouched. He wants to oversee her training himself." 

Training. What kind of training..? Oh. Eeeww.

Joanna's chest heaves and she closes her eyes. Her imagination was conjuring up all sorts of ugly images now. Being made to suck Michael's dick. Would he slap her, chain her, tie her to the bed? Would he hurt her while he was fucking her? Was he the type of male who would get off on that?

Well, he had kidnapped her and was going to force her to be his mate. He could force her to do almost anything else. Her life would be absolutely hellish if she didn't get out of here.

[Oh, Selene, Lyssa. We've got to get out of here.]

Opening her eyes again, she sees Gerry stroking his dick and eying Lyssa.

Oh, no, no, no. How could she stop him?

Grabbing a blanket and pillow, she goes over and settles down next to her, wrapping her arms around her friend.

[C'mon, Lyssa. Wake up. I could use some help here.]

Foggy.

Bone-tired.

It was hard and the smells were wrong.

Lyssa struggles up from her drug-induced stupor.

Something was wrong. Something she had to remember.

She smelled males, none familiar. A familiar female. An arm around her. Her back warmed by another body. But it was wrong.

She felt stiff. Thirsty. Hungry. Dirty.

She moves arms and legs, twists her head.

The sound of metal clinking startled her. The body behind her jerks. [Lyssa?]

[Jo?]

Footsteps approaching.

[He's gonna drug you again.]

She forces her eyes open. They show as mere slits.

Someone, male, looming over her.

She lashes out, biting him on the leg. "Ow! Son of a bitch! She bit me!"

"Dose her, you idiot."

She screams as he stomps on her arm, breaking it. [Oh, Selene. Lyssa. Oh, no.]

The ice white shock of pain overshadows the prick of the needle. But the pain dulls as she slides back to oblivion. [Lyssa?]

Sleep.

By definition Lyssa was not asleep.

Joanna was curled up behind her, upset, sleeping fitfully.

Alan slept while Jason and Gerry kept watch.

Emmett stood in their bedroom, staring out the window into the darkness.

Randall held Ariel, rocking her in their bed, both trying to find sleep.

Erich looks again at the maps.

Nathan looks at the Ross pack's holdings and property.

Anton and Cameron were out searching, driving dark roads and lanes.



Pursuit of Happiness 09



Michael was warm, relaxed, a soft female beside him.

He reaches over, cups a soft breast, grabs a nipple, and twists.

A sharp intake of breath and brown eyes snap open. He puts his face to her dark hair. "Hands and knees, E."

Erica rolled and got up on her hands and knees, smiling. He was going to do it.

Michael slid his early morning erection into her well-fucked pussy and shoved her face into the bedcovers. He thrust roughly, hard, balls slapping against her sticky thighs. He digs into her hips, pounding to his own orgasm, howling when he ties with her and fills her, yet again. Her eyes open, he hadn't bitten her.

Michael pulls out, dripping onto the sheets as Erica turns to look at him, frustrated and surprised. "I thought you were gonna...?"

"Bite you? Mate you?" He snorts. "Got other plans, E. Wouldn't mind a mistress, though."

Erica lays there, stunned, as he wanders into the bathroom of the Alpha suite to shower. It had been a couple of days. Maybe he should drive over to take another look at his prize.

No. No. Stick to the plan. Best to stay away, just in case. He'd collect her just before he mated her.

Against all convention, Sampson had sought out and spoken to Calvin. None of the Omegas dared. Calvin had been resettled into a small room in the house.

He had been told he would be replaced in a couple of days by Michael's second, but hadn't been told who it was. How was he supposed to transfer the controls and information needed?

"You shouldn't be bringing me your concerns, Sam. You should speak to your Alpha."

"Cal, something's wrong. I can smell it."

"Do you have any evidence?"

"Purely circumstantial. Unresolved disputes. Pack members absent. Others upset. No evidence of any serious look into who crossed pack land with the Wyeth females. The Wyeth pack barred from performing their own investigation. There's no reason for most of this."

Calvin closes his eyes. "These are not decisions I would have made but Michael is Alpha now. It's up to him to learn his way. I can't help you."

Sampson sighs and clasps Calvin by the shoulder. "You wouldn't be helping me, Cal, but your pack."

Another pair of males drive out, searching for their stolen females.

Emmett, exhausted, finally falls asleep.

Joanna wakes, curled up behind her friend. She yawns, stretches, and looks around.

Nothing has changed in the Wyeth pack. Security was still increased although the perimeter sweeps had been stopped. Pack members were reminded to be wary.

The vehicular searches continue, three males now, in ever widening circles.

Randall, Ariel, Roland, Emmett, Erich, and Samuel were running on coffee and little sleep.

Nathan had requested a half day at work and was watching the slow crawl of the clock. He had a listing of half a dozen properties owned by the Ross pack that stood outside the compound. He was itching to check then out.

Thomas had settled himself outside the Ross den, watching the comings and goings.

The gathering of unmated, which was supposed to start that day, had been canceled, to the disappointment of all the attendees.

Joanna gets something to eat as her guard was changing again. They were laughing hysterically over the portrayal of the werewolf in Buffy, the Vampire Slayer.

She sits next to Lyssa, stroking her fur lightly and trying to untangle her dark hair.

Lyssa wakes this time to pain.

There was a searing pain in her arm. But, she wasn't supposed to move. She wasn't sure why.

She tries to keep her breathing even and not to move. She feels awful, smelly.

[Jo?], very quiet.

[Lyssa? Oh, Luna, are you alright?]

[Joanna. Try not to react. Where are we?]

[I don't know. Basement of some house.]

[How many are there?]

[Three males now. Unless Michael comes back.]

[Ross?]

[Yes. He said he'd kill you unless I came. He's gonna make me mate with him.]

Lyssa is quiet for a bit, thinking, or trying to. Her head was fuzzy and she was so tired. It takes a bit for her to understand what it all means.

[Lyssa?]

"She should be coming to again sometime soon."

"Don't know what the big deal is."

"Just keep an eye on her, you nitwit."

[What day is it?]

[Monday.]

Monday. She'd been knocked out for a couple of days. Joanna's birthday was Wednesday. [Do you have clothes?]

[Sort of.]

[Is it day or night?]

[Day, about noon.]

[Can you shield from me?]

[Lyssa, I can't get you out of here.]

[Yes or no, Jo?]

[OK. Yeah.]

[Listen to me very carefully, Joanna. They're looking for us. You know they haven't stopped. I'm going to ask you to do something very... difficult.]

[OK.] Lyssa hears the fear and uncertainty.

[Promise me. It's the only way to save us.]

[But...]

[Promise!]

[OK.], a small, quiet acquiescence.

[When I tell you to, block me. I'll move, get their attention, and hit them with everything I have. Run. Get as far away as you can. Stay on the road.]

[But, he'll kill you if I leave.]

[He'll kill me anyway when he's got you. You have to get help. You have to leave me.]

A pause. Joanna stares at the wall, biting her lip and trying not to cry.

Lyssa says a quick prayer and, before she can change her mind, says [OK, here we go, block me.] Lyssa whines and moves.

"There!" Alan snatches a syringe off the table and approaches her.

[BASTARDS!!!]

It's as if a small bomb goes off in each of their brains.

Alan topples onto her like a fallen tree, senseless.

Jason and Gerry wince and crumple.

Joanna stumbles, bolts for the door, wrenches it open, and shoots up the stairs. She dives through an open window, rolls on the porch, and heads for the road. The driveway isn't particularly short, but fear of being caught spurs her.

Just as she turns the corner and starts running down the road she hears a pained yell. "Come back here, you little bitch, or she's dead!"

All of the Ross pack, the Gates pack, and the Wyeth pack hear Lyssa's send. Even a couple of sensitive humans pick up on it and wonder.

However, while all of them may have heard it, only the Wyeth pack and a few in Ross understand who and what it was.

"What the hell was that?"

"Where did it come from?"

"It sounded female."

"Selene. What power."

Everyone stops to speculate.

Michael continues his conversation with Sampson for a bit, checks his watch, and says, "I have an appointment. We'll continue this later."

"Of course, Alpha."

Emmett races from a self-imposed perimeter sweep to the house. She was alive. And near enough to be heard.

Ariel clutches Randall's hand. [Lyssa! She's alive. Do you think Jo is with her?]

[Let's pray that was a diversion.]

Lunch dissolves into chaos as the males head for Randall, expecting orders.

Samuel and Thomas were out, driving around, looking for Joanna and Lyssa.

Thomas continued doing near sweeps of the area where the trail had been lost. He had a feeling they'd be close by.

He heard the call, loud, very loud, and clear. He jammed on the brakes. They were close.

Ruth was on the way to the hairdresser. Her daughter complained that it was a waste of money, since she rarely went anywhere, but she felt so much better with her hair done.

She sees a young woman running down the road, barefoot, in a dress two sizes too big for her. She's waving her arms. A man appeared to be chasing her.

A car! Oh, Luna, she had to get it to stop.

She stands in the middle of the road, waving her arms.

The car stops. "Help me! Please!"

The woman inside rolls down the window; Jason is closing.

"Please. I need to get home."

"C'mon, dear." Joanna jumps in the car.

"Lock the doors. Please, drive away."

Jason stands in the middle of the road and she slows. "No. Go around him. He'll hurt us."

"I don't want to hit him."

Jason smiles and stalks toward them. His voice drips sugar. "Jo. Sweetie. I'm not gonna hurt you."

He looks at Ruth. "Sorry, ma'am, she's gone off her medication again."

Joanna clutches at her arm. "No. He's lying. Please, we have to go."

Jason stands in front of the car, looking surprisingly normal. Ruth looks into his eyes, and shudders. Something in her recognizes the predator.

She tries to keep her voice from shaking. "All right, young man. I tell you what. I'm gonna take her to the police station. You can sort it out from there."

Jason's expression turns hard. "She belongs to me. Come out, Jo."

Ruth is almost paralyzed, looking at him through the windshield.

Joanna slams the car into reverse and shoves the accelerator down.

The tires squeal as the car reverses quickly.

Jason curses, then runs back for the garage and the truck.

"Stop! Stop!" Ruth is yelling and clutching her chest. Joanna is breathing hard.

She pulls her foot off the accelerator and the car slows, coming to rest sideways in the road.

"Please. Can we just turn around and get away from him? He's going to come after us."

Ruth, shaky, looks at her. "What's going on?"

"Can we just go to the police station, like you said?"

Ruth closes her eyes and tries to stop her heart from pounding. "I think that would be best."

She puts the car in drive and begins to turn around. "Oh. Thank you. Thank you."

Joanna turns back towards the house and sees a vehicle pulling out of the driveway. "Oh, no."

"What?"

"He's coming after us."

Nathan barely kept the bike upright when the scream hit him. "What in Luna's name?"

He had no idea what was said, what it meant, or where it came from, but someone sounded like they needed help.

He stopped for a couple of minutes to clear his mind and then decided to run around the block to see if he could find them.

It was a powerful send but it could have been either Joanna or the Beta female. And, since he had heard it, they couldn't be too far away.

Lyssa was unconscious again. When Alan had dropped onto her, he had knocked the breath out of her and fallen on her arm. The pain had caused her to black out.

Gerry crawls over, his head pounding, and shakes Alan. "Alan. Alan. Wake up. We're in deep shit. Alan!"

Alan groans and rolls over. "Luna. My head. What happened?"

"I dunno, man. But the girl is gone."

Alan comes bolt upright. "Luna! He's gonna kill us. What do we do?"

"We gotta run."

"What about Tracy, my boy? I can't just leave them."

"You won't be around if you're dead, either."

The both turn as they hear the roar of the truck as it pulls out.

"Alright, my pack. You heard the scream. That means Lyssa was alive a few minutes ago. And that Joanna was probably with her."

Emmett closes his eyes at Randall's wording. If it was a diversion, would Joanna have been able to get away? The scream affected everyone. Lyssa would have to be carrying her. They'd never get far that way. Could she get to a car?

"We will maintain a guard around the house. Emmett..."

"I'm not staying here, Randall."

Randall is not pleased with the interruption. "Pick. Four. Males. To guard. The rest of 

you, three to a car. We're going to bring them home, along with anyone with them. Let's go!"

90

[Alex. Gordon. Justin. Jamie. Guard the house.]

[Yes, Emmett.]

The rest of the males, and Ariel, head for the garage. "Erich, you lead. Take us to the end of the trail. We'll fan out from there."

Jason throws open the garage door and leaps into the truck.

He'd run the old woman off the road, kill her, and get the bitch back. Gerry and Alan had better get the other one drugged again. There was no telling how far that send went.

This had to be done quickly or they'd really be screwed.

Tires squealing, he roars out of the driveway. The road was sparsely traveled and he expected no one in his way.

They were just down the road, sideways, maybe stalled. He grins. All he had to do was run them down.

"Hurry. Hurry. Please."

Ruth shakily puts the car in drive and turns the wheel. Moving forward, panicked, she stomps on the pedal but doesn't see the motorcycle.

With no place to go on the narrow road, Nathan dumps the bike.

Ruth screams and puts the car in the ditch.

Nathan picks up the bike, looks at the car, and sees the face of the Wyeth daughter he had met a few weeks prior. She was struggling to get out of the car.

"Joanna?"

She looks up, terror on her face, then, a flicker of recognition. "Nathan?"

"Come on!"

She levers the door open as the roar of the truck is heard and clambers up the bank.

He gets on the bike and revs the engine. "Get on!"

Joanna leaps onto the back of the bike and wraps her arms around his waist. At that, he takes off, the truck accelerating behind them. [Hold tight.]

He really didn't need to say anything as she had a deathgrip on him. Putting on a burst of speed, he takes a corner at 65.

With the truck receding, she takes a breath, adrenaline surging in her veins. [We have to help Lyssa.]

[Can you drive a bike?]

[No.]

[Then first we need to get you safe.]

[But they'll kill her.]

He didn't answer. They probably would, if she wasn't dead already, but he couldn't help her alone and Joanna would fall back into their hands. They had to get away.

Jason curses. Damn. She was gonna get away. No way he could keep up with a bike on twisting back roads.

He should go back and make sure the other one was dead.

No. Let the other two take care of her, he was gonna get his ass outta Dodge.

Joanna and Nathan come up on another car. [Stop.] He ignores her. [That's one of our cars! Stop.]

Nathan shifts down, slowing, as Joanna waves at the car.

Thomas is behind the wheel.

[Thomas! Back that way.], she points. [Lyssa's in a house, drugged, with two males. They're gonna kill her!] The car stops beside them.

"Rogues?"

"No. Ross pack. Hurry!"

Thomas looks at Nathan. "Get her home. Tell anyone who comes where I am."

"But.."

"Go! Now!"

The truck is behind them again and Nathan guns the accelerator, pulling the front wheel off the ground. [That's one of them!]

Thomas moves the car, trying to block the road. Jason takes the front bumper off as he goes after Joanna again. The motorcycle gets farther away.

Losing the motorcycle again, and, with the situation rapidly deteriorating and word spreading, he takes the next left towards freedom, of a sort. If Michael Ross was going to be pulled down, he wasn't going with him.

Alan and Gerry were on their own.

[Joanna!] [Lyssa!]

The Wyeth pack calls as they drive, searching for their missing members, hoping to find them, hoping they were still alive.

Four vehicles trailed Erich, on the way to the other side of the Ross range.

Emmett is in the second, impatient, frustrated. Had they gotten away? What would they find? Would they find them, even now?

Alan gets up. "He took the fuckin' truck! What're we gonna do?"

"Go home. Deny everything?"

"Michael knows, dammit. We're dead."

"Well, then, she is, too."

Gerry strides over and gives Lyssa a kick in the ribs.

She grunts and whines. Another kick, another grunt. "Miserable bitch! I'll make you so fucking sorry before you die!" He starts kicking her viciously.

Pain. Hurt. A male yelling. She knows nothing else.

When she rolls over and tries to curl into a ball, he kicks her in the kidneys a couple of times.

Then he straddles her and starts punching.

"Gerry, if you're gonna do it, just kill her and get on with it. There's no telling when someone will get here."

The sound of a vehicle is heard, slowing.

"C'mon, dammit! Before someone finds us."

"Damn bitch!" He stops punching and grabs her by the throat.

She hurt, everywhere.

She knows there is a good reason why but is having trouble thinking of anything but the pain.

Joanna. That was it. She'd gotten away, it seemed.

Air. Suddenly she couldn't get air.

She brings her hands up to her throat and yelps as the broken bones in her arm grind together.

She opens her eyes to her attacker, throttling the life out of her.

She gets her legs under her and tries to buck him off, weakly. [EMMETT, I'm...]

A brown furred wolf man saunters down the steps.

"Ya know, you could at least have some fun with her, before you kill her."

"Who are you?"

"Bitch messed up my life a couple of years ago."

"So, you're Wyeth pack? You're here to save her."

Thomas notes the other male moving around behind him. He barks a laugh. "Seriously, I wouldn't mind seeing her dead. But I'd rather fuck her first." Thomas pulls off his sweatpants, revealing a semi-rigid dick.

Gerry grins briefly. "I think you might be right."

"I get first shot, since I came up with it. Get her over a chair."

A motorcycle slows as they approach. The male driving it waves at them.

A face peers out from behind the driver.

Pale, light hair, wide blue eyes. Joanna.

[Hurry! Lyssa! Back that way and take a left.]

There were two cars approaching since the searchers had split three ways. [Jo?]

As Nathan stops, Joanna jumps off the bike and runs over. Roland is driving the first car, Paul the second. Ariel is inside, fumbling for the doorhandle.

"Back that way, left. Hurry! They'll kill her."

"Where? How many?"

Nathan answers as Ariel throws her arms around her daughter and Joanna bursts into tears. "She said two males. On Alta, about 3/4 mile from Ridgefield, past a tan Buick in the ditch."

Ariel points. "Go get her." The two cars take off.

She smooths her daughter's hair down the side of her head and cradles her face. "Are you alright?"

Joanna bounces. "I'm good, Mom, but Lyssa.."

"They'll get her, sweetheart. Who's this?"

"Nathan Severn, Mom. He saved me."

[EMMETT, I'm sorry.]

The other wolves in the car look at him as he yells, "No!" He could hear how weak she was, hear the pain in her send. It pierced his heart.

"Hold on, Lyssa. We're coming." [Tell me where you are.]

Abruptly, they all get the broad send from Roland. [Alta Way, off of Ridgefield. Lyssa's there with two males. Joanna's safe. We're close.]

Emmett and Erich spin the wheels, turn around, and head back the other way.

[Hold on, mate. Fight. We're almost there.]

Randall guns the accelerator. He was farther out than the others.

[Where's Jo?]

[Moreland, near Ridgefield.] It is Ariel who answers.

[Is there a male with you?]

[Yes. One.]

[I'm on my way.]

Thomas hauls over a chair as Gerry grabs Lyssa and throws her over it.

It hurt. Everything hurt.

She smells the male behind her, smells arousal. Damn. They were gonna rape her. She whimpers.

Time. It was more time.

She caught the scent of a familiar male. Thomas. Oh, shit.

"Hey! I said, me first."

"Back off, asshole. I got her."

Quiet, no more than a whisper, Lyssa hears [... on... Fight.... almost..]

Mustering her strength, she twisted and clawed the male. And fell off the chair.

Lyssa lets out a yelp and a whine as the male drops onto her, straddling her, his dick hard and ready. "I'll fuck you now, bitch."

She forces her eyes open again and focuses on the point between his eyes.

[FUCK YOU!!!]

He crashes down onto her as Thomas launches himself at Alan.

[You can have her. I just wanna get out of here.]

[You're not going anywhere. You have to answer for this.]

[It wasn't me.] The plea goes out but conversation stops as they concentrate on the fight.

Thomas has blocked the route out and Alan is desperate to get away. They grapple. With a strength stemming from that desperation, Alan manages to get the upper hand quickly.

Lyssa is again out. Seriously injured, she's now crushed beneath 230 pounds of dead weight.

Michael Ross sees evidence of his plan unraveling.

He had only been to the house once, briefly, so his scent probably hadn't lingered.

Jason, Alan, Gerry would likely be killed.

So, Wyeth would only have the girl's word for what happened.




Pursuit of Happiness 09



He was Alpha. He'd bluff his way out of it.

Justice was handed out by the Alphas. They had no way to punish him.

He drives back to the den.

Roland, Paul, and the other three wolves jump out of the cars and surge around and into the house.

[Careful, they'll be desperate. Kill only if necessary. Find Lyssa.]

[Thomas is here.]

That stops Roland briefly. Why and how? And what was he doing here?

[Ready, Wyeth? Now!]

Doors burst open as five wolf men storm the house.

[They came in the side door.]

[Nothing here. But a male's been sleeping up here.]

[I hear fighting. Downstairs.]

[Alright. Go.]

The stairwell is filled with furred and muscled flesh as they move to the basement.

[I smell Joanna. And males. And..]

Alan slams into Roland, who automatically grabs him.

"Paul, David. Hold this one." Roland shoves Alan aside and advances into the room. He sees three bodies on the floor. "Andy, help me. George, check Thomas."

Alan is frantic with fear. "No! No! It wasn't me. I was just following orders."

Andy and Roland haul Gerry off of Lyssa.

[HAVE YOU FOUND HER?]

Roland gestures Andy to Lyssa. [Yes, Emmett.]

The wolves in the car with him hear Emmett take deep breaths, his heart beat start to pick up. He swallows. [What have you found?]

Andy has checked Lyssa and gives a slight nod. Roland looks over the marks on her body, the bruising on her face and neck. [Alive, but in a bad way.] He notes the male's erection, fading now.

[I'm five minutes out.]

[Understood.] Roland turns to the other male. "Where's the key?"

Alan looks at him, dumbfounded. "What?"

Roland gets up in his face and bares his teeth. "The key. To the collar. Where is it?"

The sharp smell of urine fills the area. "I don't know. He took it with him."

"Who?!"

"He'll kill me."

"Which pack?"

Alan clams up.

"Roland. Thomas is alive, as well, but injured. The other male is dead."

Alan's eyes go wide. How was that possible?

Roland looks him over. "I don't see a mark on him. How?"

"I don't know."

"Alright, check the chain, look for tools. Get her free."

[Dad.]

[Here, Roland. With your mother and your sister.]

[Lyssa is alive but seriously injured. Thomas is injured, as well. We have captured one of the males, the other is dead.]

[Is Emmett there?]

[Not yet. Should be soon]

[We're taking your sister home. We'll have the medical ward ready. Bring them home, son.]

[Will do, Dad. Tell Jo I love her.]

Randall wraps his mate and daughter in his arms. "She's alive but badly hurt. Emmett will be there soon." Joanna cries harder.

He looks at the young wolf beside the motorcycle. "Young Severn, I can never repay you for what you've done. I owe you a debt."

Nathan's eyes widen. "Sir?"

"We're going to take her home. I will consider how to reward you."

Ariel unwraps herself from her daughter, walks over, and rests a hand on his arm. "Thank you for returning my daughter to me."

Joanna, her blue eyes swollen, her face tear streaked, in a blue sheath dress that gave glimpses of her breasts through armholes that were too big, comes over and gives him a peck on the cheek. "Thank you. You are coming to my party."

He mutely nods as Joanna is bundled into the car, followed by her mother. With a nod of acknowledgment from Randall, the car takes off.

Nathan stands there a couple of minutes, runs the back of his hand over his chin, gets on the bike, and heads for home.

Emmett slams the car into park and practically tears the door off exiting the car. [Erich, stay. We'll leave as soon as I get her in the car.]

[Ready.]

[Roland, coming in.]

[Emmett, they..] Emmett inhales at the tone. [She's been beaten. Prepare yourself.]

Emmett steels himself as he descends the steps into the basement. It's dark, the windows small and high and only a couple of bulbs illuminate the space. Wolf eyes allow him to see everything clearly.

He smells the males, Joanna, Lyssa, her blood. He sees his mate, his love, still, chained and collared. Hears her breathing, shallow, her heartbeat. He checks her. [I'm here, Lys.]

Thomas is struggling to sit up.

"Why is she still chained?"

"There's no key. We can't get her loose."

Emmett strides up to Alan, who flinches and cowers. "Where is the key?"

"Not here."

He points at Lyssa. "Did you do this to my mate?"

"No. Well, I helped chain her. I did dose her."

"Who ordered this?"

"Just kill me and be done with it. He'll kill me anyway."

Emmett turns back to Lyssa. "Roland, with me."

They grab the chain and heave. On the second attempt, two links part.

He gently gathers his battered wife into his arms, "Bring him. And Thomas. Let's get out of here."



Pursuit of Happiness 10



Dear Readers,

Sorry for the delay - I'm still learning how to do all this and got ahead of myself. I had to rewrite a lot of this section so it took longer than I expected.

Last chapter will be posted with this one. 

*****

Emmett carries Lyssa's limp body from the basement, out the side door, and to the waiting car.

He gets in and Lyssa is passed to him. "Go, Erich."

Erich smells the blood, twitches his nose, and starts off.

He cradles his mate to his chest and looks her over more closely, listening to her heartbeat, not as strong as usual, and her breathing, shallower.

Her left arm was red, swollen. Marks on her body, probably broken ribs, maybe internal bleeding. Her face, the face he loved to look at, to wake to, bruised and bloodied. Her nose looked broken, lips split, and she had a black eye as well. Her face was distorted now.

How Joanna had gotten away, he didn't know, but he knew it was because of Lyssa.

Now, to get her home, and well. "I've got you, Lyssa. We'll be home soon."

Erich glanced back in the rearview mirror. His friend was quiet, focused on his mate. Lyssa had reverted to human form. He saw grim acceptance on Emmett's face. Emmett wasn't sure she'd live.

Erich had to admit, she didn't look good, but, under normal circumstances, it would take a few days for one of them to heal up completely from such abuse. Then it struck him, he tended to forget. She was changed. Would it be the same for her?

Now he understood Emmett's look. She might die.

He says a silent prayer, 'Selene. Watch over this female.'

Nathan rides home, feeling kind of empty. He'd helped Joanna get away from her kidnappers. She had said they were Ross pack.

He had delivered her to her parents, been thanked, and been dismissed.

He wanted to know what else had happened. If the Beta female had woken. If they had killed the wolves that took them.

Joanna had said he would come to her party. In two days he could see them again, find out more.

But, first, he would go home. And report to his Alpha.

He still had another half an hour to go and his mind wandered. He thought of the look of her face, peering through the window. Her arms, wrapped around him as they fled. Her body, warm, behind him on the bike, breasts pressed against his back.

He still had her scent on him.

Randall arrives back at the den with his daughter. The packs calls to their recovered pack member, sniffing, touching. As more of the pack comes out, he announces, "The Alpha daughter is returned to us! We celebrate her maturation in two days."

A cheer and a howl goes up from the assembled pack members.

As it dies down, a question is raised, "What of the Beta's mate? Where is Lyssa?"

Randall looks at the female who has asked the question. Stephanie. "Lyssa has been injured. Her mate returns with her as we speak."

"Then I will celebrate when all our pack is returned."

Everyone looks at her, shocked by the quiet statement. There was iron in her voice. It almost sounded like a challenge.

Ariel growls and takes a step in her direction. Randall puts a hand on her arm. [No, mate. She is correct.]

"And we will all celebrate with you. Please, healers, prepare for the return of two injured pack members."

Wade and Natalie answer, "Yes, Alpha." and head off.

Roland sees to it that Thomas is guided to a vehicle and Alan is muscled into the back of a car, flanked by two of the Wyeth wolves.

He was not speaking.

They leave the house and follow Erich, returning to the den.

Emmett dares do nothing but hold her, afraid of hurting her further.

He closes his eyes, listening to her breathing, feeling her warm body against him.

And he hoped she would wake and speak to him.

A few minutes from the den, she moves.

She groans, and whines, and Emmett's eyes fly open.

"Lyssa, I have you. You're safe. We're taking you home, sweetheart."

More whining. "I know it hurts. We're almost home. Hold on."

Her eyelids flicker and her right hand shifts. "No, Lyssa. Save your strength."

He watches her right hand creep up his body until she finds his chin. She forces her eyes open. "Emm..."

Her voice is rusty, pained, a moan.

His voice is full of emotion, he replies, "Don't say you're sorry. You're staying with me. Close your eyes, we'll be home soon."

"Nooo..", she moans quietly.

"Lyssa, please." Chocolate eyes look into pained dark brown as they pull into the garage.

Erich stops the car and opens the door. Emmett hands Lyssa out, exits the car, and takes her back into his arms, then turns for the door.

Erich watches and realizes suddenly that his face is wet. He roughly brushes away an errant tear, vowing never to be so ensnared by love that he felt that kind of pain.

The medical ward is not far from the garage, both underground, and the two wolves Emmett passes stand quietly to one side, and sniff.

Wade and Natalie are waiting as he enters. "Here, Emmett." Wade indicates the table before them.

[Lyssa, are you with us?] She whimpers as she is laid on the table.

[Yes.]

As Wade looks her over, [Where does it hurt?]

[Everywhere.]

She yelps as Wade palpates her arm. Emmett's lip lifts in a growl.

"Broken arm." He touches her face. "Broken nose. Didn't break the jaw or the orbit. Good." 

Natalie says, "Her belly's rigid. At least a couple of broken ribs." She puts an ear to Lyssa's chest. "Lungs are OK."

Wade resets her nose and she whimpers again.

"OK. I'm gonna put her out."

[NO!]

"Lyssa, we have to set your arm and drain the fluid in your belly. It's gonna hurt," Natalie says.

[No.]

Emmett's chest heaves. "Give her half a dose. To knock down the pain."

[No.]

[Yes.] He looks to Wade and Natalie. "Do it."

Dark eyes flicker open to look at him. [What if I don't wake up?]

Joanna has washed up and put on fresh clothes. When she emerged from her room, her father requested a review of everything that had happened.

"Can I see Lyssa first? And, get something to eat?"

As Randall looked to object, Ariel grasped her daughter's arm. "Of course, Jo. Come on. Let's see how Lyssa is.."

Against her wishes, Lyssa has been given a pain killer and is a bit dopey.

[We should cast her arm. It may not heal right without one.]

[Now, mate, wrapping is usually sufficient.]

[For born wolves, yes, love. She seems to take longer to heal.]

[Oh. Yes. That's right. Very well.]

Natalie takes gauze strips and dips them in a solution of plaster.

"Emmett. Please hold her shoulder and left arm above the elbow." Wade takes her hand and looks up. "Tightly, Emmett." Emmett holds her more tightly. Wade looks to his mate. "Ready, dear?" Natalie nods.

"Emmett, hold her still."

Randall, Ariel, and Joanna walk in as Lyssa shrieks.

Eyes closed, breathing hard, Lyssa is having a plaster cast put on her arm. Emmett is murmuring in her ear.

Joanna watches, quietly, afraid to say anything when she sees her friend's injuries.

After placing a number of the gauze strips around Lyssa's arm, wrist, and elbow, Natalie wipes the back of her hand across her forehead, leaving a white smear.

"Alright, it'll take a few minutes for that to harden and dry. Hold still a bit longer. I'll tap her belly and then we need to get some food in her."

Joanna moves closer, looking at her friend.

"Oh. Lyssa."

Lyssa twists to look at her. "Ow. Jo. Oh, thank god. Are you alright?"

Joanna chokes a laugh. "Me? What about you?"

"Yeah, a lot of good my sparring did."

[Alpha. Coming in with Thomas and the prisoner.]

[Bring both to the Med ward when you arrive.]

[Yes, Alpha.]

"Healers. Thomas has also been injured and may need some care."

"Of course, Alpha."

"Simon will bring food. When everyone is settled, I wish to hear what happened."

Emmett looks over Lyssa's tense shoulder. "Randall, I want my mate freed from this collar."

"Paul will see to it, when she's been treated."

Thomas limps in and Alan is shoved into the room, surrounded by Wyeth wolves. Joanna shrinks back slightly. Ariel stops her. [Stand up to him, Jo. Don't back away.]

Joanna takes a deep breath and stands tall. All 5 feet 3 inches of her.

Randall walks up to him and his eyes dart around.

"Who are you?" Alan's breathing and heart rate speed up. Randall gestures the surrounding wolves back. He then circles Alan, firing questions, "Which pack are you? Who else was in on it with you? Who planned this? Whose orders were you following? Why take my daughter? My pack members? TELL ME!" Randall rounds on his prisoner and wraps his clawed hand around his throat.

"Just kill me." It comes out a bit shaky.

"Chain him in the back outbuilding and post a guard. I wish to contemplate his future."

"Of course, Alpha."

Alan is led off, fear rolling off him.

Thomas sits off to the side of the room, waiting for one of their healers to have a look at him. He looks up as Randall approaches him.

Randall's question is calm, conversational in tone. "Thomas. Explain to me how you came to be a part of this."

Thomas looks up, unsure of his Alpha's mood. "I listened to the discussions after they were kidnapped." Emmett perks an ear to the talk while trying to soothe his mate. "It didn't make sense that it was rogues. And since... the Beta female did not call again I believed it was someone that knew her and her ability. Which meant only our pack or the few in Ross who were introduced to her sending. That meant they were probably close by. So I started looking."

"You didn't think to share this idea with the others?"

"I didn't think anyone would take my idea seriously. I didn't think anyone would listen."

Randall closes his eyes and nods slightly. "And, today?"

"I was out looking. I heard her scream. I didn't know where but I thought she must be close. I thought she might tell us where she was."

"I came across Joanna, on the back of that young wolf's motorcycle. She told me where... the Beta's mate was, with two males."

"I drove to the house and heard them downstairs, yelling about getting out of there. I went down and found one of them choking her."

"There were two?"

"Yes, Alpha."

"And what did you do?"

"I did it to keep them from killing her, to play for more time." Emmett begins to growl, overhearing the admission.

"Go on." Thomas looks fearfully at Emmett. "Thomas."

Thomas inhales. "I said we should have some fun with her before they killed her."

Emmett's growl gets louder and Joanna gasps. "So I said I'd get to go first." Emmett's growl continues. "My plan was to fake it, to give the others time to find us. I knew you were on your way."

"Continue."

"The male had her over a chair, she turned and clawed him. Then he was on her again, said he was going to fuck her, and collapsed. So I went after the other one.

And Roland came."

Lyssa's eyes begin to close and her head lolls back against Emmett's shoulder. Natalie finishes her work as Wade checks Thomas.

Emmett quietly asks, "Should we keep her awake?"

"No. She doesn't have a concussion. She just needs to heal. Sleep is good but she has to eat. Feed her whenever she wakes. And she's dehydrated, so lots of water."

"Can I take her upstairs?"

Natalie nods. "Call us if you need help. Don't get the cast wet."

"Randall, Ariel, may I take my mate to our room?

"Of course, Emmett. See Paul first about the collar."

Joanna walks over, takes Lyssa's hand and whispers, "I'm sorry they hurt you. Thank you."

"El, why don't you take Jo up and get something to eat?"

"Sure. C'mon, Jo."

Ariel guides her daughter from the room as Emmett picks Lyssa up and heads for the door. [May, do we have a large plastic bag? Watertight?]

[I think I can find something.]

[Please bring it to our room.]

Randall walks over to Thomas. "Thomas. You did well in saving Lyssa. However, in future, tell me your theories. We work better together as a pack."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, Alpha."

Randall then walks upstairs to hear what his daughter has to say.

[Paul, I need bolt cutters. I'll be there shortly.]

[Uh, sure, Emmett.]

Emmett carries Lyssa back toward the garage and meets up with Paul, who's going into the toolbox. "What..? Oh, how awful. Hang on a second."

The lock is cut off and the collar and chain removed. It falls to the ground with a clank. "What should I do with it?"

"Pitch it in the lake for all I care."

Paul picks it up. "Sure. Um, how is she?" Paul indicates Lyssa.

"Safe. Home. Healing. I don't know how long it'll take until she's well again."

Joanna was escorted to the dining hall and Simon placed a large, rare steak before her, along with a glass of milk.

"OK, Joanna. Eat. Tell me what happened."

Joanna shoves a piece of steak in her mouth and groans. [This is great. They came from downwind while Lyssa and I were talking. They grabbed us, Lyssa bit the one holding her, and another came up with a syringe and knocked her out, but not me.]

[So, it was someone who knew about her ability.]

[Dad. It was...] Joanna pauses, looking embarrassed and fearful.

[Tell me. Ross pack?]

[Michael.] Randall and Ariel look at each other. [What?]

[Calvin has stepped down. Michael Ross is Alpha.]

Joanna's mouth drops open. It was true.

Lyssa groans and turns her face into his chest.

[Simon? Do we have a small microwave? I'd like to have some broth and foods I can heat up to feed my mate when she wakes.]

[I'll see what I can do.]

[Thank you.]

There is a plastic bag and some tape sitting on the desk when he enters their room. He lays her on their bed and goes to retrieve the bag.

"Emmett?"

"Here, sweetheart. I'm going to get you cleaned up."

She struggles to sit up. "Ow. Oh. Uh." She closes her eyes, breathes a bit quickly and wraps an arm around her waist, holding her side.

Emmett comes back over and sits on the edge of the bed. "Do you need something?"

"Water?"

"I'll be right back." She drains two glasses of water and sips at a third as Emmett secures the plastic bag around her arm.

"Alright, let's get these wrong smells off you."

She twists and swings her legs off the side of the bed. "Whoa, where are you going?"

"To the bathroom. To shower."

"Let me take you."

"I can walk." She pushes upright with her good arm, stands briefly, totters, and faints. Emmett catches her.

[Natalie?]

[What's wrong?]

[She tried to stand up and passed out.]

[It's her blood pressure, Emmett. If she doesn't come to shortly, let me know.]

[Thank you.] He carries Lyssa into the bathroom as she inhales and her eyes open again. "OK," she says quietly, "I guess I do need a little help."

"Mm, hm. For a little while. Now, you're going to sit quietly while I get you cleaned up."

"OK."

Joanna begins to tell her parents what had happened to her.

They are in a small meeting room: Randall, Ariel, Roland, and Joanna.

After Joanna's story is finished and the questions are answered the four of them are quiet again.

Joanna finally asks the question. "Do you think he'll try it again?"

Ariel growls out, "If he has any brains, he'll know better."

Roland looks at his parents. "We can't do anything, can we?"

Randall exhales and closes his eyes. "No. We didn't find him there. Only Joanna saw him. It's her word against his."

"What about our prisoner?"

"Only if he talks, but Michael can still claim it was someone trying to sabotage his role as a new Alpha. Unfortunately, there isn't much we can do."

"So he's gonna get away with it."

"It would seem so."

Emmett has soaped and rinsed off every part of his mate and washed her chestnut hair. He stands her up, carefully, then wraps her in a towel and sets her on the couch.

"Do you feel like going to dinner?"

She pauses, looking at him. "We could eat up here but I'm sure everyone would like to see you."

"How bad do I look?" She carefully touches her left eye and her nose, and winces. "No, don't tell me, bring my mirror."

Emmett reluctantly goes to her dressing table and picks up her hand mirror. He walks back over and puts it into her hands, then walks behind her and puts his hands on her shoulders.

Lyssa picks up the mirror and turns it to her face. Black eye. Swollen lump of a nose. Split lips. She smiles, lopsided, and pushes at a couple of her teeth. A couple were loose, but they were all still there. Then, lower. Heavy bruising on her neck.

"Wow."

His right hand gently cups her right cheek, where there was no bruising. "I understand if you don't want to go."

"Because you don't want to sit next to someone who's going to drop half chewed food in her lap because of the way her jaw hurts?"

He laughs. "That's my girl. It would be good for the pack to see you. If you feel up to it. Are you hungry?"

Lyssa blinks at tears. "Yes."

He comes around the couch, sits, and pulls her into his lap. The towel falls open and bunches up around her hips. She gasps, then groans. "Ribs?" She nods, sniffing. "Sorry. I just want to hold you so close, now that I have you back. Can you tell me why the tears?"

"I just can't believe I'm home. I wanna see Jo." She sniffs and more tears leak from her eyes. "I hoped she could get away. She had to. I couldn't let that happen to her. But, I knew they'd kill me when I sent her. I thought I'd never see you again."

She leans against him, resting her head against his shoulder, and reaching her right arm around his neck.

"I'm proud of you, mate. You're brave. You're strong. You're beautiful. I love you." She sits quietly, against the warm, strong body of her mate.

He looks down at her, had she fallen asleep again? No. "C'mon. Let's go see Joanna and get you something to eat."

She gusts a big sigh. "Yeah."

Lyssa is dressed and carried down to dinner. She curls up against him, hiding her bruised face against his chest as he brought her down the staircase. They were a few steps down, each one jarring her slightly and reminding her of her injuries, when someone starts clapping.

Emmett stops and turns slightly. Lyssa looks up and sees Stephanie looking at her and clapping, others beginning to join in. "Well done, Madam Beta. Welcome home."

Lyssa smiles and winces. It hurt. "Thank you."

At the bottom of the staircase, Lyssa stops Emmett. [I want to walk into the dining hall.]

[OK. Lean on me.]

[Just go slow, alright?]

He sets her on her feet and puts her arm in his. She steps forward and he matches his pace to hers. It takes some time for her to cross the front hall. Stephanie holds the door open for them. Everyone is aware of their entrance.

Randall stands as Lyssa and Emmett enter. "And now, my pack, with the Madam Beta returned, our pack is again whole." Several howls go up, led by Erich. "Welcome home, Lyssa."

She eats lightly, but with gusto, seated between her mate and Joanna.

She is asked after, congratulated, welcomed back.

As the meal continues, pack members come and go. Lyssa is startled to see Thomas limp out of the hall. [What's he doing here?]

Emmett picks up some anger in her send, and looks at what she's looking at. [Thomas? he kept them from killing you.]

[He talked them into raping me!]

[He was playing for time. After you killed the one, he fought the other, keeping him from leaving until the others got there.]

[And you believe..? What do you mean I killed one?]

Emmett takes a deep breath. [Roland's group got to you first. One of them had collapsed on you. He was dead. There was no mark on him. We assume you killed him.]

He watches her carefully as he relays the news. She looks scared, appalled, her breathing quickens.

Lyssa shoves out her chair, stumbles out of it onto the floor, and retches.

She's immediately surrounded. "Lyssa? What's wrong?" "Wade. Natalie. Come here."




Pursuit of Happiness 10



Emmett holds her hair away from her face as she whines and tosses up what she's eaten. "Back up. Let her have some space."

Joanna is stroking her back as Lyssa sits back on her heels. She groans. "Oohh. I'm sorry. I'm alright."

Natalie settles next to her. "Lyssa, are you in a lot of pain? Or is it your belly?"

"No. No. I mean, things really hurt but I'm OK."

Natalie puts a hand to her forehead, checks her pulse, checks her belly again. "Probably just ate too much too quickly."

Lyssa closes her eyes and nods. "You need to eat to heal. Just, slowly."

Lyssa nods, again. "OK."

"Think you can eat more, Lys?"

"I need to get this cleaned up."

"We'll get it taken care of. Sit." He gets her back in the chair and sits beside her, looking at her as she rinses her mouth out. [Lyssa? Are you sure you're OK? Should I get Natalie back?]

[No. No. It's not that. I... I killed one of them?]

He slides his arms under her and whispers, "We're not gonna discuss this here."

[Simon, can we get some light food upstairs for Lyssa?]

[Sure, Emmett. Five minutes.]

[Good.] Everyone looks up as he takes her from the room.

He's quiet as he takes her back up to their room.

Once behind closed doors he sits on the couch with her in his lap. He nuzzles her neck, feeling the heat from her bruises, kisses her. "Now, sweetheart, I know you were raised differently, but there's no reason to feel guilty about killing him. Look what he did to you."

She buries her face against his chest. "I know. But, killing someone?"

"It was you or him."

"Doesn't make me feel any better."

"Lyssa. You've been sparring, training, learning not only how to defend yourself, but how to attack. To kill if need be."

"Emmett, my mate, I'm sorry, but you can't talk me out of the way I feel. I never, in my life, thought I'd ever kill someone."

Joanna taps on the door a few minutes later, bearing a tray for Lyssa. "Simon said he's got a microwave for you. He'll bring it up later."

She sets the tray on the coffee table and hands Lyssa a glass of milk. "I was told to order you to drink it, slowly."

Joanna sits opposite them, Lyssa held in her mate's lap. She looks vulnerable, upset. "So, I guess my party's back on."

Lyssa chokes a little. "I guess so."

Joanna's voice gets quieter. "How much do you remember?"

She sighs. "Not much." A heavy inhale and exhale. "I know I bit the one that grabbed me and yelled. Then just hazy things, smells, voices. You talked to me, a couple of times."

"When I woke up the last time I knew I shouldn't move, but I wasn't real sure why."

"You told me I had to leave you, that I had to run. It was so hard. I didn't want to. I was scared of what they would do to you."

"I guess the one landed on me and I passed out. Then it was just pain. He kicked me, punched, and started choking me."

"When he stopped I heard, smelled, Thomas. They put me over a chair and argued over who would get me first."

"One of them got over me so I, I twisted and clawed at him. I thought I heard Em tell me to fight, so I tried."

He picks up her hand and kisses it. "I did, dear heart. Told you to hold on, to fight, that we were coming."

She starts scratching at her cast. "He got over me again and I focused on the spot between his eyes and screamed at him. Then I was gone again."

"I next woke up with Em holding me," she strokes his arm.

[It's really bothering her that she killed him.]

[She killed one of them? No one told me that.] "You were on the ground, and he put his foot on your neck and threatened to kill you if I didn't come along. So..." Joanna reiterates her story as they listen and Lyssa drinks the milk.

"You can block her?!" Emmett is astounded.

Joanna smiles. "Yeah, mostly. We've been practicing."

"When did this happen? How did you come up with it?"

"She said she couldn't really hear me after a while, when I was screaming for you in the bunker. So I figured she had to be shielding from me somehow. So we worked on it when we took some time out to spar."

"You don't hear anything?"

"I hear her, just not loud enough to be a problem."

"I wondered how you got out. I figured Lyssa knocked them down but couldn't figure out how you could get away. Hmm. I wonder if anyone else can do that."

Lyssa smiles, winces. "Anyone? Or you?" She looks at the tray. "Chicken soup sounds good."

Lifting the lid on the bowl, she finds, "Egg drop?"

"Easier to eat and lots of protein. Natalie suggested it."

After some catching up, Joanna says good night to Lyssa and Emmett.

She gives Lyssa's hand a squeeze. "Get better. And thanks."

Finally alone, Emmett brushes the dark hair from Lyssa's face. "How much does it hurt?"

She takes a breath. "The truth, mate."

"A lot. Really a lot."

He kisses her forehead. "How about something to help you sleep?" There is a long pause. "You'll sleep more comfortably and it'll help you heal."

She sighs. "Yeah. OK."

Emmett sets her in a chair and goes to their door. He pulls in a microwave and a small box. He sets the microwave on the desk, puts something in the fridge, and walks over with a pill bottle. "The bottle says one or two."

"How 'bout we try one?"

"Alright." He hands her the pill bottle and a glass of water.

After the pill, she scratches at the cast and starts pulling off her blouse, wincing at the pain.

Emmett inhales as the bruises on his mate's body are again revealed. They've grown darker and larger in the couple of hours she's been back. It was awful, seeing her that way, and he wished that he could have taken the beating she endured.

He peels the covers off the bed and walks back over as she tries to stand. "Easy, sweetheart."

Lyssa is installed in their bed. Emmett lays beside her, propped up on an elbow, looking at her. "Tell me this isn't a dream."

"Would you picture me this way, if it were?" she replies, sleepily.

In the small hours of the night, the house that had held them burns to the ground.

While the sleeping pill may have helped her get to sleep, it didn't keep her there.

She was home, in their bed, with her mate, but it hurt to breathe, her head ached, the cast itched, and dark thoughts ran through her mind.

She'd wake and doze and wake and doze. Sometimes she'd jerk awake, which hurt. Sometimes she saw Emmett's eyes watching her, sometimes not.

Once, as he slept, he threw his arm over her chest, as he tended to do. She yelped and he woke and jerked his arm away, which hurt almost as much. "Oh, Lys, I hurt you. I'm sorry." He rolls out of the bed and grabs a pillow. "I'll just sleep on the floor."

"No, Em, don't. Please. Stay here with me." She reaches out to him, across the bed. "I'll have nightmares if you don't." His eyes show fear, concern, his face, as well. He hadn't shaved. "Did you sleep at all, while I was gone?" Her dark eyes bore into him, from the bed.

"A little."

"What happened here?"

"Aren't you tired? We can talk about that tomorrow."

"You're awake. I'm awake. Lay here with me and talk to me until I fall asleep again."

He sits on the edge of the bed, throwing the pillow back to its place. While he now had heard all the different parts of the story, she hadn't.

"Alright, since we're both awake. How about something to drink?"

"Um, bathroom first, I think, then yes." She levers herself up, groaning and grimacing. She closes her eyes and rests a couple of seconds, then swings her legs off the side of the bed. He goes over, and crouches, ready to take her.

She pushes at him. "I can walk." She sounds irritated.

But, as she takes his arm and tries to pull herself up, the pain in her ribs stops her. "Ooow! Dammit!" She pounds the bed.

He stands there, unsure now of what to do. It's been a long time since he's seen her angry. And he wasn't quite sure what she was angry about.

She sits there, white cast across her belly, right hand bracing her bowed head.

A light tap at the door has her head whipping around and Lyssa snarling, "Go away!"

Emmett puts a hand on her shoulder and she growls at him. Luna, she was so volatile, all of a sudden. He calls, "Who is it?"

"Emmett. Lyssa. I can't sleep. Can I come in?"

He crouches, taking Lyssa's shoulders. "Lyssa. Do you want me to let Jo in?"

He looks at her face. She was thinking, hard, about something. She nods.

Emmett goes to the door and opens it, just as Joanna was turning away.

Joanna turns back, taking in the look on Emmett's face. [What's wrong?]

[I don't know. I expected her to be upset, sad, fearful even, but she's .. angry, really angry.]

Joanna watches Lyssa awkwardly lever herself up from the bed and move toward the bathroom, glancing at her as she does so.

[Could she be .. mad at me? Cause I didn't get hurt and she did?]

[I really have no idea.]

Emmett pulls something out of the small refrigerator in their room and puts it in the microwave. The sound of the toilet flushing and running water comes to them. Lyssa comes out, wrapping a robe around herself, but not before Joanna has a chance to see the rest of her injuries. There was bruising on her body, hips, ribs. It was so much worse than she expected. The damage to her face was bad enough.

Her friend had suffered after she escaped the house; she continued to suffer.

Lyssa practically barks at her mate, "Emmett, we have a guest. Put some clothes on."

Emmett's eyes flick to Joanna, then Lyssa. "Certainly. I'm going to go downstairs and get you something to drink." He grabs a pair of sweatpants and leaves.

"Hey, Lyssa. I just .. just couldn't sleep and kinda wanted to make sure you were OK."

"And what if I'm not?"

"Lyssa, what's wrong? I know you're hurt. I wish .. I mean, I'm sorry."

Lyssa turns to look at her, her eyes hard. "You did exactly what I told you to. You knew what would happen when you left, don't tell me you didn't. What else were we gonna do? We had to get you out and there was no way I was gonna get loose from the chain." Joanna's eyes start getting wet and her lower lip starts quivering. "Don't start. Own up to what happened. We screwed up. This is the result." She opens the robe and Joanna gasps. "He wanted you; I was just there. Don't ask me what's wrong. Don't ask me if I'm alright. I'm not fucking alright!"

Joanna flees the room, sobbing. She runs past Emmett. "Jo, what happened?"

She doesn't stop her headlong flight.

Emmett goes back to the room as Joanna returns to hers.

Lyssa's hunched in a chair facing the window as he closes the door. "What did you say to Jo? I don't think I've ever seen her so upset."

"She comes in here thinking it's all gonna be sweet and fine and fluffy bunnies or something."

Emmett's reserve cracks. "What's wrong with you? She's just a little girl."

"She's an adult. She's an Alpha daughter. What's wrong with me? I've been kidnapped, drugged, beaten, collared, chained, and almost raped and killed.

I hurt and this damn thing itches!"

"Lyssa, you're acting like a crazy person. Calm down." He puts down the drink and heads for her.

She stands and changes form, cracking the cast. "Don't fucking touch me."

He's stunned for a moment. She wasn't even like this before they were mated, although she had been pissed at him then, certainly.

He stands there, watching her chest heave, holding back against his change. It was a natural response, but things would get worse if he shifted. How in the world could he calm her down? Anything he might say could make it worse. He was probably making it worse just looking at her.

His voice is on the quiet side as he says, "Alright, Lyssa. I don't know what I can say right now, or do, that won't piss you off. But you should have something to eat, something to drink, and Wade or Natalie should look at your cast."

"It bothers me that you upset Jo. I can't imagine what she did to deserve that. Especially from you."

"If you want me to help you with something, I hope you'll tell me."

"I'm glad you're back with us but I have no idea what to do with you now."

There's a light growl in her chest as he goes to sit at his desk and starts to work at the computer.

He watches as she walks to the microwave, shifting to human as she did so, pulling out the warm stew.

She eats and drinks, then awkwardly wraps the cast in tape and crawls into the bed, curling up on her side.

He works a bit longer and yawns. "May I join you?"

She grumbles. "It's your bed."

"No, sweetheart. It's our bed. And I won't sleep there if I'm not wanted."

She twists slightly and looks at him, considering. As he gets ready to grab his pillow so he can sleep elsewhere, she says, "I probably won't be able to sleep without you here."

She seemed a bit calmer now, if still angry for whatever reason. But he wasn't gonna let her get away with that kind of answer. "Yes or no, mate. Do you want me in bed with you?"

She huffs. "Yes."

He climbs in beside her and stares at her back, at the dark purple bruises there.

She falls back to sleep relatively quickly while he wonders what he's going to do and how long she might be this way. It was way out of character for her. The body in the bed beside him was not the female he'd mated.

So, he takes in her scent, the smell of Lyssa mixed with some other things. The stew. A hint of blood. And the bitter smell of her anger. Home for only about 12 hours, she didn't smell right.

The sun wakes him, later than he would normally rise, and he lays still. She had closed the distance between them, her back against him, on her right side, head pillowed on his arm.

What would she be like when she woke?

So he lay there. She could use more sleep. For that matter, so could he.

Joanna's party was the next day and the unmated wolves would be coming. The pack would be in disarray for the next few days. And what did Randall intend to do with the one they'd captured? Unless something was done today, it would have to wait for days.

He looks at the back of her head and sighs. Her body was healing but something in her spirit was broken. She'd get mad about things, certainly, but last night had been something else. She had been hard and cruel.

Another sigh. He was hungry but he didn't want to move. So he points his nose toward her hair and closes his eyes again.

As he starts to doze off again, he hears footsteps and is surprised when Ariel calls to him. [Emmett?]

[Here, Ariel. Lyssa is still asleep.]

[Joanna is upset this morning. She won't say what happened but I'd like to find out.]

[I didn't see it, Ariel, but Lyssa got nasty last night. I don't know what's going on with her.]

Lyssa twists, groans, and jerks awake. "Ow. Dammit."

He puts a hand on her shoulder and she tenses slightly. "Good morning, sweetheart."

"I feel like hammered crap."

"There are some things we could do to help you with that, if you'd like."

[Emmett, I'd like to speak with her.]

[I don't think that's a good idea.]

Ariel knocks twice, briskly, then strides into the room.

Emmett sits upright and Lyssa heaves herself up. Emmett says, "Madam Alpha."

Ariel stands beside the bed, arms crossed, a low growl rumbling in her chest, looking at Lyssa. Lyssa looks back. After a few moments, Lyssa turns and stands, slowly, painfully, and slowly rounds the bed. "Is there something you wanted, Ariel?"

Ariel takes note of her injuries. They look worse than they had in the Med ward. "What did you say to my daughter, last night?"

"You should ask her."

"Lyssa.." Emmett warns.

"I'm asking you."

Lyssa gusts a large sigh, and briefly considers saying nothing. "I told her we screwed up and that this was the result. And that I wasn't alright."

"Why?"

"Because it's true. And I guess she couldn't handle it."

"I understand you're in pain, Lyssa, but you've hurt her. A young woman who looks up to you."

"Hurt? She knew what would happen when I helped her get away."

"So did you." Ariel turns on a heel. "Stay away from Jo."

Lyssa snorts and makes her way to the bathroom.

Emmett watches both women walk in opposite directions.

Lyssa claims illness and eats in their room.

Emmett goes to work with Randall and Erich. Erich asks after Lyssa and is told of her mood and condition. Emmett needed to talk to someone about his mate's swift change in mood.

Erich commiserates but is unable to provide any helpful suggestions.

Natalie goes to visit Lyssa, who's basically sequestered herself in their room, to see how she was doing. "Please take a deep breath." Lyssa does so, showing evidence of pain.

"How's your belly?"

"Fine."

"May I?" Lyssa allows Natalie to press and examine. "Good. How does your neck feel?"

"Fine." Natalie glances up at Lyssa's face.

"And the pain?"

"Better." Her bruises were beginning to show greenish, her nose was less swollen.

Natalie checks the cracked cast. "We should replace this, are you up to coming downstairs?"

"I'd rather not."

"Alright. I'll be up with the plaster in a bit."

After a few minutes, Natalie returns, removes the old cast, and replaces it with a shorter one. "Looks like it's healing relatively well. The swelling is down, which is good. Maybe tomorrow we can take it off but try to avoid shifting. That doesn't help the healing of broken bones. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help you."

"I will."

No, Natalie thought, I don't think she will.

Joanna mopes through the morning as Lyssa's preparations for the party are put into effect.

The unmated wolves were again invited; the first meeting scheduled for after lunch the next day. Michael Ross declined the invitation to Joanna's party but requested that his father be allowed to attend, as an unmated wolf. Randall agrees.



Pursuit of Happiness 11



After lunch, Lyssa makes her way up to the roof and stands, arms wrapped around herself, staring out across the pack lands.

Feeling her mood, other pack members avoid her.

It is Stephanie, finally, who approaches her a full day after their rescue.

She comes to stand beside Lyssa, at first saying nothing. Lyssa glances at her, then back out to the woods.

"You are Beta. You have a birth given right and obligation to protect yourself and your pack members."

Lyssa does not respond, or move away.

"Did you kill him?"

Lyssa looks down, exhaling. "I don't know. He was on me, ready to rape me, he told me so. I concentrated on the spot between his eyes and gave it to him. And then he fell on me."

"I would say you did." There is a pause. "You knew what you were doing, what you were asking her to do, the consequences of her escape. You expected to die."

Lyssa growls out, "Yes."

"Did you want to die?"

Lyssa turns to her, "Of course not."

"Then why are you so angry about being alive?"

It's a few minutes before Lyssa speaks again. "Stephanie. Could you ask Joanna to come up here?"

"Certainly, Madam Beta. I'm pleased you are returned to us."

"Thank you, Stephanie."

Joanna approaches, quietly, reluctantly. "Are you gonna yell at me again?"

Lyssa continues to look out over the pack lands. "Your mother told me to stay away from you this morning. Is that what you want? Do you need your mother to protect you?"

"No. Yes."

"Ah, the ambivalence of growing up. Wanting to be independent but still wanting to be able to run home to Mom and Dad when something goes wrong."

"You're what's wrong, Lyssa. Why are you being so mean?"

"I was ready to die, Jo. Prepared. I expected it. Then I wake up and Em's got me. And I hurt, so much, all over."

An inhale, a sigh. Jo sits on the edge of the roof, looking at her. "I was," an exhale, "just so glad to be home."

Lyssa is quiet again. Joanna finally breaks the silence as Emmett quietly walks up behind them.

Stephanie had come to tell him Lyssa had asked for Joanna and he went to see what was going on between them.

He approaches from downwind. He could smell the woods, the fields, a few deer, and both of them.

Joanna asks, "So, what changed?"

"I was alive and I hurt. I expected to be dead and I was saved at the last minute. I'm supposed to be dead, but I'm not."

"I don't get it."

Emmett says quietly, "She's pushing us away because she doesn't want to be helped or comforted or thanked because she failed."

"Huh?"

"She sacrificed herself for you, Jo, and since she didn't die it's like it doesn't count. I think she's having trouble believing it's OK for her to be alive."

"That's crazy. You did it. I got away. You got out, too. And, and Thomas is OK. And my party is tomorrow and some more wolves will find their mates. And you and Emmett can have pups and you can be around when I get mated and..." Lyssa smiles as Emmett gets closer. "..and I'm glad you're gonna be OK. Are you?"

Emmett gently places a hand on her shoulder and she turns her head to look at him, murmuring, "How do you know what I'm feeling? For that matter, how does Stephanie?"

"Because we're all very much alike and Stephanie had to remind me of that. We all lost our families. We're each the only survivor and each of us has had to work through our feelings of wondering why we were left alive. The guilt of not having died with our families. Why we're alive and they're not." Lyssa reaches up to cover Emmett's hand with her own.

"But, I'm not family and, she.. wait, I'm still not sure I get it."

"You're like a little sister to me, Jo."

"When I got old enough I got to the point where I would fight anyone for any reason. I was big enough and strong enough that I won most of the time. Randall's father, Wallace, had a talk with me after a bunch of males got together and beat me badly."

"It took a while for it to sink in. That I deserved to live. That I should make something of myself, make my family proud. You probably went through something similar."

Lyssa nods. "Rebellious. Out late partying. Drugs. Sleeping around. All kinds of self-destructive things. It was my grandfather who talked me into being something better."

"So, the fact that you didn't die makes you feel you're not worthy of living? Or love? Or something like that?"

Emmett strokes Lyssa's hair with his free hand. "A worthy end to your life?"

Lyssa closes her eyes. "Some of it. All of it. I'm not sure. But, yeah, something like that, I guess."

Joanna comes up to them, looks at Lyssa. "It was the most amazing thing you did for me, Lyssa. Do you remember what you told me? That the only way to help both of us was for me to leave you and get help? I did, and we were able to save you, too."

[I love you, mate. Don't ever forget that.] He slides his arms around her as the tenseness leaves her body.

"You're gonna be OK, aren't you? You're coming to the party, aren't you?"

"I'd better make nice with your mother, then."

"Good. I'm glad you're OK again. .. Oops, Mom wants me." Joanna squeezes Lyssa's hand and runs off.

"You'll feel better when you can run through the woods again." Emmett kisses the side of her neck.

"The damn cast still itches."

"If you eat, sweetheart, and take a nap, you'll heal faster."

"Of course, Dr. Forester. After I see Ariel. And get things ready for Jo's party."

Lyssa talks to Ariel and then makes sure the unmated are coming to the Wyeth gathering the next day. She then eats and sleeps for a couple of hours.

She stretches and groans when she wakes. "Ow."

"You'll feel better soon, I hope." He's sitting in a chair, staring at her.

"Afraid I'm gonna do something stupid?"

He rises and comes over to the bed, leans over, and kisses her. "No. Not anymore."

"Then why the guard?"

"Not a guard, dear heart. Just enjoying the peaceful look on your face."

She tries to sit up, and shoves a couple of pillows behind her back. "Why do I still feel so weak?"

He sits beside her on the bed, takes her hand. "All your energy right now is going to healing your injuries. Once that's done you'll be ready to take on the males again."

He pulls her gently against him and puts his arm around her. "I was with Roland when you screamed for help..."

It was two days since they had been rescued and Lyssa was still in some pain. She felt a lot better than she had and her body was sporting purplish greenish yellow spots but she still tired easily.

Lack of food, injuries, and long term drugging would do that to you.

She was supposed to rest but was really chafing under the restrictions. Everyone took that as a good sign.

Besides, there was no way she was going to miss Jo's party.

As they started down, Lyssa stopped. "We never got her a present!"

Emmett turns to his mate and puts his hands on her shoulders, sliding down her arms, he takes her left hand. The arm is still bulky because of the cast. He brings her hand to his lips, kisses it, then places her hand on his chest. "Dear heart, she's here, because of you. I don't think she expects any other present but you."

[Lyssa, can you come to my room?]

[Give me a couple minutes, Jo.] "Joanna wants me to come down."

"Alright, then."

"No. No. Back to our room, first." Mystified, Emmett walks with her. She was still a bit unsteady and slow.

She goes quickly into her drawer and takes something out. Closed in her fist, she takes Emmett's arm. "OK."

Emmett relinquishes her arm at Joanna's door. "You gonna be OK?"

She looks at him with a bit of a scowl. "Ya know, if I got a dollar every time someone asks me that we could go on vacation."

He smiles and kisses her. "You're on."

She knocks on the door and Ariel admits her. "No males." Lyssa chuckles.

As the door closes Emmett hears his mate exclaim, "Oh, Jo, you look lovely." He smiles again.

Joanna is dressed in a sapphire blue gown.

Strapless, it nicely frames her breasts, the neckline in a sweetheart style. The bodice clings to her smaller curves and the dress flares out at the waist. The skirt has some fullness to it. It would swing while she was dancing. Tea length.

She wears matching sandals with a kitten heel.

"OK, twirl."

Joanna obliges. Her light brown hair is done up in a loose chignon.

Lyssa is reminded of prom. Ariel stands proudly by, looking at her daughter.

"Absolutely gorgeous. Needs one thing though."

"Huh?"

"Turn around."

Lyssa drapes the chain around Jo's neck and fastens the new clasp. "Happy birthday."

Joanna picks up the pendant hanging below her throat, gasps, and whirls, eyes wide. "You can't give me this. You should keep it. For your daughter, or something."

Lyssa gives Joanna a kiss on the cheek. "I may never have.. a daughter, Jo."

"But it's like a family heirloom or something."

"This is where my family is now. I want you to have it. Besides, look how it goes with the dress."

"Mom?"

"It's perfect. In fact, I'd say you're ready to meet your guests."

"I feel so nervous."

"One foot in front of the other. It's all people you know."

The three women open the door to three men in suits.

Emmett whistles. "Well, Joanna, you do clean up well." She punches him in the arm.

He then notices the heart at her throat and turns to his mate. [Lyssa. Your mother's heart?]

[Yes.] Her eyes are a bit moist.

The men each offer an arm to one of the women.

Ariel is in a hunter green halter dress, Randall in a charcoal suit. Next is Lyssa and Emmett. Emmett also in charcoal with Lyssa in a burgundy wrap dress with a lettuce hem.

Roland, in navy, escorts his sister.

They walk to the balcony overlooking the front hall, the crowd murmuring below. Randall turns to Lyssa and gestures, she sends [Wyeth guests, your attention, please.]

Everyone shuts up and looks upward at Randall, Ariel, Lyssa, and Emmett at the railing.

Randall's voice rolls out over the assembled guests. "My friends! Today an Alpha daughter attains maturity. A Wyeth daughter. Joanna Wyeth is now an adult, with all the responsibilities and freedoms that entails."

"As you all know, she is recently returned to us. And, while I thank everyone for their help and support, there are three people I wish to give special recognition."

"The first is Lyssa Forester, mate to our Beta, through whose efforts our daughter was able to get free." A howl goes up from the wolves.

"Second is Thomas Cantrell, who was able to prevent Lyssa, herself, from being killed." Thomas looks up, startled, as the wolves howl again. Lyssa nods to him.

"Third, [Come up here, pup.].." Nathan mounts the stairs, wearing a white button down shirt and a pair of black pants, as Randall continues, "is Nathan Severn, who cemented Joanna's escape."

Out of sight of the guests downstairs, Randall gestures Nathan to stand beside Joanna. [Take her arm, son.]

Nathan wraps her other arm in his. [You're beautiful.]

"I present to you the Alpha daughter, Joanna Wyeth."

Joanna descends the stairs, flanked by Roland and Nathan, to howls and applause. The stairway is wrapped in a garland of greenery, including roses, colored carnations, and daisies.

"Let the party begin!"

Emmett scoops up Lyssa. "Hey!"

[It'd take you half the night to get down the stairs, mate.]

[So much for my grand entrance.]

[It's not your party.]

[Spoilsport. Why did I get so dressed up then?]

[For your friend. For me. I do look forward to peeling it off you later tonight.]

[Emm...]

[To put you to bed.]

[Uh, huh... Look at her and Nathan.]

[I think it would be a good match.]

Emmett deposits her in a chair off to the side of the hall. [I'll get you something to eat.]

Joanna stands with her parents, greeting the Alphas and her other guests.

The hall is covered with streamers and flowers in Joanna's chosen colors. A buffet is off to one side. Tables are placed around the room for guests to sit at, eat, or visit.

As the music swells, the party continues. Little knots of wolves stand or sit in various corners. Some going for seconds, or thirds, at the buffet. Others outside.

The Severn wolves had been paired with Wyeth wolves, to keep the peace. There had already been a small scuffle.

However, unless some serious damage was done, no one would report it to the Alphas.

Joanna and Lyssa are watched, carefully.

Jo and Lyssa are asked after and sought out by the more curious.

The unmated wolves had been introduced earlier in the day so as to lessen the possibility of an altercation. Everyone was behaving thus far, but there was a definite circling and trolling going on. Macy's Alpha female had already picked out a probable match between a pair of wolves.

The unmated gathering would continue for the two days following the party.

Calvin Ross had come as a courtesy. He had known Joanna since she was a nurseling. But, with rumors flying around about Michael, he was uncomfortable.

Wanting to get away from the press of the crowd, he grabs a can of beer and walks outside. It was difficult to tell who was where from the mixture of scents, and he's not paying the strictest attention to where he's going.

Rounding a corner, he runs into a female and grabs her, reflexively.

She growls, lightly. "Oh, I'm sorry.." and he looks up into green eyes.

"Alpha.. I apologize."

"It's just Calvin now, my dear. Who are you?" Brown hair, a sturdy frame, but those eyes.

"Stephanie, sir, of Wyeth."

"Ah, yes, I believe I may have seen you on one of my visits. Are you one of the unmated?"

"No, sir. Uh. Yes, sir."

Calvin smiles. "Which is it?"

Stephanie takes a deep breath. "I'm not mated. But I'm only here to work security for the party."

"Care to keep an old man company for a bit?"

Although a couple other young males had cut in for a dance or two, after the dance with her father, Joanna has been dancing with Nathan.

Lyssa watches, and smiles. It seems Joanna has found a young man to her liking. In truth, she might be mated by year's end.

Emmett watches with a bit of a scowl on his face. [Jealous, mate?]

[What?] He looks down at her. Lyssa nods towards the young couple. [Of him? Certainly not.]

[Then why the look?]

[She's just too young to be interested in males yet.]

Lyssa barks out an explosive laugh that has many of their guests looking at her. [How old is old enough?]

In all seriousness, he replies, [No daughter of mine will be mated before they're 60.]

Lyssa shakes her head. [Double standard, huh? How old am I?]

He looks down at her grin and kisses her. [You'll feel the same way, sweetheart.]

At the thought of their own children, she gets pensive.

Ariel looks over and notes Lyssa's look. [Alright, Lyssa?]

[Just thinking.]

[The party is marvelous. You did an excellent job.]

[Thank you, Madam Alpha.]

[So, Randall, what do you think of a Severn in the family?]

[He saved her. She's infatuated with him. It will wear off.]

[I don't think so.]

[Bet?]

[Yes. What's the bet?]

[I get to tie you down, blindfold you, and have my way with you for two hours.]

[Alright. And if I win, you bring back a wild pig and I get to tie you down, blindfold you, and have my way with you for two hours.]

[Done.]

[Let's dance, Ran.]

Ariel and Randall move out onto the dance floor with an animal grace. They launch into a salsa with an energy guaranteed to make their children cringe. The Alpha couple move to the music, getting closer to Joanna and Nathan.

Joanna watches her parents approach. [Here they come.]

[Do you want to go somewhere else?]

[Nope. It's my party. I'm gonna have a good time.]

Moving closer still, Randall dangles something in front of Joanna's face.

With a squeal, she grabs the keys. "Where is it!?"

"Behind the back outbuilding."

She grabs Nathan's arm. "C'mon!"

They run out the side door with Joanna in the lead.

On the way, they pass Erich.

Erich was caught between two females and wasn't really sure what to do.

The women were getting rather agitated and he was trying to defuse the situation, so he'd walked outside. They had followed.

They were both from Gates pack and seemed to be trying to outdo each other to get to him. He knew he was a pretty good candidate for a mate because of his position in the pack, but this bordered on the ridiculous. They seemed to have a long standing rivalry or something which he saw was being taken out on him.

They now had him backed against the wall in a corner outside the pack's dining room.

One, Diana, had pulled off her top to show him her breasts. The other, Cynthia, was pulling at his waistband and undoing his pants.

"Ladies, please! Ooo!"

Diana had shoved her hand into his boxers and was stroking him. As he opened his mouth, she stepped closer and stuffed her tongue down his throat. [Nice package.]

Meanwhile, Cynthia, or Cyn, as she liked to call herself, had dropped to her knees, yanked down his pants, and had sucked him into her mouth. "Urf. Uh."

[Mmm. Just like a popsicle. I could do this all day. And I'm better at it than she is.]

Selene, they were aggressive. And how did they know who was better at what?

Then his brain stops functioning in its normal fashion. Diana had ripped open his shirt and he felt her bare breasts against his chest while she stole his breath with her fevered kiss.

Cyn, meanwhile, was taking him deeply. The sensations were such that his claws were digging in to the wall behind him. Then she did something that no female he'd ever been with had. First, she sucked his balls into her mouth and rolled them around with her tongue. His toes curled and his leg muscles tensed up.

Next, she released his sack from her warm mouth and, with a smile, sucked him back into her mouth. Diana nipped across his collarbone as Cyn's hands reached around his asscheeks.

He gasped, "Selene!" as she rubbed the pad of her finger over his anus.

Then, a push, and she's inside, rubbing against.. Diana bit at his nipple and he roared as he came, overwhelmed by the sucking, biting, and the rubbing of his prostate.

He sucked in air, his hips jerked, as Cyn swallowed every bit of cum, the contractions of her throat milked him dry.

She pulled away slightly and rolled the last bit around in her mouth, then swallowed.

"How's he taste?"

"Mmm. Yummy."

"My turn next."

He's surprised his legs were holding him up. He cleared his throat. "Um. Uh. Thank you, ladies. I do have something the Alpha asked me to look into. I should see to it."

"Oh. Too bad."

"Hurry back."

Erich pulled up his pants and fled.

Joanna and Nathan dash to the back outbuilding.

Along the way Nathan sees two wolves standing guard outside another small outbuilding.

Calvin Ross and a brown haired female are headed that way.

"What's in there?", he asks, curious. "Oh, sorry, none of my business."

She stops, looks over, and looks back at him. "I probably shouldn't say."

He looks back. "You're right. It's Wyeth business, but it looks like it's bothering you."

She grumbles to herself. "I don't know why they're keeping him alive." A pause. "C'mon. I want to see what they got me."

Him? Alive? Had they taken one of the kidnappers alive? If so, he didn't understand either.

Stephanie relieves Samuel, who's one of the two currently guarding Alan.

"Two guards, my dear? Must be something or someone.." Calvin scents the air and catches a familiar smell. Three males from the Ross pack were unaccounted for. This was one of them.

The rumors about Michael were true.

He'd told his father he would keep Sampson on longer as Beta, but he had obviously had another in mind as his Beta. Must be one of the missing males. Of the three, it was probably Jason. But this was not him.

Calvin had to assume the other two were dead. But why would they be keeping this one alive?




Pursuit of Happiness 11



This was not something he was supposed to find, but, now that he knew, what could be done?

He was not Alpha, so he could not question it or request his return. He could, he should tell Michael. But, then again, Wyeth was well within their rights to punish a wolf captured while they were reclaiming two of their own.

Stephanie watches him. He knew. "Alph.. Calvin. Perhaps it would be better if you returned to the party."

He smiles. "I would much rather spend time with you, if I am not interfering with your duties." 

She sighs. "If you will allow for a certain amount of detachment from me, we can continue our conversation."

David asks, [Does he know what we're guarding?]

She replies, [I'm sure he recognizes one of the Ross pack is inside. It's too late now. I'll inform the Alpha.]

[Alpha?]

[Stephanie. What is it?]

[Calvin Ross was walking with me and has recognized who we're holding.]

[Has he said anything?]

[No, sir. He wishes to continue speaking with me.]

[I'll be there shortly.]

Erich decides to check on the prisoner as an excuse to get away from the two females and is headed that way when Joanna and Nathan drive past.

Joanna is driving a silver Pontiac Solstice with the top down and Nathan in the passenger's seat. [Anton's not going to be happy with you, Jo.]

[I'm not making that big of a mess, Erich. Besides, it's my birthday.]

She heads for the gate of the compound as Randall exits the house. [Drive carefully, Jo. Don't stay away too long.]

[Yes, Dad.] She waves.

Erich has found Calvin with David and Stephanie.

"Calvin. I think it would be better if you went back to the house."

"I was simply enjoying Stephanie's company. I didn't intend to cause a problem."

As Erich says, "Stephanie, I'll take over for you. Please take Calvin back closer to the house." Randall strides up.

"Cal, I'd prefer that you maintain your distance from this building."

"Of course, Randall. As Erich has just released Stephanie from her duty, we can certainly go somewhere more pleasant."

[Stephanie, please.]

She turns to him. "Alright, Calvin, let's do that."

He pats her arm. "Cal, dear. It's Cal."

"Erich. Why are you here? You're not on rotation. You should be mingling." Randall takes in Erich's disheveled appearance.

Erich takes a deep breath. "Needed a little time away from the crowd, sir."

"I'm going to find someone to relieve you. You will not stay here all night."

"Yes, sir."

Nathan watches Joanna drive the car with obvious joy.

While he periodically glances at the road, he looks mostly at her.

Her light brown hair has come loose and was flowing out behind her. She was grinning, her blue eyes sparkling, and, under the pretty dress, she had kicked off her heels and was driving barefoot.

She was gorgeous.

Erich decides to hide in a small garden off the back of the house. It's dusk and a warm darkness was closing in around the house.

Cynthia and Diana had his scent, and would track him down eventually, but for now he would enjoy some peace and quiet.

Huddled in a corner of the garden, he spies a small form. He scents the air. Female.

He walks over to sit next to her on a bench. She's facing the corner, away from all the activity, looking uncomfortable.

Quietly, he asks, "Are you alright? I can get one of our healers, if you need them, or something else?"

She turns a little, but not enough so he could see her face. "No. Thanks. I'm OK."

"Had enough of the party already?"

Her admission is quiet. "I just don't .. I don't like being around a whole big group like this."

"Do you mind if I sit out here with you for a while? I'm Erich, by the way."

"Madeline. No, that's OK. It's your compound, after all."

Madeline. Tucker pack. "Now, Madeline, I'm not going to stay here if it bothers you. There are plenty of other places I can hide."

"Hide?" Startled, she looks up at him, and he falls into a pair of wide eyes that are some sort of purple color. "What are you hiding from?"

"If I tell you, it'll sound kinda crazy."

She looks down again. "Oh. OK."

He inhales, sighs. Most females would be trying to talk him into telling them, at this point. "Two females from Gates have been hounding me. They're kinda scary."

She laughs. A pleasant little tinkle. "Oh, them. I've seen them circling. Although, on this hunt, they're looking for the strong ones."

He has a thought. "So, what about you, Madeline? Want to go for a run?"

"Luna, yes!"

He pulls off his clothes and drops them in a pile. She's a little shy about removing blouse and skirt. Self conscious.

He changes into a brown wolf with two white socks and gets a brief glimpse of her body before she starts her change. Small framed, with small hips, a narrow waist, and small breasts. A bit like Jo but still more delicate, if such a term could be applied to a werewolf.

Her wolven form was also brown, a medium shade. She has four white socks to Erich's two and a white tip on her tail.

[Follow me.]

Joanna and Nathan return. She swings into the garage and pulls into an empty bay and drops her key off with Simon.

She holds out her hand to Nathan, and he takes it, as she leads him toward the door to the main house. Before she gets there, she pulls him off to the side.

"What're you doing, Joanna?"

"You can call me Jo, Nathan. I really haven't had a chance to thank you for getting me away from.. them. I can't believe you were out looking for me."

"Since I knew you, and the Beta's mate, I wanted to help."

"It surprises me that your Alpha allowed it."

"Uncle Aaron is pretty good, especially since I didn't take away from work. It'll take a little to pay for the bike."

"Anyway." She puts her hand on his shoulders, "Thank you." She tilts her head up, purses her lips slightly, and gets up on tiptoe, while looking into his blue eyes.

He takes the hint, sliding his hands to rest on her slim hips and bringing his mouth to hers.

She kisses him, rather chastely, then parts her lips slightly. He pushes forward, his tongue probing against that slight opening, and she opens further for him.

He runs his tongue into her mouth, and explores it. His arms circle her waist and pull her closer as her hands slide around his neck.

He feels the stiffening begin in his pants and groans. She feels the growing hardness against her belly, gasps, and pulls away slightly.

As much as he doesn't want to, he loosens his grip and lets her break the kiss, taking a half step back. She looks at the ground, blushing.

Someone had to say something, so he blurts out the first thing that pops into his head. "I could teach you how to ride a bike, if you want." Yes, think of anything but the soft warm female in front of you.

She peeks up at him and smiles. "Sounds like fun."

He takes her hand. "We should get back to your party."

Back inside, Joanna takes in the scene.

Roland was having an animated and rather intimate talk with two unmated females.

Calvin had Stephanie in a quieter corner, near one of the outside doors.

Her parents were talking to some of the other Alphas.

Lyssa and Emmett were off to the side. He had a hand on her neck, massaging it. He leans down to say something, and she laughs.

She goes up to the DJ and makes a special request, then pulls Nathan toward the drinks. After a few seconds, they hear,

"Now. Although this is a maturation party and a gathering of unmated, I have been asked to play a song for the mated couples out there."

The first few notes of the song play and Lyssa smiles, looking for Joanna.

Emmett takes her hand and leads her to the edge of the dance floor. He holds her tightly to him and begins to sway to the music. [Ah, mate, I love you.] [I love you, too, Em.] The kiss is long and deep as they stand quietly to one side, oblivious to anything else.

The Alphas and their mates are dancing closely, as are several other couples. Calvin has pulled Stephanie onto the dance floor.

As the song moves toward its ending, there is a slight commotion. Samuel runs over to Wade and Natalie. "Cassie says the pup is coming!"

Natalie kisses her mate and hurries over to the other side of the room, to help Cassie and reassure Samuel.

Ariel looks at her mate. "Another pup in the pack, Ran. I'd like to talk to you about having another."

Randall smiles at her and nuzzles her neck. "I'm game."

Emmett watches Natalie escort Cassie away, with Samuel hovering, with a bit of envy. "I can't wait til it's our turn."

Fin

****

Dear Readers,

This part had to end somewhere. As you can see, I've left a number of things open, so I'm planning on a followup - if you want.

Thank you for reading and commenting.

KemMyst



Pursuit of Happiness



She could not help but remember that she had always wanted to see Paris, but never like this.

An excited nurse burst into the room. "Mail!" she cried. "We've got mail from back home!"

So many nurses scrambled to their feet, hoping that there would be even the smallest news from home to keep their spirits alive.

"Lauren."

Lauren lifted her head in surprise. "Yes?" she stammered.

The nurse smiled softly. "There's one for you," she said. 

The others looked at Lauren in amazement. In all the time they had been away from home, the beautiful young woman had never received a letter. They had often wondered why. Lauren was so kind, so personable. It did not make sense for her not to have family, or even a special someone back home.

Lauren took the letter into her hands. They shook violently as she recognized the handwriting. She carefully opened the envelope. When she pulled out the letter, tears rose inside her eyes. It had been written on paper from her diary. She recognized the paper, but more than anything, she could clearly see her own words lingering on the page.

"Paige is in the backyard reading beneath a tree," it read. "She looks so beautiful. I wonder if she knows. I try to hide what's in my eyes, but Paige knows me better than anyone ever has or ever will. Does she know how deeply I love her? Does she know that I am madly, passionately, head-over-heels in love with her?"

Lauren blanched more by the moment. Paige must have read this and decided to send it to her as a means of telling her that she knew everything and could never forgive her.

Determined to see it through to the end, Lauren continued reading silently.

"I should tell her. I want to tell her. And yet... how do you tell your best friend that what you feel is more than friendship? For that matter, how do you tell your best friend that when she's your sister?"

The handwriting suddenly changed as a few elegant lines were fluidly scrolled along the bottom of the page.

How do you say what cannot be said? You say it with the love inside your eyes, with the emotion inside your kiss and the beating of your heart when it lives for another. 

**Come home to me safely, my Love. Please.**

The sudden sound of Lauren's cries frightened the others. They flocked to her in a supportive guild. Their arms embraced her with a fierce protectiveness. They rocked her gently and smoothed her back as Lauren, their strong Lauren, cried with utter abandon.

********

**August 1945

Cries rose up amongst the masses. 

Strangers embraced one another for the sheer happiness of the moment. People wept. Sailors raced through the streets, kissing every woman within sight. Confetti rained from the sky which seemed all but suspended by joyous singing and boisterous cheers. The cheers grew thunderous, as if to announce to the very heavens that it was over. It was finally over.**

********

Her heart was racing. Paige had dressed herself in an airy red dress which brought out the excited flush of her cheeks. Among the many other women looking expectantly to the train station, she was a brilliant flash of color amidst a bevy of autumn colors. 

Her flowing mahogany hair was neatly pinned in victory rolls while her hair hung with satiny glory between her shoulder blades. Her eyes flashed as shimmering honey pools. Her body grew tense. 

She and every other soul crowding the platform looked to the train coming proudly into the station.

Cheers flooded the air. A band began to play loudly, welcoming their men and women home.

Her trembling hands clasped together. Paige held them close to her chest. The beautiful woman felt dizzy with happiness. Her sister was home. She was home!

Paige was lost inside an eerie sort of haze. She had seen the people beginning to disembark. Their colors blurred together in a vibrant smearing of colors. But all of that changed when one person, one solitary figure, took on the clarity of the sun rising as the dawn. Even among the others dressed in uniform, Lauren was unique in all the world.

Her long red hair was parted to the side. It was sleek with smoothly styled waves. Atop its glistening satin, a garrison cap sat at a slight angle. Her pale skin was glowing inside the olive green uniform housing her hour-glass body. The warm color brought out the intensity of her catlike eyes.

Lauren had never been so happy to see the hometown she had been so eager to escape. She turned. Her eyes scoured her surroundings, doing their best to memorize how things had changed and how exactly they had stayed the same. It was during that awe-filled gaze that her eyes fell on a woman in scarlet. 

Her breath caught inside her throat. "Paige," she exhaled. She wanted to launch forward, to rush into her arms, but she could not trust herself while she was that close to Paige. Not after having dreamed of being inside her arms for all this time. 

Then somehow, they were standing directly before one another. They were so close that they could feel the other's breath against their tingling skin. 

Paige reached out her hands. Her movements were painfully slow. She had never been timid while showing affection toward her sister before. Then again, she had never been in love before, never ached to touch another person the way that she did now.

With feathery touches her fingertips grazed Lauren's until they stood face to face, holding each others hands. Their eyes met for the first time. For a brief instant, Paige remembered all the times her sister had looked away. Would she now?

Lauren tightened her hold of the hands in hers. Her green eyes danced with tears. "Take me home," she mouthed.

Around them, the chaos had yet to subside, but within each sister, an odd sort of serenity was sweeping throughout their beings. 

Paige refused to release the hand in hers as she sauntered with a slow eroticism through the masses. She felt the eyes staring after her with love, but the thing which sent her core trembling was the heat of arousal warming her back.

They walked along the sidewalk, hand in hand. The lights from the street-lamps fell over them in sporadic pools of warm yellow. Their fingers wove together tightly, connecting them.

********

When they entered the front door of their home, it was quiet. 

Lauren lifted her eyes as she removed her cap. They were soft as she stared around her childhood home. "Where's dad?" she asked absently. In truth, she had hoped he would be sleeping or locked inside his study. 

"He was called away," Paige answered as she took Lauren's things. "You know how much he lives for invitations to speak at prestigious colleges."

Lauren laughed quietly despite herself. Her laughter fell away as she thought of what her father's absence would mean at the practice. "That must mean that Jeffery is---"

"I wouldn't know," Paige interrupted quietly. She waited for her sister at the top of the stairs. 

The red-haired nurse moved to the foot of the stairs. Her hand rested elegantly against the dark wood railing. She stared up at the vision of her beautiful sister. The hall light at her back warmed the woman's silhouette in an enchanting halo. 

"He and I haven't spoken since I called off the engagement," Paige spoke softly. 

Lauren felt herself slip into a state of shock. Her head lowered while she stared heavily at the imported rug centered along the stairs. She had not even realized that Paige was no longer at the head of the stairs. So many thoughts were whirling through her mind, but she pushed them back. All that mattered was the question raging throughout her mind. What did this mean, she wondered. 

Lauren hurried up the stairs. She moved toward her room on the right. She stopped. A warm light flooded lovingly into the hall. It was coming from her sister's room. She felt butterflies dancing manically inside her stomach. Her heels kissed the hardwood floors with each slow step she took toward her sister's bedroom.

Lauren extended her hand. With her fingertips resting against the cool door's surface, she pushed the door open. 

The room was warm with candles. Paige lit the last candle before delicately blowing out the match within her hand. She turned her head as she caught sight of her sister standing inside the doorway. Slowly, she smiled.

"Did you know that the women working the assembly would spend hours talking about what they would do the moment their GI came home?" Paige asked nonchalantly. 

She strode across the room. Her fingers lightly clasped Lauren's hands. She pulled her invitingly into the room while she backed further into it. Her honey eyes reflected the flames inside the candles. She turned Lauren gracefully, as if they were dancing to the subtle sound of the wind rustling through the trees.

Lauren felt the backs of her legs touch against the edge of the bed. She swallowed hard at the lump in her throat. Her breath trembled as it slipped past full lips. She held the eyes of the woman she loved, the woman she had always loved. Her eyes never once looked away, even as Paige's nimble fingers began unbuttoning the golden buttons of her jacket. 

"The one thing that each woman seemed to have in common," Paige continued in a throaty voice. "Was a desperate need to touch, a need to pamper our GI. As if to say 'thank you', to say 'I love you', to say 'I missed you' and 'I need you'."

Lauren tried not to tremble. She closed her eyes, savoring the feel of Paige moving closer. 

Paige tenderly pushed the jacket from Lauren's shoulders. She allowed it to fall to the floor. Her fingers loosened the khaki tie around her sister's neck. When Lauren took her face warmly inside her hands, her hand fell limply to her side. She could feel the tie slipping out of her grasp. 

"Paige," Lauren whispered. Her eyes said so much, even before her lips could utter a word. "Do you realize what you're saying?" She gave a vulnerable frown. "I was so sure I'd lost you forever when you read my dairy. I---"

Lauren's words were brought to a dramatic end by the lips seizing hers with unending love and passion. The lips moving against hers were the softest she had ever felt. They were sweet and supple. She parted her lips against them. She felt them part in response to hers. Tender flesh traced along the line of her top lip. She closed her lips around it, suckling lovingly at Paige's tongue. 

Paige tilted her head. She deepened their kiss with a moaned purr which reverberated deep within her throat. Her arms wrapped around Lauren's body. She crushed her sister to her, feeling proud, shapely breasts crush against hers. Between impassioned kisses, she spoke.

"You'll never lose me," Paige promised. "I love you so much, Lauren. I always have." Her body shivered with excitement as Lauren's hand slid down from her jaw. They traveled over her shoulders, roaming down her arms until they found a home at her sides.  

The slow sound of her dress being unzipped echoed in the air. It joined the sound of their heated breaths rasping in the night, their gentle purrs inspiring dull throbs. 

The air came to rush against Paige's exposed skin. She felt it caress her with each pair of teeth opening. Soon her dress released its hold. It fell to the ground, haloing her body in a lustful ring. She stood inside Lauren's arms. Her breasts were housed inside a black lace bra. Her panties were of matching grace. Along the smooth length of her beautiful legs, her stockings shimmered. A delicate seam ran along the back of her as if pointing the way toward bliss.

Paige unbuttoned the khaki button-down shirt her army nurse wore. She released an appreciative groan as she glimpsed her sister's sensuous breasts for the first time. They were full, restrained inside their ivory bra with a seductive pout. 

Paige lowered her head. Her lips kissed over the tops of sweet-smelling orbs. She closed her eyes, feeling her sister's fingers get lost in her dark hair. Her tongue dipped into the valley of her sister's breasts. She grazed with a slow sweep across the flesh. Her fingers reached down, unbuttoning and unzipping the skirt which separated them. With a slight whoosh, they plummeted to the ground.

Lauren shrugged out of her shirt. She took Paige into her arms, then laid her sister upon the bed. The moment her body crushed to hers, she felt her pulse quicken.

Wrapping her arms around her sister's neck, Paige claimed her lover's mouth again. She kissed her deeply, growing lost in the emotions pouring from Lauren directly into her. All the love they had ever shared was heightened in the realization of attraction.

Lauren ran her hand along her sister's body. She guided her sibling's leg to wrap around her waist. With it close, she pushed off her sister's heel then tossed it to the floor. Her fingers traced the top of Paige's stocking. She pushed it down slowly, feeling a gift unwrapped beneath her touch. As they kissed, she repeated the act once more on her sister's other leg. The feel of smooth bare skin wrapping around her waist made her dizzy.

Holding herself up with her arms, Lauren looked down at the woman with mussed mahogany hair. Her red hair hung around her face. She was flushed with wanton desires, but she wanted to savor this night. She had dreamed of it for so long. 

Lauren sat up on her knees. She tossed her long hair over her shoulder absently, unaware that it sent a jolt through her lover watching below. Her arms reached behind her body. She unclasped her bra then removed it with slow eroticism.

Paige gripped tightly at the sheets. She strangled the moan inside her throat as enthralling orbs were revealed to her hungry eyes. She ravaged their flesh with her eyes. The peaks straining to new heights beneath her gaze caused her own nubs to arch painfully. She sat up on her elbows, never taking her eyes away from the woman moving to stand at the side of the bed. She followed the seductive air with which Lauren presented her leg. Then she watched as Lauren slowly removed her stockings. 

The little striptease that her sister performed was somehow voyeuristic. Paige felt as though she were somehow glimpsing her sister as she readied for bed. The way Lauren confidently held her foot against the edge of the bed, the way her hands slid over her own leg. It was easy for Paige to imagine the sexy redhead smoothing lotion over her skin.

Lauren's olive eyes suddenly lifted from her own thigh. She held her lover's eyes while her thumbs hooked themselves inside her panties. She worked the fabric down, one hip at a time. At first she gave teasing glimpses of her smooth skin. The lower her panties were pushed, the slower their descent became. 

Paige rolled onto her side, then commanded her body to rise. Her honey eyes never left the erotic show being put on for her eyes alone. She leaned forward. Her lips sensually covered her sister's trembling abdomen with lingering kisses. 

"Paige," Lauren moaned as her head fell back. Her lashes fluttered closed.

The eldest sibling breathed deeply of the musky perfume rising in the air. Her lips trailed lower. 

Lauren reached down. She grasped desperately to her sister's shoulder. She stepped out of her panties, but was sure that she would fall if Paige's lips moved even a breadth lower. 

As if reading her sister's mind, Paige took possession of the hips she craved. She held her sister upright the instant her lips touched themselves to hers in their first intimate kiss. 

Lauren's chest rose and fell with the passion welling inside her. She moaned aloud as a soft tongue slipped between her lips. It explored her with unhurried ease, memorizing every silken inch of her. She began to shake uncontrollably. Her lips were covered in copious dew. She felt its hot nature turn cool with each moment her lover's breath rushed to meet it. 

"I love you," Lauren panted. 

Paige encircled Lauren's waist in her strong embrace. She guided her baby sister to rest comfortably against the plush bed. Her hand slid to move the graceful length of Lauren's leg over her shoulder. She lowered her head. Her lips captured a swollen lip between them, suckling with a hungered need. Her fingers parted the blooming petals until she exposed the bright heart of her sister. She explored its silken depths with the tip of her tongue. Then she pushed her tongue slowly and deeply inside of her sister.

Together, both women moaned lustfully into the night. 

Lauren's back bowed as her body raised off the bed. She parted her legs, offering up herself all the more to her sister's famished mouth. 

Paige reached a hand beneath Lauren. She cupped the sensual swell of her lover's bottom, using her grasp to pull her lover closer. She fit her mouth to Lauren with greedy need. Her voice was muffled slightly, but Lauren felt her words tickle the throbbing parts of her.

"I love you, Lauren."

Lauren felt tears stream soundlessly down her cheeks. Her breath grew more ragged. Her abdomen clutched violently. She closed her eyes tightly as a cry of unabashed pleasure burst from her. 

Paige moaned into Lauren. She drank heartily from the fount offering itself up to her. As it flooded her, dribbling down the corners of her mouth to run hotly down her chin, she felt her own juices quicken. 

A sweat had broken out over Lauren's entire body. Her chest heaved mightily, but she felt alive. She reached out with shaking hands. She cupped her sister's face. Insistently, she pulled her lover upward.

Lauren slid her tongue over anointed skin. She tasted herself so clearly against her sister's face. Turning her head, she captured a pair of moistly fragrant lips. She kissed her sister deeply, caressing her tongue against the tongue that had brought such pleasure to her body. 

Paige was trembling. She had never wanted anyone so much. She had never ached as much as she did in this moment. Her back arched with arousal. She relished the feel of Lauren's hands moving over her. When the erotic redhead released her from the restraints of her bra, she shivered. When Lauren began kneading skillfully at her breasts, she moaned.

Lauren sucked with a quiet purr at the chin stained by her juices. Her hands moved down to the panties she both envied and resented for being so close to Paige. She peeled them away. The perfume their absence released was driving her mad with passion. 

Her hand worked between their bodies. Lauren felt her palm purposely grind an erotic slope. She worked the heel of her hand against a hardened clit. She felt her sister's heartbeat throbbing inside it. She massaged the hardened nub more diligently, spurred onward by the vocal encouragements flooding the air. She had never seen her sister so free. Paige was beautiful and untamed.

Paige rolled her hips, working to meet the hand grinding against her. When her sister's middle finger dipped into her, then delved deeper at its next attempt, her head fell back with a moan. 

Together, they found a rhythm. It was growing more passionate with every wet-laced smack to toll their pace.

"I love you," Paige said. There was a sudden urgency to her voice. 

Unable to take her eyes off of the vision above her, Lauren responded in a raspy voice. "I love you," she said.

Paige's juices flooded out of her in time with climax's cry. Breathless and shaking, she collapsed against her sister's body. 

Lauren wrapped an arm around Paige, holding her close. She remained deeply inside the woman. Her finger felt the persistent kiss of her lover's inner walls as they involuntarily tightened and relaxed around it. 

Weakly, Paige lifted her head. Her arms moved to rest on either side of Lauren's head. Tenderly, she brushed back the woman's long hair. She smoothed it gently. Its red roots were dark with sweat, making it appear more like the color of her own hair. She wanted to promise that she would never leave her. She wanted Lauren to promise that she would never leave her again, but none of that truly mattered. All that mattered was that they were together, finally truly together, as they had always secretly longed to be, but never had the courage to admit. 




Pursuit of Happiness



The olive green eyes gazing devotedly into hers would never turn away again. They would never hide what was inside them. 

Paige leaned forward. She kissed Lauren with all the love she possessed in her heart. Complete and utter contentment came as the body molding itself to hers offered up that same love completely.



Pursuit of the Hirsute



Real people can be even more erotic than fictional ones. These are real people...



Cara watched her new trainee in the next aisle shelving books. The Library Director often did this, peeking through narrow openings to observe her staff in action, but in this case Cara wasn't checking on the young woman's work, because young Laura was one of the most industrious workers the middle-aged librarian had ever hired.

What Cara was looking at was the young woman herself. This was the first day that Laura had worn anything that didn't have long sleeves, and the sight of the long dark hair that covered her forearms had sent chills down Cara's spine. The fine hairs fluttered with even the slightest movements she made, and now Cara was trying to maneuver into a position so she would be able to look up the baggy short sleeve of the blouse when Laura would reach up to the higher shelves.

Everything about Laura excited Cara, especially the things that most people would find unattractive instead of appealing. While not unattractive, Laura was a rather plain looking woman, and she made little effort to make herself more pleasing to the eye, much like her supervisor. Neat, clean and professional. 

Laura wore big round glasses with thick lenses that helped hide what might be attractive big brown eyes, and while she had thick, lush looking black hair, she wore it tightly tied up on the back, making her look even more like a bookworm than Cara herself, and that was saying something, mused the older woman. 

Those eyebrows were the first thing that Cara had noticed about the young woman when she had interviewed her that day last year, after noting the hair on her wrists when the sleeve of her blouse slid up briefly. Those eyebrows were thick and came rather close to being a uni-brow, obviously never been shaped or trimmed.

Was the rest of Laura like that, Cara mused as she watched Laura working? Young women today were so obsessive about plucking and waxing and shaving everything from the neck down, that it seemed impossible to find a girl who was unabashedly natural these days. Those that were kept their treasures hidden so as not to make themselves vulnerable to ridicule by cretins, and Cara hoped that young Laura was one of those women.

Then there were the sideburns - not actual sideburns but noticeable down that wrapped around the front of her ears, and just the faintest hint of a moustache as well. All of these traits made young Laura resemble the character that played the lead on that show Ugly Betty, thought Cara, only in Laura's case there was no disguise.

Laura was taller than Cara, at least 6" taller than her supervisor's 5'1", and she had broad shoulders and a slightly full posterior. Cara suspected Laura's breasts weren't very sizable - certainly not proportional to her rear, but she wore such frumpy clothes that it was tough to tell.

Now Laura was shelving a book on the top shelf, and as the baggy sleeve hung down, Cara strained to look down the opening. While it was dark and difficult to see, Cara was an expert at what she was doing. She only caught a glimpse, but that was enough to see that what she had hoped to find was there, and in such abundance that it made the older woman's heart skip a beat.

"Oh!" Laura gasped, startled to see her supervisor looking at her from the opposite aisle, and Cara then realized that she had been spotted.

"I'm sorry, Miss Fredette," Cara said, coming around the corner and meeting her protege on the other side. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"That's okay, ma'am," Laura said quickly. "I'm almost done with this cart."

"I know. You're quite fast. Accurate too, I've noticed. You've been an excellent addition to our staff," Cara said, and enjoyed the young woman blushing from the praise.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Would you mind coming to my office after you finish that shelving?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Back in her office, Cara went through Laura's personnel file, with the picture of the very somber woman from her ID badge on front. 26, Cara noted after some quick math with her birth date, and from the address of the apartment she lived in, Cara deduced that she wasn't rolling in money.

Nothing much in there of any use, Cara noted. Was Laura living with some one? Most of these young piglets did shack up with guys these days, but Laura never gave any indication that there was somebody in her life, except for the cat whose picture was the only one on her desk.

The meek tap on the door roused Cara out of her fantasizing, and she summoned in her young protege, who took a seat and sat there looking like she was on death row.

"Relax, Laura," Cara said, giving her a rare smile that seemed to ease her tension somewhat. "This isn't a bad meeting. Matter of fact, I hope it will be quite the opposite."

"That's a lovely blouse you have on today," Cara said. "Haven't noticed you wear that before."

I know you haven't worn it here, Cara thought to herself, because I would have remembered that. The blouse was drab, and probably from Target or something, but it was what was under it that Cara liked.

"Been so hot back in the stacks lately," Laura said softly, running her hands up and down her arms nervously, and Cara wished that she was the one touching those downy limbs like that.

"Yes, it has been," Cara agreed. "You should wear more blouses like that, dear. You have such lovely arms."

"I do?" Laura said, looking up at Cara like she thought she was being put on, and went back to running her fingers through those fine dark hairs. "Uh - thank you."

"Well, back to business," Cara said. "As you know, with the recent retirements there's going to be a position opening as my administrative assistant. You're certainly one of the top candidates, as you may or may not know."

"I am?" Laura said, her voice betraying her shock. "I mean, there's a lot of people that have been here a whole lot longer, and they probably know a lot more than me."

"That's no way to sell yourself," Cara said with a wink. "It's an important job, and nobody gets points for just being here longer. I need a go-getter. Somebody with brains and work ethic who handles herself professionally. Somebody I can trust. I think you fill the bill, and frankly there's only 2 women being seriously considered. You're one of them."

"Omigod," Laura said, biting her lip and squeezing her elbows with her opposite hands. "This is unbelievable. Just being considered is an honor."

"Hard work gets rewarded here," Cara said. "I take special pride in helping young women such as yourself get ahead. Now, what I would like to do is to have us get to know each other better. That way, we can find out whether we'll be compatible. Who knows, once you get to know me maybe you won't want the job."

"No. I think you're wonderful," Laura gushed, showing a lot of enthusiasm. "You've really been so helpful since you hired me."

"After some time with me outside of work, maybe you won't feel that way," Cara chuckled. "That's what I have in mind. I'd like you to come to my home and have dinner. What day would be good for you?"

"I have a dentist appointment this afternoon, but outside of that any time is good."

"Don't you have to check with anybody first?" Cara asked. "Significant other or anything like that. I don't want to ruin any plans you might have."

"No," Laura answered. "Nobody - I mean no plans."

"Then how about Friday night?" Cara said, the word nobody making her warm inside. "I'll have a car pick you up. Your address is still the same as on your application?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Splendid," Cara declared. "I'm looking forward to it already. You'll be picked up at 6."

***

"Smart girl," Cara said as she watched her young protege emerge from the limousine that Cara had splurged for.

Probably in response to her praise regarding the other top she wore that day last week, Laura was wearing another short sleeved blouse, a canary yellow one that was actually quite attractive on her. Not only was it a bit more form fitting, but the color made the dark hair on her arms stand out even more. The girl even had breasts, Cara observed as she came up the stairs. Small ones, but breasts nonetheless.

Laura was wearing slacks again, as usual, and that disappointed Cara a little since she had hoped to get a look at her legs, since she never wore skirts to work. Would that be because she didn't shave her legs either? Now that would be too much to ask for, Cara reasoned. 

Oh well, Cara thought. Soon enough I'll see those long legs of yours. If all goes as planned I'll see all of your treasures my dear, she mused, and as every second passed Cara thought of her protege as her prey.

"Laura!" Cara proclaimed as she threw the door open to greet her young protege. "So happy to see you again. You look stunning! What a gorgeous blouse."

"Oh. Thank you," Laura said, smiling and doing a double take when she saw Cara as she was outside of the office.

Cara enjoyed the reaction she would invariably get when people saw her with her breasts "unwrapped" as they were now. The older woman had always loathed when men stared at her breasts, and had years ago taken to binding her bust to minimize their appearance out in public.

Using Ace bandages in the beginning, Cara had gone to wearing compression tops that did a much better job, in addition to being more comfortable. Of course, when your breasts were the size of hers, there was no way to flatten her chest completely, but the difference without the binding top was dramatic.

Cara felt her nipples harden as Laura kept trying not to stare at her supervisor's enormous bosom moving freely under the red blouse, and Cara felt herself getting wet already even though the poor thing had just gotten in the door.

***

"Thank you Marlena," Cara said to the housekeeper who was serving as chef and server for the evening.

The woman usually just worked a few days for Cara during the week but always jumped at the chance to make some extra money like this. The woman was a good cook, and while Cara knew that Marlena was well aware of what she was up to, Cara paid her enough to keep her mouth shut. In addition, Marlena had a girlfriend of her own at home.

After Marlena cleared the dishes, Cara thanked her and told her she could go, and take next Tuesday off with pay as a thank you.

"Thank you," the woman said, nodding back at Laura who was looking out the deck window at the back yard. "She's a shy one. Got to watch out for that kind."

Cara smiled as the woman left and then headed back to Laura, who was startled when Cara appeared at her side. Cara put her hand on Laura's forearm, as she had done several times this evening already. The downy hair on Laura's forearms was so soft and silky that Cara felt giddy when her fingers stroked the fur.

"Care to swim?" Cara said, noticing Laura looking at the in-ground pool.

"Me. Oh - uh, no," Laura said. "Don't have a suit anyway."

"Suit? No need for a suit out there, Cara said. "No neighbors around here. It would be just the two of us."

"Uh, no," Laura responded. "Not much of a swimmer, I'm afraid."

"Just as well. It gets buggy back there after dark," Cara said. "This is such fun, getting to know each other like this, isn't it?"

"Yes, ma'am," Laura said, her eyes drifting back to Cara's chest once again.

"Did I get something on me?" Cara said, looking down at her blouse as if there was a stain there, but fully knowing what she was staring at.

"Oh. No. Sorry, ma'am."

"Don't apologize, and please stop calling me ma'am," she said. "Away from work, I'm Cara and you're Laura. Okay?"

"Yes ma'am, I mean Cara," Laura said as she giggled at her slip-up.

"Not used to drinking, are you?"

"I guess I shouldn't have had that second one," Laura said.

"Nonsense. We're having fun and you don't have to drive. Say, I've got an idea," Cara said, flicking on the back yard light and pointing to the large room of the rear of the house. "You still seem tense. Let's go relax." 

***

"Oh!" Laura gasped when Cara flicked on the light and the room lit up.

The hot tub had been turned on all day in preparation for this, and Cara saw the nervousness on Laura's face as she ushered the young woman inside.

"Don't have to be able to swim in this," Cara said. "Let's get our clothes off and get comfortable."

Cara began to unbutton her blouse as Laura looked like she was trying to find a place to hide.

"Something wrong, Laura?" Cara asked.

"Is - uh - that a bathroom?" Laura asked, pointing to the door over in the corner.

"Yes. Go right ahead." Cara said, and after the terrified girl went inside Cara finished taking off her own clothes.

Her pussy was wet already, she noted as she ran her fingers through the damp hair that lined her opening. A result of feeding off the fear of the young woman, who was probably trying to figure out a way to get out of this.

Cara cupped her pendulous breasts, hefting the huge jugs with their fat nipples already erect and throbbing, as were the enormous pebbled aureoles they rested on. Cara threw on a robe and waited for Laura to emerge. The door finally opened and Laura peeked out.

"Um... could you turn off the light?" Laura asked.

"We would kill ourselves if I did that," Cara said with a laugh, but then went over to the knob and turned in so the light dimmed. "How's that? Better?"

"I guess," Laura said in a wobbly voice.

"No need for modesty," Cara said. "If an old woman like me can get naked in front of somebody, a lovely young lady like you certainly can."

Cara shrugged off the robe and stood there with her hands out while Laura tried not to look at her supervisor naked, but the sight of those enormous breasts, looking even bigger as they hung down to Cara's waist on her short frame, was impossible to ignore. Laura watched Cara climb into the tub and wait for her protege as casually as she could manage.

Laura inched toward the hot tub like she was actually naked instead of wearing her bra and panties she still had on. Cara's heart started racing as she looked at Laura's modestly cut panties, and more specifically, the rich black hair that was peeking out from the elastic sides and pushing out into the cotton.

At the top elastic, a trail of hair grew right up to her navel as well, and the image of what had to be a massively thick bush was visible against the cotton undies. Laura was a jumble of nerves, trying to hide as much of herself while Cara pretended not to care.

Laura turned and undid her bra, trying and failing to hide the apple-sized breasts that were even smaller than Cara had expected, but had fat crimson nipples attached. Remaining with her back to her boss, Laura pulled her panties down, and as she bent to step out of them Cara saw Laura's ass crack and the hair deep inside the crevice.

The backs of Laura's sturdy thighs also had a growth of hair on them, although the rest of her slightly thick and almost muscular legs were smooth.

It was with a great deal of struggle that Laura turned to face her employer, and Cara had to smile when she saw the terror in her protege's expression as she stood with her arms trying to conceal as much as she could.

"Laura dear," Cara sighed. "Relax. You have less reason to hide than any woman I can think of. Lower your hands for me - please?"

"There. That wasn't so difficult, was it?" Cara asked as she eyes took in the wild and untamed natural woman, and while Cara knew that many if not most would probably not agree, she found Laura an exotic treasure.

Cara's attention was captures by the sight of the jet black hair peeking out of the folds of Laura's arms, which were pinned to her sides, and when Laura's eyes drifted down to what her boss was looking at, her already flushed face turned a deep crimson.

"Sorry," Laura mumbled. "Wasn't expecting to be seen like this."

"Don't be silly. Lift your arms for me," Cara said, and when Laura didn't move, she raised her own arms, putting her hands behind her head. "Like this. See?"

When Laura saw the modest swirls of hair under Cara's arms, she seemed to relax, and eventually mimicked her employer's pose.

"Beautiful," Cara sighed when she saw the tufts of jet black hair that filled Laura's armpits, the unshielded vision of those rich dense jungles sending shivers down her spine. "You're just as nature intended."

"When I went to use the bathroom, I was looking around for a razor," Laura confessed.

"And that would have been disappointing to me, because I was hoping to see you exactly as you are," Cara said, not adding that it would have taken a long time and a lot of blades to make those thick tufts of hair disappear. "Your beauty is intoxicating to me, and besides, you could search the whole house and not find a razor. I do get my legs waxed though - a concession to the job." 

"Me too - I mean, I shave mine."

"I know," Cara said. "Now why don't you get in the tub with me?"

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Cara asked as Laura climbed into the tub and sank down to her neck.

"I'm kinda shy," Laura admitted.

"Kinda?" Cara said. "That's an understatement to say the least. Seems like these days women like to flaunt everything they have. You're different. We're different."

Laura's eyes went to Cara's breasts, which were a little buoyant in the water, and nodded. When Cara leaned back and stretched her back, that not only made her breasts jut out further, but also exposed the wisps of hair that were nestled in her unshaven armpits.

The older woman noticed where Laura's attention had wandered and raised her arms as if to pull her hair back over the rim of the tub, making sure that Laura got a good look at her very modest growth of armpit hair which was plastered against her wet skin.

When Cara saw Laura's eyes go there she kept her arms raised, and Laura was startled when she realized that Cara had been watching her staring at her.

"Sorry," Laura mumbled. "I just noticed that you don't shave your underarms either."

"Why on earth would I?" Cara said. "I would never wear sleeveless attire to work - very unprofessional looking, but women should be natural as they can be in our society."

"I - I just didn't mean to stare," Laura said. "It's just that I - well, I used to shave them when I was married, but it grows back so fast..."

"Please don't be sorry," Cara said with a smile. "I think it depends on the way people stare. I like to be looked at - by some people. Comfy?"

"Yes ma'am - I mean Cara."

"You don't mind me looking at you, do you?"

"No - I mean, I guess I'm not used to it."

"You should get used to it," Cara suggested. "If we're going to be working closely together that is. You do realize I'm very attracted to you, don't you?"

"I didn't," Laura said, swallowing with difficulty while watching Cara's pendulous breasts bob in the water. 

"Does that bother you?" Cara asked, and when Laura first shrugged and then shook her head, Cara added, "Is there someone - someone in your life. A man, or a woman?"

"No," Laura said as she shook her head slowly. "I was married."

"You were?" Cara said, and although she didn't really expect a 26 year old woman to be a virgin, the thought of a man violating her protege distressed her. "What happened?"

"I couldn't - couldn't have a baby."

"And that's why he left you?"

"Yes. That and he lost weight and then I guess maybe he wasn't as desperate for a girl. Plus, you know, I think my body - the way it is, got to him after a while."

"Forgive me to say that I'm glad," Cara said. "I know how that sounds because it caused you pain, but if that fool hadn't deserted you, we probably wouldn't be here tonight like this."

Laura smiled, and then took off her glasses, which had become fogged from the heat of the tub.

"You're even more lovely without the glasses," Cara said as she reached over and rubbed her foot against Laura's. "I want you to spend the night."




Pursuit of the Hirsute



"Well?" Cara said when Laura didn't say anything. "Only if you want to, dear. You don't have to, and it has nothing to do with you getting the promotion of not. I'm a professional who separates business from pleasure and this, dear, is purely pleasure."

"Cara... I - you know..."

"Never been with a woman?" Cara asked.

"Once," Laura confessed. "It was a long time ago, and I didn't really do anything. I just let her do things to me mostly."

"Classmate?" Cara asked, her nipples throbbing as Laura revealed a bit of herself.

"No," Laura said, and after a brief pause added, "A teacher."

"Oh," Cara said. "Was it a bad experience?"

"No," Laura said. "I was scared but she made me feel - I don't know - made me feel good about myself. It only stopped because she said she felt guilty, and I think she was also afraid of getting in trouble with the school. I guess, well I know I liked it."

"I'm happy for you because it should be good for you your first time," Cara sighed and smiled when Laura bit her lower lip. "That only makes me want you more."

"At work, everybody - I mean at least me - well, I was always kinda scared of you," Laura confessed.

"You aren't scared of me now though, are you?"

"No," Laura giggled nervously, unable to stop peeking down at her supervisor's breasts bobbing at the water level, and Cara was getting chills down her spine from Laura's looking. "Well, I guess I am a little nervous. I mean a lot nervous. I'm shaking."

"That's okay. Believe it or not I am too," Cara admitted.

***

Cara held out her hand to help Laura as the younger woman stepped out of the pool, throwing a towel over her protege's shoulders as she moved behind Laura and began drying her broad back.

Built like a farm girl, Cara mused as the soft cotton dried Laura back, the trace of down that trailed from her neck down the middle of her spine proving irresistible. As Cara pressed her lips onto Laura's back she felt her protege's body tense as her breath caught in her throat.

"You're so precious," Cara sighed as she moved the towel down slowly, drying Laura's firm buttocks as she knelt behind her.

Cara wanted to burrow her face into the furry crack that was inches from her face - wanted to explore her and taste every bit of her. Cara glanced down at the pool of moisture below her.

It was dripping down her own moist body, but in Cara's mind it could very well have been pouring out of her pussy, because that's how excited she was. She was delighted to see nothing about Laura she didn't want to see. No unsightly tattoos or scars, just creamy white skin and soft black hair in all the right places.

After drying Laura's sturdy and almost muscular legs right down to her large feet, Cara stood up and came around to face her petrified protege, whose chest was heaving as her breathing grew even more ragged, and as she moved the towel over Laura's breasts she cupped them through the cotton.

Perfect fits for her hands, Cara thought as Laura's stiff nipples burned into her palms, and when Laura timidly raised her arms at her boss's request Cara felt her own legs get a little rubbery as her blushing assistant exposed her armpits, with the thick mat of wet hair plastered against her skin.

Cara was now breathing just as raggedly as her protege was while the towel dried the delightfully unshorn hollows. Cara moved the cotton slowly, reveling in the sight of what had to be the furriest armpits she had even seen, and from a woman who had pursued and enjoyed a wide range of natural women of every race and age, that was saying something. 

As the deep dark armpit hair dried, it became so fluffy that it swayed from the breeze of Cara's breath, which sounded like a freight train as Cara got more and more excited.

With Laura being at least a half foot taller than her supervisor, Cara only had to lean forward as she lowered the towel a bit, and Cara heard Laura gasp when she saw her boss with her cheeks buffeted by the jungle of her armpit hair.

So soft, Cara mused as she kissed Laura's armpit, and the water from the hot tub had taken all but the faintest residue of chemicals from her deodorant, leaving nothing but the fresh scent of her natural beauty remaining.

Peeking over at her stunned prey through the fur, Cara smiled before moving her lips up to the upper part of her underarm, where the timberline of hairs curled up toward her bicep, and then kissed her way down through the dense thicket to where the last few hairs curled down toward her rib cage.

"Any lover ever do that to you before?" Cara asked Laura, whose forehead was beaded with moisture that wasn't from the pool, and when she shook her head no Cara added, "What a waste - your underarms are amazing. Before this night is over I'll do everything a woman can do to another woman."

Laura was hers for the taking. Cara knew that by the way her prey was standing there shivering, both from nerves and from the fact that she was aroused - probably like never before - and after Cara dried under Laura's other arm and lavished more affection there, she knelt down and dried lower.

Laura's waist was a bit thick and had a trace of tummy but was solid, and now Cara's face was staring right at Laura's womanhood, the opening completely shrouded by the wild untrimmed jungle of hair that filed her delta. The scent in the air was unmistakable. It was the scent of a woman in heat.

Cara quickly ran the towel over Laura's calves and ankles before rising to her feet and smiling up at the younger woman before grabbing a fresh towel and asking, "Would you like to dry me?"

Laura grabbed the towel and went behind Cara, string her supervisor the same way she herself had been dried running the towel over Cara's shoulders, back and rump, and after sliding the cotton over Cara's thick legs rose to face her.

"You're doing nicely, dear," Cara said as she linked her hands behind her head, and as her subordinate dabbed at the little wisps of hair under her arms she added, "Easier to dry my armpits than yours, isn't it?"

"Here's the hard part," Cara said with a smile as Laura began to dry her breasts, wrapping each of her twin torpedoes in the towel gingerly and rubbing them like they were crystal.

"They won't break," Cara said, encouraging Laura to rub her harder and lifted her fleshy jugs to help. "Feels good to let them out of hiding after a long week at work. Get under them too. You like my breasts, don't you?"

"Yes. I can't get over how big your bosom is," Laura said she worked the towel under the weighty pendulous globes. "At work I never would have guessed how busty you are." 

"I didn't realize you looked at me like that," Cara said, gasping every time the towel rubbed her throbbing nipples which were now bigger than bullets. "But I have noticed the way you've stared at my breasts tonight, and it excites me. Your old lover - your teacher - was she busty also?"

"Yes, but not like you," Laura admitted. "I look like a boy next to you. I wish mine were bigger."

"I love yours just the way they are," Cara sighed, wishing their height differential was reversed so they could rub their breasts together. "You're the most erotic creature I've seen in a long time."

Laura hesitated after Cara lowered her breasts, and then Cara nodded, whispering, "I'm wet down there too - just like you were."

Laura nodded and began working the cotton through Cara's bush, which was a nice sized growth of brown fur, and Cara bowed her thighs so that Laura could get in good with the towel before suddenly yanking it out of her hands. This caused Laura's bare fingers to run into her pussy, and Cara held her startled employee's hand in the curls for just a second before releasing it. 

"I can't take it anymore. Let's go upstairs," Cara sighed, putting her arm around Laura's hip and leading her to her lair, where so many others had gone before.



***

"Omigod," Laura gasped as Cara turned on the light, the soft glow illuminating the decor which was certainly unlike anything Laura was used to, and Cara noticed that Laura seemed to be particularly taken by the mirror above the bed and the large one above the dresser across from them.

"We look good together, don't we?" Cara asked as she stood behind Laura and positioned them so they not only could could see their reflection but so the hidden camera could capture them.

"Can't believe how hairy I look," Laura lamented at the reflection in the mirror as Cara's hands reached around her and up her hips before cupping her employee's breasts from behind.

"Neither can I," Cara whispered as she massaged Laura's breasts while nuzzling gently into her neck. "You're a beautiful natural woman who is driving me crazy without even trying."

Cara's hands slid down from Laura's breasts and over to her arms, her fingers dancing over the goose bumps before taking Laura's wrists and raising her arms up over her head.

"Stay like that," Cara sighed as she looked as her protege, who was beginning to realize that Cara's passion for her was real and her boss wasn't revolted but instead was reveling in her hirsute body.

"I wish I was an artist so I could paint you like this," Cara admitted, realizing that the camera would provide her with a lasting reminder of these moments, and she was delighted when Laura sighed as Cara's fingers raked through her bushy armpit hair before easing her into the bedding.

On her back, Laura's breasts almost disappeared, giving the younger woman an androgynous look that only made her more appealing to Cara as she climbed on top of her prey, letting her pendulous breasts drag up against Laura's body as she moved up to kiss her.

Laura did not flinch from the kiss this time, and when Cara pushed her tongue into her mouth she did not resist and even returned the affection.

Cara grabbed Laura's wrists and brought them up toward the headboard, not only flattening Laura's chest even more but also exposing her armpits, and Cara wasted no time in burying her face into the thick jungle of hair, licking and chewing like the animal she sounded and felt like. 

Laura began writhing under Cara's oral assault, whimpering as chills ran up and down her spine when her supervisor's tongue slid up the inside of her arm when the hair began and right back down. Laura's nipples were as hard as bullets and when Cara's hand reached down between her protege's legs she felt the wetness pouring out of her. 

Cara held herself over Laura, smiling down on her while enjoying her dazed look as Cara dragged her breasts over Laura's chest before she slid down. The older woman kissed her way down, nibbling her breasts and stomach before letting her tongue follow the treasure trail that led from just below Laura's navel to her sex.

Laura's pussy hair was every bit as dense and soft as her armpits were, but more importantly to Cara, her pussy hair was wet. Incredibly wet, and the pungent scent of a woman in heat washed over Cara even before her face reached the fold of her pussy. Her tongue danced along the soggy opening, making Laura's body squirm and her legs twitch, before Cara could wait no longer.

Holding onto Laura's hips with her hands, Cara immersed herself into her protege's lush bush, savoring the taste and smell of what might as well been a virgin pussy. A pussy that had probably never been eaten like this, because judging from the noises young Laura was making and the way her legs were churning, she was about to cum.

Let it out. Cara tried to telepathically convey the message that she loved to hear a woman scream during an orgasm, but even the restrained squeal was music to the older woman's ears as she held onto Laura's jerking hips, and just when Cara thought she was done cumming she started quivering again.

The blast of fluids startled Cara as her face was sprayed but only served to make her lap more energetically, and only after Laura had stopped convulsing did Cara raise her face out of Laura's furry delta.

Cara climbed up to look at Laura, who had a look that made her appear to be in shock, all flushed and breathing heavily. When Laura saw Cara slide up beside her, her supervisor's face all wet and dripping with her juices she apologized.

"Nonsense Laura," Cara said, smiling as she watched Laura stare at her breasts swaying beneath her as she crawled up. "It was marvelous."

Cara reclined on her back and linked her hands behind her head, looking at the mirror above them. Laura had rolled over and was looking at her, which gave the older woman an opportunity to look at Laura's full butt. Cara smiled when she caught a glimpse of her dark hair in the crack in her ass and made a mental note to explore that orifice later, but now she was enjoying Laura looking at her and trying to figure out what to do.

"Go ahead," Cara said when she saw what Laura was staring at. 

"Never did anything like this before," Laura said, her hands tentatively going over to Cara's left breast, which even on her back looked massive.

"That's it," Cara sighed as Laura began sucking on her nipple, which made the thick peg throb right away, and while her protege nursed at her breast Cara noticed that Laura's eyes had strayed.

"Go ahead," Cara said. "No reason to be shy around me dear."

"Felt so nice - what you did to me before," Laura said as she reached up and stroked the wisp of hair under Cara's arm, and the touch of her hand made Cara shiver.

"What do you mean?" Cara asked, pretending that she didn't notice Laura's interest.

"My underarms," Laura said shyly. "I couldn't believe how that felt."

"The underarm is one of the most erotic parts of the body," Cara explained. "They are sensitive and sexual and if your lover is one that chooses to ignore them, you both lose. I'll bet you were always made to think differently, weren't you?"

"Yes."

"I'm afraid my armpits aren't nearly as interesting as yours," Cara whispered as she sensed that Laura wanted to do something but was ashamed to. "But my underarms are very sensitive. Your fingers feel so nice, but I think your tongue would feel even nicer, Go ahead - don't be shy because I think that you want to. Do what I did to you."

Laura blushed as she leaned up and let her tongue slide through her supervisor's armpit, flattening the little cluster of hairs to her skin. Cara reached over and held the back of Laura's head with her other hand, pressing her inexperienced face lightly into the pocket of her underarm, and to Cara's delight she did not resist but instead attacked with lust.

"That's it. Suck my armpit, Laura. That's my girl. Make love to my armpit," Cara sighed, thrilled that her protege had become such a willing student, and knew she would make an excellent administrative assistant as well.

"Oh - you're going to make me cum if you keep going," Cara moaned as Laura started kneading her right breast while continuing to lick her supervisor's plump armpit with a passion that surprised and delighted Cara. "Don't stop. You're a fast learner, and that's good because I have a lot to teach you."



***

thanks for reading



Pursuit



"Shh," he whispered and he moved back to center. Small butterfly kisses were trailed across her collarbone and chin. She could feel his legs on either side of her thighs, his arms next to her ribcage. But the only skin that was touching was his lips to her oh so sensitive throat. She wanted to arch up and force him to touch her somewhere, make it so that his skin had to come in contact with more of her own. Her body was on fire with wanting. 

It was more than a want, it was a need. Kimmie needed him to touch her. She needed him to give her pleasure and release. "Please," she whispered throatily.

"Please what?"

"Oh god, please touch me," pleaded Kimmie. "Make me come. I need to come."

"You're so hot, aren't you, princess?" A hand came up and trailed coarse fingertips across her breasts. She cried out with pleasure as sensations coursed through her. His touch was so hot, searing down into her core. "You need to come, don't you?"

"Yes! Please!"

"I bet it won't take much, will it? You're so worked up," his hand trailed slightly lower, to the flat plain of her stomach, "that all I would have to do is mention what I would do to you and you would just explode, wouldn't you?"

Kimmie cried out wordlessly as he drew lazy circles across her abdomen. She raised her chest up off the bed, hoping to make him touch her even more. She needed to feel him, needed his heat and nearness.

"Wouldn't you love it if my hand went just a little lower. You would squirm so nicely if I brushed the outside of your pussy, wouldn't you? I bet you're so wet I could push two fingers right into you. One, two strokes, maybe three..."

"Aaahhh!" Kimmie's body exploded as she envisioned him entering her tight pussy. He would feel so good right now, filling her and making her want him even more, if that was possible. Just the thought sent an orgasm coursing through her. Her blood ran like lava, racing red hot through her body at speeds that brought her heart rate and breath to amazing heights.

And as she was envisioning what he would feel like, as her body reacted to his taunts, he followed through on his words. Two fingers were pushed inside her, throwing her head back and tearing another cry from her lips. Her hips pushed back to meet his hand, helping to impale her fully. She felt her pussy grasp onto his fingers with orgasmic spasms. Kimmie almost passed out as his fingers flicked forward, pushing on her g-spot and rocketing yet another orgasm through her body. He was ruthless!

Not much more than a minute ago she was begging him to touch her and bring her to her climax, and now she was this close to begging him to stop. Her body felt like it was being torn apart from the inside, like she would explode into a million pieces if he didn't stop. She could barely breathe, hell, she could barely feel her body.

Almost as if he could tell that she was nearing a breaking point, he stilled his fingers inside of her, letting her come down and gain a little bit of control once more. When he noticed that her breathing was almost under control, he began to slowly move his fingers in and out, letting his thumb brush lightly across her clit every so often. He bent down and began kissing one of her breasts. Kimmie was betting he loved the moan that he got from her as he captured a nipple in-between his teeth. It was one more little thing to show how much control he had over her body. He sucked gently, going slowly and with almost the same rhythm as his fingers. Then he moved onto the other breast, taking his time before once again finding her nipple.

Kimmie was damning herself for putting out the handcuffs. She wished feverently that she could touch him, run her hands across his broad back and down to his tight ass. Instead, she was chained to her own bed, a prisoner being tortured with amazing heights of passion. God, if his hand is this skilled, what must other parts of him be like?

Her mystery man looked up at her with an evil grin on his face. "Are we ready for more?" She watched him slide down the length of her body and kiss her pelvis. Kimmie cried out. That was the spot that was the most sensitive on her body. So close, yet so far, from that main core of pleasure. It was a promise and a tease that made her shiver and sweat with anticipation every time.

And Kimmie had a feeling that this promise was about to set to rest her questions about his tongue in wicked places.

He started out slowly. His tongue licked up and down her outer lips, lapping at her moist folds suggestively. She pushed her hips upwards in frustration, and he slipped his arms under her legs. He hooked his hands around her hips and held them down with the strength of those promising muscles. Kimmie was trapped, and she was loving it.

Soon his tongue started speeding up, pushing in and out, up and down. It wasn't as deep as his fingers, obviously, and didn't hit that magic spot inside, but it was a tease that made an orgasm begin to build in her once more. The quick jabs were taunting her pussy, making promises that she knew other parts of his anatomy could fulfill. Suddenly, his mouth moved up and sucked her clit tightly. His fingers entered her once more, and her body became ready to jump into oblivion. She felt the pressure building inside of her with every thrust he delivered home, and when he tugged lightly on her clit it was over.

"Oh God!" Kimmie cried out and began bucking underneath him. Her body would not stay still. She wasn't quite sure if it was trying to get closer to her mystery man or farther away. She wished she could touch him, grab him, rake her nails across his back. She couldn't even grab the bed sheets, and wound up curling her hands into fists and digging her nails into the palms of her own hands. The pain added another dimension to the orgasm, drawing more of her body into the shards of sensational pleasure.

Kimmie felt him move up over her again, and tried focusing her vision long enough to find out what he had in store for her next. She felt him settle himself between her legs, and immediately pulled her legs up around his waist. His left arm went underneath her, pulling her head towards him for a deep kiss. She could taste herself on his lips and tongue as he entered her. Moments later she felt his cock press into her awaiting pussy. She cried out into his mouth, savoring the feeling of being filled by him for the first time. Lifting her hips, Kimmie tried to help him go deep, so deep inside of her.

"Keys," she panted as she broke off the kiss. "The keys are under the pillow. Please, let me hold you."

With a brief nod, his hand moved from behind her back to under the pillow. In a few moments, never breaking his rhythm, he found the keys and began pushing her hips forward. "Back up, princess. Sit up so I can reach your hands. Slow, don't lose me."

With a little maneuvering, her hands were soon out of her restraints. The first thing she did was grab for his shoulders and upper arms. Tight muscles strained under her hands as he held himself up and continued pushing his hips into her. She could feel herself growing ever closer to another climax. Now, with the added touch, her skin seemed to be more sensitive everywhere. Kimmie knew that it would only be a matter of moments before she couldn't hold back and her body would shatter.

Sliding her hands down lower, she grabbed his ass and rammed his hips forward. "Harder," she whispered, almost growled. "Make me come."

"Yes, princess. Come for me once more." He took her cue and began going deeper, harder. "Come for me. Right now."

"Now!" Kimmie cried out as she thrust back with her hips once more. The pressure burst inside of her, sending tidal waves of intense pleasure radiating across her body. Her legs shook and gave out, sending her crashing back to the mattress as he continued to pound into her hips. Her hands raked up his back and grabbed the back of his shoulders, digging into his skin with wild abandon.

Her wild climax sent him over the edge. Unable to fight it off any longer, he thrust once more into her quivering pussy and came deep inside of her. She could feel his muscles shiver and tense up underneath her nails. He brought his mouth to hers in a brutal kiss that took both of their breath away even more than the orgasms already had.

Kimmie slowly unwound her legs from his hips and let go of his shoulders. She belatedly hoped that he didn't mind the pain, then thought that it didn't matter much at this point. Her body was spent, and she knew that she would be sore tomorrow. Her muscles were feeling great now, but she was betting that even ten minutes from now she would start to feel how tight they had been and what it would do to her for days.

Really good sex should always be felt for days after the fact.

"So," she smiled up at him. "My name's Kimmie, by the way. Care to stay for breakfast?"

"Why? So you can surprise me with the handcuffs next?" He rolled over onto his side, neither answering her question outright or offering his name.

"Now would I do that?" She propped herself up on one elbow to look over at him. She trailed a hand slowly down his chest. "I have to admit to enjoying being the one at the disadvantage. But I still didn't get a chance to suck that fantastic cock of yours yet."

"Well, princess. We may just have to rectify that tomorrow morning."