32 comments/  87483 views/  158 favorites

Shadow of The Wolf

By: blackduchess



A/N:

Many thanks to my wonderful editor Lunarosa for her tireless help. Changes had been made from the original submission that hopefully enriched the story more.

-BD

Prologue

The chirping sounds of the birds in the trees and the smell of the verdant forest carried on the fresh breeze. The ancient trees towered over her as she walked through the faintly visible deer path, and she felt safe in the midst of the hushed stillness of the primeval and remote place. She could hear the faint rustling of small animals in the underbrush frolicking and foraging for food. The place was teeming with life, but the one being she was looking for was noticeably absent. She hurried excitedly along the faint trail, hoping that she would find her elusive quarry. The sparkling lake water beckoned through the breaks in the trees. She trudged through the sweet-smelling knee-high grass, not caring as it lashed at her naked form, and shielded her eyes with her hand from the sun to search the other end of the lake.

"He's not coming," she thought forlornly, shoulders drooping with disappointment. Sighing, she slumped down and sat on the ground, pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around both legs as she rocked to and fro in an effort to comfort herself.

The faint yipping sound reached her first and then the howling of several wolves ripped through the air and echoed across the vast stillness of the forest. Raising her head, she alertly scanned the surrounding area. On her right, just at the edge of the tree line, she saw several pairs of glowing eyes staring at her, revealing a pack of wolves that had found her.

The biggest of them stepped forward. Its luxurious black fur glistened under the sun. Intelligent emerald eyes glowed with challenge as it cocked its head at her and stalked silently forward. She sat frozen, waiting with baited breath to see what the wolf would do next. Treading silently, it reached her and started sniffing delicately at her folded hands. As the enormous wolf continued to lock eyes with her, boldly, it slowly licked and nudged her hands. The other wolves faded back into the trees.

"I thought you'd abandoned me," she softly told the wolf. "You're usually waiting for me here." She lifted her hands and ruffled and caressed him behind his ears. The majestic wolf preened under her hands. Suddenly, he nudged her strongly onto her back and started licking her stomach with his slightly rough tongue.

"Hey! Stop that!" she laughed. His tongue was like a torture device that tickled her endlessly. She was laughing hard as she tried to push his head away from her. "No more, please!" She cried breathlessly, as the big wolf licked her belly button and sides.

Sprawling helplessly on her back, she wrestled with him. She tried to gently push him away with her feet and legs, which centered the wolfbetween her legs as he moved to resist. The wolf paused in his licking while she took a huge breath to recover. The wolf put his paws beside her head and growled low in his chest. She was so startled that she looked at him directly. And right before her astonished eyes, the wolf morphed into a man-wolf being. His whole body grew and elongated into a huge muscular shape of a man, but his head retained the ears and muzzle of a wolf. His fingers were tipped with lethal looking claws and his mouth was full of razor-sharp looking teeth. He was massive in appearance and dwarfed her as she lay underneath him. She was quite perplexed to realize that she was not alarmed or afraid of this monstrous being on top of her. Somehow she recognized that he would never harm or hurt her.

Locking his eyes with hers, he slowly sniffed his way down to her open sex. She knew she should push him away and stand up, but she lay there unmoving, waiting for what he would do next. His mesmerizing emerald eyes glowed with unearthly light and compelled her to submit to him.

Slowly, his tongue came out and leisurely lapped at her cunt lips. She hissed in pleasure. Her brain tried to make her limbs to move,to kick out and dislodge the wolf-man that was now feasting on her open pussy! In her mind she was screaming; "No! No! This is so wrong! It can't be happening," but she couldn't seem to open her mouth and say the words aloud. All she managed to utter were helpless moans punctuated with blissful sighs.

The wolf-man kept his eyes locked on her as he continued to voraciously eat her cream. After she had cum many times, he stopped and straddled her body. He licked, nipped, and lapped at her torso. He lavished her breasts with the same meticulous attention as he did her pussy. She was so sated, all she could do was attempt to move her head to the side to avoid his tongue as he sought her lips.

As she continued to peruse the magnificent creature, she shyly sneaked a quick look at his package. He was enormously erect! His cock pointed straight down and seemed to be targeting her open pussy. His cock was like a small trunk of a tree! At least it appeared that way to her inexperienced eyes. It was bigger than her wrist and probably longer than a ruler. No way could that monster fit in anyone's pussy, definitely not in her virginal one! She raised panicked eyes back to his amused ones. He appeared to be smirking at her as she heard his guttural word: "Mine!"

Suddenly, he plunged his monster cock into her weeping pussy as she screamed --

"Aaaahhhh!!" She bolted upright in her bed as her pussy continued to convulse in a tremendous climax. She laid back and panted until her breath evened out.

She got up and went to the bathroom. Splashing cold water on her face, she watched her reflection in the mirror by the sink. This was not the first time she'd had these dreams, but it was the first that she had sex with the creature who was man and wolf. Mostly they just played and frolicked around, he in his wolf form. It was just so bizarre that she dreamed of sex, when in real life she was what anyone would call a prude.

Something has to give, she thought. I cannot continue to have these weird dreams. Maybe Pam is right, and I need to get laid and get rid of this pesky virginity. Or maybe I'm just reading too many werewolf romance books, and my subconscious slotted it into my dreams. Time to lay off those paranormal romances, it's going to make me batty if I continue to have these dreams. Well I can't really complain much, he's one hot looking werewolf. Yawning, she took one last look in the mirror and sauntered back to bed.

CHAPTER ONE

"I can't believe you've talked me into this one. This is just plain crazy." Alexandra Grant glared at her best friend, Pamela Wilkes, as she closed the passenger door of her friend's car. "Crashing parties when we were teenagers was fun, but this one screams of total irresponsibility. We can get into a lot of trouble for this."

"Get off it already, girl. I promise you'll enjoy yourself. A girl I work with told me that this guy throws such great and lavish parties. Besides, it's not actually crashing a party. My friend told me that this party has an open door policy. Anyone can come as long as they are with someone else who's been invited. Nobody will know that we're crashing it, so quit your worrying, and for once, have fun! Of course it doesn't hurt that there is a lot of gorgeous eye candy in attendance too. Besides, you promised me that you'd make an effort to look for a man tonight and end your vow of celibacy," Pamela said with a smirk, "and I for one am not going to let you renege on it."

"Is that all you can think about? Hooking up? Look at this place. We don't belong here at all." Alexandra looked at the imposing front of the mansion, with all its lights ablaze. She couldn't help but cringe at the possibility of things going bad. No one this rich throws a party and would just let anybody crash it. There would be security to keep that from happening, right? How could the two of them sneak in without anyone noticing? It seemed an impossible feat. "Besides," Alex continued, "this get-up you've given me is really uncomfortable and too revealing. They'll take one look at me and they'll throw us both out of the door."

She tugged down the hem of the miniscule red dress and her breast almost popped out of the deep neckline. Pamela had dressed her in everything Alex was wearing that night down to the thong and strappy high heel shoes on her feet, although she was not allowed a bra because according to her friend, it 'would ruin the line of the dress, for crying out loud!' If only she hadn't gotten drunk last week and agreed to this asinine proposal, she would be home relaxing and watching her favorite cable program, Overhauling.

"Stop fidgeting, Alex! You look great. The dress looks decent, just a little bit on the sexy side. This is the first time in years since I've seen you in something resembling a dress. If I had your voluptuous figure, I would proudly display it. Working in that auto shop of yours robs you of any semblance of femininity. Wearing coveralls all day will not attract the attention of the opposite sex. Now, admit that you look wonderful."

Alexandra cast a dubious glance down at herself and glared at Pamela. "You're kidding, right?" 'Voluptuous' was such a misnomer. 'Chubby' was a more appropriate description for her. Sure, she had large breasts and curvy hips, but add that to her diminutive height --she stood barely five foot two inches barefoot-- and she couldn't believe she was the epitome of a desirable, sexy woman.

"I look like I'm a high-priced hooker. And you know I'm more comfortable just wearing jeans and a t-shirt." She gave a resigned sigh, "It's too late to do anything about it now so let's just get it over with. I'll give it a couple of hours, and if I don't find a man that truly revs up my engine then I'm out of here. If I don't find you by the time I'm ready to leave, I'll assume that you have found someone to hook up with and I'll just grab a cab home. Are we clear?"

"Crystal. But promise that you'll give it a fair shot." Pamela unwaveringly stared at her until she grudgingly nodded her head.

Alex didn't understand why her friend was so concerned about Alex's nonexistent sex life that she had resorted to dragging Alex here. Admittedly, she might be a little old at twenty-five to still be a virgin, but there was no help for it. Every time she went out on a date, she felt like she was in an emotional vacuum. No matter how hard she tried or how charming her date was, there was just no spark or any physical attraction to tempt Alex to finally get the deed done. She would not shortchange herself and settle for just a fuck. So what if she used her own fingers to get satisfaction? It got the job done. Besides, she was just too busy establishing her garage in a male-dominated field to put up with the hassle of a demanding man in her life.

Even as a little girl, she had always been fascinated with cars and engines. When she was old enough, she helped her dad tinker and restore his old 1971 MGB. In high school, she went to a special vocational school to learn auto mechanics and went to work at a small garage for two years, while hoarding her money to scrape up enough to start her own. Now, five years later, she had her own garage with three full-time mechanics on staff. She just didn't have the time to date nor did she have the inclination to have sex just because everyone was doing it. It was not that she was waiting for marriage, just that she wanted to have her first time with someone who would fully engage all of her senses. Alex wanted to experience that overwhelming attraction and instant lust, and not settle for a tepid and unremarkable encounter.

Pamela grabbed Alex's arm and pulled her towards the huge opened double doors of the mansion. As theyneared, Pamela turned to her and mumbled, "Do what I tell you, and we'll bypass the guy manning the door."

Alex glanced at the man by the door and almost ran back into the car. He was huge, with bulging muscles and a menacing scowl on his face. She turned to Pamela and quietly asked, "Are you sure we can get through? Let's just forget this and go home."

"Hush! He might hear you. Come on and let's join that group of people so he won't notice that we don't have an invitation."

They hurried to catch up with the group waiting for their turn to enter, and by sheer luck, one of the women in the party turned to look at them and smiled engagingly, so they smiled back and pretended they knew her. They sidled behind the woman, and as the group entered, they slipped by without the bouncer noticing them.

**********

"You'd better make sure everybody knows that this is the last time I'm going to put up with these endless parties," Rance de Montfort exclaimed. "I have had enough of the constant parade of available bitches for my consideration. I'm telling you, as I have told the Council countless times, that I don't need a mate to rule! I don't have any desire to tie myself down with just one woman; a variety of pussies will do for me for now." He continued to restlessly pace across his bedroom, and glowered at Damian, the other man in the room.

Rance knew that it was not Damian's fault, but he was damn tired of everyone throwing available bitches in his face. And he did mean 'bitches,' literally. As the ruling Alpha Rex of the werewolves in North America, they expected him, soon after he had reached his two hundredth year, to whelp an heir. All of his predecessors had found their destined mates during their second century of life, as was written on the ancient writings and promised by the Moon goddess Luna herself, and of course the council wanted him to follow after. The bunch of them were a pain in his ass most of the time; they were so set in their ways and could not seem to let go of the archaic notion that a strong Alpha Rex was a mated one.

Damian Beau watched his friend and Alpha Rex warily. Being his Beta and Prime Enforcer, he knew better than anybody else that Rance was primed to explode. The topic of finding a mate aggravated Rance. He could understand his friend's strong disgust at being forced to consider the idea. Ever since they were pups running wild together, Rance had always been popular with the bitches. They sought Rance out all the time, not just because of his station, but also because of his alluring, strong sexual magnetism for the opposite sex. Once Rance reached puberty, all he needed do was crook his finger and they came panting for his cock. It came as no surprise, then, that the werewolf Council's scheme to hunt for the Alpha Rex's mate through these organized parties was trying his patience. Every bitch in attendance was hopeful that she would be considered for the exalted position of Alpha Regina.

"I don't need help finding my mate," Rance muttered.

"I am capable of doing it myself without the interference of those meddling fools. Did they forget that there is only one lifemate for us? No matter how many beautiful bitches they shove under my nose, if she's not my destined Regina, no force on earth will make me take her as mate."

Finding a mate was instinctual to wolves, but some just settled for a companionship/fuck buddy relationship. Of course, being part human, some aspired to be so highly connected to the ruling monarch through marriage. Thus, Rance continued to endure the endless parties and parade of every available bitches on the continent. It didn't help that it had been written in the Sacred Books that an Alpha Rex chosen by the Goddess would find his mate on the month of his two hundredth year; this was the reason the Council was obstinately set on hosting these events.

"You have to give them credit for the effort they've done. I believe they have invited the whole shifter world, and some mortals too. Nothing is to be left to chance that you won't find your mate in the month of your birth, as others before you have done. I suppose they are hopeful that you'll finally stop fucking all the available bitches and settle with just one," Damian smirked.

Rance glared at him and started walking toward the door.

"The problem with being surrounded with available, horny bitches is that I'm so hard all the time and I can't do anything about it without them thinking they'll be mated to me after the fuck." He paused with his hands on the doorknob and turned to Damian, "Let's just get this thing over with. See to it that no one sets foot inside my bedroom unless I expressly approve. I don't want any overzealous bitch finding her way in here. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Alpha Rex."

Rance opened the door and purposefully walked out the room. This would be the end of the Council butting into his personal life. He was through placating and giving in to them. After this night was over, he would throw everyone out of his home and enjoy relative peace without the endless bustle of activities and people demanding his constant attention.

*****

The minute Alex entered the enormous entrance hall, her eyes were riveted to a portrait hanging on one of the walls. It was not because of the sheer size of it, but the life-like appearance of the man and mesmerizing glint of his emerald eyes. In a trance, she closed the distance between her and the portrait.

Her reaction to the painting was visceral. Alex'sheart started pumping hard while her lungs labored to breathe. Her forehead was dotted with sweat, and dark spots started appearing before her eyes. Inexperienced as she was, she couldn't understand why immediately after that reaction, her vagina wettened and her clit throbbed in tandem with her heart. Her breasts got heavy and her nipples started tingling and became hardened nubs. It felt like her whole body was so sensitized that Alex was on the verge of an explosive orgasm, just by looking at the painting.

The man in the painting was very tall, probably six-five give or take an inch, and very muscularly built. Dressed in casual clothes of buttoned down shirt with sleeves folded, jeans, and boots, he leaned on a tree, while a wolf sat by his side on the grass. His shoulders and arms looked huge, and strained the sleeves of his shirt, even indolently posed as he was. His flowing sable hair whipped about his arresting chiseled face. The emerald green eyes seemed to stare directly into her soul and unearthed all of her secret dreams and desires. His lips were curved in a sensuous smile that made her think of satin sheets and wild moonlit sex. If the artist had done him justice and depicted it realistically, the bulge between his legs, although dormant, hinted that he was more than well-endowed in that area.

As she continued to stare raptly, she felt like she was standing on a precipice with a glimpse of her future just ahead. Alex had a feeling that she was somehow connected to him in a way that would totally change her life. She had never experienced so strong a reaction to any man before and it scared her a lot. Alex was a firm believer that there was someone meant for everyone, that is, if one was fortunate enough to find him or her in one's lifetime. She was afraid that this man, an image she wasn't even sure was real, was alive, could be him for her.

Alex's convictions stemmed from observing her parents' relationship. Even in a society where divorce and separation was commonplace, her parents epitomized true commitment to one's partner. Her Mom and Dad met at a company picnic where her Dad used to work. They were both dating other people at the time, but they fervently claimed that once their eyes met, they knew right away that destiny had found them. They were inseparable after that, and married three months later. They would be celebrating their twenty-seventh anniversary soon.


Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 02



I'd like to thank Lunarosa for all of her help in story and editing. Your help is invaluable.

-BD

CHAPTER TWO

Rance was silently fuming as he slowly descended the main stairs leading directly to the vast entrance below. He'd been sequestered with the Council for the last hour, trying to reason his way out of their stubborn need to find his mate for him, but to no avail. He knew very well that some of them were pursuing this agenda because they were hoping that one of their female relatives would be chosen. As loathe as they might be to admit it, they were also ensuring there'd be no cause to question Rance's rights to reign as Alpha-Rex. Since the goddess had shown her favor for all monarchs from the very beginning of known Were history by gifting them their mate on the anniversary month of their two hundredth year, the Council in turn wanted to ensure it by making all the single bitches accessible to him. They expected to succeed and have his reign officially stamped by the Goddess by the divine recognition of his Alpha-Regina.

The party had been underway for a couple of hours now and his guests would be expecting him. He was not looking forward to it, but his duty demanded that he made an appearance to help further strengthen the tenuous alliance with the other shifter breeds.

He mentally braced himself for an interminable evening of walking through a quagmire of diplomacy and politics. The Werepeople had come a long way, considering that not even thirty years prior they were busy waging wars and killing each other in an instinctive need to dominate weaker breeds. It was only after they have decimated their number, they were in danger of eradicating some of the weaker breeds, that the different Councils and Alphas came together to work out a truce.

They still had their differences, and no one could totally suppress their beasts from showing their fangs and propensity for marking their territory, some skirmishes still happened, rarely, but still do, but so far they'd co-existed well after the truce and worked together for the advancement of the collective Weres. In actual fact, he even liked some of the alphas he had met, and called a couple of them friends.

As usual Damian, his Prime Beta, and the twins Luc and Troy Beauvais, two of his most trusted betas accompanied him. It was not, of course, that he really needed their protection. He wouldn't be Alpha if he couldn't take care of any threat to him and his. His betas were just overly cautious since there had been a spate of violent attacks on pack lands for the past several months that seemed to be escalating.

The party would be a prime target since different Were species and Alphas were in attendance. What was mystifying was that all of the attacks were committed under the cloak of night, with no witnesses, no telltale scent signature and no specific victim in mind.

As far as they could tell, the victims were randomly chosen. Human or Were, they were kidnapped from their beds, then their mutilated bodies were dumped on Pack lands. All were mauled and disemboweled, parts of the bodies were missing and some of the limbs were obviously gnawed on. All of the victims' necks were deeply slashed, almost decapitating them. None had any defensive wounds, and no foreign DNA was able to be scraped from their nails. The Weres kept the crimes from human authorities since they was obviously perpetrated by a Were. They would police their own.

What troubled Rance the most was that they just found out that Alphas of both the Panthers and Bears were having the same problem. So far, they'd found ten victims altogether: five on his territory, two on the Bears', and three on the Panthers'.

Rance amended his previous thinking and thought to himself, Maybe this party is fortuitous. Most of the Alphas are in attendance and they can deliberate on a plan of action to this problem that is plaguing them. Better to let them all comprehend the gravity of the situation if they don't take any aggressive action to apprehend and punish the Weres involved. Waiting for the perpetrators to kill again is tantamount to allowing them to spit on their faces. It's time to go hunting and make the villains pay for their crimes.

****

The tinkling of laughter, subdued conversation and light music reached his sensitive ears as he reached the bottom of the stairs. He had turned towards the main ballroom where most of the guest congregated, when he was arrested by the sweet smell of aroused female and sweet jasmine, with a dash of vanilla.

Rance stopped in his tracks as the most delicious of aromas wafted over him. The scent instantly sent him into a state of raging lust, as his body hardened and his cock elongated and thickened in his pants. His wolf growled to be let out as it clawed at him to claim the source of the enticing smell, threatening to send him to his knees.

The faint smell led directly to the great ballroom where the throng gathered. The French doors leading outside were thrown open to let in the slight breeze from the expansive garden where other guests wandered, and where the buffet spread was being served.

Rance's feral half was prowling agitatedly, as it urged his human half to find the source of the delicious aroma.

"She's ours! She's our mate. We must find and mate her!" the wolf demanded. "We cannot let her get away!"

Rance silently concurred with his wolf. There was no way that he was going to let this woman slip by him. Whether she was his mate was debatable, but the inevitability of her belonging to him for that night was not.

He weaved in and out of the crowd as he stalked the elusive female who had engaged his senses even ignoring guests, Alphas, and Council members who had tried to waylay him. His man may have resisted the qualification, but his wolf led him in a Mate Hunt and nothing would stop him from securing his prey.

His wolf, which was usually dormant, aggressively shoved at his skin, trying to come out to hunt for their mate. As a result, he partially shifted. His senses became sufficiently hyper-sensitive to continue to track the delicate smell of their mate, even in the throng of the crowd that pressed around him.

He tracked her from the ballroom to the gardens. Her scent meandered through the crowd back to the ballroom and into the hallway; it got stronger as he neared the grand entrance. Rance lengthened his strides to catch up to her, and slowed down before he reached her so as not to reveal his presence until he was ready.

"What's going on Rance?" Damian telepathically communicated as he approached his Alpha quietly, "why did you leave the party without even acknowledging the presence of the other Alphas?" Then Damian continued, bemusedly, "I thought you wanted to confer with them about the attacks on our pack and the other prides and clans?"

Rance growled and felt his eyes shift. The wolf in him didn't want anybody near his chosen mate. He clamped hard on his beast as he struggled to tamp down his instinct to defend his claim. He knew it would be dangerous for Damian to be near her right now. His human half knew that his beta was not going to take her away from him, but he also knew his wolf would just lash out on its perceived threat to its right to claim its mate.

The puzzled and alarmed look on Damian's face helped to calm him and bring his focus back.

"My Mate is here. Make sure that nobody gets in my way," Rance responded as he shook himself mentally.

The safety of those around him was of utmost concern, for once he went into mate-rut, he'd tear apart anybody who came near his mate, once he located her, damn it. His beast would not tolerate any challenge to his claim, and would mete out grisly death to any he thought would threaten it.

He caught a glimpse of her gazing at his portrait, and instantly had her imprinted into his mind, heart, and soul. "His Mate. His to take," both the man and the wolf chanted internally. All thoughts that she was only possibly his mate, that he could be satisfied with this night only, fled.

As she continued to look at his likeness, her smell changed and got stronger: more pungent, muskier than before. "She is getting aroused!" he thought incredibly. Most likely her body was getting ready for mating with him. She emanated strong spice and the unmistakable smell of female cream. His cock twitched at the thought of rubbing himself in her soaked slit. Whoever she was, she belonged to him, even if she IS human.

"Not just for tonight, but forever," the wolf growled, and Rance agreed.

Now he needed to steer her to his rooms so he could stake his claim and mark her with his essence. "Oh, and actually meet her," his human half, barely holding onto concepts of civility wryly prompted. He sent a mental probe to see if she was receptive to him and was pleasantly surprised to find that her mind was occupied with thoughts of him.

"Interesting," Rance thought to himself.

As he delved deeper, he sensed sadness and loss. He tried to listen into her thoughts and find out what was making her feel that way. He was startled at what he heard:

"There's no way that such a gorgeous man be interested in me, he's overwhelmingly masculine and handsome and rich to boot. It'll be like a reaching for a star, if I pin my hopes on ever meeting him and him taking an interest in me." There was just something that kept drawing her back to his emerald eyes. The vivid green that stared out of the painting bore such an uncanny resemblance with the wolf she had been dreaming of for the last six months. Could there be a connection between her dream wolf and this man?

He couldn't believe his mate was already giving up. How could she think herself unworthy of him? She was beautiful and voluptuously shaped. A little on the petite side, but that wouldn't count much when he got her horizontal. Besides, it would be fun to fuck her standing up with her shapely legs around his waist and his hands cupping her generous butt, with her glorious breasts jiggling deliciously against his chest. He'd drill deep until they were both sated and too tired to move.

"Now it's time to steer my mate to me."

Alex couldn't help but be impressed with the place. The man who owns this house must be extremely rich, she thought. The place was lavishly decorated and full of antiques and priceless works of art. The doors of the rooms leading from the hall were all wide open, revealing an understated elegance geared more toward comfort than to serve as an ostentatious showplace, as was more common to a mansion this size.

Even the manicured lawns and the ballroom where most of the guests congregated were tastefully styled and designed. There was nothing gaudy or pretentious about the place. It felt warm and welcoming, like a real lived-in home instead of just a place to flaunt one's affluence.

Alex had been wandering the mansion for some time now, hoping for a glimpse of the elusive man in the painting, who seemed so familiar, like something from a dream, after she left Pamela in the midst of her admirers. She traipsed from one room to another, trying to get a feel of the owner's character through his home.

It wasn't a surprise to find herself back in front of the portrait. It seemed to beckon her to come and discover secrets that only it could reveal. The power of those eyes to entrance her and keep her captive was undiminished. It was like a craving was born inside her that could not be eased unless she stood in front of it and allowed it to immerse her in its carnal power to arouse and titillate her senses. She felt bewitched and hesitant to leave.

Once more her sex clamored for attention, and pulsed with unending demand for appeasement. Her pussy wept weeps copious fluid, saturating the flimsy thong Alex was wearing. Her breasts grew heavy and her nipples and clit throbbed in tandem with her heartbeat.

It was a heady experience, but also scary as hell. She'd never felt anything strongly enough to give up her virginity, let alone this barrage on her senses. It was like her body was possessed and there was nothing she could do to take control of it, but had to go along for the ride. The more she stared at those eyes, the more aroused she became.

As she stood staring intently at the portrait, a feeling of being observed overcame her. Suddenly, she felt herself compelled to take a step back, and slowly climb the main staircase just off the side the entrance hall.

She was in a dreamlike state, like someone else was guiding her and in control of her body, yet very much aware that she was under the influence of someone or something not herself. She did not encounter anyone on her trek upstairs. She passed several closed doors and turned into another hallway. Alex was slowly approaching the room with the double doors when the feeling shrouding her dissipated. She knew right away that her next choices were her own.

She heard footsteps rapidly approaching and panicked knowing she was not supposed to be there. There was no place for her to hide except behind those closed doors in front of her. "They'll figure out that I have crashed this party and have no legitimate reason to be upstairs except for some nefarious business," Alex thought to herself in a panic. She grabbed the doorknob and didn't think twice about entering the room.

Rance was so hard and couldn't wait to get to his mate. What he did compelling her to his room, was pretty devious, but was for both their benefit anyway. It was best to conclude the hunt and get to the serious business of mating her and sating both of them.

He had never had a mate before, obviously, as each Were was gifted with only one true mate in his or her long life; but he was still surprised that she was very receptive to his power to control her mind and body. It would be, he thought, very handy especially when he needed his mate safe. He knew that he'd have to own up to what he did later on, for her but also for him, as his Alpha-Regina needed to be a partner and not a puppet to be controlled, but he was not worried it was going to be a big deal since the Goddess had destined them to be mated. "My mate will understand in the long run that I had to do anything and everything to assure our fate," thought Rance.

As he watched she walked and climbed the stairs, he warned his guards to vacate the upper floors and let his mate walk freely through. Once he sensed that she was almost to his bedroom door, he slowly released her from his power. He felt her panicked response to her predicament, and hurried to catch up to her. Just as he turned towards his suite, he saw her enter the door.

He grinned, "Checkmate!"

Alex hastily entered the room, closed the door and leaned on it, pulse pounding from the near miss. She tried to listen if the person she heard outside has followed her, but her heart still beat so frantically after her flight to get away, that she couldn't hear anything else.

Looking around the room, she realized that she had blundered into someone's bedroom. By the looks of it, the occupant was definitely male. The double doors she entered led to a sitting room boasting a huge fireplace and a cluster of well-appointed and comfortable looking chairs. A chaise sat by the French doors that obviously opened onto the balcony. An open door to her left revealed a spacious bedroom. From what she could see, an enormous mahogany bed dominated the room, with a headboard featuring elaborate carvings of wolves cavorting in the woods. On one side of the bed was a matching armoire, tall dresser and a standing mirror. The wood shone with a rich patina from the subdued lighting from the room's vaulted ceiling. The design and décor are crisp and masculine.

"Wow," she thought, "even the bedrooms here are very impressive."

She couldn't stay there for long though. Turning and putting her ear to the door, she listened for telltale footsteps, but heard nothing. Thinking that it was safe enough to go back to the party, she grabbed the doorknob, but stumbled back as the door was pushed in from the outside. Busted! She closed her eyes and hoped that this was all just a bad dream.

"Well, well, well what have we here?"

"Oh my God! I'm in serious trouble for being in a place off-limits even to guests. I need to come up with a reasonable excuse for being in this room," Alex's inner voice panicked.

Alex slowly blinked her eyes open. She stared, dumbfounded. It couldn't be! Fate was playing a cruel joke on her. The man standing commandingly in front of her was none other than the man in the painting. All the air in her lungs whooshed out and she dragged in a deep breath to compensate for the dark spots that were starting to dot her vision. "I so do not want to faint at his feet. Please, please don't let me faint, God!"

He stepped through the door and closed it behind him. The click of the lock barely penetrated her stupor the minute she saw who was at the door. He turned to her and gave her a scorching look that made her swallow hard.

The minute her eyes connected with his, an intense sexual jolt went through her system that traveled from the top of her head straight to her core. His piercing emerald eyes smoldered, and his nostrils flared as if inhaling something luscious. His delectable lips formed a satisfied smile as he examined her from head to toe. The unmistakable bulge between his thighs seems to get bigger and strained the material of his pants. The minute he zoomed his penetrating eyes back to her gray ones she knew his intentions. There was no mistaking his aggressive stance and lascivious look. This man would fuck her tonight.

Alex tried to step back, but the most delicious smell wrapped around her. A sensual haze enclosed her and embarrassingly, her vaginal walls drenched with copious amount of juice and seized hard, ready to be penetrated by the long hard cock prominently ridging his pants. Confused at the betrayal of her body, all she could do was stand still and clench her thighs to mitigate the sensations consuming her.

"This is getting ridiculous! I've spent my whole adult life not feeling any sexual attraction for anyone I date. And yet here is a stranger in front of me, and my body goes gaga over him. This is so embarrassing! I need to get out of here and save myself from total humiliation."

Finally, Rance's hunt was at an end. She's my mate. Mine to take. Now all he needed to do was mount her and mark her as his. No one would dare dispute his claim on her once he fucked her and planted his seed deep in her womb. He wanted to wallow in her desire and saturate his pores with her essence. He wanted to see her take his cock into her body and be indelibly marked by him. He alone would bring her endless pleasure, and no one else. The primal part of him wanted to pounce and just hammer into her until they were both sated and she grew round with his pups.

Nostrils flaring, he scented her readiness for him. Her lushness and the strong, piquant aroma of lust emanating from her made his cock jump and elongate more. The engorged tip already oozed precum, pushing at the waistband of his pants.

He could smell her innocence underlying the strong perfume of the dripping arousal that coated her pussy. Both man and beast wanted to roar with satisfaction that they would be her first and only lover. He'd fuck her so hard and often, until both of them dropped from exhaustion tonight, but the first time would be tender and special. He'd try to go slow even if it killed him. He wanted her to crave and hunger for his sex alone.




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 02



"Mine!" growled his wolf. "Mate. Now!'" His wolf wanted to grab her and plunge into her body right away. "She's human," he reminded his wolf, "and they're exceptionally frail." So, he strove to control his inner beast. Besides, he didn't want her to be afraid of him. He tried to take shallow breaths to calm his raging need. His lungs breathed in her intoxicating smell, which went straight to his groin. Unbelievably, his cock got bigger and harder than it had ever been before.

He slowly stalked toward her.

"Wait! I can explain everything," she backed away without taking her eyes off him.

He ignored her and kept moving forward, maneuvering her to the bedroom until the back of her knees touched the end of the bed. She tried to hold him off by putting her hands in front of her, but he just grabbed them and twisted them gently at her back, making her drop her miniscule purse on the floor behind her in the process. He then covered the space between them until she could feel the hard ridge of his penis on her upper stomach. His tumescence startled her.

"My God that can't be real! Nobody has that long and huge of a cock." She'd read in Wikipedia that the average penis length is six inches and about 4 inches in circumference, but his seemed a lot longer and definitely thicker than what the studies said. "Probably did not include him in their study. Hah! Guess not everything you read on the Internet is true then. Look, the first penis rubbing on me, and its huge! Capital H-U-G-E! Pam will have a big fit when I tell her about him, I'm sure."

"What is your name little one?" Unfazed by the apparent shock on his mate's face, he tilted her chin so he could look at her face, taking in everything about her, from the curly red hair that framed her oval face, to her large luminous gray eyes, down to her luscious, pouty lips. He managed not to laugh aloud at her inner monologue about cock size, though he found her thoughts quite funny when he probed her mind.

"Alex, - Alexandra Grant," she replied breathily. She knew she should be scared, if not a little anxious for her virginity. After all, his intent to have his way with her was obvious. But some force urged her to trust this giant of a man. The knowledge that she was safe with him resided deep inside her. She has always trusted her instincts. Besides, this might be the only time that she'd be lucky enough to have his undivided attention. She was not foolish enough to squander this opportunity. She'd grab it with both hands and enjoy the experience.

"Well Alexandra, I am Rance de Montfort, and I am your destiny. I am the Alpha-King of North America and I am making you mine tonight." After making the announcement, he lowered his head and covered her mouth with his.

She didn't really grasp his statement or the significance of the words; her senses were reeling after hearing him say that he was her destiny and "Alpha King" barely registered.

The kiss started as a gentle tasting as he licked and nipped at her bottom lips, but not for long. Hungrily, he tilted her head and gently urged her mouth to part for his tongue. Her moan was immediately smothered under his mouth as he quickly inserted his tongue the minute she opened her mouth. He was voracious in his plundering, his feral side awakened by her taste, and his tongue plunged in and out of her mouth, desiring to imprint his flavor on her too. He was relentless in his tasting of her as he sought out all the crevices and hidden depths of her delectable mouth.

He slanted his mouth and tilted her jaw to get a better angle and continued to ravish her. "Suck on my tongue," he breathed into her lips. He let go of her arms and let his left hand gently cradle the back of her head while his right hand freely roamed and caressed her back and hips. He cupped and squeezed her ass as he pulled her closer to him.

"Sweet and spicy. You're so addictive," he continued to whisper in her mouth.

Alex was drowning in the surfeit of pleasure. She could hardly breathe. She could only do what he demanded, and sucked on his nimble tongue. He kept on eating at her mouth, and all she could do was strain and mewl whenever he let go of her lips. Her freed hands found purchase on his broad shoulders, and she clung to him to anchor herself as her world reeled from the tempest that whirled her in a vortex of pleasurable sensation.

He sucked her lower lip and nipped it. He trailed kisses across her cheeks and down to her neck and the upper slope of her breast. He then licked and tongued the deep cleavage between her breasts as he pushed the mounds together. He went back to her neck and laved and nipped the junction between her neck and shoulder, hard. "This is where I'm going to put my mark, my sweet Alex," he growled.

"Are you talking about a hickey?" she asked incredulously. Hmmm, she's getting her first hickey from this delicious man. "Aren't we a little old for that? I thought only teenagers do that."

He lifted his head from her neck and responded in an amused voice, "Yes, sweet one, a hickey, but a more permanent one. This one won't fade and will warn everyone to whom you belong." In her ear, he breathed, "and you sweet one, belong to me."

He did not give her a chance to ask more questions, but proceeded to purposefully muddle her senses more. He pulled down her dress, bared her breasts to his gaze and slowly licked the side of one, then the other, provocatively. Holding her glance intently with his seductive eyes, he licked around the right pink areole until it glistened with his saliva. He ministered to the other one, too, as she harshly panted for breath.

Alex couldn't believe it was finally happening to her. "This is the night that I'll be made into a woman. And what a fine male specimen to do it!" There was no doubt in her mind that he was a connoisseur when it came to sex. This man --"Rance," she thought to herself, "his name is Rance" -- was taking her to the verge of orgasm with his mouth alone. And he still clearly had more in store for her.

"Please," she cried as she tried to bring his mouth to her nipple. He licked under her breasts instead and avoided her nipple.

"What is it ma petite? Do you want me to suck your nipples? Are these beauties hurting and throbbing for attention?" he growled huskily.

"I -- I," she could barely breathe from all the delicious sensation coursing through her body, how could he expect her to talk now?

"You need to tell me what you need, sweet one; I aim to please you. So tell me, do you want me to suck on your nipples?" he throatily breathed in her ear.

She attempted to pull his head once again to her aching breast, but he forestalled her by grabbing both of her hands with each of his and linking them together with his. He then put his forehead against hers and looked directly in her luminous gray eyes.

"Say it," he said. "Tell me how much you need my mouth on your breasts. How much you need me sucking, nipping and worshipping your luscious and beautiful nipples. I'm ravenous for them, my love. But you have to tell me what you want me to do."

"Oh please, please suck on my nipples. I can't be-Aaaahhh!" He did not let her finish talking as he swooped down and sucked on her left nipple. Letting go of both her hands, picked her up and lifted her enough so her breasts were level with his mouth.

After briefly suckling both nipples, he slowly let her slide down the front of his body, pushing down her dress. As it pooled at her feet, leaving her in her thong and shoes, he slowly feasted his eyes on her beauty. She's so beautiful! Her creamy skin looked dewy and smooth in the subdued light. Her eyes smoldered with passion and her sexy lips were red and a little swollen, from him. Her large, gorgeous breasts looked firm without much droop, and were tipped with dark pink nipples, now hard and crinkled due to her arousal. The thong that covered her mons was saturated with her dripping cream. He could smell her delicious sex and couldn't wait to lap it and savor its rich flavor.

His fixed stare unnerved her, so she tried to cover herself. He growled and held her hands to her sides. "Don't ever cover yourself from me," then he cupped her breasts and squeezed them together. "Beautiful!" he murmured.

He squeezed each abundant globe and lowered his head and licked the right areole while he pinched the other one. Alex gasped, grabbed his shoulder and realized that he was still fully dressed while she was almost naked.

"We shouldn't be doing this," she hesitatingly tried to reason out, "we don't even know each other...." but all coherent thought flew out of her mind when he started suckling strongly on her nipple. An electric jolt of pure lust flowed from her breast straight to her vagina, as pussy juice flooded it anew.

He sucked and bit at her nipple until she was ready to scream. She clung to him and pushed his face closer, silently urging him to draw more of her. He resisted her effort, lifted his head and looked at her, and swiftly grabbed the tip of her nipple with his teeth and pulled. The pleasure / pain was so intense that she convulsed helplessly as she came.

"My God, he's lethal. I never knew I could cum just by having my nipples sucked! It's amazing how alive my body feels. He claimed that he's my destiny, who am I to argue?" she mused. "Okay, I officially concede this ravishment," she thought, "ravish away, Mr. Hotstuff!"

His smile was full of male satisfaction as he continued to look intently into her eyes and slowly lap the abused nipple. He then moved to the neglected twin and proceeded to bite, nip, and suck on it. He was relentless in his assault. Her senses were bombarded by the overwhelming stimulation to her breast, such that she was afraid she'd overload and faint. Alex closed her eyes in a vain attempt to lessen the intensity.

She felt him pick her up and lay her on the bed behind her. Rance continued his assault on her senses. His hands were never still, but mapped and caressed her trembling body while he alternately suckled on her breasts.

He trailed kisses down to her belly and dipped his tongue in her belly button as he slowly peeled off her thong. Alex aided him by lifting her hips, and Rance flung the underwear away as the scrap of fabric cleared her legs, then pushed her legs apart and pulled off her shoes.

"Don't move," Rance said in a guttural voice as he stood at the end of the bed, "I want you to open your legs for me and show me your beautiful, wet pussy. Pull it open for me, I want to see your cream dripping with your arousal and need."

She bent her knees and slowly moved her legs apart displaying her drenched, clean-shaven mound to his avid gaze. She got such a thrill knowing that this man desperately wanted her. She slowly parted her labia and pulled them apart for his delectation. With her gaze locked into his, she dipped a finger into her slit and started to fuck herself. She started to moan as his eyes blazed hotter. She added another finger and undulated her hips in an ancient dance of seduction.

The movement galvanized him into action and he started tearing off his clothes until he stood totally naked in front of her. He was massively built. His shoulders were broad, and his massive chest was covered with a smattering of hair that petered down to a line bisecting his hard, ripped abs. His monstrous erection rose from a bed of hair slightly darker than the luxurious sable mane that's on his head, the slit of the purple mushroom head freely oozing pre-cum, with a shaft roped with angry looking veins, and testicles that looked big and heavy.

The sight of his rampant arousal almost made her think twice about going all the way. She actually tried to close her legs together, but he grabbed her ankles to stop her. The biggest thing that had penetrated her vagina up until that moment was two of her fingers, and his sex is enormously thick and long, it would certainly tear her apart if not hurt her going in. Casting an uncertain look at him, she tried to close her legs again, but Rance firmed his grasp on them and inexorably pushed them wider apart, and settled and kneeled at the vee of her legs.

"It will fit," he promised reassuringly, "I'll make sure of it. And believe me, I'm certain that before long you'll be screaming for me to give it to you hard." Rance then grasped his erection and started rubbing it from root to tip, gathering the moisture at the tip and rubbing it on the mushroomed head. "You will crave for my possession day and night, and it will be my pleasure to satisfy you."

He put his big hand on her thigh and pushed it out and up so she was totally open to his sight. Her butt barely touched the bed as he spread her wide, displaying all of her. She felt totally exposed. Alex tried to move her legs, but Rance tightened his hands in warning, and she braced herself by pushing up on her elbows, looking down as Rance nuzzled his face on her mound. He met her eyes, as he grinned and slowly licked up one side of her labia and down the other. He then rimmed the opening of her core and plunged his tongue and started eating her, his tongue delving in and out, licking and slurping at her copious arousal.

"Delicious! I could stay like this forever, just eating your delicious, fragrant pink pussy," he growled. Rance continued his siege to her senses. He followed the trail of her juices, licking at it ravenously from the opening of her slit down to her inner thighs and, shockingly, to her anus.

She jumped as if electrified and couldn't stop from protesting, "No! Please, Rance."

"You belong to me. And every delectable inch of you is mine," he boldly claimed, "this hole is mine, your pussy and your mouth. And I will fill it all with my seed to leave you with no doubt that you are mine."

He dipped his tongue to her opening and licked inside eagerly. He tested her innocence and felt elated that his mate was untainted by any cock but his. Alex was writhing and moaning, begging Rance with her body to possess her. She grabbed his head and shoulder to anchor her from the overwhelming sexual tension that was flowing from her pussy. Finally, he flicked his tongue on her clit and started to lave it gently.

"Oooh that feels so good!" she moaned as he inserted a finger into her slit and started to push it in and out. He added another finger, scissoring it to stretch and get her ready for penetration. He started sliding it in and out slowly, whilst watching her carefully. Once it seemed that she was ready, he inserted a third finger and gradually sped up finger-fucking of her.

He crooked his fingers and rubbed her g-spot careful not to break her hymen, and she exploded in a mind-numbing orgasm. Her screams filled the room as her back bowed up. Surges of pleasurable electricity went through Alex's body and felt herself squirting helplessly.

Rance was pleasurably surprised when Alex squirted. He promised to himself that next time he was going to drink all of it. He continued to lavish her pussy with gentle licks until she was limply moaning under him.

Alex vaguely felt Rance stop his licking. Languidly, she lay under him as she continued to experience mini orgasms. She felt something soft and hot touch her labia. Opening her eyes, she saw Rance rubbed the blunt head of his penis at her opening, coating it with her generous nectar. He lodged the tip just inside her opening, bent his head and started kissing her once again. With one thrust, he surged upward and buried his cock to the hilt inside her in one single stroke. She screamed as he tore through the fragile barrier of her virginity, the tissues of her vaginal walls burning and throbbing from the unaccustomed presence.

She felt like she was impaled by an enormous stake. He was so hard and big inside her, stretching her already tender and swollen pussy. Rance was so long that she could feel the crown of his cock butting up against her cervix. She closed her eyes and felt tears seep through her lashes. She squirmed her hips to alleviate the discomfort.

"Don't move," he panted, "just give me a minute. Your cunt is so wet and feels so good wrapped around my cock. You feel like heaven Alex."

Putting her hands on his shoulders, he withdrew his cock and slid back in slowly. His muscles bunched up with tension from holding back. He rocked himself side to side and rotated his hips. Alex continuously moaned as the pain slowly morphed into tingling pleasure. Rance rained nips and kisses on her face, neck and ears. He continued to mutter how tight and good her pussy feels.

His hips moved unceasingly. He alternately slid in and out of her and rocked to stimulate her clit and g-spot. The erotic tension was too much to bear, and suddenly she screamed as another overpowering climax rolled over her. Her legs twitched uncontrollably and slipped on the slick satin sheets. Once her wetness flooded over his balls, he proceeded to cock her strongly. He sawed in and out of her as she helplessly clung to him.

The pleasure flooding her body was unbelievable. Every time he bottomed out and nudged her cervix, electric pulses of sheer delight coursed through her. He wrapped his arms around her and grabbed her shoulders as he proceeded to hammer her.

She screamed aloud as her explosive climax continued. Rance immediately pulled out, turned her on her knees, and thrust back in from behind. He blanketed her small frame with his and held her steady as he feverishly drove in and out of her convulsing sheath. Her orgasm seemed unending. Just as she was coming down, she felt his mouth latch on the juncture of her neck and shoulder. He bit down hard; there was a sharp tearing pain that was immediately replaced by the most exquisite pleasure spreading from her neck down to her extremities. She screamed as the intensity of the sensation surged and threw her into the most violent orgasm yet. Alex vaguely heard Rance howl behind as she felt his seed strongly jet inside her. The additional stimulus propelled her into another violent orgasm. She slumped in Rance's arms as she lost consciousness.

Rance laved his claim mark on her neck. His whole body was still tingling from ejaculating inside his mate. They were locked together and would not stop coupling until she was saturated with his seed. The Mate Rut had begun and would not end until he imprinted his mark indelibly on her DNA, probably not until tomorrow at least. His mate would crave his cock nonstop once she woke up. The Mate Rut ensured that both would seek sexual pleasure from their mate until their DNA sufficiently mixed and become one.

He laid them on their sides to make her more comfortable. He continued to rock shallowly in her to keep her stimulated. He would give her a couple of minutes to recover and then he will commence his mastery of his mate again.

"Our Mate!" his wolf declared with satisfaction, as Rance slowly nuzzled her head. "Yes, our Mate," he agreed and smiled with contentment.



Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 03



Hello everyone! Thanks guys for taking the time to read, and hopefully also enjoyed Rance and Alex's story. I'll try to update and post new chapters as soon as I can, since I know how frustrating it is for a reader to not know what happens next in the story. Thanks for all your comments and votes.

I love to hear more from you: whether you like/dislike how the story is going, how the characters are doing, my style of writing, etc. So please don't hesitate to tell me what's on your mind. Good or bad, your comments help me get motivated.

Once more, I specially thank Lunarosa and MythOFreak for editing and help in shaping parts of the story.

CHAPTER THREE

The party was a veritable crush, so no one really caught a clear picture of the Alpha Regina when the Alpha Rex started stalking his mate. No one had actually seen what she looked like. Everyone was so busy socializing and politicking that they were oblivious to the momentous event. The party thrown for the specific purpose of finding a mate for their alpha actually served its purpose. It was only later on, when the guards upstairs were ordered to vacate the area posthaste, that the Weres had inkling that something unusual was happening. The Council members were joyous when they heard of the mating and could not help but take credit for accomplishing the feat of getting their reluctant alpha mated at last. To prevent the different alphas in attendance from taking offense at their host's absence, the betas discreetly informed them of Rance's mating. The humans, while invited, were left ignorant of the occurrence, but they soon noticed a spattering of spontaneous applauses and unusual jubilation in the crowd.

Most of the lupine Weres saw their alpha aggressively cut through the crowd, ignoring everyone on either side, or the basic courtesies of a host. Now, they were aware that it was because he was overcome by the mate rut. Every Were fears and longs for the time they will experience it themselves. The initial mating between couples entails the male wolf locked for hours inside his mate. Their cocks expand from the middle of the shaft to the crown, sealing the female's channel and ensuring their semen mix with their mate's essence. The male Were's cock will not soften even after numerous ejaculations, guaranteeing the blending of their DNA. The male can continue to thrust and make love to his mate, but he cannot pull out completely without causing undue damage to her and agonizing pain to both. The mate rut would whip both into such a sexual frenzy of need that locking together for hours counts as a blessing. Only after the mated couple's DNA strands mixed would the male's hardness diminish enough for him to pull out.

The wolf shifters had felt the moment their Alpha had locked together with his destined mate. They rejoiced that their alpha had finally found his mate, and each thought, "The goddess Luna be praised!" There would be no more questions as to their alpha's right to reign. The Alpha Regina was chosen and mated this night, a night to celebrate and look toward the future, shortly thereafter, they hoped, there would be pups gamboling around.

The hour was creeping toward four in the morning, and although the mansion was still ablaze with lights, the party had finally ended. The stragglers were slowly escorted out of the estate, while the council members and the visiting alphas were shown into their suites and private guesthouses. The caterers hired for the occasion were efficiently cleaning up, while the band tiredly put away their instruments. The staff quietly worked in the background putting everything to right in the mansion. Everything was being done in quiet efficiency adding to the air of excited expectancy in the air.

Pamela, Alex friend, departed earlier after determining that Alex was no longer in the party. She had discreetly searched the mansion earlier of her friend's whereabouts. As she was standing at the grand entrance, debating what to do, a good-looking man approached her and introduced himself as Troy. He noticed her surreptitiously peering at each room and looking at guests earlier, so offered her his assistance. After informing him of her concern, and giving him a description of Alex; he told her that her friend was spending the night with his friend, Rance, the mansion's owner, as he pointed at the portrait on the wall.

He, together with his twin Luc, and Damian, saw earlier the video footage of the security camera of the Alpha Regina's flight to Rance's rooms. So he was confident that Pam's friend and the Alpha's mate are one and the same.

Pam was flabbergasted that her virginal friend was finally hooking-up ... and amazingly enough, to none other than the gorgeous man in the portrait! Troy gave her the mansion's number, for her to call and check up on Alex later. He assured her further that her friend was fine. Pam told Troy in no uncertain terms that if she didn't hear from her friend soon, she would come back and raise-up a racket and might even call the police on their ass. To which threat, Troy merely grinned in amusement and nodded his head in assent.

Upstairs, Damian continued to stand guard at the corridor leading to his Alpha's suite. He was happy for his friend. Rance deserved to be happy. Damian knew that a mate would only strengthen his friend's reign as Alpha Rex of the North American pack. Rance had ruled for a little over thirty years after his father and mother's death. Theon, the former Alpha had trained his son Rance from birth, pushing his only son hard to become a worthy successor. He was a tough taskmaster: constantly drilling, teaching, and training Rance to become a hard, exacting, decisive and judicious leader of the pack. He also impressed upon his son the magnitude of importance in achieving peace between Were species.

Theon believed that greater things could be achieved if the various Weres were united and living peacefully together. He believed that in the near future, all of the Weres would unite under one leadership. His belief stemmed from one of the teachings of Simeon, an ancient wolf-shifter oracle, who had prophesied thousands of years ago that an Alpha would be born bearing the goddess' Luna's sign, possessing gifts of incomparable power and an unequaled magnitude of authority. The prophesied alpha would be the catalyst that would unite Weres of every species and usher forth a time of peace, harmony and strength for the Were people.

It was as a result of Theon's tireless pursuit of peace that the alphas relented enough to talk and cease warring. His press for peace gained him enemies, who ambushed and killed him and his beloved mate on one of their runs. It was heartbreaking that a group of feral wolf shifter rogues who lived for violence, domination and death killed the champion of peace. The pack had annihilated the rogues but it did not bring satisfaction or comfort to the devastated Rance.

Rance took over the mantle of leadership for the North American Pack. On the first year alone, he faced numerous formal challenges for his position. Each encounter was violent and bloody, but Rance always showed mercy after each challenger conceded defeat. He killed only when necessary. He earned the absolute loyalty of his pack by leading the wolf shifters with a fair and firm hand. Justice was swift to those who warranted the wrath of the Alpha Rex.

Through it all, Damian remained by Rance's side. He was his friend from the very beginning and so would remain. Now as Rance's Prime Beta and Chief Enforcer, he would ensure that no one could disrupt the mating and bonding of his Alpha to his mate. Until he knew that Rance have successfully imprinted himself on his mate, then there he would remain. From the muffled sounds coming from the closed doors, he was certain that Rance was still locked together with her.

He saw two of the best betas he oversaw clear the landing by the grand staircase. They looked towards him and approached slowly. "Damian," Luc nodded in greeting. "The council was greatly overjoyed by the news of the Alpha's mating and quite keen on meeting her. They wanted to know if the Alpha Regina will be presented to the council later today." Luc said.

Luc's twin, Troy, walked quietly next to him as they drew near Damian. "He had been locked with his mate for almost six hours now." He inclined his head towards the closed doors. "Do you know if the their mate rut is over yet?"

"I doubt it," Damian replied dryly. "I can clearly hear them still going strong. Can't you?" he asked the twins.

"I have never heard of anyone locking this long with their mate," Troy said. "It usually last between two to three hours or so, as I've heard from the mated males. Why do you think it's taking this long?"

"Hmmm," Luc hummed in contemplation. "I think I've read something important about the duration of a mate rut in one of those ancient tomes in the pack library," he paused as he briefly collected his thoughts. "Since a wolf-shifter cannot really control the interval of time we are locked in our mates during mate rut, the ancient council, in my knowledge, had conducted a study on the implication of it to the mate bond. They were curious why some weres had shorter time and some had longer time locked together."

Troy looked with amusement at his twin brother. "You and your penchant for reading those moldy books," he laughed. "If we didn't look exactly alike, I'd wonder if we're truly related."

"Hey, not all of us live and breathe for sexual gratification, you horn-dog." he said sardonically. "I love the written wisdom and insights buried in those books. You never know when you'll need the arcane information secreted in my brain, brother," Luc replied.

"Well, what do you recall then about the significance of the length of time of one's mate rut?" Damian finally asked Luc.

"What I can distinctly remember is that the longer the mate rut lasts, the stronger the mate bond will be." Luc said pensively.

"So what does it mean, O Learned One?" Troy laughingly asked his twin. Luc shot a stern look at his twin with furrowed brows. Troy raised his hands in surrender but continued to smile at his twin. Luc really needed to loosen up in his opinion. He pitied the woman/bitch who would be mated with such a staid wolf. He would probably suck the fun out of his mate, he thought with a smirk.

"A mated couple can usually sense each other and mentally communicate even when they're apart, right? This they can do through their mate bond that was initiated by the mate rut. Although as far as I know, that mental communication is limited to a couple of miles or so. A stronger bond could only mean one thing: their bond could give them unlimited capability to sense and communicate with their mate, totally unhampered by the limitations of a normal mating," Luc responded.

"Wow. That would be neat. Keeping tabs with each other and not needing a cell phone anymore would be great." Troy said, drolly.

Luc glared at his brother, while Damian just shook his head. The twins might be identical in appearance, but they were total opposites in personality. They both sported russet brown hair, an angular jaw, and hazel eyes. Luc, the older of the two, was serious and intense, while Troy was more carefree and laid back. Both are tall, powerfully built, and fierce and deadly in a fight. Both were staunchly loyal to their Alpha.

"I think that would relieve Rance. With everything going on right now, that is one thing he need not worry about. If he can sense her all the time when he needs to, then he will know right away if the Alpha Regina is threatened in anyway. We won't need to worry about him going feral on some unsuspecting Were's ass," he laughed.

******

"Aaaaah! Yes! Harder please! Oh yes! Rance! Aaaiieee!" Alex keened aloud as another orgasm rolled over her shuddering body. The added tightness in her passage pushed Rance to a frenzy, hammering her from behind. Then she felt his penis engorged more as he stiffened, howling, as he expelled his powerful ejaculate in her receptive body. His abundant seed overflowed as it dripped from her slit and dribbled into the satin sheets. The bed was a total wreck. They had been going at it for hours now. Alex vaguely wondered if they could ever get the stains cleaned from the sheets. She inwardly giggled. "Wow, after staying a virgin until the ripe age of twenty five, I do know how to get rid of my virginity with a bang!" She was slightly sore, but not too bad, considering the immense size of Rance's cock. She felt his shaft slightly soften and slipped out of her, a gush of semen followed, as her vagina was suddenly unplugged.

In the hours that they had indulged in their sexual marathon, this was the first time she recalled that he actually got soft enough for him to slip out of her. She had lost count of how many orgasms she'd already had, or the different positions they'd fucked with him behind her. He was very creative and so strong and able to shift them by picking her up while still coupled. They did it lying on their sides several times, a couple of times with her lying on her front with her head pillowed on her arms. There was a time he lifted her up and down on his kneeling form. He made her get on her hands and knees and took her that way. Rance also bent her over the edge of the bed while he plundered her core from behind. They did it with him standing on the floor and her kneeling on the bed. The best for her was lying flat on her back on top of him, with her legs splayed open and tucked on his sides while he played with her breasts and clit while shuttling in and out of her.

The wild craving to be constantly connected with him was quite mystifying to her; as a human she did not know about mate rut and what it had in store. Her body hungered after his. She physically yearned for his lips on her mouth and her body. Her vagina wept unceasingly for his unrelenting possession. Her skin ached for the sweep of his strong caressing hands. She felt complete when he held her steady as his hardness tunneled in and out of her. She should be in pain and should have been screaming cease and desist; after all, even human sex was new to her. She should be suffering from the excess. Surprisingly, her body felt strangely reborn, invigorated, and hypersensitive.

Throughout their copulation, they barely exchanged sentences at all, much less anything resembling a meaningful conversation. Therefore, she was not deluding herself that there was more to this than just physical gratification. All they managed to do was utter one word demands for "more" and appreciation of how "good" the partner was in making the other crazy with pleasure. Rance grunted how wet and tight she was, how perfectly she fit his cock. Nonetheless, she would willingly do it again just to experience this mind-blowing pleasure. She did not know she was mated, or what being mated meant.

The pinkish tinge of the sky outside the big window signified that it was almost dawn and she needed to hightail it out of there. She did not want to overstay her welcome; she had been a virgin before this glorious night, sure, but she knew enough to know that she didn't want the amazing experience diminished by the embarrassment of an awkward 'morning after'. She was not even sure what to do once this encounter was over. Was there a certain protocol for a one-night stand?

Preoccupied with her thoughts, she abstractedly felt Rance lay her on her back and nuzzle her neck. "Stay here, baby, I'll be back." She nodded her head in his direction absentmindedly and watched him saunter off, his amazing body on full display. She took the opportunity to ogle him indiscriminately. She loved his masculine form; there was no fat or jiggle on him. He was so hard, padded with muscles all over. His back was a work of art, finely chiseled and vee-shaped as his broad shoulders tapered into his trim hips. His brawny arms looked strong enough to bench press a small car. His massive legs and thighs were strong and powerful-looking, but not overly muscled like a body builder's. His glutes were firm and tight, and looked very yummy. Maybe I'll get to lick and bite them later, she thought, as she continued to run her eyes over him. Rance looked back at her and winked wickedly.

"Hold on to that thought, Alex." She blinked, and wondered if she was so transparent in her desire of him. No matter, she thought, I would squeeze as much experience out of this as I can; I doubt another super-hot studly guy will come my way in the near future. Besides, she couldn't see herself doing what she did with Rance with some other stranger, because.... from the very beginning, he didn't feel like a stranger: there was like an invisible rope that drew and tied them tighter together. She was inexplicably drawn and attracted to him. No doubt about it, she was hopelessly helpless and weak when it came to Rance and his animalistic sex appeal.

Rance entered the adjoining door on the right side of the room, and then Alex heard water running, so she assumed he must have started a bath. He came back to the bed and scooped her up in his arms. Alex squealed in surprise. "Put me down Rance! You don't need to carry me, I can walk." She was afraid he would realize she was not a lightweight.

"It's faster this way, baby. Besides, I get to hold your luscious body against me." He smiled down at her. "Isn't this better than just walking?" She silently acknowledged the soundness of his reasoning, and the deliciousness of his nakedness rubbing with hers. He ignored her attempts to get down anyway so she wound her arms around his neck. Rance grunted in satisfaction at her acquiescence.

As he carried her, she discreetly took in the lavishness of her surroundings. The bathroom was huge and opulent. Two pedestal sinks complete with fancy looking faucets stood on one side, a bidet, a toilet and an enclosed shower stood on the other corner. A sizeable luxury whirlpool tub dominated the center of the room, with white marble floors that gleamed dully in the dim light. The tiled walls were pure white and edged with accents of gold around. A low mahogany bench held white fluffy looking towels across the room, while potted plants were placed strategically to further enhance the spa-like atmosphere. She was no longer surprised that the bathroom screamed decadence too. What surprised her though was that Rance took the time to light candles around the room, scatter rose petals in the tub and add scented oil in the water.

The gently steaming fragrant water looked so inviting that when Rance slowly lowered her in it she couldn't help but moan in appreciation. Rance immediately got in behind her. He then took a sponge on the lip of the tub and proceeded to tenderly wash her shoulders and back. He rained kisses and nibbles on each area of skin he finished washing. She luxuriated in her surroundings while he continued to minister to her. Finally, itching to have the questions answered buzzing in her brain, she ventured to engage him in conversation.

"So, do all your women get treated to such pampering after sex?" She turned her head and teasingly asked, as she leaned sideways towards him.

He softly growled as if in reprimand and replied, "What gives you the idea that this is the norm for me?"

"Well for one thing where did you get the candles and the rose petals? Not that I do not appreciate the gesture but I do not see you as a metro sexual male. I don't think you stock up on those for your own pleasure do you? For seduction, yes. But not for your own personal use," she frankly said. "So I thought maybe this is your S.O.P. when it comes to women you have sex with."




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 03



He stared at her unblinkingly as if challenging her to change her mind. Alex stared back and slightly inclined her head as she lifted her right brow at him. Rance never needed to explain himself, ever, to any of his bed partners, so he felt slightly stumped that his mate would actually ask him this. The truth was, she was right in thinking that he was not into candles and rose petals. In all of his dalliances, once he's done expending himself in a wolf bitch, he would simply walk away. There was no cuddling or pampered baths. It had been a simple bodily function for him before, a pleasurable way of relieving stress. His partners were cognizant of the fact that there were no emotions involved, just two bodies seeking a fleeting appeasement of an itch.

Callous as that may sound, that was reality for a Were: two Weres knew when there was a mating, and when there was...not. They were a highly sexed species and indulged often to avoid boredom setting in. Their long lives precluded them from attaching romantic feelings to each sexual encounter. The feral sides of their nature reacted to stimuli by instinct and the human side tamed it somewhat with reason and logic. There's no way that a human could fully grasp what Were life was unless they themselves changed, after being turned. That was the reason why Rance had never got involved with a human; they were just too delicate and emotional. The problem was how to explain it to his mate, who was human, for now anyway at least until the next full moon, when his sex-frenzied bite took effect.

"Well?" Alex prodded.

"What can I say," Rance smiled, "you bring out the romantic in me."

"You're so full of crap," she chuckled, "Why not just own up to it that you are a player?" she bantered, half serious and half in jest. "It's okay, I don't mind." Coyly she said, "after all I got to enjoy your expertise this night from all of your experience." She smiled mischievously at him. She hoped that making light of the great sex they had together would ease Rance's mind that she was not going to be a problem for him. I am not going to make him think that I would be a clingy one-night stand. I have pride after all. I will just act blasé about it.

Rance lost his smile and frowned at Alex. "What are you calling a one night stand? I told you that you're destined to be mine," he growled low in his throat, "no one will dispute that we are fully mated." Rance could clearly see that Alex was trying to distance herself from him already. He would not put up with such nonsense from his mate. He lightly grasped her chin and kissed her soft lips briefly. "Let me get this clear to you, babe. You are the first woman I have drawn a bath for, the first one I have lighted candles for, and the first and last one getting a personal pampering from me. As for where the candles and rose petals came from, I believe my staff anticipated the discovery and mating of my Alpha Regina." He drawled, pausing to give her a chance to digest what he had said.

I don't think I said "one night stand" out loud....Wait, Alpha Regina? What does he mean? Who's "Regina"? Was his staff expecting him to bring another woman in here? She thought uneasily.

Seeing her confusion, Rance exited the tub, picked her up and enfolded her in one of the towels. He slung one around his shoulder, knowing it was time to talk to his little human about their mating. He walked back into the bedroom with her in his arms.

"Alpha Regina? What do you mean Rance?" she asked him cautiously looking straight into his gorgeous eyes.

"As I've told you in the beginning, I am the Alpha Rex of the North American Pack." Rance informed her watchfully as he put her down and slowly rubbed her body dry with the towel. "I am a shapeshifter -- a wolf shifter," he looked her in the eyes warily. "I am the ruling leader and you, my dear, are my destined mate; the Alpha Regina to my Alpha Rex. When I bit you, I was putting my mark on you. Claiming you for my mate. There will be no ot-"

"Wait! Wait!" Alex interrupted Rance with hands raised. "Are you telling me that you -, that we -, what in the hell are you telling me?!" she stammered, as she put both hands on her head. She tried to pull away from Rance and put space between them but he held her securely in his embrace.

"Alpha? Like in top dog?" She looked up in his glittering emerald eyes and saw him wince.

"Babe, I'm a wolf not a dog. But yes, I am the top wolf all over North America. And because you are mated to me, you are the top female bitch." He replied calmly.

"Shifter, mated," she mumbled to herself, "....bitch?!" Then she remembered her recurring dreams and the last bizarre one. Could it be that she was just dreaming again?

"Ow!" Alex yelped, as Rance lightly pinched her arm. "What did you do that for?"

"To show you that you're not dreaming little one." He smiled down at her, pleased at himself. She stared, stupefied, at him. How could he know what she was thinking?

"Did you just read my mind?" she cried incredulously. This was not the first time the he seemed to have responded directly to her thoughts. Nobody can be that good at reading her, even Pam who had known her for years could not boast that distinction.

Rance sighed, "Since I believe honesty is the best foundation for any relationship, then yes, I did." Rance replied evenly. "I can read your mind, and later on you will be able to do the same to me. You will be able to sense me as I do you. You and I can communicate mentally, now that we have mated." He explained. He looked deeply into her eyes, willing her to believe his incredible revelation.

"I have waited for you for so long, my sweet. You cannot deny the explosive attraction we have, or the feelings of completion and rightness when we are together. You are a gift to me from the goddess Luna, and as such, I will treasure you and devote my life to pleasuring you and making you happy. You hold my heart. You share my soul. You Alex, are my life and I will die protecting you." He declared feelingly as raw emotions surged through him. Never in his life had he thought that he would feel such overwhelming need to protect, love, and cherish. He did not know that something vital was missing in his life until he found her -- Alex- the other half of his heart. He traced her face with his burning gaze and tried to sense where her sentiments lay. Would she accept or deny him?

"Rance," she hesitatingly lifted her hands to frame his face, her mind in turmoil. "You have to understand that this is a lot to take in. I cannot even wrap my head around your declaration of being a shifter." She sighed. "Okay, deep inside I believe that you guys could exist, but you can also be just a delusional person who thinks he can shift into a wolf." She covered Rance mouth with her fingers when he attempted to speak. "No. Let me finish." She untangled herself from Rance, wrapped herself in the towel, and sat at the edge of the bed with arms folded demurely on her thighs. She needed a clear mind, and having him touching her did not help at all.

"I don't know what you did to me, why I felt compelled to come up here, nor do I understand why I believe you when you say you're a wolf shifter." She paused, took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts together. "This intensity of feelings I feel for you should be frightening me, but oddly enough, I do not fear you at all." She looked up at Rance, imploring him to see her side. "Did you know that I crashed your party and was not invited? How crazy is that? I did not even want to come here. I am so confused and stressed right now."

Rance slowly kneeled in front of Alex and took her hands. He gently lifted each to his lips and tenderly kissed each knuckle. Once he was done, he turned her hands over and kissed lingeringly each center while looking at her beautiful grey eyes. He then entwined their fingers together. "Please forgive me for compelling you up here. I sensed you near, and I was acting out of instinct because I was so inflamed by you that I could not think straight." He cupped her face with his right hand and said, "You being here at the party were no accident, it was fate. We are destined to be mates; we were born to belong to each other. The circumstances that brought you here were designed to bring us together." Rance rose up, lovingly pulled Alex into his arms, and delicately kissed her swollen lips. He lightly captured her bottom lip and gently sucked it, while gazing ardently into her eyes.

"We are one my dear Alexandra, you and I cannot be separated." He whispered in her mind. Rance saw Alex eyes widen in astonishment. "Your joy will be my joy; your pain will be my pain. My soul and your soul are united together as one. Neither can live happily without the other." He continued as his adept lips trailed kisses on her cheeks, across her jaw and finally captured her lips as a cry of pleasure escaped her.

Alex was dumbfounded when she heard Rance speak in her mind. All of these revelations were confounding her brain that she could not think clearly at all, in addition to the bombardment of the emotions rolling over her from Rance's declaration. Punch-drunk and dazed, she felt like she was being tossed to and fro, whirling about without any direction, completely at the mercy of the fickleness of fate. Clearly Rance considered their mating a fait accompli.

"Rance.....," she murmured. "We need to talk more about this," she said, attempting once more to slow him down from his focused seduction.

"Later, Alex, I promise we will talk....later. Let our bodies do the talking for what's left of the night," he huskily said. "I need to be inside you again. Your body is crying out for my possession. I can smell your heavenly aroma, Alex. It's driving me crazy," he rumbled. "Let me satisfy you, love you...... worship your body with mine," he seductively purred in her ear, "say yes my love, and I will fulfill all of your desires." Alex barely had time to nod her head in assent when Rance licked and sucked his mate mark on her neck.

Alex was lost once again to the fervent pleasure coursing through her body. She felt electrified as nerve endings on her clit and pussy pulsed in tandem with Rance's sucking her neck. Before long, arousal painfully enveloped her. The carnal pictures Rance was sending through their mental link helped to push her body to overdrive. Sexual heat was pouring out of her as her hands restlessly roamed his body. She mapped each sculpted muscle in his back, then slipped her left hand to his well-formed pectorals and slowly dragged it to his packed abdomen, and finally to his well-endowed rod. He groaned as she slowly brushed her fingers from the root to its mushroomed crown. Rance was on fire as his mate relearned his body. Her innocence and hesitant touch was a potent aphrodisiac to his libido. He cupped her jaw and skillfully captured her mouth under his. Rasping her tongue with his, he encouraged her to suckle him. He thrust and parried with her, sucking and capturing her tongue in his mouth. His demanding lips blazed kisses on her face and neck. He pressed greedy licks and nips on the upper slopes of her breasts, leisurely unraveling her from the towel.

Alex was swept away in Rance's passion. Once he started hungrily nipping at her breasts, she let go of his shaft and clung to him. Rance gathered her in his embrace and laid them both on the center of the bed. "You are so beautiful in your arousal Alex." He rasped, "Your face glows with radiant allure, your seductive eyes beckon me to sup on your exquisite body." He paused. "Your scent drives me wild with need to possess you." He lay on her side and softly dragged his teeth on her areola as Alex quietly panted from the sensation and his seductive words.

"Rance, please don't tease me," she begged, grasping the back of his head and pushing his mouth on her nubs.

"As you wish, Alex." He murmured mentally.

He surrounded her right nipple with his wonderful mouth. The wet heat and insistent sucking was hedonistically intense that she softly keened in pleasure. "Yes, oh Rance. Please suck on me harder!"

Rance's big hands squeezed and kneaded the opulent globes together and alternately sucked and laved each nipple. "So sweet and delicious," he softly murmured. "I cannot wait to have them filled with milk to feast on. Such succulent breasts will look magnificent engorged and dripping with nourishment for our young," he continued.

He traced her luscious body. His hot calloused hands circled her waist and grabbed the globes of her butt. He squeezed and pulled apart her cheeks. "Hmmm, I love the fullness of your ass, and the sexiness of your hips. You are so beautiful Alex." Rance murmured against her breasts as he licked and nipped. One of his hands travelled to her mound and rubbed gently at her labia. He spread her wetness on her vulva and rimmed her opening. He strummed her heat with his fingers and slowly inserted his middle finger into her center. She gasped at the delicious intrusion. He cupped her and slowly spread her labial lips as he palpitated tenderly the finger inside her. His thumb found and rubbed her nubbin. She groaned aloud as her nails scored his back.

She trembled uncontrollably as her inflamed body hummed in ecstasy. He was killing her with pleasure! She could not stand it anymore. "Rance, Rance, oh please. Finish me," she whimpered in agonized sensuality.

He rubbed his cock on her hip, took hold of her right hand and wrapped it around his hardness. "Touch me, my dear Alex. Brand me with your heat." He showed her how to hold him and slowly make her stroke him with her hand. He was so hard and hot, like heated steel wrapped in velvet. Her hand could barely wrap around his sex! "So good, Alex. My sweet mate," he groaned. His glittering eyes captured hers as he pushed her thighs apart and settled between them. "Rub your pussy with my cock, Alex. Make me wet with your juice," he gruffly demanded. Alex blissfully complied. She rubbed him along her saturated slit and dipped his cockhead on her clitoris. She moaned in ecstatic delight. He disengaged her hand and continued to rub himself on her, sawing back and forth on her sensitive vulva. His tool split her lips apart and uncovered the hood on her clit. He continuously rubbed the mushroom head on her sensitized clit.

"Now Rance, put it in me now!" she exclaimed as the waves of pleasure built up in her. She was on the brink of release and wanted Rance to be inside her when it happened. She grasped his buttocks and tried to push him in her. He chuckled huskily. "Ride it, my sweet. Just let go." He strongly sucked his claim mark and feverishly rubbed his cock on her. "Come for me now!" The waves of intense carnality rolled over her and she exploded in a gratifying release. She shrieked loudly, body in spasms, eyes rolling to the back of her head, helpless in the grip of her sexual zenith.

Rance held back from burying himself in her passage. Once she calmed, he called her attention. "Alexandra, look at me," he quietly urged. Alex slowly focused her sated gaze on him. He fleetingly but tenderly kissed her parted lips. "I, Rance de Montfort, Alpha Rex of the North American Wolf pack claim you, Alexandra Grant, as my destined mate from this day forward. My heart, my soul, and everything within me belong to you. You are my treasure and my comfort. I am your strength and bulwark." Tears slowly trickled from Alex's eyes at his pronouncement. He slowly inched his erection into her quivering channel, gradually conquering the sheath that kept on pulsing in welcome to his cock. Once he bottomed out and the head kissed her cervix, he leaned into her and nuzzled her mark.

The pleasure that zinged between the lovers was absolute as Rance opened his mind to Alex and shared the feelings inundating him. He lifted his head and seized her lips. He feasted on her as he mimicked the sex act orally, plunging his tongue in and out of her sucking mouth. Alex groaned and moaned from the unending wondrous sensation engulfing her and Rance.

Finally, Rance lifted his head and with eyes connected, he entwined their fingers and put them to the side of her head. "Do you accept me as your mate, Alex?" He prodded. "I- I," she gulped, not knowing what to say to Rance. Seeing her indecision, he slowly rocked in and out of her cavern shallowly. "Say yes," he whispered in her ears. Gradually he built up speed as he surged in her heat. Alex hips bucked in sync with his rhythm. As the feeling built and built, Rance suddenly stopped. Alex's legs went around his waist as she squirmed and gyrated to make him move. He pinned her hips on the bed and growled low in his chest. "More!" she sobbed. "Am I your mate Alex? Do you accept me as your destiny?" he implacably demanded. He ignored her pleas to move and sobbed entreaty to let her climax. He whispered to her mentally as she continued to whimper in frustration, kissing all over her face. "Say yes Alex. Say you are mine. My mate." He paused. "And I am yours...forever," he avowed.

A dam seemed to burst inside of Alex's heart with Rance's declaration. She cried, "Yes, Rance,yes! I am your mate and you are mine." Joy shone in his mesmerizing eyes and a huge grin split his lips. He kissed her mouth voraciously as he greedily lapped on her lips. His hips steadily surged in and out of her, rasping the walls of her passage. Her ripening sheath wept abundantly, saturating the sensitized folds and tissues of her vagina, drenching his pistoning rod. They greedily cleaved to each other as their pace increased until he was ramming himself in her grasping wetness. The slap of flesh against flesh cut through the silent room, punctuated by animalistic grunts and groans from the amorously locked couple. The brewing storm of ecstatic sensation steadily built, as they strove to reach the culmination of their desire. Both cried out in rapture as they simultaneously shattered in blissful pleasure. Her convulsing pussy milked his staff of his seed until her womb overflowed. Their panting calmed and Rance muttered endearments flowed like cleansing water after their frenzied coupling.

Rance held her securely as he shifted and lay on his back, not disengaging his cock from her pussy. He rubbed and caressed her back and ass, gentling her ravaged body. "Sleep," he spoke softly as he kissed her forehead and nuzzled her hair. He heard her breathing deepen and slow as she finally succumbed to slumber.

******

Not wanting to wake his resting mate, Rance quietly closed the door to his suite. It was already past noon and there was pack business that needed to be addressed. Much as he would have loved to stay in bed and make her scream in pleasure over and over again, he could no longer ignore his duties. Besides, she looked perfect lying in his bed. He will just get the business taken care of and then return to Alex. Besides, the Council and the Alphas had been patient enough.

As usual, the twins Luc and Troy, stood guard at his door. Upon seeing him, they respectfully bowed their heads to their Alpha.

"Congratulations, Alpha Rex, on your mating," said Luc formally.

"May your joining be fruitful and be blessed by the Goddess Luna," added Troy.

Rance warmly acknowledged his Betas greetings and thanked them. He was aware that the news of his mating would have spread fast at the party. After all, that was the whole objective of the shindig anyway. Reluctant as he may have been to acknowledge it, he owed the Council a heap of thanks.

It was markedly silent at the mansion. Rance found this a little puzzling since his single wolves usually congregated downstairs at the recreation area or down in the basement in the exercise room when they were not on duty. They were a boisterous and rowdy crowd, so this stillness was very unusual.




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 03



"Where are the pups?" Rance asked the twins with brows raised. "This is the first time that the mansion is quiet; it's kind of eerie."

"Damian thought it prudent to keep them out of the mansion for now. He believes that the Alpha Regina might need some time to acclimate herself to pack life. It could be a disaster if one eager pup showed obeisance and offended her with his or her exuberance," Luc replied quietly.

"Also, we thought that we would give your wolf some time to adjust to being mated. As the alpha and the strongest, Damian thought to err on the side of caution for now in case you got overly aggressive and possessive," Troy said.

"He is a wise guy," Rance muttered, amused. He needed to thank Damian for his foresight. He really did not know how his wolf would react to other males near Alex. He remembered last night when he was on his mate hunt. He knew then that his wolf would have torn apart any male near her. He was beyond reasoning.

He took the time to look inside himself and gauge his wolf's disposition in the light of day. It was remarkable to see his wolf curled on its side content and happy and seemingly willing to let his human side take dominance for now. He took stock of himself and was amazed at the marked difference in him. The sharp aggressiveness that had lurked beneath his skin for years after his parents' death was curiously absent. It seemed mating had calmed his raging beast. Rance walked toward the stairs in hope of finding Damian and getting the Alphas still in the estate assembled.

"Should we remain here for your mate, Rance?" asked Luc.

"No. My mate -- whose name is Alexandra by the way -- is sleeping right now. Besides which, I do not want her to think that she is a prisoner here. She probably won't be up until later. I need both of you for the briefing we will have with the Alphas. Luc, find Damian and inform the Alphas that we will convene in the main conference room in fifteen minutes. Troy, I want you to make sure that no one gets access inside the mansion except for the staff. Also, have them prepare refreshment for the meeting. Tell them to bring food to my suite too, but not to disturb their Alpha Regina," He instructed as he continued downstairs trailed by the twins. Rance's mind already preoccupied with pack business and the reasons for the killings.

"What about the Council?" asked Luc. "They have voiced the desire to be introduced to your mate today."

"They will just have to wait for the formal presentation. I did not get the chance to talk to her about pack life yet. Once I managed to talk with her about everything then she will be presented to them. I do not want to add more pressure and stress on top of her being mated to an alpha shifter." Rance responded seriously. "What they need to know at the moment is that she was human when I claimed her. I need not explain that she should be given time to be gradually introduced to pack life and indoctrinated on pack politics."

******

The quiet thud of a door closing followed closely by soft tinkling of cutlery and hushed giggling pulled Alex from her deep sleep. She purposefully kept her eyes closed orienting herself to her surroundings. The events of the night rushed through her mind's eye. Alpha Rex. Alpha Regina. Claimed. Mated. Weres. The words kept repeating in her head. She needed to get out of here. She regulated her breathing to keep the people in the room from knowing that she was awake. She closely followed their movements by listening carefully.

"She has red hair," whispered a girl's voice. She could not see what Alex looked like since she was lying on her side and her hair cover most of her face.

"Katherine, that's enough!" hushed an older woman's voice. "See to the bathroom and make sure everything is tidied up over there. We do not want to give a bad impression to our Alpha Regina. Go on, I will clean up in here. And do be quiet, our Regina needs her rest after last night's mating," she said in a quiet voice.

"Yes, mother," the girl answered in a cowed tone. "I am just curious what she looks like. Everyone in the kitchen will ask me once we leave the bedroom."

"They will see her soon enough. They just have to wait for the formal presentation like the rest of the pack."

At least they were not curious enough to look under the sheet. That would be so humiliating. No one had seen her naked body except her -- and now Rance.

Alex waited impatiently for the duo to finish cleaning up and leave the room. Finally, she heard the door open and close. She opened one eye slowly, trying to see if anybody was in the room with her. When she was certain that she was alone, she scrambled out of bed and immediately hunted around for her clothes.

"Dumb, dumb, dumb, Alex" she muttered to herself. She should have awakened before the staff came to clean up, now she could not find a trace of her dress or her thong. She wrapped herself in the sheet as she went to the double doors and locked them. Don't want to flash anybody while I look for something to wear, she thought. As she turned towards the bedroom, she saw that the females had placed a tray of food on one of the tables in the sitting room. Her stomach grumbled as the smell of food tickled her nose. She clutched her protesting stomach and wondered if she had time to spare to eat before hitting the road. Making up her mind that it was bad to waste good food, she went to the table and perused the tray's offering.

There was a delicious smelling omelet loaded with ham, cheese, onions and tomato and a crusty croissant with butter on a plate. A large bowl of various cut fruits was on one side of the tray. A tall glass of juice and a steaming cup of coffee waited on the side with several fruit tartlets. An elaborate arrangement of pink tulips and roses were in a vase by the tray. I could get used to such service, she whimsically thought.

She sat down and started to eat while keeping an ear out for any sound of footsteps outside the door. Before long, she had consumed most of the food and was finishing her meal with a cup of coffee. She was surprised that she had eaten so much because she usually did not eat breakfast. She got up and went to bathroom to clean up and hunt for some clothes in the bedroom closet.

She opened one of the closet doors and walked in to look for anything that would fit her and was astounded at the number of suits hanging in the closet. Rance must be really rich and important. By the looks of it, they were all custom made and from exclusive brands. Not that she know anything about high-end fashion. I doubt if there are any ready-made suits that would fit him anyway, she thought with amusement.

She opened several drawers, looking for any casual clothes that she could borrow. She found a dress shirt and a pair of jeans and hoped they would fit. The shirt was big and reached almost to her knees, the sleeves was so long that she needed to fold them several times. The jeans' legs were long, which she could fold to fit her, but the problem was the waist. Rance was big, but very lean. The jeans waist wouldn't even close because of her hips and butt, so she hunted for any elasticized pants. After going through all of the drawers, she finally lucked out and found an old, but clean pair of sweat pants at the back of the closet. She hurriedly put them on and encountered the same problem with the length of the pant legs. She was tempted to cut them short, but then she would have to look for a pair of scissors, and she didn't want to waste more time, as it was.

She just wanted to get out of there and be able to assimilate everything that happened; To have time to think about what Rance told her last night, or rather, this morning. She put on her shoes and looked for her purse. She remembered dropping it at the foot of the bed when Rance grabbed her arms last night. She went down on her knees and peered under the bed. Luckily the purse was just where she thought it was. The contents were scattered on the floor, it must have opened when she dropped it earlier. She shoved everything inside and noticed that she had several missed call on her cellphone from Pam.

She tried calling Pam right away, not wanting her friend to worry further, but her calls went directly to voice mail. She left Pam a brief message telling her she was fine and on her way home. And then called a cab company and instructed them to pick her up at the gate of the estate.

Alex then went to the door, and attentively listened before slowly opening it. Everything was quiet and nobody was around so she slowly descended the stairs, tiptoed across the hall and walked out of the mansion.

It was a mile or so hike to get to the gate. As she trudged on the winding driveway, she could not help but look longingly back and see if by some miracle responding to her inner conflict about her cowardly escape, Rance had someone following her. The driveway remained empty, as empty as she felt. She put more distance between her and Rance. Determinedly, she marched forward, ignoring the gnawing emptiness inside her. She breathed deep and took stock of her circumstance. Her behavior and her actions with Rance were so unlike her. She couldn't understand how she placidly accepted his explanations without getting enraged at his machinations to get her mated to him. She was no pushover, but the surreal situation revealed her innate weakness when it came to Rance.

About halfway to the gate she felt a prickle of unease, the hair on the back of her stood on end. She tried to shrug it off thinking she was getting paranoid, but the feeling of dread persisted. There was something unnatural with the stillness of the surrounding trees. It was too quiet and eerie. She shivered as she felt the feeling of wrongness continue. Suddenly, she sensed malevolent intent pressed all around her. In her head she screamed "run!" Unexplained terror had her in its grip. Her heart pounded hard as adrenaline surged through her, triggering the fight or flight impulse. The forested area surrounding the winding driveway seemed to pulse with malicious glee. She hastened her pace, jogging and almost running in an effort to escape the feeling of evil stalking her.

As she rounded the final bend, she was relieved to see the cab waiting at the end of the drive. Alex jumped in hastily and gave the driver her address. As the cab pulled out, she looked behind her again, trying to see who or what stalked her. No one was there. "Must be my imagination on overdrive," she thought as she shivered. She shook off the remnants of terror she felt.

The sound of life settled around the forested driveway as Alex's cab drove away. The usual sound of nature resumed its cadence of teeming life; birds chirped on the trees screeching their mating call, squirrels squeaking playfully as they jumped from tree to tree. The sound of animals frolicking was abruptly cut off as a menacing growl preceded the rustling of the bushes at the edge of the thick trees that lined the gate. A pair of hate-filled amber eyes brightly glowed in the gloom as they watched the cab drive away with the Alpha Regina.

******

The conference room was brimming with testosterone. The alphas of different species sat around the long table flanked by their enforcers who stood by the walls. They had just finished viewing the video presentation of the slayings. Tension resonated inside the room. Quiet momentary reigned as everyone digested what the aftermath of the horrendous crime would do to the tenuous peace among the shifter communities. Already, the families of the slain weres cried for justice. Although they dared not voice outright the suspicion that a rival were species have committed the butcheries, it was evident in their eyes and attitude. One thing was very clear to everyone in the room though; It was imperative they find the were or weres responsible, or the relative peace they had for the past thirty years would start breaking down.

"Obviously someone is trying to undermine the treaty,"Annawon, the Bear Alpha observed quietly. "For them to dump the bodies on our clan," he nodded towards Dominic, "his pride," and nodded at Rance, "and your pack territory, sends a clear message to me."

"I arrived at the same conclusion my friend." Dominic agreed. "They are not very subtle with their ploy to make us believe that our people have killed each other in retaliation. It's no secret that we three are the greatest proponents of the peace treaty." He looked at each alpha present at the table. Each stoic face showed strained alertness. Everyone was on edge. "What say you?" he asked the rest of the alphas. As of now, only the wolves, panthers, and bears had been attacked. They could not wait passively for another attack to happen. No one had a clue how widespread the conspiracy to derail the treaty was. They all needed to work together to end the killings.

"How sure are we that this is not a personal vendetta meant to strike at the three of you?" asked the catamount alpha. He personally did not like the three alphas in front of him. He found them to be so smug and arrogant. There was something that rubbed him raw when dealing with the wolf alpha. His cat fairly bristled with hostility when in the same room as Rance. His pride, whose numbers were less than the other Were species, were to his opinion, always getting the short end of the stick. It is not his problem if the wolves, panthers, and bears were being picked off one at a time. Good riddance, that's what he would say. They were too numerous and needed to be taken down a peg or two anyway.

Every eye zoomed in on Rance. Since he was the one who called the meeting, they wanted to hear him answer a valid question that most of them thought, but hesitated to ask.

Manuel, the catamount alpha, has always irked Rance. True he had the right to question before any conclusion was reached, but to disregard the threat to Weres generally rang of gross incompetence and irresponsibility. As alphas, it was their job to secure, protect, train and help their people prosper and live in this modern world without fear of being hunted and killed senselessly.

"Are you willing to pay the price if and when they attack your people?" Rance queried, "Will you do nothing and wait like cattle for them to take it as weakness and strike at you?" Rance's voice rang with vehemence. He is infuriated that some of the alphas are regarding each other already with suspicion and distrust.

Manuel looked at him belligerently. "You dare intimate that we do not care for the welfare of our weres? I for one do not want to have my pack vulnerable to attack nor do I want all-out war between Weres to break out if we can avoid it. What I do not condone, is being manipulated into getting involved in your personal crusade." He stood up in agitation. The tension in the room ratcheted up as two alphas faced off. The enforcers around their alphas prepared themselves for any possible physical confrontations. Bodies taut, some had partially shifted. Hostility mounted as their animal halves bristled with aggression.

Rance remained in his seat. His rigid body and fisted hands revealed barely leashed bellicosity. His wolf howled in rage. It perceived the other alphas aggressiveness as a challenge to him. Rance restrained his wolf's penchant for violence. His father had taught him that a good alpha seeks peace at all times and lead with strength and an open mind. However, a great alpha employs both, and complimented them with wisdom and diplomacy.

Annawon's calm voice cut through the thick tension in the room. "No one in this room questions your leadership of your Weres, my friend Manuel. Calm yourself. We are here to seek a peaceful consensus to the matter at hand." He looked directly at Rance and Manuel. Rance slowly nodded his head in accord as Manuel sat back in his chair. "We want to inform all the alphas of what is happening and not leave you in the dark about the attacks." Annawon continued in a soothing manner. This time he looked at each alpha in the eye. "The peace treaty is being put to the test. If we cannot work together and agree on how to deal with these attacks then the treaty is already on the brink of total breakdown." He leaned forward in earnest appeal to them. "We have worked hard together to bring peace and unite all weres under our cumulative leadership. These senseless attacks are meant to weaken us! It made us question our brethren's motives and innocence." Annawon folded his hands palms down in front of him and regarded each one with piercing eyes. "Are you willing to work together for the apprehension of the perpetrators of these vile crimes?"

The repercussion of the treaty breaking down would be disastrous. Open war would be waged and bloodshed like never seen before would commence. The wisdom of working together was not lost on the alphas, but being half animal, they were prone to posturing and aggression when they felt threatened. Cooler heads needed to reign at this moment. After a time of prolonged silence used by each in contemplation, one by one the alphas nodded their head in agreement. They all agreed that they were not going to wait for further escalation. Even Manuel reluctantly nodded his head.

Rance then stood up to address them all. His grim visage conveyed how the attacks weighed heavily on his mind. If the Weres involved continued to attack and murder humans, then the Were people would be in danger of exposure. That would spell disaster for them, and the humans would more likely take arms and hunt them all. "I propose that we form a task force involving one of each of our betas. Their sole assignment is to investigate and determine who perpetrated these crimes. Any lead, any evidence will be equally disclosed to the council of alphas." He paused. "We know that the bodies were left in places where it could be easily discovered. There was no indication of an attempt to hide or bury their crime. Nothing was found on or near the bodies that can point us to the villains. What it does indicate though is that it was meticulously planned and flawlessly orchestrated." He continued gravely, "The lack of genetic evidence and scent marker points to a Were or Weres. Humans, as we know, are unaware that we can hunt by scent alone, so there was no reason to mask their scent." Rance leaned forward on the table. "I doubt that this is a work of one individual. The crimes are too fucking perfect!" He exclaimed and breathed deep to keep calm. His wolf is riled up at the thought of helpless weres massacred in their bed, such deeds screamed of cowardice. "We are looking at a group of Weres. They have one leader who plans and mastermind everything, while others do the grunt work. I am still at a loss as to the objective of it except to derail the Peace Treaty."

Establishing the need for haste to act on a plan of action, they've finally decided to have three groups working independently of each other, which would then report to the Council of Alphas. The alphas then deliberated who would be included in the task force. As the alphas discussed and argued, Rance decided to check on his mate and "see" if she was already awake, having earlier blocked the mental link between them to focus on business.

With the alphas' rumbling discussion serving as a background, Rance opened his bond with Alex. His mate was awake and eating at the moment. He smiled at the thought of making her hungry again. He sensed her slight panic. He didn't blame her in the least for her reaction, but they would work through it. He was confident that goddess Luna had prepared her to be mated to an alpha shifter. This time he left her thoughts unread, not wanting to breach her mind or disrespect her privacy. He will give her some time to adjust their ability to communicate mentally and read each other's mind.




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 03



Content that his mate was safe and well, Rance toned down his connection with her and tried to concentrate on what was happening in the room. Now that they were all in accord, the planning went smoothly. As the meeting progressed Rance felt unease increasingly flowed through his mate bond. He paused and zoomed in on his mate's whereabouts. He surged to his feet as terror zipped through his mate bond. Alex is in danger! his wolf cried. Every conversation ceased as Rance abruptly stood and noticed his glowing eyes and extended claws. Damian was immediately at his side sensing his alpha's agitation.

"My mate, Alex, has left the mansion and is deathly afraid." Rance growled at the room at large. Every alpha stood up, willing to lend their help. "Have the betas search the grounds, she is near and still on the estate." He nodded at the alphas and strode towards the door.

The door leading to the hall burst open as a panting wolf shifter pup came barreling in. "Forgive me.....alphas," He bowed awkwardly. He was panting so hard that his words came out garbled. "I... was... running in the... north part of... the woods by myself... just now." He paused. "As I was... about to jump... over the ridge, I thought I... saw something... below in the ravine, so... I went down to investigate." Suddenly, his scent reeked of fear and sorrow. He took a deep breath and looked at all the alphas gathered. "I...I...I f-f-found three... mutilated bodies over there," he panted hard. "T-t-they..they... were all in the party last night." The astounding testimony resounded throughout the room.

To be continued....

PS

Please don't forget to vote! :P



Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 04



A/N: Thanks for your patience and all your comments and votes. I really enjoyed reading your feedback, long or short, it gives me an idea how much my story impacts the reader. I hope you keep it coming. Once more I thank my wonderful editors: Lunarosa and MythOFreak who helped make my thoughts more cohesive and appealing to the readers.

CHAPTER FOUR

The barely audible hum of the cool air coming out of the air-vents was the only sound in the otherwise deafening silence inside the room in the basement of the pack hospital. Three shrouded figures lay on separate tables like grotesque exhibits, and the lights directly over the tables glaringly displayed the white sheets covering them, stained with blood, splotched in random patterns. The cloying smell of blood and death lingered, and the brutal violence of their death fairly screamed for retribution of the victims' fates. All three bodies, still unidentified, shared a gruesome end at the hands of pure evil.

It had been a couple of hours since the discoveries of the recent murders. The bodies were carefully transported to the pack hospital, where their mutilated remains could hopefully shed some light on the identities of their killers.

The wolf betas, with the help of the visiting alphas and their betas, combed the ridge for any possible clues and evidence left by the killer or killers. The bodies were examined and processed by Armand Marchal, the pack's resident doctor. Samples of tissues and fluids were taken from the victims, which were being tested for any foreign substances introduced prior to the deaths. All the victims were shifters this time -- identifying the remains would be the next step, so the families could be notified of their loved ones' demise. The pup who discovered the bodies knew the victims had been guests at the party because he tended the bar the night before, and remembered serving them.

The alphas, acknowledging the need for haste, resumed their meeting and finished forming the triad taskforce. They were charged to investigate the latest attack and follow any leads they could uncover. One by one, the alphas and their entourages left the estate and pack lands to go to their own territories, leaving Rance, Dominic and Annawon behind to wait for further news of the results of the different tests done to the bodies.

Earlier that same day, right after the pup brought the news of the murders, Rance, for the first time in his role as alpha, felt torn in two directions: he wanted to go and protect his mate from whatever was terrorizing her, but he also knew that he needed to oversee the crime scene and deal with the bodies found on pack lands. Fortunately, Dominic understood the dilemma and volunteered to go ahead with the alphas; the alphas told Rance to go ahead and deal with his mate's need. Rance readily agreed, and instructed to have the bodies brought to the pack hospital. He would follow as soon as he determined what or who had frightened his mate.

Flanked by the twins, Rance ran down the driveway. The terror coming from Alex he felt earlier had subsided, so he knew that whatever it was that scared her was no longer there. When he sensed his mate's presence slowly wane, he knew that she must have had a cab pick her up. In her head, Rance urged Alex to come back, but she determinedly refused. Although reluctant, he understood her need for space, and so he let her go, but promised himself that after things settled down a bit, and once she had a chance to think it all through, then he would come for Alex.

His mate bond with her would assure her cognizance of his presence even when they were apart. Maybe tonight, after he was done with everything, he would dream-share with her. He could not wait to have Alex back in his arms, even if it was only in their dreams.

He promised himself that nothing would keep them apart in the future; they would have to work out any kinks in their relationship and agree on a workable compromise. He would not live without his mate by his side, and he refused to believe that Luna would just abandon them right at the time that he needed her help to make his mate choose to stay with him.

Rance and the twins easily followed Alex's progress down the driveway and found the exact spot where the faint scent of her trepidation lingered. They panned out in the woods, scenting, and looking for clues as to what caused her alarm. A couple of paces from the paved road, they discovered where the observer hid in the thick woods. It seemed that whoever it was hunkered down long enough to flatten the vegetation, and then stealthily followed her. The scent marker was peculiar, and left all three alarmed and puzzled. They had never before encountered anyone with this odd stench.

Whoever it was left a sharp tang of rotting flesh and mixed with shifter scents in the area. Not only that, but the woods reeked strongly of hate and evil intent. It was greatly troubling for Rance to know that his mate was being maliciously targeted by an unknown entity. Both the twins were known for their sharp sense of smell, and could easily identify any shifter species, but this one baffled them. No matter how hard they tried to identify what stalked Alex, they could not exactly pinpoint what kind of shifter it was.

Rance's current situation was not conducive to finding his mate and strengthening his mate bond: on top of the attacks on shifters, there was now an unknown shifter threatening his mate. He prayed to Luna that Alex was not easily scared off, and would stand by his side. A strong Regina would reassure the pack in the midst of the menace that hung like a pall of clouds over the shifter community.

He called off the twins after determining that the mystery shifter was long gone. He mentally told the betas to tighten security around the estate, and also assigned protection to his mate. The video from the security camera on top of the gate would shed light on the cab company his mate used, and from then it would not be a problem to find out where she was dropped off.

He wanted her protected at all times, so assigned the twins as her protection detail. The twins left right after they got their Regina's address. They would know immediately if the unknown shifter got near their Alpha Regina, now that they had its spoor memorized. They would not let their alphas down.

******

Dr. Armand Marchal slowly walked the mansion's hall. Elated that the slaughtered shifters' bodies had finally revealed some clues, he wanted to bring the news personally to the three waiting alphas. As he reached the door to the alpha's office, he heard the quiet murmur of voices and the tinkling of ice on glass inside. All conversations inside ceased as his hand touched the knob, signaling that his presence was already noted by those on the other side of the door. Armand briefly knocked and heard his alpha bid him enter.

"Good evening alphas," he courteously greeted everyone. Taking note that all were standing and looking at the pack lands map on one of the walls, he briefly wondered if they were discussing the area where the bodies were found.

"Good evening doctor," Rance replied. "Would you like a drink?" he asked as he walked to the drink cabinet, took a glass and put ice in. "Whiskey okay?" The doctor nodded and Rance poured him a liberal amount. Rance waited for the doctor to take his first sip. "I trust you have some news for us? Otherwise, you wouldn't have graced us with your presence," Rance said with a grim smile, and turned to the two alphas in the room. "Our pack doctor is notoriously known for getting so engrossed in his work that he forgets everything until he has completed his task." Rance motioned for Armand to sit on one of the chairs grouped around his desk not already occupied by Dominic and Annawon.

Armand had been the pack doctor since Rance's father's reign as alpha. Although more than two and a half centuries old, his face and body had the youthful appearance of a man in his late thirties. In all of his time serving the pack as its doctor, this was the first time that he encountered a shifter killing that was so baffling. He'd seen challenges, wars and ambushes in his time, but never a killing when the victim was already rendered helpless. It was just not the shifter way. Thus, the traces of the paralyzing chemical he found in the tissues and blood samples taken from the latest victims unnerved him to say the least. It was strong enough to leave a shifter instantly paralyzed and unable to shift to counteract the drug, and also bring him or her to the brink of unconsciousness.

Tamping down his excitement at his discovery, but trepidation at being the bearer of bad news, Armand crossed his legs and folded his hand together holding his whiskey glass and cleared his throat to gain some time to clear his mind. He was not sure how the three alphas would take his news, and all three in the room projected a barely leashed air of impatience as they waited for his report. His discovery was something big and could be the break they were looking for on the recent killings.

Not wanting to keep them in suspense, Armand finally spoke. "The killers have been careless this time," he said with repressed excitement. "The samples taken from the victims showed that they were given a chemical compound, much like succinylcholine. This drug renders shifters briefly paralyzed and semiconscious. A shifter body would have metabolized it given enough time."

Rance sat up straighter on the desk, his face a mask of foreboding. "How did we miss this in the other murders?" he quizzed the doctor. Annawon and Dominic both agreed that something like this should not have been overlooked.

"I believe it was because the most recent bodies were found within hours of their murders. Remember that the previous victims were not found until a day or so after they were killed." He paused to let the significance of the information sink in before he continued, "The killer got cocky, or maybe impatient. He preferred to have the recent murders found right away. He must have known that the ridge is a famous place for our pups to do their run, and yet the bodies were dumped there." Armand continued, "We know that the compound breaks down after some time, and that's likely why we failed to garner this information from the previous murders. We took more samples later on to compare our findings, and it showed that as the bodies started to decompose, the drug introduced breaks down into chemicals that our bodies naturally produce. Unless we are specifically looking for this drug, it would be nearly impossible to detect and identify it. I got curious as to why three healthy shifters showed no defensive wounds, so I tested for foreign chemicals and discovered the paralyzing agent...."

A thoughtful look passed between the three alphas. "Why change his MO now?" Rance asked the other two.

"Could be he was sending us a message," Annawon muttered.

Dominic cast a thoughtful look at his friend, then slid his eyes to Rance and held his gaze, "Or maybe they are sending our friend here a message."

Rance's eyes glittered with repressed fury. His wolf's hackles went up as a quiet rumble echoed in his chest. The alpha in him was riled and wanted to start hunting for the killer, to protect his pack from this mysterious killer.

"There's more," the good doctor broke in.

"Go ahead doctor," Rance encouraged. "Now that you have identified the compound, do you know how long are we affected by it?"

"I believe that it was introduced into the victim's body by injection. Once injected, paralysis is almost instantaneous. As for the duration of its effect, I need a volunteer to test it on," Armand said.

"So they were helpless to protect themselves. That answers the question why they did not fight off the killer and why they bled to death." Annawon said.

"Yes," the doctor replied. "Not only that, but the drug also inhibits their ability to shift and leaves them semi-conscious. They were cognizant of everything happening, but unable to defend themselves."

The longer Rance listened to the doctor enumerate the ways that the unknown compound affected shifters, the more his fury built. It was a coward's way to kill. And what message was this fucker trying to send him? If the killer wanted war, he got the message loud and clear.

If only the coward (or cowards, he supposed; they still didn't know if there was more than one killer) would come out and challenge him openly, then he could mete out some just rewards, but the killer cloaked himself in secrecy. He doubted that any of his friends had an inkling of what motivated these monsters. For all they knew, the killers might be some deranged shifters who got high on murdering helpless prey.

Dominic looked at Rance and held his gaze. "We cannot be careful enough as long as these attacks keep happening. I hope you've put your strongest wolves to protect your mate. Her inability to shift yet could prove detrimental. Damn! Just look at how easily shifters were killed. She'd be completely helpless to protect herself."

"I have thought of that, my friend, especially with an unknown stalker in the mix. I have Troy and Luc guarding her right now. I will also inform them of the latest development once we're done here," Rance said. "I have complete faith in the twins' abilities to protect Alex while I can't be there myself. My desire to protect my mate wars with my need to see to the pack's welfare. But, I have to give my mate the time and space she needs to adjust to her changed status. In light of what we are dealing with now, she will need it," he said starkly. He turned to the doctor, "Has your team identified the remains yet?"

"All we know at the moment is the lone male and one of the female victims were wolf shifters, the other female body was that of a coyote shifter," the doctor replied. "I believe Damian is still investigating as to their identities."

Rance mentally called Damian, "Did you have any luck identifying the bodies yet?," he asked.

"Alpha," the grim tone of Damian's voice resonated in Rance. A sense of dread enveloped him; his friend only addressed him by his title when they were in the presence of other alphas, or when he bore grave news, like Rance's parents' deaths. "We were able to identify the wolves. I'm sorry, but one of them was the granddaughter of Council member, Parvon. The male wolf was also related to them, a visiting relative from some European pack. The coyote shifter is a little hard to identify, so we are still working on that."

The ramification of the female wolf's death was great. Parvon was known to dote upon his only granddaughter. To learn not only of his granddaughter's, but also of another relative's, death would be devastating blows to the old patriarch. Rance would not be surprised if Parvon demanded immediate retribution, were he to mistakenly conclude another shifter clan or pride were the ones responsible, rather than one or more rogues. Rance hoped cooler heads would prevail and open war could be averted. It was time for him to call the wolf council and inform them of the recent developments. Transparency could garner their cooperation and support.

Facing the other alphas and the doctor, Rance relayed the information given by Damian. He then told Damian to get in touch with the nearest Coyote pack and discreetly ask its alpha's help in identifying the female shifter.

Having nothing more to report, Armand stood up and bid all three good night. He needed to work more on the samples while they were still relatively 'fresh'. He wanted to know how the killers managed to mask their scent and leave not a trace of their signature on any of the bodies, or the surrounding area where they were dumped.

Dominic, the panther alpha, got up and stalked to the drinks cabinet, and poured himself a liberal amount of whiskey. "I don't know about you two, but that calls for a strong drink." He lifted the bottle at his friend and when they nodded in assent, brought it to them. He refilled both of his friends' glasses and replaced the bottle back in the cabinet. Dominic could not help but wonder why the sudden escalation of attacks happened on the eve of Rance's mating. Why would the wolves' Alpha Regina be stalked and threatened on their territory? It made one wonder if the two were connected in some way. He had an uneasy feeling that this would get worse before it got better. Only time could tell. All they could do right now was be extra vigilant.

******

Miles away, a shadowy figure furtively approached an abandoned house sitting atop a bluff overlooking a densely forested valley. The weak light of the moon cast shadows over the hooded figure, making it look obscurely grotesque in appearance as it hurried through the woods. Small wild animals scurried away from it sensing its malevolent aura, leaving the woods deathly still. The moon's faint light failed to penetrate the thickest part of the woods where the figure suddenly paused, tilting its head as if listening. Swaying like grass being blown by the wind, the hooded figure vigorously nodded its head from time to time, wildly waving its arms, gesticulating at an unseen being. The macabre spectacle was interspersed by unintelligible mutterings and random shuffling of its feet.

As the moon reached its zenith in the dark sky, lights filtered through the thick canopy of trees and briefly touched the shrouded face. The dappled moonlight revealed glee and malice flashing in its amber eyes as it threw its head up and howled in the night. Its exultant ululation ricocheted through the forest and sent the animals scurrying farther away from the predator that oozed pure evil. The sound carried through the quiet stillness followed by spine chilling cackles that echoed through the night for miles.

Soon! It thought with barely leashed excitement. Soon the time will come for them to know who their true Master is. I will reveal myself in due time. They will all acknowledge me the supreme ruler and kneel before me, or they will pay with their blood as I eagerly feast on their flesh.

Its vileness emanated so palpably that even the moon's weak light seemed to withdraw from it, leaving the creature once more in the dark.

Yes! It hissed. The revelation is at hand! The prophecy will be fulfilled. And the fulfillment and the judgment are within reach! My own pack won't need to hide in the dark anymore -- we will rule over all.....as is my right....as my destiny calls for me to take my rightful place!

*******

Everybody had gone for the day and she was left alone in her garage finishing up a last job. The bay doors were already closed and the office lights were off. Kate, her receptionist had left hours ago. Alex blew the hair off her perspiring face. She tried to secure the lot of it in a ponytail at the back of her head whenever she was working, but tendrils escaped no matter how tight she tied it.

At the moment, she bent over the open hood of Mrs. Johnson's old sedan. She had been working on the car on and off for the past year. The car was ready to croak, but she did not have the heart to tell the sweet old lady the truth. From what she told Alex, this car belonged to Mrs. Johnson's late husband and was loathe to part from it. Alex understood the sentimental value of the car, but was no longer reliable or safe for Mrs. Johnson to drive it. The body was sturdy enough, but the engine would need to be overhauled for it to work efficiently and parts needed replacement too. Alex had already replaced the brakes and clutch on the car to make it safer for Mrs. Johnson on the road, but she could not keep on repairing the piece of junk forever. Sooner or later she would have to tell her to replace it with a newer model.




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 04



Alex loved the time when the hustle and bustle of the day was over. When everything in the garage was quiet, all she could hear was the steady hum of the refrigerator in the small break room area. This was usually her time to go through the paper work and do her planning and thinking.

Much as she would want to start on the pile waiting for her in the office, she'd rather tinker in the garage. She thought more clearly when her hands were busy. If there was need for lucidity, now was that time.

She thought that she could do some serious thinking yesterday after her flight from Rance, but she was clearly mistaken to think that Pam would let Alex's disappearance from the party go. She clearly recalled last night's conversation with her BFF...

"You're kidding right?" Pam's skeptical voice rang loudly in Alex living room. "That's just unbelievable....it boggles my mind how anyone can last as long as he did. Not that I doubt you, mind you, but it's just physically impossible for a man to do that." Her face mirrored her doubts about the validity of Alex's accounts of the night she spent in the mansion with Rance. They had been seated on either end of the couch in her living room, facing each other.

She had found Pam waiting at her front door when the cab pulled into her driveway earlier. Ever since then, she had not stopped demanding all the "dirty details" of last night. Alex had finally relented under Pam's incessant nagging and shared a highly censored version of her night with Rance. If her friend's reaction to Rance's unnatural sexual stamina was to be her gauge, there was no way that she could disclose the existence of wolf shifters to Pam.

Even Alex was not absolutely certain of what was required of her, now that she had knowledge of the shifters' existence, nor her role as their Alpha Regina. It all sound too fantastical in the light of day. Being away from Rance would give her sufficient room to mull over everything that was thrown at her last night more clearly.

"I know. I know. I keep telling myself that," she wryly replied. "And I have not in any way exaggerated his prowess." Looking back, the amazing night in Rance's arms seemed surreal somehow. The twinges of pain in her muscles and the slight soreness of her untried body, however, gave testament to the reality of the amazing experience. The more she objectively looked at what had transpired, the more she began to believe Rance's incredible claims. In truth, no human could have lasted six hours imbedded in a woman and had fully maintained an erection, even after ejaculating numerous times. It was simply humanly impossible.

During the cab ride, she'd doggedly ignored Rance as he reached out to her mentally. Pressing her to come back to the mansion and discuss things, cajoling and promising everything would work out fine. As the miles between them grew and she continued to firmly refuse, he'd finally resigned himself and conceded her need for space, but promised her that he would come for his mate soon. "Just as soon as the pack business is over," he said.

Even now, when she appraised herself inwardly, she could actually sense him and the tumult of emotions roiling in him. At the moment, he felt divided. He badly needed to come and get his mate, and at the same time he knew he had to do his duties to the pack. The question would now be, could she accept what was destined for her? This was something she needed to answer before Rance came knocking at her door.

Pam ran a critical eye on Alex, who looked none the worse for wear in spite of last night's adventure. In actuality, her friend had an inner glow of contentment in her eyes. An air of languid satiety seemed to radiate from her. In the past, her lack of sexual experience lent an innocent air to her friend, but now, Alex exuded sensuality in her every move and gesture. Pam was glad that her friend was fine after last night, since it was so unlike Alex to just hook up with a stranger, even if that stranger was panty-wetting gorgeous.

"So what are your plans now? You did practice S-A-F-E S-E-X, right?" she asked, prodding her friend for more. "Will you be going out with him soon?" she paused, as Alex's caginess conveyed her reluctance to tell more. "I've never known you to be this reticent before. We're BFFs, remember? We share everything."

Alex sighed and wondered if she should involve her friend in her predicament. After all, it was not her secret to share. For now, she'd rather keep Pam in the dark until Alex fully understood the implications of being mated to an Alpha Rex.

"It's a little complicated," she hesitatingly explained. "You see, I sneaked out of the mansion and left without saying anything to Rance." She shrugged and weakly smiled at her friend.

"I know, I know," she lifted her hand as Pam was about to open her mouth, "I acted like a coward. But I couldn't help it, Pam. It overwhelmed me, and the only thought in my head was to get out of there." She stood up and began to pace; Pam watched her intently.

"But you did make him use condoms, right?" she insisted. When Alex just stared quietly at her, she grew alarmed. "Tell me you did not."

"It was stupid. I know," Alex admitted wryly. "But everything logical or founded in common sense flew out of my head the minute we touched. I'm in the middle of my cycle anyway, so I'm safe," Alex reassured Pam. And I don't think I can get pregnant from dream fucking, no matter how hot.

"Hello! How about disease? Did you think about that? How sure are you that he's completely safe?" Pam frowned at her friend.

Alex couldn't help but smile at her friend's vehemence. She just shook her head gently and said, "I'm sure he's safe." Otherwise I'm going to kill him myself, she thought. "Besides, I know that he will come knocking on my door soon enough. Did I forget to tell you that it's not going to be a one night stand?"

"But do you want to see him again?" Pam asked.

"That's the thing, I want to. Yes, but not at the moment," Alex replied. At least not in person, she thought to herself.

Pam stayed the night with her just to make sure that she was truly alright. They cooked dinner, watched some chick flick and spent half of the night talking and giggling like crazy, until finally exhausted, they went to sleep. Pam left her house early this morning to go to work. Later that afternoon, she called to inform Alex she was accompanying her boss on an emergency business trip and wouldn't be back until the next week.

No more distractions from her self-imposed introspection. She spent the day in the garage invariably thinking of Rance and what had transpired between them. She could not believe that it was only yesterday that she'd fled the mansion. It felt longer to her. The short time she spent with him was indelibly impressed in her soul.

Her night away from him was restless, to say the least. Alex's body constantly sought his, searching for his heat, craving for a connection with him. It would have been tolerable if it was just a physical craving, but no, her mind and heart reached out for his, assuring herself of the tangible presence of the mate link between them. She'd probably have gone crazy if Rance did not send her soothing touches and assurances throughout the night and day they had been apart, through their mental connection. This mating was wreaking havoc on her equilibrium.

Alex took pride in her ability to be emotionally untouched by the angst of romances in the past, and she thought herself infallible to the foibles of female emotions. Fate was probably laughing its ass off right now. Previously, she could not understand why women would let themselves be emotionally vulnerable to men. Now, she could completely empathize. There was no rhyme or reason to why she felt so much for a complete stranger. There was no logical explanation for her willingness to abandon her sane, safe, single and normal existence, but the pull of this mating phenomenon was so compelling that nothing short of surrendering to it would fully satisfy her inexplicable craving for Rance -- her mate.

Here she thought that putting distance between them would actually alleviate her body's clamoring for his, but in fact it made it worse. She couldn't stop thinking about him; remembering his taste, his addictive touch, his mouth-watering body, his panty soaking scent, and the explosive passion between them. The fact that he could apparently enter her dreams, as she'd found out last night, didn't help.

After tossing and turning in her bed last night, her passion-starved body sought out Rance in her dreams. It started just like her previous ones, with her walking alone in the forest and searching for her wolf. But everything changed after she reached the clearing at the lake. She vividly recalled the events that transpired in the hottest, wettest dream she'd ever had....

Sweet smelling wind gently blew the hair cloaking her naked body, caressing it like a lover. Alex shivered in pleasure as her body soaked up the sun shining brightly in the sky. Treading carefully, the soft grass that covered the clearing tickled her bare feet. Wanting to surprise her wolf who was sitting at the edge of the lake, she tried not to make any noise as she crept closer to him.

To see him waiting for her brought joy in her heart. Knowing that he patiently waited for her elated her so much, that when she was a couple of steps away, she ran and excitedly lunged for him. Laughing happily, she wrestled and rolled around with the wolf on the sweet-smelling grass. Hanging tightly to his neck, they tumbled together.

She didn't know when he started changing, but soon realized that she was clinging to a man's muscular neck and shoulders. Finally ending up on the bottom with his body covering her and partially obscuring the sun, she looked up and gazed at those familiar emerald eyes.

"Hello, my mate, I am glad you opened our link, to share this dream with me," twinkling eyes holding hers captive, he smiled at her.

"R-Rance?" she stuttered over. She couldn't believe that he was there with her. "How did you get in here?" she asked.

"Don't you humans have a saying, 'if you won't come to the mountain, then the mountain would come to you?' So, here I am." He adjusted his body to keep from crushing her. That was when Alex realized that both of them were totally naked!

"You're naked!" she said, "I'm naked!" she looked at him in shock. Now she knew she was not wholly in control of her own dream; she might dream of him naked, but there was no way she'd dream herself totally naked in front of him, in full sunlight!

He looked at her with amusement and drolly replied, "The better to eat you, my dear Alex." He grinned at her expressive face. His mate had a bemused look on her face. Her brows were crunched in a frown while her lips were puckered in thoughtful confusion. He couldn't help himself so he leaned down and lightly nipped at those luscious lips.

"Wait," she braced her hands on his shoulders and attempted to push him away. It was like pushing a wall! He did not move even an inch. Moving her head to the side, she glowered at him. Finally getting the message, Rance moved his head back.

"What did you do to my wolf, Rance?" she gruffly asked him.

"I did not do anything to your wolf Alex. I am the wolf." He replied soothingly.

"No, you're not. I've been meeting him nightly here in the lake. Did you supplant him in my dreams?" she said brusquely. Irritated that her dream-wolf had disappeared because of Rance.

"Alex, I was waiting for you in the lake in my wolf form. It was me whom you dragged down on the ground." He paused and deeply looked at her eyes. "I changed because I want to hold you in my arms. To make love to you. To rub my body against yours and cover you with my scent."

"Are you saying that you're the wolf in my dreams these past months?" she asked him incredulously.

"Did my wolf looked EXACTLY like him?" he asked, before she nodded her head reluctantly.

"Did we have the same size, the same coat, and same color and markings?"

"Yes..." she answered slowly. Her eyes rounded as she fully realized that her dreams these past months were a precursor to meeting her wolf-mate. Rance knew that it was likely Luna who'd sent her dreams of his wolf, to prepare her for her inevitable fate.

Rance leaned over her and held her head as he gently kissed her brows, then her nose, and finally rested his lips on hers. "Then, my dear Alex, your wolf and I are one and the same," he quietly murmured.

"Oh, Rance..." she moaned, as Rance captured her mouth and leisurely explored. Once more, the overwhelming attraction between them exploded. Her whole body tingled and was awakened by exquisite sensations as Rance covered her body with his muscular one. He fully rested his hips between the juncture of her thighs and rubbed his rampant tumescence on her drenched nether lips.

"My sweet, sweet Alex," he crooned, as he showered kisses all over her face, "I wanted to stay away, to give you time, but I could not stay away. I do not have the will power to do so." He could not get enough of her sweetness. He kept coming back to her honeyed lips. Savoring her distinct flavor with his tongue, he hungrily plundered and worshipped her. Rance cajoled her tongue to play with his, and captured it in his mouth as he gently suckled.

Alex was awash in pleasure. Feeling Rance's chest hair lightly abrade her breasts and nipples sent shooting electricity directly to her core. Her cunt muscles clasped in hunger for his eventual invasion. Widening her legs further, she braced her feet on the ground, feverishly swiveling her hips in hope that his massive tool would find her slit.

Rance relished his mate's body beneath him. She was soaking wet! Her fluid made him burn to plunge in her and dominate. Barely holding on, he lapped down at her throat and nipped at the mate mark that he'd left the night before. Alex quivered and gasped in delight. When she demandingly grabbed at his ass and bucked beneath him, he took hold of her breasts and suckled feverishly at one.

Alex keened in ecstasy as the tumult of overwhelming sensations threw her into climax. She clung to Rance as her body shuddered, and her vagina cramped and wept copious lubrication. She ached for his possession.

"Now, Rance...." She sobbed in frustration. Rance was hungrily nursing at one of her breasts and squeezing and pinching the other. The burning intensity of the carnal pleasure surged and inflamed her. She reached between them and took ahold of his shaft. Rance groaned in exquisite delight as his mate's hand handled him. Grasping his enormous staff in her small hands, she positioned the bulbous head at her opening. Notching it just inside, Alex wrapped both of her legs on his waist, and pulled him all the way inside her juicy channel.

The initial penetration made both of them moan in hunger. His cockhead was lodged just a couple of inches from the entrance of her opening. "Move, Rance! Move..." she panted. Holding her gaze, he thrust all the way in. "Yes!" she screamed in ecstasy, as her craving pussy clung to his invading cock in welcome. Her tight pussy held him her willing and eager captive. Their locked eyes spoke of yearning and delight in their sexual congress.

"You're so fucking gorgeous, little one," Rance grunted. "Your divine heat burns me from the inside out. I could stay inside you forever."

Rane started to move slowly as they relished the feeling of unity. As the heat between them intensified, Rance hips surged strongly in his mate's welcoming glove. Alex clung and writhed beneath Rance. Her body hummed at his demanding pace. His strong hips pinned her down as he rapidly buried his lance in and out of her delicious tightness. Sucking at his mark on her neck, he chanted a litany of praise and love to his mate.

Slamming harder in her clutching sheath, he held her tightly in his embrace. Her continuous moans and groans of bliss fanned his ardor. His testicles burned, his seed eager to come and spend inside her. Finally, Alex screamed in acute satisfaction as she reached her peak. Rance thrust three more times and buried himself in her as his knot grew, locking them together, flooding her womb with his seed.

Panting, and continuously experiencing her vaginal spasms, Rance turned them carefully so Alex lay on top of him. His cock remained captured inside her, since his knot locked them still. "I thank Luna for you, Alex. My precious mate." He lifted her chin and kissed her lovingly on the lips. "You are my mate, Alex. Never doubt it."

Waking up that morning was extra hard. She wanted to languish in her bed and wallow in the pleasure of her dream. But the insistent beeping of her alarm clock, and Pam's presence in her house precluded her from doing so.

She had scrutinized every nuance of their conversation and her hot dream the night before that she knew was a shared dreaming reality, and not just her own fevered imagination. Nitpicking every tiny detail of his 'revelation' and its obvious aftereffects, both awake and dreaming. Alex wondered to herself, where in the world was the hysteria that she should be experiencing? Damn if she could even understand why she was calm as could be. It was not every day that one got to meet a real-fucking-live werewolf! And to be mated to the Alpha Rex nonetheless! Now she had the dubious title of Alpha Regina. Whatever that meant and entailed, she had no idea. As time passed, the feeling of rightness enveloped her, like she had finally found the elusive 'something' that she did not know was even missing in her life.

Somehow, even if her mind rebelled at the notion of being fated to mate an alpha shifter -- a drop dead gorgeous one at that, her body and her heart reveled in it.

She was not one to be so indecisive. She had always been focused and resolute once she set out a goal in mind. Whether in business or personal life, there was no place for ambivalence in Alex. This situation in which she found herself immersed was slowly driving her crazy.

Should she cast off all rational thinking and just go with the flow and fully succumb to whatever destiny had in store for her? Or should she put a brake on everything and leave; escape somewhere....anywhere... where she could hide from Rance and her fate?

These thoughts kept on circling round and round in her head, distracting her so much, that she kept pausing in her attempt at making Mrs. Johnson's old sedan roadworthy. With a disgusted sigh, Alex gave up on working further on it.

Straightening her back, she grabbed a rag and wiped her greasy hands. Time to call it a day, Alex thought. She stretched her hands over her head and rotated her neck as she worked the tension out of her muscles.

Alex paused for a second as she heard muffled footsteps going around the closed bay doors and nearing the access door by the office. She knew they were out there. Her very own watch dogs -- er - wolves. Two identical hunks who dogged her steps since this morning. They politely introduced themselves to her when she opened her front door on the way to work. Troy and Luc. Betas from Rance's pack entrusted to guard her. They were very unobtrusive, so she really couldn't complain. One other thing she had to get used to by being the Alpha's mate. She would have had protested, but they had explained the volatile situation brewing in the shifter community and the murdered bodies found in pack lands.

She remembered Rance's forceful entreaty to let Troy and Luc stay to guard her -- she still had to get used to this shared mental link! After much arguing, she finally acceded to his wishes... this time. It was not that she couldn't protect herself, having trained in several martial arts techniques since she was little, and having a black belt in Fushin Ryu. She could handle herself with a human, but she didn't know how she would fare with a shifter though. There was courage and there was stupidity - she was not stupid, thank you very much! So she let the twins stay, provided they did not get in her way.




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 04



Now she was curious as to what prompted them to leave their post and come into the garage. She heard a brief knock on the outside door and right after that a head poked in. "Can I come in, Regina?" the soft voice rumbled gently. She instinctively nodded her head, but realized that he probably wouldn't see it from the other side of the door. Alex walked around to the side of the car she was working on. "Sure, come on in..." she hesitated, not knowing which of the twins was at the door.

"It's Luc," he smiled slightly, knowing that it was hard for people to tell them apart. Shifters had a slight advantage since they could differentiate based on distinct scent signature.

"What brings you in here? And what's with the Regina? You know very well that is not my name." She quirked a brow at him. She found it a little funny that a big guy like him actually looked uncomfortable and squirmed like he was being called in the principal's office.

"I apologize for bothering you. But the Alpha wanted to know if you would consent to eat dinner at the mansion tonight," he replied. "As to why I address you as Regina, well, that was to show my respect. You are our queen after all." He was ill at ease, since he did not know how a human would take to their show of obeisance. If being addressed as Regina got her hackles up, he wondered what she would do when the pups became over eager and actually dropped down and nuzzled her feet.

She blinked at Luc and waved her hand at his explanation about her being their queen. "As far as I'm concerned, you can call me Alex, that goes for your brother too. Respect is earned Luc, which goes both ways too," she calmly said.

"So you're telling me that Rance asked you to ask me? Why didn't he do it himself? He's been talking," she used her hands to make air quote between them, "to me before then. Why stop now?" She crossed her arms in front of her chest and tapped her right foot as she waited for Luc's answer.

"He, ah, told me that you must have closed off your mental link with him." Luc looked awkward as he relayed his alpha's message. He couldn't understand why Rance didn't just come and fetch his mate and bring her back to the mansion, and so asked him.

His alpha's cryptic answer to that was "You'll know better when you're mated."

The sudden cessation of her tapping foot brought his eyes to her face. Alex was sporting a huge smile in her face. Whatever it was she was thinking it made her grey eyes twinkle mischievously. I did that? she asked herself. So I can shut off the big bad wolf from my mind, hmmmm... she thoughtfully hummed. What did I do differently, I wonder?This requires more thought . I need to learn how to do it purposely.

"Ah, Alex?" Luc interrupted her, a little unsettled at the uninhibited smugness showing in her pixyish face.

Still lost in her own thought, she lifted inquiring eyes back to Luc. "Yes?" she asked.

"Should we start closing up the garage now? I thought you might want to go back to your place and change first. Also, it would be more convenient for you to bring a change of clothes too. It's quite a drive from the mansion, it will save you the trip back if you stay tonight."

Alex held Luc's gaze, trying to determine if he was being flippant or serious. These wolves are a trip, she thought. I guess for them, being mated is something that you just accept. "Why did you make that assumption?"

"You and the Alpha are mated," he stated plainly.

"So?" Alex raised her brows inquiringly.

"I know that everything is new to you. But Alex, the longer you are apart, the harder it would be for both of you. So it's only sensible that you be together as much as possible. Hopefully starting tonight?" Luc replied straight faced.

Now that he mentioned it, she realized that she had been pretty antsy and unsettled the whole day. Only when Rance chose to send her those soothing touches through their bond would her turbulent emotions calm and quiet down.

"Okay. Though there's merit to your suggestion, I'll let you know my decision once I get changed. Whether I stay tonight at the mansion or not will be discussed between me and Rance. Let me lock up here and then you can follow me home."

Alex then proceeded to turn off all the lights inside the garage and locked up the office. Leaving the lights on outside, she armed the security alarm and finally walked to her car. She saw the twins waiting in their own vehicle and waved at them.

Unlocking her car, she slid in the driver side and started her car. This will be an interesting evening. I want to know if the attraction between Rance and me was just a fluke or not. Then maybe I can accept this 'destiny' thing between us. She drove carefully to her home.

Parking in her driveway, she turned her car off and gathered her stuff together. As she was about to get out of her car, one of the twins --Luc, or was it Troy? -- slammed his hand on the driver's door, and barked, "Stay here!" She was about to make an angry retort, when she noticed that his arms was getting hairy and his nails elongated into sharp claws. His eyes glittered as his nose twitched in the air, sniffing, and growling deep in his chest.

The other twin rounded the front of her car. "Alex, Troy will stay with you while I check your house."

"What is going on?!" she fairly shouted at them.

Troy, the twin who held her door closed replied. "The shifter who stalked you yesterday in the woods is here," he growled at her.

She stared at him, dumbfounded.

To be continued.....

P.S.

Thanks for reading and leaving your comments and feedbacks. I respond to all feedbacks with accompanying email add. Don't forget to vote! :P



Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 05



A/N:

Once more thanks for my amazing editors Lunarosa and MythOFreak for their help.

CHAPTER FIVE

Stunned and a little bit shaken, Alex sat in her car. She couldn't believe what Troy had just told her: A shifter stalker had watched her from the mansion and followed her to her home.

She watched as Luc rounded the side yard and disappeared behind the house. A few anxious minutes ensued as she and Troy waited for him to reappear. To Alex, it seemed like hours before Luc came back to the car, and his taut and tense appearance kept Alex from fully relaxing when he did. Approaching Troy, Luc nodded enigmatically at his twin. They shared a look that Alex was pretty sure meant they were conversing mentally.

Alex saw the instant that Troy's visage changed. He seemed to be the more volatile twin. He looked more grim and appeared to almost be on the verge of violence. He was clenching his fists at his sides and was getting hairier by the second.

"Alex." Rance's voice suddenly in her head startled her and made her yelp in surprise. "What?!" she answered, aloud.

The twins looked questioningly at Alex. She shook her head at them and concentrated on Rance's mental summons. "Yeah, I'm here," she replied, "why can reach me now? I thought I closed off our link."

"Little one, you blasted it open a couple of minutes ago. I think that was about the time when the twins told you to stay in your car," Rance replied. "Please keep it open," he urged. "I want to make sure you're alright."

"Aren't you talking to the twins? Of course I'm alright. I couldn't be more protected with one hairy twin holding my door closed and the other prowling around my yard," Alex responded sarcastically. "Not that I'm not grateful, mind you. I just want to be in the loop. These two guard dogs you've assigned to me are purposely being close-lipped about the situation." She eyed the twins as they moved away from her car and held a quiet discussion.

She strained her hearing, trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. She could only hear snippets of it. "....mess...broke in....message...pissed off," Luc rumbled.

"I want you to come and stay with me in the mansion. I know you need more time. But Alex, I couldn't give you that anymore," Rance tried to explain. "I want you protected...No. I need you protected," he fervently exclaimed. "Please, let the twins escort you back here. You are in grave danger if you continue to stay there."

"Grave danger? Somebody wants to kill me? I haven't done anything to anybody that could warrant that reaction." She frowned in consternation. Feeling like everything in her life was suddenly out of her control. She knew that this invasion of her house happened because she was now mated to Rance. She didn't understand the whys of it yet, but she was certain that she was not being targeted because of something she did, but because of who she now was in Rance's life.

"I'm sorry little one. But someone crazy has targeted you. According to Luc's report, the message left at your home is especially sinister," Rance answered as calmly as he could. She knew he was trying to sound unruffled for her benefit. He probably did not want to alarm her further, but Rance could not fully mask the intense dread that was seeping, unbeknownst to him, through their mate link.

"What message did this ass leave behind in my house?" Alex asked aloud to be heard by the twins. She was truly infuriated. The pack did not have the right to keep her in the dark. This was her house, her property. She worked her ass off so she could put a down payment on this small house. It was not much, but it was hers. She would not let anyone violate her private sanctuary.

No one, man or shifter, would get away with messing with what was hers; neither would she stand around while others deal with her problem. She wouldn't be kept in the dark. She told Rance to be quiet while she dealt with the twins.

Shoving the car door open, she approached Luc and Troy determinedly. Her face was scrunched in a belligerent glare that spelled trouble to the two shifters warily eyeing their Regina.

"Tell me what did that sick shifter did in my house," she demandingly asked Luc. "If you don't tell me now, I am going in there and finding out for myself. I don't care if he is stronger than me. No one violates my private space without any retribution. I'm telling you now that I will exact it no matter how long it takes, no matter what," she said starkly.

Both Luc and Troy were taken aback at her vehemence. They were highly impressed at their Regina's display of temper. She was truly a worthy mate to their alpha. Her fierceness would serve her well, reigning beside Rance.

With a repentant smile on his face, Luc shallowly bowed his head in deference to Alex. "Forgive us. Reg- uh- Alex, we meant no disrespect. We were just conferring about how to proceed with this situation before us." Luc kept his eyes downcast to further reassure his Regina.

"Alright then, so spill. What happened in my house? I want to go inside and see for myself the damage done. Rance told me there was a message?" She waited for them to enlighten her, but the two remained mute and refused to directly look at her.

Almost at the end of her patience, she snapped her fingers in front of them "Tell me now or so help me - I will start kicking you both where it will hurt the most." She looked pointedly at their groins. Apparently Rance was listening, as she heard his laughter reverberate through their mate link. Instead of being intimidated, the two wolves sported shit-eating grins on their faces and beamed at Alex. They seemed to approve of her penchant for violence.

"Did you send me two idiotic wolves?" she asked Rance. "These two are just standing here and grinning at me....now they are outright laughing!"

What Alex didn't know was that Rance, Damian, and the twins were all communicating mentally. The twins had started laughing when, after Rance proudly extolled Alex's fierceness, Damian reminded Rance that his mate would kick him in the nuts when he angered her, too.

"My sweet Alex," Rance soothingly crooned. "They are not laughing because of you. Let me deal with them." Rance purposely kept the link open to his mate so she could listen in to the mental link he had with his betas. She would not be able to maintain a multiple link as a speaker, not just a listener, until she had finally shifted.

"Enough. We are facing a serious breach to my mate's privacy and security. Luc and Troy, I want you to make every effort to sniff out the perpetrator. Once you have brought your Regina here to the mansion, I want both of you to further investigate this incursion into her house."

"Yes Alpha." Both Luc and Troy answered, attempting to hold in their mirth.

Alex had heard enough. She turned her back on them and walked briskly to her front door. Trying the knob, she found it unlocked and opened the door wide. She was unprepared for what awaited her inside. Seeing the desecration of her living room, Alex was rooted at the entrance of her house. Her unbelieving eyes took in the destruction inside. She felt the blood leaving her face and knew that she looked pale as a ghost.

A buzzing sound echoed inside her head and her vision became blurry. Dazedly, she took several steps inside, and then abruptly stopped. Looking down, she saw her shoes scuffed something red that was splashed all over her living room carpet...and the walls...and the ceiling.

Her leather sofas were slashed and the cotton stuffing's scattered willy-nilly. The tables and lamps were broken in pieces. Framed pictures of her family and friends, formerly resting on the fireplace mantle had been thrown against the walls, broken and torn up. The sheer hatred permeating the room was suffocating.

She wandered to the rest of the house and found that everything she owned was either damaged or decimated. Most of her worldly possession inside the house had been reduced to junk.

She vaguely heard the twins trailing after her and Rance, hailing her in their link. She ignored all three of them.

A powerful emotion was growing inside of Alex. The devastation of what happened was fueling a fury such as she had never felt before. She felt her blood boiling and her ears starts to ring. Intense heat engulfed her body. All she could think about was vengeance for this injustice. She felt like a dormant volcano suddenly set to erupt, annihilating all in its path. The pressure was too much and about to explode. Panting heavily, severe pain suddenly rolled through her, radiating from her stomach to her extremities. Falling down on her knees, she clutched her midsection in an attempt to contain the pain.

Her mate shouted in her head and it made her instinctively close off their mental link. The molten fire of pain spread fast; swamping her muscles and bones, precisely consuming her, and spitting her out raw and trembling.

The twins watched helplessly as she writhed on the floor.

******

Rance was frantic. He was in his study going through the pack's extensive business interests while talking to Alex. He tried to calm her when he felt the surging emotions raging in her, but to no avail. The initial agonizing pain ravaging his mate zinged through their link, making him drop the documents he was holding and scattering them on the floor. The echoes of pain made him feel like a blowtorch was setting his organs on fire. His muscles and bones felt like they were being pulled like putty. The pain was racking Alex's entire body and Rance was experiencing it with her. God, she was shifting, alone, without him there to ease her way.

He shoved off his desk. Rance staggered as he ran for the door. The ebb and flow of pain seemed to be subsiding, but Alex was unresponsive to his mental call. Ignoring everyone, he rushed down the hall while telepathically telling Damian to bring his car around. Slamming open the front door, he descended the mansion's steps in a sprint. He was rushing to be there for Alex.

Just as Damian stopped the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 in front of Rance, he heard Troy exclaimed -- "Alpha, you can't believe what's happening!" the usually calm Luc immediately mind spoke, wildly animated, "the Alpha Regina is shifting. It's unbelievable!"

"Impossible. The moon, which is not even out yet, is not a full moon," Damian said doubtfully. "Maybe you're mistaken."

Rance remained quiet as he replaced Damian in the driver's seat. He wanted to concentrate driving and not get into an accident. He felt the prickling in his skin, and knew that the twins were correct in believing that Alex was shifting. His mate needed him now, and he would not fail her.

"No, Prime, we're not," responded Luc. "The Regina is presently sprouting fur and slowly shifting into her wolf form."

"Leave! Give her privacy for her initial shift," Rance commanded the twins. "Go to the hall and one of you wait for us outside. Don't leave her by herself in the house. We will be there in fifteen minutes, God willing." Damian looked askance at Rance. There was no way that they could do it that fast. She lived at least twenty five minutes away from the mansion. When he was about to point it out to his alpha, Rance just glared at Damian and floored the gas on the Bugatti as they sped off.

Impossible as it might sound, his mate was shifting for the first time. Luna in her wisdom gifted his mate with the ability to shift without the full moon. He could only believe that the goddess had a good reason why. In due time, Rance knew that Luna would reveal it. All he needed to do was be there for Alex. She might be afraid coming out from her first shift. He would reassure his mate that everything was going to be alright.

******

Alex couldn't understand what was going on. First, she felt an overwhelming and inexplicable fury stemming from the violation of her home. Suddenly, a burning sensation, stemming from her midsection, started eating at her organs that drove her to her knees, and then, an unbearable itching underneath her skin. She heard distinct popping sounds as her muscles and bones stretch and pulled. She whimpered as her body was drawn taut and a sudden flash of bright light engulfed her writhing form, and Alex thought: Oh shit. Four legs. I will not freak out. I will not freak out. Alex repeated to herself like a mantra.

As the light slowly dissipated, there was a harsh panting and whining from the direction of the floor. Luc slowly entered the bedroom and approached the sprawled form of his Regina. He knelt by her side, bowed and bared his neck for her. He patiently waited as she recovered from her first shift.

She was a beautiful wolf. Her luxurious reddish brown tinted fur glistened with health and vitality. She was not overly huge compared to born wolf shifters, but she was perfect in every sense. Her flanks were muscled and strong looking. Her paws were tipped with lethal looking claws.

Alex's ears pricked as she picked up the noise around her. Opening her eyes for the first time as a wolf, she discovered how vivid and clear everything seemed; even her sense of smell was greatly magnified. Her nose twitched as she tried to identify and differentiate the scents inside her house. Lifting her head from the floor, she finally noticed one of the twins kneeling in front of her.

Sniffing delicately at him, noticing his clothes and serious mien, she deduced that it was Luc who was before her. Alex opened her mouth to ask Luc what was going on. All that came out of her was a gruff whining sound. Frustrated, she sat on her haunches and glared at Luc.

Luc tried to suppress his amusement at seeing his Regina's obvious frustration and annoyance. A hint of a smile on the corner of his lips was the only indication of his mirth. "Pardon me Alex," he cautiously said. "If you want to talk to me, you can do it mentally."

"Why didn't you say so in the first place?!" blasted Alex.

Luc cringed since his Regina literally screamed through the mental link. Luc hoped his Alpha would get there soon. It seemed to him that their Regina had quite a temper.

"What is that revolting smell? It reeks in here." Alex was sniffing all over the bedroom. Whoever did this destruction had left a very putrid scent. She walked from one room into another, tracking the foul odor. Luc was quietly following behind. It was all over her house. There was no way that bleach could take away such stench!

"What you are smelling is the spoor left by your stalker," Luc replied aloud.

"Why? Why would a virtual stranger do this? The amount of energy expended and degree of hatred only reveals that it's personal." Alex cocked her wolf head towards Luc in inquiry. "Don't you think so?"

Alex did not wait for Luc's reply as she turned and loped into her living room. The room was a total mess. There was nothing here that was salvageable. She looked intently at the walls. The squiggly red markings on them were actually written words!

She picked her way carefully to one of the walls. Skirting ruined furniture and gingerly stepping over the red stains on the carpet, she finally reached it. She tilted her head left and right to make sense of the macabre graffiti.

Weird handwriting...almost like gibberish to me. For the life of her, she could not decipher it. She turned to Luc to ask him if he could make sense of the writing, but a gruff whine came out of her wolf mouth again. Damn! I keep forgetting that I'm not human anymore. She grimaced inwardly and hoped that she could adjust fast to this shit.

Noticing that Luc seemed to be engrossed on the writing on the wall, she sat her hairy butt beside him. After she deemed that he had enough time to puzzle through the graffiti, she nudged the leg nearest to her with her snout.

"Any clue as to what all this writing is about?" she finally remembered to mind talk.

"Hmmm? Oh!" Luc was startled out of deep thought. It seemed that the perv responsible for this desecration of his Regina's home and for the murders were one and the same. It was another crumb of clue to the mystifying murders. The writing on Alex's walls claimed responsibility for all the murders and the destruction wrought in her home.

Although written in an obscure ancient text familiar only to scholarly shifters, Luc had no trouble deciphering it. It was to their benefit that he was highly interested and had extensively studied everything arcane and ancient that he could get his hands on.

"It is written in one of our ancient writings. I have translated it as closely as possible to the literal meaning..."

"And?" interrupted Alex, hearing the hesitance in the beta's voice.

"It doesn't make sense to me. It's like the rambling of a crazy person."

"Well, duh! Who else in their right mind would come and trash my house but someone crazy?" Alex pointed out. She huffed out a breath and tried not to be overcome by fury again. She had no idea what might happen next if she did. She could become one of those monstrous looking werewolves depicted on t.v. and might start eating any human in sight! Eeew gross! She shook off that nasty thought.

Apparently she was not thinking quietly enough, since Luc shot a look of disbelief her way. The amused twinkle in his eyes belied his cool tone when he spoke. "Ah, we don't normally go around eating humans. But yes, you can shift into your hybrid form. Mostly we reserve it for battle. And for your information, I haven't eaten any humans... yet." He winked.

Alex was about to deliver a witty comeback when she heard the screech of tires outside her house. The sudden opening and closing of car doors made her jump up and walk in front the closed front door.

She sensed Rance before she even heard his deep, rumbling voice. The fast clatter of footsteps heralded the men as they burst inside. Rance was at the very front, followed closely behind by a dangerous looking man and Troy. When Rance saw her, he stopped in his tracks. Alex tried to glower at him, but did not think she quite pulled it off in her wolf form.

Casting a wary eye on his mate, Rance evaluated how Alex was feeling. He could not clearly tell how she was feeling in their bond. She was getting better at masking her emotions from him. He felt rather proud of how fast she was mastering her new abilities. Although a little ambivalent as to how she would receive him, he still approached her - slowly. Goddess she's beautiful! Rance thought. She was a stunning wolf. He had never seen coloring like hers, ever. The fading light outside made her fur shimmer luminously and cast mystery to her grey eyes. She stood majestically before him, unafraid and emitting an aura of dignified aggravation. He wanted to howl proudly at how regal she appeared. He eagerly looked forward to running with her in the woods -- he couldn't wait to show her his world.

Rance felt humbled by Luna's gift. Alex was everything he could ever need and want from a mate. How he needed to hold him in his arms, to show her how much of a blessing she truly was to him. Right. Crazed stalker, mayhem, and destruction first, nuzzling her all over and taking his mate in their wolf forms later.

"Hello Alex," he smiled down uncertainly at her. "I'm truly sorry I was not there for your first shift, little one." He continued to come near her until he was right in front of her wolf. Kneeling on one knee so he would be eye level with his mate, he drank in her beautiful form. Alex sat down and tilted her head at Rance.




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 05



"Good time for you to drop by," she replied sarcastically. "See the handiwork of one of your fans? I'm not too crazy with the way he redecorated my space," she huffed in exasperation.

Looking around, Rance grasped the enormity of the devastation that his mate felt when she walked in. He might be able to replace the material things that were destroyed, but he could never replace the memories that those held for her.

"Oh Alex, baby, I'm so sorry." Rance had no idea how he could make it up to his mate. She was dragged into his life with devastating result. Anyone who was less tough than his mate would be cowed and probably run as far away from him as they could. Not Alex though. His mate was made of sterner stuff.

Here she was right in front of him and actually making light of the invasion on her home. He knew that the overwhelming fury she felt swept her into shifting. He had never heard of a human changed through mating to shift before the full moon. Alex's early shifting was mystifying. One thing was for sure, he was blessed by Luna with an awesome mate. It was quite remarkable how she was dealing with the present situation.

Alex felt like her life was turned upside down. Not even forty eight hours since she was mated, and now she had been thrown to the wolves, quite literally. What a way to be introduced into their way of life. Mayhem and murders galore! Well, she had always been fearless and never let anything get in her way. Now was not the time for her to tuck tail and run. She wouldn't let this crazy person...er... shifter... cause her to throw the towel this early in the fight. If fate and Luna deemed her worthy as Alpha Regina of these wolves, then by Goddess, she would prove them right!

She butted Rance's thighs to get his attention back on her. "Care to explain how this happened? I hope these things don't happen all the time. Is there anything else I should know about besides the crazed stalker and murders?"

Rance was surprised at the hint of levity in her tone. Although looking at her eyes, he saw also a glint of steely determination. If he were not already on his knees, he would have fallen down to thank Luna for such a gift.

"No Alex. I'll make sure this doesn't happen again. I do not want you be touched by the evilness of this unknown shifter. I may have enemies, but none would go to this length. The shifter community is at peace. The time of war was way beyond us. It had been over fifty years since a war had been waged."

"Okay I believe you. But know this, I will not tolerate anyone encroaching on my property again. I vow that I will make whoever did this pay!" Alex passionately pronounced. She did not know when or how, but she was resolute that it would happen.

Alex's impassioned statement surprised the men. But they felt the power rolling off her in waves as she made her declaration, as it reverberated throughout the room. There was no doubt in any of their minds that Luna had given her blessings to Alex.

Rance nodded at her. He would back any of his mate's plans. The purpose of his mating at this time in the shifter's volatile peace was being revealed. His mate was one who would shoulder the yoke of leadership with him. He no longer stood alone while his mate Alex, stood with him. Rance smiled radiantly at this realization.

Rance looked behind him at the men standing at attention. "Try to clean up as much as you can. And Luc, take pictures of the messages left on the wall. We will talk later with the rest of the Wolf Council and present the recent development to them." He turned to Alex then nodded his head toward the bedroom. "Alex and I are going to work on her shifting back." Reaching to Alex in their bond, he said, "Babe, let's go so you can attempt on shifting back without an audience. Sometimes it's hard to do for a changed human. I'll help you through the process."

Alex nodded her head and promptly loped regally down the hall to her bedroom. Rance watched her swish her tail and marvel at how calmly she accepted her changed life. He stood and trailed after his mate. He found her waiting impatiently for him in her bedroom. She was pacing restlessly.

This room was trashed too, the same as the rest of the house. The bed was turned over on its side and the mattress was slashed repeatedly. Clothes were strewn all over the carpeted floor. The drawers of her dresser were upended and the contents scattered about. Even the walls did not escape the destruction. Long slashes decorated it too. He flinched inwardly. He needed to get Alex away from there, lest her fury rise once more and overwhelm her.

Crouching down in front of the pacing Alex, he breathed deep and expelled it in a burst. "Listen to me Alex, hear my voice." Alex stopped pacing, sat on her haunches and looked deeply in his eyes. "For the first time you shift back, you have to empty your thoughts of everything except for the need to shift to your human body. Breathe with me and link your mind with mine," Rance encouraged her as she regulated her breath.

As their link snapped back into place, Rance immediately showed Alex how to revert back. He made her picture herself, including the clothes that she was wearing when she shifted. Why? she asked.

Because the magic that made us shift, also stores the clothing we are wearing. If you don't picture yourself completely as you were before you shifted, you might end up half-naked, Rance answered. Although you won't hear any complaints from me, he wagged his brows comically at Alex, trying to make light of it, so she would not get anxious.

Alex concentrated on picturing herself clearly. She mentally added the shirt, jeans and shoes she was wearing before. In a flash, a tingling heat covered her from her snout to her tail. A blast of bright light flared and dissipated leaving Alex sitting on her bedroom floor. She checked herself to ensure everything came back fine.

Rance's hand was extended to help her up. Grasping it, she was unceremoniously hauled to her feet. Alex was then enfolded in his embrace as he nuzzled her hair.

"Great job little one. You are quite impressive," Rance murmured tenderly in her ear. Burying her face on his chest, his scent tickled her nose. She couldn't help but inhale the addicting smell of Rance. He smelled divine, like pine, rain and musk. She couldn't help burrowing further in his embrace. She sniffed his neck and licked it tentatively, savoring his salty taste. Rance groaned aloud at the feel of Alex's raspy tongue. His nerve endings fired up and shot liquid fire straight to his groin. His unruly cock showed its appreciation by nudging her lower stomach, elongating at her slight provocation.

Alex was aflame. The small taste of Rance's sweat acted like a strong aphrodisiac to her. The blood surging through her body made her throb deliciously. She slowly undulated her hips against Rance. Rocking up and down on his impressive erection, she rubbed her tingling pussy on him, uninhibitedly.

Rance grabbed her hips, restraining her movements. "Alex, I'm hanging by a thread here. Don't tempt me," he growled in her ear. The rough sound brought shivers to her spine causing her intimate part to pulse demandingly. She could feel her wetness seeping out of her labial lips and soaking the crotch of her jeans. Feeling recklessly abandoned, she wanted Rance to feel the same way.

Looking up at Rance through her lashes, she smiled beguilingly at him. Trailing her fingers up his chest to his muscular neck, she slowly licked her lips and bit his chin. Lifting her head to reach his left hear, huskily she whispered, "No one here wants you to be controlled, me least of all." She lightly nibbled and sucked on his ear.

Rance's forehead was dotted with sweat. Alex was being unusually frisky. Her shift had triggered her need to mate. It also did not help that they had been apart for more than a day. Being newly mated, their bodies naturally sought the other for physical affirmation of their bond.

Alex pulled at Rance's shirt, impatient to get to his skin and wallow in his scent. "Alex, look at me," Rance insisted, as he lightly cupped her chin. "Once I start I won't be able to stop. I'm too hungry for you. I cannot even promise you tenderness. It will be fast and wild." Veins were standing out on his temple, evidence of how much control he was exerting not to pounce on his mate.

Alex stopped trying to liberate Rance from his shirt and framed his face with both hands. "Then let's be wild together!" Alex then ripped the shirt off Rance and started nipping and biting at his chest.

Freed from the restraints he'd put on himself, Rance lifted Alex off the floor and wrapped her legs around his waist. He slid one of his hands under her shirt, then traced her side and delighted in the feel of her silken skin. Surprised that he did not find any barrier between his hands and her breasts, he cupped her bountiful mound and lightly pinched the crown.

"Where's your bra, Alex? Don't tell me you did not wear one to work today."

"Huh?" Alex continued on rubbing her face like a kitten on his defined pectorals. "Guess I forgot to picture it in my mind when I shifted back. Uh, I believe my panties are gone too." She nipped him... hard.

Rance felt his cock harden like iron and spurt pre-cum at her confession. If her intention was to drive him crazy with lust, she had just succeeded. Lifting her face to him, he captured her lips and laved them. Groaning in hunger, he skillfully coaxed her mouth to open for his plundering. Once she opened up, he enticed her tongue to play with his. Surging in and out, and suckling each other's tongue, the two fanned the conflagration burning between them.

Their hands sought bared flesh as they feverishly tore at each other's clothing. Buttons popped and zippers ripped in their haste to be fully naked. Rance had to unwind Alex's legs around him to rid them of both their pants. Once fully naked, they rushed forward to once more reconnect their needy bodies.

Rance lifted Alex again to better align their bodies. He grabbed her succulent behind and rubbed his potent length on her juicy slit. Latching onto one of her nipples, he circled it with his tongue and promptly suckledvoraciously. Drowning in a turbulent sea of greedy need, Alex rubbed her clit on Rance's wonderful thickness. He's so hard, and big, and yummy! She thought. His cock was caught pointing up between their rubbing hips. Alex grabbed the back of his head as he continued to worship her beauteous mound. Directing his head to the neglected twin, Alex urged Rance to nurse on it.

Grabbing his tumescence, she passionately rubbed it harder on her needy nub. Biting her lips, she moaned in utter delight. Panting harshly as the pleasure continued to wash over her, she tried to center him on her opening. Sensing her need to be filled, Rance held her steady as he plunged deep into her waiting cavern.

Alex screamed in pure bliss, clinging tightly to Rance's neck as ripples of pleasure besieged her wanton body. Her cuntal walls clung snugly to his invading rod. Rance waited patiently as her body adjusted to his, and then he commenced a wild rhythm of thrusts and short jabs.

"Soo good," he grunted, "wet and so tight! Hot for me."

"Aaaughh, yes, oh yes, right there Rance." Alex responded as his cock rubbed an area inside that made her eyes cross in pleasure.

Thrusting and holding Alex aloft, Rance's muscles strained as his body fought his mind. He wanted to prolong their loving, but his body had missed its mate and was primed to explode its seed in Alex. Panting harshly, he slowed down his pistoning cock and relished the feel of Alex pussy's unfurling and clutching at his battering ram.

Raining kisses on her upturned face, he lured her mouth to share his breath. Slipping his tongue in, he plundered her sweetness above while his cock ravaged her below, both organs unceasing in dominating of her.

The maddening pace of Rance only frustrated Alex. Her body demanded more. She craved the pounding of her mate's body, the full power of his primal need and desire. She did not need his control now, what she needed was for him to unleash his dominant side and show her he was worthy of her, of her submission.

Attuned to her mentally, Rance realized his mate's desire. He needed to demonstrate that he was indeed worthy of her. Letting her lips go, he partly shifted, letting his body harden and his hair and nails grow. His shaft also grew and expanded more. Her grunt of appreciation echoed loudly in the room as her channel adjusted to accommodate his cock.

Howling loudly, one arm held her around the waist and the other went under her hips. "You are mine Alex!" he declared. He punctuated each proclamation with hard thrusts that jiggled her breasts. "My mate! Mine!" Guttural sounds continued to emit from his changed vocal chords as he hammered her with his cock. Alex clung tightly on his neck and nuzzled him there. Both grunting and groaning as they strained together, fuck-drunk.

Battered by the waves of bliss, the storm of emotions surging and lashing at them, the couple was totally oblivious to anything but each other. Harsh breathing, moans, and pleasured cries echoed as they moved in synchronized dance as old as time. Lunging... plunging...thrusting...and stabbing, they reached for that elusive height. Undiluted desire coursed through them. They were like animals mating in the wild, unrestrained and vicious in their desire.

Finally, Rance felt the telltale quiver of her channel. Exultant, he laved his mate mark on her. Alex screamed endlessly as agonizing bliss electrified her body from the tip of her toes to the top of her head. Shuddering endlessly as rapture buffeted her from every sides. Her vaginal walls clutched and pulsed around Rance's turgid cock.

Arching against her mate, she opened her mouth as a compelling need to mark Rance overcame her. Biting deep on his chest, the primal craving was finally appeased when she tasted the salty tang of his blood coat her tongue.

Rance head spun as his mate marked him. Agonizing bliss filled him at her claiming. Feeling his knot grow, his balls prepared to spew out their seed in the fertile soil awaiting it. Sliding deep into her heat, Rance savored the pleasure of their united bodies. Howling in absolute ecstasy, he ejaculated powerfully saturating her pussy. His essence spurted several more times as her core spasmed in gluttonous demand.

Slowly kneeling on the floor, Rance lowered their connected bodies down. Keeping her legs on his waist, he held his mate tenderly in his arms. Locked together by his knot, he soothed Alex with gentle kisses and hushed endearments.

As ecstasy faded, reality returned, and with it the spoor stench permeating Alex's home, was a reminder of the uncertainty and hostilities ahead. But Rance knew he was not alone. Having just shown her the benefit of being his mate, he knew Alex was about to get a crash course in the burden of it: Someone was going to pay for bringing this fight to his mate, but they would find that now she had teeth, too.

To be continued...

P.S.

Thanks for all your feedback and comments. My readers inspire me to write more so keep comments/feedbacks coming. Don't forget to vote!



Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 06



A/N

Hello Lit. readers! First, I'd like to thank everyone who sent their feedback, wrote comments, and voted on my stories. It allows me to gauge how the story is doing and gives me the drive me in my writing. Secondly, I thank those who took the time to read and follow Alex and Rance's adventure. And thirdly, I'd want to address the confusion that my name seemed to garner. BD is actually a combination of my dogs name (Blackie & Duchess), hence Blackduchess. I am actually Asian (Filipino). I received several feedbacks questioning why my heroine's white and not black since I'm black. Sorry about the misperception.

I thank my wonderful editor Lunarosa for all her awesome help. And also MythOfreak.

CHAPTER SIX

After the wild sex in her room, Rance bundled her in his shirt. Hers did not fare too well in their haste to get naked. Fastening the top three buttons, he tied the bottoms of the shirt together at her waist and rolled up the sleeves, then he helped her into her jeans and shoes. Standing back up, he paused briefly to tenderly hold her in his arms and kissed her on the forehead. Letting her go reluctantly, he then donned his own pants and shoes, and then they walked out of her bedroom to talk with the others.

Alex did not bother to gather any of her clothing scattered across the carpet. Not wanting to touch anything that was tainted by the spoor of the shifter who'd destroyed her property, she walked out of her bedroom with just the clothes she was wearing when she left her garage, other than her own shirt. She would just ask Rance to take her to the nearest Wal-mart to get what she needed for tomorrow.

Rance walked slightly ahead of her, so she took the opportunity to ogle his impressive body. Wow but did I get lucky! Knowing that she was mated to him gave her such a thrill. She -- old plain, chubby Alex -- had bagged this adonis of a man - well shifter really. But who would quibble on such trivialities? Not her, for sure!

Rance looked back and raised questioning brows, as if asking what was up, his eyes sparkling with merriment at her inner monologue. Alex could not help but giggle giddily, which only put a nonplussed expression on his handsome face. Shrugging her shoulders, she went to him and hugged and kissed him on the cheek right at the corner of his luscious lips.

"What's that for?" Rance asked with a smile.

"Just because." Alex simply replied with a small smile.

Her impulsive action surprised and delighted Rance. Smiling down at her, he drew her back into his arms when she tried to step away. Holding Alex by the hips, he locked eyes with her and slowly lowered his head, fitting his lips over hers. Gently nuzzling her lips, Rance savored their silky wet texture. He couldn't get enough of the addictive sweetness of his mate's succulent flavor. He deliberately kept the kiss light, as he slowly nipped and laved her lower lip. Prodding it slightly open with his tongue, he swiped the moisture between her lips. He captured and sucked lingeringly on Alex's upper lip. Watching from hooded eyes as her breathing slowly quickened. Flicking his tongue lazily on her lips he fanned her desire with the unhurried pace of his kiss. Rance wanted so badly to devour her - but now was not the time or the place to initiate another tryst.

Alex turned dazed eyes up to Rance when he suddenly stopped kissing her. Not understanding why he ceased, she closed her dreamy eyes again and lifted her face for him to silently encourage him to proceed with his sensual assault. When nothing happened, even when she pulled him down to her, she finally opened one eye and squinted up at Rance.

The man was just staring down at her upturned face! Irritated that Rance suddenly stopped kissing her just when it was getting good and hot -- this time she forcefully pulled his head down again. Standing on tiptoes to reach him, she laid siege on his yummy mouth. After getting her hot and bothered it only seemed fair that she got him as excited as she was. Alex proceeded to use her mouth, tongue, lips and even teeth to entice her mate, drawing from her limited experience and rich imagination. Ha! Her addiction to romance novels had their use after all.

Slipping inside her mate's mouth, she hungrily stroked and laved his palate with her supple tongue, seeking every delicious crevice and corner. She relished his somewhat salty-sweet, but masculine and unique taste. She angled her head slightly to get a better connection with his mouth. Deepening the kiss, she thrust in and out, teasing Rance to play with her tongue. The more she explored, the hungrier she became for his taste. She jabbed at his tongue urging it inside her mouth and promptly sucking on it like a mini cock. Alex rubbed her engorged breasts on Rance's bare chest sensuously. Her throbbing nipples were driving her crazy. Grabbing one of Rance's hands, she placed it on top of her left breast, guiding his palm to rub her tender nub.

"Mmmmhhh," she moaned in appreciation as he lightly pinched and rolled it with his finger. Rance lifted his other hand and cupped the other mound, hefting and squeezing gently.

Groaning aloud, Rance finally took over of the kiss as his control shattered in the face of his mate's passion. Driving his tongue in, he drank from her lips deeply. He let go of her breasts and glided his hands down her sides. Reaching her hips he yanked her forward, mashing her breasts on his chest and trapping his throbbing erection between their straining bodies. Alex choked out a pleasured moan as her nipples rubbed deliciously on his muscled pectorals. Rocking her hips, she massaged her pulsing clit against his completely erect penis. Rance grabbed her butt cheeks with both hands. Kneading and molding the generous swells, he heard her moan deep in her throat. He squeezed and separated the mounds as one finger traced the cleft leading to her nether opening. Breaths panting and bodies straining, they kissed wildly.

Rance knew that they had to stop or they would end up mating in the hallway. Much as he wanted to do it, he doubted if his mate would feel the same after the deed was done. He could hear his Betas in the other room talking quietly, and he knew what Alex had not yet realized, that although they had discreetly stayed away from the hallway, they could clearly hear the sounds Rance and Alex were making (and probably smell sex as well). Alex still hadn't fully shed her human inhibitions. He did not want for her to feel shamed or embarrassed for something so natural and beautiful, so making love was out of the question. It was his job as her mate to protect her even from this, so even though it pained him, he had to put a stop to their lovemaking. Easing slowly from lips, he gently put space between them. But Alex would have none of it as she followed his retreating lips. Clinging tightly to his neck, she tried once more to pull him down.

"Wait..." Rance breathed out. "Little one, we have to stop." Reluctantly he pulled Alex's arms from around his neck and held her dainty hands in his.

Looking into Alex's passion laden eyes, he almost succumbed to her urging. Rance closed his eyes briefly to gather his tattered resolve. He pulled her to him tightly and enveloped her in his arms, banding them around her securely. She squirmed restlessly against Rance as her arousal raged, but he gentled her by rubbing her back slowly and crooning quietly in her ears. Waiting until her breathing evened out and her passion had subsided. Moments later, Alex slowly wound her arms around Rance's waist as she laid her head on his chest. He did not know how long they stood there quietly holding each other, but it was the first time he held a woman like this -- not as a prelude to sex. Finally, he reluctantly set her in front of him.

Peering at her face, he tried to determine her mood. "Alright?" he asked.

Nodding her head, Alex smiled weakly. She was thankful that Rance was thinking clearly. It would have been mortifying if someone happened upon them having sex in the hallway. Blushing fiercely, she lowered her head and hid her face on his chest. Cupping her chin, Rance lifted her face to gaze searchingly at her eyes. "You're fine Alex," he whispered.

Yes, I know. Thank you. She blinked and let go of him. Rance took her hand and linked them together as they walked back to the others. Reaching her living room, they saw Troy and Luc busily cleaning up, while Damian talked in his cell. Seeing Rance with Alex, he concluded his call and walked towards the couple.

"Alex, I want you to meet Damian. He is my Prime Enforcer and Beta. He is also my best and oldest friend," Rance said, waving his hand towards the silent Damian who tipped his head in acknowledgment. "Damian, this is my mate Alexandra." Rance drew her forward by hooking his arm around her waist and hugging her close to his side. Alex offered her hand, which was promptly taken and engulfed by Damian's big hand.

"I'm honored and pleased to finally meet my friend's mate and our female Alpha."

Alex remembered him as the stranger who was with Rance earlier. He was tall, probably a couple of inches shorter than her mate. Damian was muscularly built and carried himself with confidence. His relaxed expression could make one think he was an easygoing person, but the steely glint in his eyes belied that fact. Everything about him shouted danger. Damian looked down at Alex, his blue eyes sparkled with approval at his Regina. Glancing at his friend and Alpha, he smiled and nodded at them both. Trying to hide his smirk when he remembered their loud and uninhibited coupling earlier, he adopted a casual mien to keep Alex from being embarrassed. He knew how humans were when it came to their sexuality: They were a little reserved compared to shifters. He did not want her to feel awkward. She had a hell of a lot thrown at her in such a short period of time, and Damian did not want to add to it if he could help it. Focusing on the business at hand, he informed them of what had been done so far.  

"We took pictures of all the writings on the wall as you instructed. Luc has a rough interpretation of it, but he still wants to take some time to research it more in the pack library. I called in others to help in cleaning up the mess in here, and they'll be here sometime soon."

He looked around and briefly shook his head, "I'm sorry about this Regina," he waved his hand to encompass the room, "but I don't think that this place will be habitable anytime soon. We still have to comb through everything and process it for any clues left." He regretfully informed Alex.

"I understand," Alex responded somberly. She was pragmatic about the whole situation. She knew that upset on her part would not help to rush them. The team needed to go through everything meticulously; otherwise they might miss something that could prove vital to their investigation. Even the most innocuous of things could break this ongoing stalemate. The killers were getting careless - although she had a feeling that it was more conceit that prompted them to divert from their usual MO. She knew that those writings on her living room walls were claims of grandeur and possibly boasting of their invincibility. She had watched enough movies and documentaries of psycho killers doing the same thing, well maybe in different ways, but they wanted the people involved, especially the law enforcers, to know how helpless and stupidly ignorant they were compared to the perpetrators. It seemed to her that human and shifter crazies shared the same quirk - they couldn't help but gloat and display their arrogance on their perceived superiority over their adversary.

"Inform the task force and let them do their own investigation apart from yours. I want to compare their take on this," Rance instructed.

"Will do. Are we giving them complete access to the Regina's house?" he asked.

Rance looked at Alex inquiringly. She reluctantly nodded her head in acquiescence. "Yes. Tell them that whatever evidence we gather here will be made available to the Alphas' next meeting. Have Luc get on the translation of those writings once the Betas arrive. I'm taking your Regina to the mansion right now. Follow as soon as you can get away, Damian. I want to be briefed on everything, and I mean EVERTHING you find out here," Rance said grimly.

Rance watched as Alex walked over to the broken picture frames on the floor. Squatting down, she picked them up and gingerly shook off the broken glasses and took out the pictures, one by one. The somber façade hid the turmoil of anger and sadness warring in Alex that he could feel in their bond. Smiling sadly, she gathered the pictures and stood up. Turning back to Rance, she gave him a reassuring smile when she noticed him watching her. Her melancholic face elicited his wolf's protectiveness. His feral side wanted to hunt down the culprit who had done this to her home. It paced and howled inside Rance -- patience, once we know who our enemy is then we will hunt them to ground, he promised his wolf. Appeased, the wolf settled in watchful alertness.

******

Rance sneaked looks at Alex from the corner of his eyes as he drove. Earlier, she'd wanted him to take her to the nearest Wal-mart store so she could pick up a change of clothes, but he told her that he had it covered back at the mansion. She had been quiet during the entire drive. Not that he blamed her; so much had been heaped on her lap within such a short period of time. At least the situation at her house did not dampen the strong desire that ran between them, thank Luna! Alex's silence was not in any way brooding, it was more introspective. She was projecting a jumble of emotions through their bond. Excitement was the most prevalent, although he could discern a certain nervousness and uncertainty thrown in.

"We're almost there, Alex," he paused and waited for her to turn her head to look at him. "Everything okay?" he finally asked.

Looking at him, Alex tried to gather her muddled thoughts together. "Yeah, I guess. Just not sure what's going to happen next. It felt like I'm riding a runaway rollercoaster -- there's nothing I could do to control where it goes and when it will crash."

"A little extreme in your analogy there, but aptly put. I believe that what happened next will be up to us. We either let our enemies get the better of us or we prepare and launch an offensive against them. I'm done getting caught unaware. It's time for us to do some hunting."

"There is that," she acknowledged, "but I'm not just talking about the stalking, threats and murders. I'm also concerned on the role I have to play as your mate."

Rance regarded Alex seriously. "You'll be fine. I have every confidence that you will fit in perfectly in the pack. You've already won over the Prime Enforcer and top Betas, not to mention you've got me on your side. Winning over the pack will be easy, it'll be a walk in the park." He sounded so secure in her ability to rule with him. Alex grunted, skeptical that it would all be hunky-dory. She was pretty certain there would be "ruffled fur" for her to deal with. Even shifters, she was sure, jostled for better position in the hierarchy in the pack. Humans do it all the time, she silently snorted -- shifters are human too, with a little animal lurking under their skin. Not to mention the bitches who previously sniffed around Rance angling for sex or power or both! She bet they would be overjoyed -- NOT!

As they passed the gate to the estate, Rance wondered how she would deal with demands the pack would put on her. He knew that she was strong and ballsy enough to handle most situations. But he also knew she would not delude herself into thinking that everyone would accept her just because she was mated to their Alpha. As they neared the end of the drive, he noticed the lights ablaze in the mansion and pack members lined the courtyard all the way to the steps and front doors. He looked toward Alex to gauge her reaction to the pack's welcome. She was sitting at the edge of her seat with astonishment written clearly on her face. The pack started clapping their hands when he stopped the car in front of the stairs leading to the mansion's big front double doors. One of the Betas opened Alex's door. Getting out of the car himself, Rance hurried to his mate's side.

Why are they assembled here? Alex asked Rance.

I'm assuming that they want to welcome their Regina. He put his hand on her lower back to show the pack of their apparent unity.

Alex looked at the gathered people clapping their hands. They were all strangers but she could feel the happiness and approval emanating from them. Heartened at their warm welcome, she smiled unreservedly, even waving her hands when they started whistling and cheering. Some even howled aloud!

Wow, you wolves are quite boisterous! She mind spoke to Rance.

"Come on, let's go inside," Rance said as he smiled approvingly and nodded his head towards the opened front door. Ushering his mate forward, they ascended the stairs accompanied by the roaring welcome of his pack. Stopping at the head of the stairs, he turned them around to face the pack.

In a loud voice Rance announced, "Your Alpha Regina! Luna be praised!" The assembled crowd got wilder still as they echoed their Alpha's homage to their goddess. Alex cheeks felt like cracking by holding a fixed smile plastered to her face. Finally Rance turned them back towards the door.

Stepping across the threshold of the front door, she was starkly reminded of how her life had changed. The opulence and elegance of the place was something she needed to get used to. Without the bustle of people around from the first time she experienced it, at the party, she could fully appreciate how truly massive the mansion was. It could take her a whole day to explore the place; more if she included the grounds and the surrounding buildings. Five people were waiting for them in the spacious entrance hall. They looked expectantly at Rance and were all flashing almost identical smiles on their faces. Trying not to show how out of place she felt, she stood straighter and met everyone's eyes with a friendly smile. Rance watched Alex gather herself. He was proud of his mate's spirit. He paused before the assembled people as his mate stood next to him. Putting one hand on her lower back, he took a step closer to them.

"Alex, I would like you to meet the immediate staff here in the mansion." He smiled down at her and gestured at the assembled handful of people. Trying to inconspicuously check them out, she threw a genial smile their way again. The five people standing in the cavernous entrance hall differed from sex and age. All of them were tall -- sheesh! -- it seemed like she would perpetually stand out (or down) in this crowd. There were two adult males, one adult female and two teenagers. She didn't even want to hazard a guess as to their age since she'd most likely be mistaken.

The taller of the males stood ramrod straight, with a lean build. His dark short hair was brushed back away from his squarish face. His big smile and sparkling brown eyes did not detract from the dignified persona he was projecting. The other male was an inch or two shorter, but more compactly built. He was a direct contrast in coloring, too. His longish hair was so pale that it almost looked silver and his gray eyes were bracketed with crinkles as he beamed at them. The woman standing between them was beautiful; clear blue eyes sparkled under the chandelier's light and her brunette hair was caught in a simple chignon that emphasized her delicate face. The teenaged boy and girl strongly resembled the woman. Both shared her coloring and eyes, although the boy seemed to have outgrown her by several inches. They look so much alike that they could be mistaken for twins but for the obvious difference in their age.




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 06



"This is Frank." Rance slapped the dark haired towering man in the back. "He is our butler and works with Ophelia, our housekeeper," he motioned to the woman between the two men, "in running the mansion. They're our secret weapon on how well everything works smoothly in such a huge household." Both Frank and Ophelia bowed their heads at her. A little puzzled by the way they were greeting her, she bowed her head in response. She figured it could be a cultural thing like the way some Asian cultures show respect by bowing low. It wouldn't hurt to imitate, rather than make a faux pas.

Rance then turned the other man in the group, tilting his head he regarded him with a faint smile on his face. "And here is the magician in our kitchen, Andressio, our chef. He's responsible for all the wonderful concoctions served at the pack's table." Pausing briefly he looked with raised brows at the two teens. "Oh I should not forget our resident menaces," Rance teased, as the twins grimaced after hearing the appellation given to them by their Alpha, "just kidding you two." Rance laughed aloud, continuing, "Although at times they can be real pains in the ass for some of older pups hanging around here. But I'm sure you'll form your own opinion after getting to know them better. Anyway, Alex, these two are Ophelia's children. Raphael who is crazy about anything mechanical and electrical, so you and he will probably get along well, is two years older than Katherine. Oh, and he's also in charge of the pack's vehicles. Katherine is training under Andressio, so she's always underfoot here in the mansion."

"Oh she's really pretty for a human," gushed the young Katherine. Now that Alex heard her voice, she recognized that she was the girl who helped tidy up in Rance's suite after the party. So Ophelia must be the older woman who was with her that morning. Alex actually liked her exuberance. She's refreshingly candid and unguarded, which is actually typical in very young children.

"Thank you," Alex replied promptly at Katherine, wanting to make the girl feel at ease with her.

Katherine's eyes grew rounder as she blushed furiously when she realized her blunder. Alex stepped closer to the girl and whispered conspiratorially, "You know, you and your Alpha share the same thinking, although I believe you all are prettier." She winked slowly at her, "now if you could help me find the secret to becoming taller, then maybe I could give you a run for your money."

"You must be famished," Ophelia addressed the alpha couple. "I took the liberty of having your dinner served in your suite, Rance." She turned and bestowed a kind smile at Alex, "We heard what happened to your house, and we hope that we could help alleviate your discomfort and distress here." Nodding at her Alpha, she walked up to Alex and gently took her hand.

"We've prepared a bath for you, my Regina. We, the staff here, hope to serve and give you comfort as you adjust living with us. Just let me know whatever you need, or whatever we can do for you." Ophelia patted her hand and hugged her to her. "You are just what Rance needed," she whispered and bussed both her cheeks. Flushing at the older woman's obvious approval, Alex tried to keep her fixed smile from slipping. Ophelia pulled slightly back and looked intently at Alex face, after a fleeting perusal she imperceptibly nodded her approval of her. Rance watched from the sidelines as Ophelia welcomed Alex. He was glad that his trusted people immediately favored her. He made a mental note to ask Ophelia to guide Alex in pack politics. He remembered that his late mother and Ophelia were close friends. Alex would surely benefit from the older woman's knowledge on the workings of the pack.

"Shall we?" Rance asked Alex. She must be tired from working all day in her garage. Knowing she did not get a chance to clean up after coming home, he knew she would love to get to that promised bath soon. Holding out his hand to her, he waited until she put hers in it and together they bade the group goodnight after briefly giving some last minute instructions. Ascending the grand staircase of the mansion, Alex felt déjà vu wash over her. At least this time she was in control of her faculties. No one was compelling her to do anything. She knew where and what she was getting into. No turning back now. She was fully committed to this life with Rance -- for better or worse. Taking a deep breath, she crossed the threshold of his suite.

"Do you want to eat first or take your bath now?" Rance asked Alex immediately after closing the door, closeting them away from the pack in his suite.

"Can I have both?"

"Go ahead then. I'll make you a plate and I can feed you and answer all your questions at the same time while you're in there. Will that work for you?"

"Sure, why not?"

Alex went past the sitting room where the staff had the dinner laid on one of the tables. Walking into Rance's bedroom, she saw the enormous bed where she'd spent her time making love with Rance. She stood transfixed as her senses was immediately assaulted with a deluge of vivid, intimate details of that fateful night; The groans and moans that erupted from both their mouths, the sweat trickling down their straining bodies, the piquant and musky smell of their sex, the salty tang of their sweat as they licked and tasted each other's skin, and the sounds of panting and slapping flesh as they raced together for their orgasm. Shaking her head, she mentally scolded herself to get herself together. But her body had demands of its own as it readied itself for mating. That fast, her labial lips were drenched with her juices, and she was oozing pheromones all over. She bit her lips hard to stop from groaning as she felt a strong contraction in her womb that travelled to her wet sheath. What the hell is wrong with me? I just had sex not two hours ago and yet I'm once again craving cock! She walked determinedly into the bathroom and started stripping off her soiled clothes.

Not just anyone's cock, my dear Alex, but only mine, Rance replied from the other room.

Huh? You're saying that this is normal for you guys? She huffed in mock anger. Getting into the sunken tub she sighed in appreciation at the delicious feel of the warm fragrant water embracing her.

I'm actually surprised that it took you this long. Newly mated pairs usually are all over each other for at least a month or so. If not for the shared dreams we had, I would seriously have blue balls by now. Haven't you wondered about why humans go on a honeymoon? In medieval times, a newly married couple was locked in the bedroom for a whole month to get acquainted intimately, since most marriages were arranged then.

He walked into the bathroom bearing a tray of food. Laying it at the lip of the tub, he proceeded to get undressed in anticipation of joining Alex in the water. "But for us shifters, it's a whole month of sating ourselves with our mate. That way we can function normally without going feral with desire to constantly mate."

"So that's your excuse for being rampant," she stared pointedly at his jutting erection.

"This?" Rance asked as he confidently palmed his cock. "I've been this way since I smelled you at the party." He grinned at her while slowly running his hand up and down his shaft.

Alex tried to swallow as her mouth dried up when Rance started lazily running his hand on his impressive tool. His languid stroking mesmerized her. Standing up from the water, she gradually approached where Rance stood outside of the tub. His cock was impressively huge! She couldn't believe she was able to take all of it inside her. The long thrust of his penis jutted out almost obscenely from his balls, and the girth of it was unbelievable. The bulbous head was dark purple and shiny with precum oozing constantly, which Rance absentmindedly captured to lubricate his stroking hand. A desire to know how it tasted suddenly overcame Alex as she licked her dried lips. A loud groan brought her eyes to Rance who was staring intently at her lips.

"You're killing me here, little one. As much as I want to feel you lips and mouth on me, I need to take care of your other needs first."

Rance stepped into the tub and gathered her with him on one side. Sitting down, he arranged Alex so she was sitting on his lap sideways with his cock trapped under her. He had one arm around her back to support her in the water, while the other reached for the platter of food to start feeding her. Alex put her around arm his neck. Funny that nudity didn't bother her anymore with Rance, as her breast was smashed on his chest.

"Food first, then we sate our carnal needs later." Picking up a piece of braised beef, he put it at her mouth. "Open up, babe. You'll need more protein to keep your strength up," he smirked.

"Confident much?" she couldn't help but bait him, but accepted the offered meat. "Mmmm, this is really good." The flavors exploded in her mouth and made her stomach rumble in appreciation.

"Andressio is really an excellent chef." He smiled as he kept putting food in her mouth. "By the way, I was talking about shifting earlier, that's why you need to eat more protein. We use up a lot of energy when we shift. If you don't have anything stored, it totally saps you." With a gleam in his eyes, he grinned down at her, "but of course you will need energy for later too."

She playfully slap him on the chest and chuckled at him. Capturing her hand, he placed a small kiss on her palm that sent shivers of delight running down her spine. Oh man he's good. His hooded emerald eyes sparkled with repressed lust as he stared hungrily at her lips. Suppressing her need to feel those lips on hers, she averted her eyes and pointedly looked at the platter of food. "I thought you said you're going to feed me," she groused with a small smirk on her lips. "You're all talk and no action."

"Your wish is my command, milady." Rance answered readily as he continued feeding his mate. Pausing now and then to nibble and kiss her neck, shoulders, and the upper slopes of her breasts. He avoided her tempting lips, but kept her revved up by his caresses.

Finally full, she motioned enough. No more procrastination. It was time for them to talk and settle ground rules in this relationship. Steeling herself, she faced Rance and looked him square in the eyes. "Now what Rance? Where do we go from here?  

He quietly contemplated for a moment while holding her gaze. Rance knew that their mating was predestined and that in and of itself was already to his advantage, but the success of their relationship, and developing her trust in him hinged on his willingness to compromise with his mate on certain points she deemed important. He may intimidate and use his power and authority as Alpha of the largest pack in North America to get his way with lupines under him, but with Alex, he doubted very much that that would work. It would only make her belligerent. Besides which, she had compromised a great deal already and shown willingness to work with him. Making his mate mad at him was not his goal. Making her madly in lust and love with him was.

"I know it's a lot to take in, but this is your home now, Alex. You are my mate and everything I have is yours." He took her left hand and grazed the knuckles with his lips while gazing in her eyes.

Alex nodded her head at him. "I know. I figured that already. My normal existence is a thing of the past. But I won't just leave my life behind. I have family and friends and I will not abandon them. I will not set aside my obligations to those who work for me. I would not be who I am if I did that."

"I understand. And I have no intention of asking you to do it. What I want is for us to live together as a mated couple. No more separations. We do things together from now on. Especially with the threat of violence directed at you, there's no way that I will let you out of my sight again."

Alex arched a brow at Rance. "What about my garage? Are you saying that you will come with me to work every day? And before you say that I don't need to work anymore, let me make it very clear that I am not going to drop everything just so I could become a pampered mate." Grimacing, she pictured herself being served hand and foot, as she grew lazy and fat, err, fatter. Not happening! Rance was amused at the picture she painted in her mind. She had such imagination that verge on the ridiculous sometimes, and obviously, he still had to work on convincing her that her voluptuous curves were not fat!

"How about if we compromise then? You can have Troy and Luc with you on the days that I can't come to work with you. But I also want you to consider cutting down your time in the garage to free some for the running of the pack."

"I guess I can do that," she lazily swirled her finger on Rance's pec muscle. Rance caught her errant finger and gently shook his head at her. Smiling impishly back, she stuck her tongue out and crinkled her nose at him. He snorted a laugh at the face she made. Rance could not remember wanting to fuck someone badly and yet laughing at them at the same time. Every experience with Alex was new and refreshing to him.

"Behave." He tried to sound stern, but failed when a grin broke free when she crossed her eyes at him.

"Yes, sir! Alpha wolf sir!" Alex responded while flipping him the bird. They both broke into laughter.

"All kidding aside, I do know that my life will change, but I want the people around me to get used to it slowly. I do not want to just disappear. That will only cause more questions and cause trouble to the pack. If the people who've known me for years witness us together and the changed lifestyle I have, then they would in turn gradually accept it when I finally leave."

"I see the wisdom in your reasoning, Alex. I wholly agree with your decision."

"As for my family and best friend, I emphatically refuse to cut them off from my life."

Rance looked stupefied at Alex. "I would never ask that of you," he sputtered back.

"No? But in all the paranormal books I've read, the human-turned-shifter mate always cut herself off from everybody. Are you telling me that that doesn't apply to me?" She asked skeptically.

"Huh? Are you saying that there is a woman alive out there, who is an Alpha in her own right, who would put up with that?" Brows raised, Rance mused, "That would make for a miserable life together. Having a mate resent the other for the loss of their family and close friends."

"You've got a point there. So I'm free to keep my family and best friend, then. What about keeping the shifter world secret?"

"I leave it to your discretion, little one. You know them best, so it's up to you whether you will share it or not. And if they truly love you, I'm sure that they would keep your secret."

Rance took a sponge from the side of the tub and poured a generous helping of lavender vanilla scented bodywash. Slowly he washed Alex's shoulders, "I'd love to meet them someday soon." Picking up one of her arms, he proceeded to lather and massaged it, then doing the same on the other arm.

"You'll meet Pam next week when she gets back from her trip. In case you're wondering who she is, she is my best friend who dragged me to your party last Saturday."

"I have to thank her when I meet her then." His eyes smiled at her as he continued to rub the sponge on her back. "Now tell me more about yourself. I know nothing about you except that you are an exceptionally beautiful woman with a sexy body that drives me crazy. Not to mention hot in bed and out." Alex pinched Rance on his arm, or attempted to, since his flesh was all muscle there was not much give in it. Flushing deeply since she didn't believe that she was any of those things that he described.

"Well my parents are both retired now. My mom was a grade school teacher and my dad was an engineer for Crescent Enterprises. I was born here in Ohio twenty five years ago. Apart from the cruise that my mom and dad took our family on for their twentieth anniversary, I haven't been out of the state. I've always been a redhead, which is a little peculiar, since my mom and dad are both dark haired. I have three younger brothers: Jacob, who's twenty-three, Andrew, who's twenty-one, and the youngest Devon is nineteen. Both Jacob and Andrew are serving in the military. Jacob is in the Marines and Andrew is in the Army. Devon goes to OSU in Columbus, and is taking pre-med courses. He is the only one of us siblings who had any interest in going to college. I visit my folks at least once a week for dinner and we talk all the time since we're very close. We always try to get together when both guys are home from whatever secret missions they're on. They're part of the special ops so most of their missions are highly classified." She watched with a smirk as Rance looked unbelievingly at her.

"Honestly?" Rance asked with a hint of doubt in his voice. Alex nodded in confirmation.

"Yeah, I know they're both kick-ass tough," she heartily laughed, "but not with me though, because I beat them all the time when we spar." His incredulous look made her laugh more. "I may be small but I'm really fast and I fight dirty. Not to mention that I know all their weaknesses and of course they go easy on me. Anyway, that's why I was a tomboy growing up since all I had to play with were my brothers. Even after I met Pam, I was never into Barbie dolls and frilly dresses. Put me in T-shirts and jeans and I'm good to go. My mom, who is ultra-feminine, gave up on me a long time ago. The only time she was able to put me in a dress willingly was when I was a toddler."

Taking another sponge, Alex lathered it and started washing Rance's body as she continued talking.

"I have plenty of acquaintances, but only one best friend. I've dated plenty, but not seriously. I've always been a tomboy and boys tend to see me as one of the guys, you know? Plus, really who would want to be seriously involved with a girl who could beat them up, hands down? And I 've always had a reputation for being an ice queen, the virginity and all."

"Not with me you aren't. You burn hotter than hot babe," interrupted Rance with a pleased smile with his teeth showing, secretly gloating over the fact that without knowing it, she'd saved her virginity for him. He started washing her torso and gave meticulous attention to her glorious breasts, which he washed and tenderly massaged, pinching and rolling the nipples as he rinsed off the suds.

With panting breath, she determinedly continued, "I'm crazy about cars -- especially old British cars. I could change your oil and overhaul your engine, but if you ask me to cook something I'd likely burn it crisp. Anything else?" she asked, as she grabbed his marauding hands, dropping her sponge in the process.

Undeterred, Rance slid his hand down Alex's tummy down to the juncture of her thighs. Insinuating his hands between her tightly closed legs, he lightly and softly traced her closed lips as he cupped her mons.

"Rance! Stop it," she moaned, "I thought you wanted to talk."

"I know, but you're so damn tempting. And your smell is driving me crazy." He nudged her open with his hand and inserted one finger into her humid heat. Sinking the digit in bit by bit, he licked at her neck as he ground his arousal against her sexy ass.

"Tell me...about... yourself," Alex tried to desperately to divert Rance's attention. "You promised that... we would... talk." Pushing his hand away from her and pulling his head up, she glowered at him.

"Okay, okay," Rance relented, taking a deep breath to leash his rampaging libido. "Let me see, hmmm. I'm the only child of Theon and Riza de Montfort. I was born in France but my father took the pack here to America. My father and mother, the former Alphas, were killed a little over thirty years ago by rogue wolves. Since then, I have been the Alpha Rex of the North America pack. In my reign, I have actively sought peace, as did my father before me."




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 06



"If you've been the reigning alpha for over thirty years, how old are you now? You don't look any older than thirty to me."

Hesitatingly, Rance opened, then closed his mouth. "Well, how old are you then?" Alex persisted.

"Two hundred this month."

"TWO HUNDRED YEARS OLD?!" Alex sputtered and tried to stand up in surprise, but with Rance's arms around her, she flopped with arms and legs sprawled, splashing water all over. Spattering, she looked at Rance with eyes huge in disbelief.

Grinning at his spluttering mate, he tried to make light of the situation. "You have to admit, I look good for my age," he winked.

"Wha-?" She stared with mouth agape at Rance. "Please explain it to me...." Alex could not believe what she heard. So some of the things she had read had basis in truth. If Rance's claims could be believed, then shifters were long -ived if not outright immortals.

"I think we should start from the beginning, then." He paused. "But before I do that, let's get you out of the bath or you'll get pruney soon." Having said that, Rance lifted her and got out of the tub and walked to the shower stall. Programming and setting the water temperature warm enough, he stepped into the gently cascading water. Setting Alex down, he turned her around until she was directly under the two shower heads.

Alex found the experience to be decadent. The shower stall had four showerheads and computerized water settings, one of those fancy wall thingies she'd seen on HGTV. Rance set the shower to come out as soft rain. It brought to mind the times when she and her brothers played in the rain when they were younger. Rance shampooed her hair and gently rinsed it under the water. After making sure that she was totally clean, he picked her up again. Getting towels for them both, he bundled her in one, slung the other one around his neck and took her to the bedroom. She felt like a ragdoll as he kept carting her around. When he attempted to wipe her dry -- she glared at him and motioned for him to stop.

"Start talking," she demanded, wiping herself dry and settling at the edge of the bed.

Seeing that Alex would not to be dissuaded, Rance picked his own towel and started drying himself. Staring fixedly at her face and feeling her intently through their bond, just in case she was freaking out, he decided that it was about time to tell her about their world. "Humans and shifters have coexisted from the very beginning of time. Although we tried to hide our existence, we could not totally keep humans from finding out about us. Thus, myths and stories abound about werewolves and such. Mostly these were innocent encounters with humans, but of course, humans generally depicted us as monsters based on rogue weres who had violently ravaged some families or small villages in their paths. Just like humans, we have good and bad people. We set up our own laws to police ourselves and protect us from being hunted."

"Do you ever hunt and eat humans then?"

"No! Never. But anyone who stayed in their wolf skin for too long tends to go feral, so there might be some cases that might have happened. But never would we think humans are prey. Remember we are also part human and some shifters, like me, found their mate within the human race. Anyone who gets and stays feral is sick and need to be put down, because not only will they be a danger to humans, but also to the whole shifter world." Wrapping the towel casually around his hip, he walked to Alex and sat down next to her. Taking her hand in his he lightly ran his thumb on top of it as he continued on. "We may be stronger, but human outnumbers us. Besides, we only want to live in peace raising our families, just like anybody else."

"What about diseases? Age? Mortality? Now that I have turned, will I stop aging too?"

"Ah, the questions that concern most humans. Yes, you will. We are immune to and cannot carry human diseases. Our bodies repair any damage - if given enough time - and when we shift. We live long lives. The oldest were I know is almost one thousand years old, and he still looks like he's in his sixties. Our bodies grow and mature like humans do until we reached our mid-twenties, that's when our aging slows to the point that we almost stop aging. We are not immortals; just hard to kill, though we can get killed by decapitation and a direct strike to the heart. "

"Can anyone be 'turned' as you put it? How about for non-mates and such?"

Rance smiled approvingly at Alex. His mate was really smart and had an inquisitive mind that would serve her well in the pack.

"Not anyone can be turned. A bite alone from a were will not turn a human into a shifter. For us to turn a human, we need to make a conscious decision to do so. Our bodies then will secrete an enzyme that binds into the humans DNA. It's then transferred through our saliva and bodily fluids. That's the reason why most turned humans are mated to shifters." He silently observed her as his words started sinking in, remembering her own astonishingly rapid shift.

"But you can still turn a human who is not a mate through your bite, right?" she persisted.

"Theoretically, yes. But it's been centuries since that had happened. And we highly doubt the validity of those accounts, since there were no written records of it occurring. Mostly legends and stories passed on orally." He gave her a penetrating look wondering why she was asking this line of questioning. "Are you by chance thinking of turning someone?"

She returned his gaze with an innocent look in her eyes, a couple of heartbeat passed as their gazes locked; Alex blinked and shook her head reluctantly. "No...maybe. I don't know," she answered helplessly. She eyed Rance beseechingly, "I just want to know if it's at all possible for me to turn my family." She grabbed and squeezed his hand when he moved as if to get up. "Wait! I'm not going to just do it. It will have to be their decision. I will not force anything on them and I will not do anything without discussing things with you first." She paused to hastily take a breath, "Rance I will not discount your authority over the pack. I know that I'm also subject to your laws now that I've become a shifter. Just please try to understand where I'm coming from."

Rance sat seeming deep in thought as he took in Alex's speech. Listening earlier to her tell him about her family, he got a distinct impression that she was extremely close to them. It would hurt and devastate her to see them suffer through diseases and eventually early death (compared to her and himself, that was). He knew that if he had it in his power to save his parents from the hands of those rogues, he would have done it, but short of turning back time, there was nothing he could do. Heaving a sigh, he nodded his head and gathered her in his arms. "I understand Alex. Just remember this will change their lives, and there won't be any going back or redoing it. We'll revisit this discussion later, okay?" He lifted her head and locked eyes with her, when she smiled brilliantly and nodded, he let her go.

"Where were we again?" he asked.

"Mating." Alex readily replied with a wicked smile as she comically wiggled her brows at him.

"Oh that," Rance stood up and went to a wall, he opened a cleverly concealed mini-fridge, bent down and took some bottled water out. Ambling back to her, he opened one and handed it to her, waiting until she took a sip, then opened his own bottle and drank. "Shifters are very sexual, so we have plenty of casual liaisons, but we only have one true mate. We recognize them by their scent, and nothing can stop us from claiming them once we get a sniff."

"Like what happened to us," she said thoughtfully. "I thought in the beginning something was wrong with me because I was acting totally out of character. I would never in a million years thought myself capable of being that wanton." She blushed in remembrance. "What about that protuberance that I feel when you're... ah... when you're inside me."

"That my dear is what we call our 'knot.' We only knot with our mates. The first time we make love, our knot won't unswell for hours, locking us together to insure mixing of our DNA. After that, we knot only right before ejaculation, trapping our seed inside our mate for a chance at a successful conception." Spellbound, Alex listened attentively as things that puzzled her before were answered. "The initial knot also insures that our mate bond gets established."

"What about fertility? You told me that you weres are highly sexual, how do you prevent conception then? And how about kids? Do they come out having the ability to shift right away?"

"Since we are a long-lived race, we don't hit our sexual maturity until we're in our twenties, when our aging slows down to the equivalent of about 15 to 20 human years per one were years. A female were is not considered mature enough for sexual congress until they're at least twenty five. Some mature early but it's more common for them to have their sexuality triggered at that age. When they do, they emit pheromones that signals to unmated males they're ready. There's no unwanted pregnancy since we can tell if a female is ovulating by her scent alone. Even between mates, it's not that easy to conceive. I believe that Luna had designed it that way so we won't overrun the place with pups," He lightheartedly said. "Our pups are born looking human and don't have the ability to shift until ten or so. Anything else?" He stood relaxed in front of her as he finished his water. Lifting one indolent brow at her, he seductively smiled and took hold of the towel at his waist.

"Wait!" Alex quickly stood, knowing that once that towel left his waist they would soon be engaging in no-holds-barred sex. "I want to see your wolf first. I only saw him in my dreams. And could you also show me your hybrid form?" she requested prettily at him, smiling coyly. "Pretty please?"

"Alright."

Immediately after Rance said the word, bright light engulfed him. In a flash, a majestic all black wolf stood in front of Alex. He stood as high as her chest on four legs. "Wow you're even bigger that in my dreams," she loudly exclaimed. Awed at his size, she circled him oohing and aahing. The wolf-Rance stood unmoving, letting his mate get a fill of what he looked like in wolf form. Once she made a complete circuit, she stood in front of his massive head. Standing on four legs, he was chest high to her. "Can I touch you?" she asked the wolf.

Rance cocked his head to the side, Of course, Alex.

"Hey I forgot that you could communicate mentally with me. You're one handsome wolf, I do declare." She ran her hands from the top of his head to the back of his ears. He obviously liked it as he closed his eyes and preened under her hands. Sitting on the back of his legs, he let his tongue loll out and lick her face. "Eeeww! None of that! I don't want to smell like dog breath." Alex tried to push his head away. Rance laughed aloud in their link, as the wolf huffed in pleasure. "Dog breath, ha! I'll lick you all over and see what you'd smell like after that. You seemed to love it before."

"Rance! Stop it! I'm warning you..." She shrieked in laughter as he nosed and licked her exposed neck. Grabbing a hold of his head she pushed heavily. Just as she managed to put some distance between them, she felt him changing, as he grew taller and bigger.

"What-?" Wide-eyed she let go of Rance, as he slowly towered over her. My, he's huge! Taking several steps back, she perused him. His hybrid form was truly impressive. He stood taller, probably almost seven feet tall, and his muscles bulged all over. His head was a combination of human and wolf. He retained the tufted ears of the wolf and the slightly elongated snout, but not as long as that of a real wolf. His teeth are sharp and scary looking. His whole body was lightly furred. But what had her transfixed were his beautiful emerald eyes. It pierced and held her captive in its gaze. Love and burning desire shone brightly in it.

Running an appreciative look down his body, she abruptly stopped at the juncture of his thighs. Standing proudly, in all its erect glory was his rampant cock, wider and longer than it normally was. Veins ridged its length and its purple bulbous tip secretes copious precum. It jerked as it throbbed to the beat of his heart. Seeing where her eyes were fixed, Rance grinned. He sniffed the air deeply and was rewarded by the delicious smell of his mate's heavy arousal. Impossibly, his cock got harder still and grew another inch. Wanting to eliminate the space between them, he stalked slowly forward as she slowly backed away from him. With both hands extended to ward him off, Alex looked around for an avenue of escape. "Now Rance, you can't possibly expect to use that weapon on me, do you?" She stared pointedly at his jutting cock. The towering tumescence should put fear in her heart, but her traitorous body reacted differently. She was flushed from head to toe as sweat formed on her skin in her excitement. The towel around her body irritated her tender nipples as it abraded them. Her slit was saturated with her lubrication as her body prepared for the invasion of his. Panting slightly, she turned and ran towards the bathroom. She never made it as her body was unceremoniously hoisted up in the air. Shrieking and laughing at the same time, she was thrown over his shoulder. Rance wrapped one claw-tipped hand on one of her nether cheeks, and held her legs down with the other. Dropping her on the bed, he tugged the towel off her and pulled her to the end of the mattress until her hips hung off the edge. Lifting her legs straight up, he lightly ran his raspy tongue on the soles of her feet.

Giggling, she ineffectively swatted at him, "Stop it Rance! I'm ticklish there."

So I've noticed, he answered with a smirk. Your toes are quite tasty. He sucked each digit one by one. Once done, his long tongue licked slowly down her calves as he opened her legs up a bit. Resting both of her legs on his chest, he slid his paws on her thighs and ran a feathered touch slowly up and down, while his clever tongue bathed the back of her knees with his saliva. Squirming now in excitement, she moaned as she tried to grab his marauding hairy hands. His fur was soft to the touch, like nap velvet. Running her fingers on his hand, she tried to draw it to her hungry slit. Pausing in his lapping of her, he eyed her gaping cunt hungrily.

Rance let her legs go, and pulled her up until she was kneeling on the bed. Alex ran greedy hands all over his torso that she could reach. His intense scent perfumed the air, making her burn for his taste. He then proceeded to lick up and down her neck. Alex clung to his broad shoulders as his devilish tongue swept a burning path down the slopes of her breasts. Licking around each areola, he bypassed the hard dark pink nubs sticking out that crowned each creamy mound. Cupping each breast with his paw, he carefully nipped and plied it with his supple tongue.

Alex watched as Rance's sharp fangs closed on her flesh. The bit of pain was such a turn on that she was soaking, her juices had dripped and rolled down her thighs. Panting audibly, she encouraged this manbeast to feast on her breast. Grabbing on to his head, she tried to guide him to her neglected nipples. But Rance would not be deterred. He aimed to fulfill his promise to lick her all over. After covering every inch of her breasts except her turgid nipples, he lashed her torso and tasted the bittersweet flavor of her sweat. Turning her onto her stomach and laying her on the bed, he straddled her prone body and continued to hungrily savor her; starting from her neck, down to her arms, shoulders, back and buttocks. Squeezing and kneading her ass cheeks, he blazed a trail with his scorching tongue down to the crevice that divided them.

Alex jumped, as Rance's hot wet appendage swiped her butt crack. "Hey! What are you-?" She shrieked as he pulled her cheeks apart and flicked at her puckered anus. "NO!" She tried to push up with her arms, but Rance laughed/huffed and pulled both and captured it in one of his hand.

Shhhh, I promise that this will be good for you, little one. Trust me.

"It's nasty... I don't think we should do this....." She trailed off as Rance ignored her protest and persisted on circling her rosebud. Then he slowly inserted his tongue in, coaxing the tight opening to bloom and open for his invasion. Feeling his mate vibrate in pleasure, he jabbed in and out shallowly, flicking his tongue at the same time at her anal walls. Moaning loudly now, Alex was awash in sensations, and strong contractions engulfed her empty hungry pussy as she experienced her first anal-induced climax. Letting go of her arms, he pushed her legs underneath her body, making her butt stick out in the air. Satisfied at his mate's display, he settled himself behind her, holding her ass cheeks apart and dove in for the kill. This time he was not as careful, he inserted his tongue all the way in and proceeded to vigorously fuck her with it. Her shriek of surprise turned into moans of rapture as she convulsed in another climax.

Rance's cock was so fucking hard, it stood straight up almost perpendicular to his body. Much as he wanted to drive it in his mate's sheath, he wanted to give Alex several orgasms first before he would seek solace in her. His tongue drove in and out of her rosebud. The smell of her arousal grew stronger as her honey continued to pour out of her vagina. The puffy lips were glistening with their combined fluids; his saliva and her essence. Not able to resist, he pulled out his tongue and swiped at her pussy lips. Loving her flavor, he enveloped it with his warm mouth. Sucking and slurping at the juices that she produced.

Alex could hear herself screaming as she clutched at the bedding underneath her. Rance was hungrily devouring her pussy. Flicking at her clit and pushing in and out of her opening. She could not make out how many times she'd already orgasmed, but Rance was relentless. He kept on greedily feasting on her, sucking at her opening in search for more. Finally, she slumped on the bed as she reached a surfeit of pleasure. Rance flipped her over. She was so gorgeous! Flushed and dewy with sweat, she sprawled before him, a veritable feast for his eyes. Crawling close, he caressed her trembling legs with his hands. Taking hold of his erection, he pushed her legs together and ran the bulbous tip on her skin, painting it with his dripping precum. Starting from her toes, he straddled her and progressed up her legs. Upon reaching her humid heat, he pushed briefly down and split her labial lips, swirling their cream together fleetingly. Rance grinned at her, as he lifted himself and went on painting her torso and breast, brushing each mounds in circle and dipping the seeping eye of his rampant cock on her pert nipples.

Alex watched Rance with hooded eyes. Savage satisfaction filled her as he marked her with his precum. Lifting heavy arms, she glided her hand over his muscular thighs. Running her fingers lightly in the fur covering it, she kneaded and dug her nails. Rance kneeled higher as he reached Alex's neck. The purple head was soaked and the hole kept on oozing. He trailed his cock on her neck up and down, then to her jaw and ears, then her cheeks and eyes. Seeing how hard she was panting, he smeared the bridge of her nose with his fluid. He groaned as her breath washed over his balls. Tempted by the strong musky smell of his genitals, she stuck out her tongue and tentatively licked his hairy sac. His flavor exploded in her tongue. Salivating at the amazing taste, she sought more of it as she coiled her tongue over his nuts. Lashing it eagerly, she finally tried to suck it inside her mouth. Allowing her a moment to suckle his balls, he disengaged her mouth from him. Scooting down a bit, he dragged his cockhead on her lips.




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 07



A/N

I want to thank you readers for taking the time to read and vote and comment on my story. I appreciate and love hearing from my readers and answers all feedbacks. So keep it coming. Once more I'd like to thank my wonderful editor Lunarosa for all her help in this chapter.

Enjoy!

Chapter Seven

It had been more than two weeks since the revelation in Rance's office and Alex still hadn't fully wrapped her mind around the reality of it -- despite the fact that her body bore all the evidence she needed. Thinking about the past weeks made her head reel with all that had happened.

The first twenty minutes after the pack doctor arrived on the scene in Rance's office was still hazy to Alex. The pain that slashed through her lower abdomen was excruciating enough that she was completely oblivious to everything else. All she remembered was Rance carrying her to their suite and laying her down in the bed, leaving her side briefly to let Armand give her a thorough examination, but hovering nonetheless. After conferring and arguing (as their voices got louder) with the people who followed from the office, she later found out that Luc and the good doctor were having quite a difference of opinion.

Luc, after seeing her abdomen, immediately came to the conclusion that she was pregnant -- while everyone else in the room was highly doubtful of his claims. Armand insisted on a complete exam with blood work and scans to rule out anything else. What truly baffled -- and frankly, shocked -- the small group was the mark that had gradually appeared on her lower belly before their eyes right there in Rance's office. It looked as if it had been burned or tattooed to her skin. The mark was an intricately stylized tribal design of scrolls, loops, and spirals inside a circle the size of a man's fist that manifested just under her belly button.

Alex sat up after the pain had ebbed and fully disappeared. Rance sat next to her as Luc explained that she now bore the mark of the "Promised One", whoever that was. Luc believed that she now carry the one who would unite the shifter community.

Doubtful about the claim she was pregnant , but willing to get to the root of the matter, she let Armand draw blood for a test. Tense minutes ensued as everyone waited for the result. Much to her and everyone else's surprise (except Luc's, of course), the test came back positive. She was pregnant with Rance's baby! Dr. Armand theorized that her shifting must have caused her to ovulate earlier than expected, then add Rance's super-motivated sperm, and voila! Pregnancy's the result.

Confused and concerned about how everyone was acting, Alex insisted on an explanation from Luc and everyone in the room about the 'Promised One,' the mysterious mark, and the prophecy everyone kept talking about. Luc, being a history buff, started explaining.

"Every shifter has been taught of the legend of our creation. When our kind was first created, our Goddess Luna deemed us, shifters, a perfect blending of animal and human, having dual character but existing in harmony in one body and a single soul. Each breed was given an Alpha who would lead on behalf of Luna. Believing that we would be able to exist in peace together, she left the Alphas to rule as they saw fit. Soon enough, petty jealousy and power struggles ensued. Each shifter breed believed that it was, and wanted the others to concede, that they are better than the other breeds. Peace was finally shattered when we allowed our animal sides take charge and began raiding, pillaging, and warring amongst one another. Luna was greatly saddened at the state of her children, so for a while she turned her back on us."

"So what happened then? I knew for a fact that there's peace now in your community and the Alphas work together," Alex asked, curiosity piqued.

"Most of her children continued to pray to her for guidance. Most were just caught in the conflict because of their loyalty to their pack," Rance continued. "Also there were some Alphas who wisely kept their promise to Luna of ruling with wisdom and seeking peace. Not all shifters wanted to continually fight and kill. Add that to the dwindling numbers of shifters because of our warring, and some actively sought peace to prevent extinction of their breed."

"Okay, that answers the peace between breeds now. But what and who is the prophesied 'Promised One'?"

Damian, who was quietly listening, spoke up for the first time. "The 'Promised One' is a prophesied shifter who will come to rule over all the shifter community. He or she was foretold thousands of years ago by the prophet Simeon, an ancient wolf-shifter oracle, favored by the goddess. Other shifter oracles also claimed of a 'Promised One' coming who will become the Alpha of all alphas. The Promised One will be born bearing the goddess Luna's sign, possessing gifts of incomparable power and an unequaled magnitude of authority. The prophesied alpha would also be the catalyst to unite Weres of every species, and usher forth a time of peace, harmony and strength for the Were people."

"We have a similar prophesy," Annawon added, "and every bear shifter was taught from when they were cubs to anticipate with gladness the 'Promised One'." He calmly nodded his head.

"But everyone who knows of the prophecy looks for the sign not on a mother's belly but on the child himself." Dominic quickly added. "None of us expects the sign would appear in vivo."

Armand nodded his head, "The prophecy did not clearly express anything about the mother, but I too recognized the mark." They all stared at the darkening mark on Alex belly as she pulled up her shirt. Suddenly, the ink appeared incandescent as a prism of colors shot out and blinded them. In a blink of an eye, the blinding light disappeared. It left everyone puzzled and mystified but more convinced than ever that the fulfillment of the prophecy was at hand.

If Luc was right about her carrying the prophesied Promised One, then Alex's pregnancy would herald a time of true peace for the shifters. If it was true then they were in deep shit -- she felt certain that there were quite a few, particularly the non-wolf shifters, opposed to having one ruler over them. Alex had been a part of this world for a short time, but she had already witnessed the potential for savagery; the opposed might attempt to find a way to terminate the fragile life inside of her, and there was no way that she'd let that happen! That scary notion formed in her heart and her mind before she could even permit herself to think about the monstrous rogue creature, still uncaptured, that had torn through her home and murdered both Shifters and humans.

Rance must have felt the same way. Since the doctor had sufficiently recovered from his shock at seeing the Promised One's mark and confirm Alex's pregnancy, Rance made her get up early every morning to train with him and his Betas in the gym at the basement. Rance was such an exacting taskmaster, he sparred with her himself. And he never held his punches. She would usually limp out of the gym, sore from all the times that she got pinned down by Rance. Her 'delicate' condition did not preclude her from getting as rigorous training as the rest of them received from her mate. Alex's stubborn determination to take it all, without complaining, actually worked to her advantage. Unbeknownst to her, the Betas and young pups who watched from the sidelines were won over by her tenacity and grit. Being wolves, they admired strength and were instinctively inclined to submit to someone stronger than they.

She loved the challenge and thrived on it. The sex between her and Rance got hotter every time. He was proving to be an insatiable lover: besides making love endlessly at night, Rance would squeeze in a wild and satisfying fuck (while in the shower) after each training session. They would then have breakfast together either by themselves or with the pack. Rance usually accompanied her to the garage if his schedule allowed it. Most of the time he'd go with her, then leave to hunt for the rogues leaving Luc and Troy behind.

The first day that she came in to work with Rance and the twins in tow, everyone in the garage did a double-take and gaped at her, not only because she had an entourage of gorgeous men, but mostly because she walked in with Rance possessively holding her hand in his. She had introduced Rance as her boyfriend, while the twins were introduced simply as friends of Rance's. Although her employees' curiosity was evident on their faces, they did not dare ask her more. Between Rance looming protectively behind her and the twins constantly underfoot, they never got the chance to grill her for more juicy information.

Alex knew though that all would change once Pam got back from her business trip. Her reprieve would be over and she'd better be ready to spill everything to her BFF, so it was a good thing that her friend's business trip was extended. Every time she talked to Pam on the phone, she reminded Alex so much of a dog with a bone -- asking her questions that made her feel like she was being interrogated by a cop - almost. Knowing and understanding why her friend was extremely leery of her relationship with Rance did not in any way mitigate Pam's irritating tenacity. Since Pam knew her pretty much inside out, Alex wished sometimes that her friend would just take her at her word that she was happy, that Rance was right for her. Moving in and living with Rance in such a short time further hardened Pam's resolve to get to the bottom of the matter, even threatening to move in with her at the mansion, for crying out loud!

Her parents on the other hand, were cautiously happy for her. Alex had called and visited them several times after moving in the mansion. The first time they met Rance, they were accepting and amiable. They were unaware that she had moved in with Rance though. She thought it better to let them get used to him first. Rance had agreed, albeit reluctantly, to gradually make their mating known to her parents. They would announce their "engagement" at the end of the month and then have their "wedding" shortly after. They were due to visit her parents the upcoming weekend for a family dinner anyway since her brothers were coming home for a couple of days for her mom's birthday. That would be a fun visit -- NOT! She could just see the faces of her two hard-assed brothers when she told them of her 'engagement'. No doubt they'd grill and try to intimidate Rance. Well, good luck on that one. She smiled with relish at the thought of her brothers trying to gang up on Rance. The pregnancy she'd keep to herself for now, thank you very much.

One thing that she truly enjoyed about her new life as a shifter was when Rance would take her out to run in their wolf forms on the estate. Every care and stress of the day just sloughed off in the sheer joy of running on four legs. Everything around her seemed fresh and vivid. The smells, the noise, the exhilaration of becoming one with nature never failed to lift up her spirit. She loved the times she explored and frolicked with Rance in the woods surrounding the mansion, racing through the hills and valleys and mock-hunting (for she refused to kill helpless animals and eat them). She loved the feeling of gritty soil under her paws as she ran exuberantly with her mate. Most of the time they'd run with some of the pack Betas. They would always try to fall behind to give them some semblance of privacy. They seldom ran by themselves, since they had not apprehended the rogue shifters yet, although the privacy did allow them the wild joy of mating as wolves under the moon as well. She only wished they could do it every night...but no. Some nights Rance would be cloistered with his Betas and strategize on the best way for them to find the rogues' den.

Tonight, she would be formally presented to the Pack. They deliberately waited for Rance's two hundredth birthday to have the ceremony, figuring that it would at least give her some time to adjust to pack life. Shifters in attendance would include the Wolves' Council of Elders and also the Alpha Council. She'd met most of the Alphas informally, but she still had to meet the Council of Elders and the rest of the pack that did not reside currently in the Estate. Her pregnancy was still a closely guarded secret between those present in the study on the fateful morning the pregnancy was confirmed. And they had no intention of announcing her carrying the 'Promised One.' They did not want to borrow trouble if they could help it; the rogues were enough trouble as it was.

Maddy poked her head just outside her opened office door. "Hey Alex, Paul Timmons was asking if we're going to match prices being offered at another garage downtown for his oil change."

Looking up from the invoices and assorted paper works she was sorting through, Alex cast a harassed glace towards her receptionist. "He asks for price match every time he brings his truck for service. And never did he bring ads to substantiate any of his claims." Shrugging, she nodded her head albeit reluctantly at the waiting Maddy. "Go ahead and give him the discount, although we both know that we offer the lowest price in town. But please remind him again that he needs to bring the ad or coupon next time." Waving Maddy off, she tried to focus once again on the waiting paperwork.

As Maddy walked away, Troy walked in smiling and bearing heavenly-smelling paper bags of food in one hand and a cup holder with three tall covered tumblers in the other. He inclined his head at Luc who was seated on the other side of the room. "I brought food for everyone. Figured you're probably hungry by now. You need to eat more to keep your strength up, Alex." Just as he carefully laid his burden on the table, her stomach emitted an embarrassingly loud growl. "See, perfect timing every time," Troy's eyes twinkled with mirth even as Alex eyes promised retribution if he openly laugh at her.

Nudging the bag closer to her he continued, "Fried chicken wrapped in buttercream batter, green salad, baked potato with the works, and those small fancy cakes freshly baked by Andressio to tide you over until later, Alex." He walked over to Luc and dropped another brown bag in front of him.

Grabbing the bag, she nodded in thanks to Troy. She could not believe how much food she consumed in a day; wolf metabolism or growing Promised One, who knew? If not for the Luc and Troy keeping her well supplied, she would not be able to accomplish any work at all. It'd been alarming if the pack doctor had not reassured her that it was normal for someone in her condition. Watching absently as Troy dragged a chair to sit by her open office door, she started to eat. She motioned for him to close the door to her office for some privacy.

"How's the hunt going?" She lifted inquiring eyes at Troy while carefully biting on her chicken. "Were they able to find any trace of those rogues?"

"No. But they are working on a grid, and they believe that they'll get them soon. It won't be long now before they root them out, I'm sure. Oh, by the way, Ophelia said that everything is ready for the big birthday and formal presentation tonight."

"I can see that you're not looking forward to the affair," Luc commented from the other side of the room where he was studying more about the prophecy while on guard duty.

"How did you guess?" Alex asked in return.

"From the grimace you made when dickhead here mentioned it, I figured as much," Luc replied matter-of-factly.

"I'm just not good with crowds of people, you know. I'd rather meet individual people in small groups. And I hate dressing up." She stuck her tongue out at Troy when he wiggled his brows at her.

"Hey, that's the most fun part," said Troy. "That's when you women come up with sexy attire that entices us males to appreciate them in full. Don't get me wrong. I love women in all sizes and shapes. The way they look; so soft and yet so tough, the way they smell; sweet and spicy, and the way they move, like sex incarnate." He grinned at the incredulous look on both Alex's and Luc's faces. "I have some fond memories of such gatherings, I tell you." He had a far-away look on his face as he smiled inanely at the memory he'd conjured in his mind. "I remember the last encounter I had with one particular bitch at one of those formal shindigs that the pack throws now and again. Now she was one hot time," he whistled in obvious enjoyment. "One that I don't mind repeating. Maybe she'll attend tonight."

"Eeew, TMI. Don't you get bored with your lifestyle after a while? I mean, you can only have so many one-night stands before you become jaded," Alex said with a trace of amusement.

"Who said anything about only one night? If she's worth the effort to pursue, then she'd be worth two or three encounters at the least," Troy answered. Supressing his mirth, he could not help but bite down on his cheeks to keep from bursting into laughter at the expressions on Luc's and Alex's faces. It was fun to yank their chains.

"Seriously?" Alex asked, consternation written plainly in her face.

Not able to keep silent anymore, Troy busted out laughing. He was laughing so hard that he failed to see Alex stand up and approach him. Alex pushed Troy off the chair and stood tapping her foot as she waited for him to stop laughing.

"Troy!" Luc also stood over his twin's prone figure.

"What? I was just telling the truth."

"Not everyone in the pack is a horndog like you. Pardon us Alex, but Troy is not the best example for werewolf behavior."

Finally sitting up, Troy sprang up and smiled winningly at Alex. "Luc is right. But Luc, she needs to remember that we wolves are also very sexual. I only want our Regina to be ready and not taken unawares when the single wolves started hooking up at the party. It gets especially wild when we're celebrating something. Oftentimes they'll do it in the open." Looking at Luc for corroboration of Troy's account, Alex was a little surprised to see him nod.

"You guys have orgies at your celebrations?!" Alex's incredulity made her voice rise in volume.

"Ssshhh.... Tone down a little. We don't want your staff to think we're all perverts." Luc pointed out.

"Sorry. Not trying to be prudish or anything, but I don't think I'd ever get used to that scenario."

Sighing dramatically Troy put his hands on top of his heart, "You wound us, Alex. We don't have orgies. Our bitches won't stand for that either. We have sex in the open, yes. But we don't swap partners or indulge in a free for all. Sex between consenting partners is a beautiful thing. Sex between mates, according to them, is divine." Wiggling his brows at Alex, he asked, "Well? Do tell. Is it? Diviiiiiine?"

Luc shook his head helplessly as they all busted out laughing when Alex pushed Troy again.

******

Spread out. Rance commanded his wolves.

The Beta wolves spread out as they continued to track the scent trail that led them to the wooded area near the park. They'd been going out every day hunting for the rogues. Rance accompanied his wolves all the time now. It was imperative that they deal with the rogues, particularly now. Luc's interpretation of the writing on Alex's walls were a rambling of a lunatic, focused on making all shifters acknowledge him as the 'Promised One'. The threat underlying his message was not missed by all the alphas present at the last meeting. It was still baffling to them why they chose to go after Alex, and why they did what they did to her house. Although it was not widely known and those present had been sworn to secrecy, the 'coincidence' that the mark of the Promised One had appeared on Alex's pregnant belly made the entire situation more mysterious, and for Alex, potentially more dangerous. And Rance was not fond of coincidences.




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 07



To Rance's thinking, it did not really matter whether they were after his mate or not. It became personal when they targeted her. He would not stop until he had rooted them out. More was at stake now; He would not let his mate and the mother of his pups be harmed in any way. Finally, after weeks of scouring for the rogues, one of the wolves on the team got a whiff of spoor in one of the small towns that bordered the city. The beta immediately called Damian, his Prime, who was with his Alpha. Damian and Rance raced to the site and joined the team. It was fortuitous that they were at the far side of the town when the Beta called. This could be the break they were looking for.

The scent trail they followed meandered around the small university town. As far as they could tell, they were tracking three male shifters of indeterminate breed, but unquestionably, one of whom was involved in the thrashing of Alex's house. Based on the strength of the rogue's scent, it was probably two or three hours old. Still, they hoped that it could lead the team to the rogues' hidden den. They followed and shifted into wolves once they deemed the cover of the trees was thick enough to make it safe to do so. It lessened the chance of humans seeing them by accident, and better their chances at tracking the rogues.

As wolf-Rance filtered the scent, it struck him as quite peculiar. There was something off about the scent. Something....unnatural.

Damian, tell me I'm not the only one who think there's something odd about the scent we're following.

I know what you're saying. It's definitely lupine with a faint tinge of feline and ursine intermingled in their scent, Damian responded.

They exchanged a grim look. If rogues of the different shifter species banded together it could spell a bloody war. Rance's hackles rose as the scent of their quarry grew stronger. The oddness of the scent niggled at the back of his mind, a teasing scent memory.

All betas fall back and circle around. I want to have them surrounded. Damian and I will approach upwind.

Proceeding cautiously so as not to alert the rogues of their approach, Rance led. Once everyone was in position, he gradually advanced, making sure there was no way out for the rogues. He saw that the rogues were standing in a clearing, in human form talking quietly amongst themselves. The three rogues were slightly shorter compared to most shifters. They all looked scruffy and unkempt.

"...you think? I found another promising one, didn't I? It was easy enough to snatch her last week when she came home," one of the rogues eagerly reminded the other two.

"Good. I'm sure we'll still need another one soon. You sure no one missed her?" One of them asked.

"I'd observed her for a couple of weeks, and she keeps to herself. No boyfriend or close friends to speak of. She worked part time in a fast food chain and goes to school here at the community college. But think about it, the best thing is that she lives in one of those trailers in the woods. It was no trouble snatching her with no one the wiser. Even if she had screamed, no one would have heard her." He paused and leered at his companions. "We also had fun with her before turning her over to be brought before the Alpha, didn't we?" He chuckled as the other two slapped him on the back.

The taller of the three pivoted around, frowning as he started to pace. "I sure as hell could do with some distraction. The Alpha's pushing his experiments more. If we're not careful we might get caught. We need to go farther now to look for new girls, otherwise the cops might be able to connect all the abductions. If only he'd accept the druggies and prostitutes. They're easily overlooked by human society."

Rance was stunned hearing them talk casually about abducting human women. His wolf wanted to charge ahead and tear them limb-from-limb, but his human reasoning prevailed to soothe the feral need to annihilate the rogues. They needed information, and as satisfying it might be to kill them, he needed them alive more. Not only did the rogues pick on shifters to terrorize and kill, but it seemed that their so-called alpha had some nefarious plans for the human women they abducted as well.

Signaling his Betas to stay put, he shifted to human form and walked into the clearing. Letting his awareness spread out, he listened as their heartbeats speed up at the sight of him. Alex kept his eyes on the three who stopped talking as soon as he stepped into their midst. Spreading his arms out to show he was unarmed, he approached and stopped a yard from them.

"What the hell?" The tall one stepped forward, as his eyes rounded when he recognized Rance.

"I've come to give you a chance to surrender yourselves. You choose. Submit to me now or prepare to fight." Rance slowly stalked forward and shifted his hands to claws until he was only a foot from the tallest rogue.

"We're not afraid of you," the rogue spat on the ground in front of Rance. Swaggering, he circled Rance and snidely looked him up and down. Signaling his cohorts, they surrounded Rance.

"The high and mighty Alpha of the North American pack," the spokesman of the three hissed hatefully. "You think so highly of yourself that you believe you could subdue all three of us." He smirked.

One by one, Damian and the Betas silently came out of the woods. Encircling the clearing, they stood awaiting further instructions from their Alpha. Seeing they were outnumbered, the rogues paled, each poised to flee. Still, the outspoken one taunted Rance.

"Alpha Rex could not fight battle himself without his lackeys around, huh? And here we thought you were tough enough to take the three of us."

Shaking his head at Damian, he urged him to stand down. His wolf was itching to do battle and spill blood, and he was of the mind to give it satisfaction. He would put these three in their place without the help of his Betas.

Smiling with anticipation, Rance faced the rogues, "Bring it on." Crooking his clawed finger at them, he partially shifted instantly. The rogues stumbled back as Rance's seven and a half foot tall massive hybrid form towered over them. The rogues' bravado left them in the face of the intimidating Alpha. Nevertheless, they circled him again, and as one shifted and charged.

Waiting for them, he closely watched the rogues. He could not put his finger on it, but there was something unnatural about these weres. The energy they were emitting was wrong somehow and the scent they were giving off in shifted form was confusing. It was when he took the time to take their features one at a time that he noticed the anomaly. His eyes rounded in disbelief. One rogue actually had rounded tufted ears and a rounded short snout common to cat shifters, the other one's paws was not that of a wolf's hybrid form but that of a bear's, and the last rogue's lower body was spotted like a leopard but his upper body was that of a wolf.

"Great Luna!" Rance stared in astonishment at the abominations.

Momentarily putting aside surprise to focus on the fight, Rance put his weight on the balls of his feet and prepared for the onslaught he knew would come. Pivoting, he jumped up in the air causing the rogues to crash into each other where he'd been a moment before. Landing in a crouch, he watched them dispassionately as they struggled to right themselves and searched for him.

"You want to give up now, or are you aching for more?" he rumbled. Inwardly, he hoped that they would prove more of a challenge, but it was evident in their bumbling ways that these weres were untrained and undisciplined.

As one, the rogues faced off once again with Rance. This time Rance did not wait for them but took the offensive and attacked the nearest one. He jumped up from his crouch and delivered a solid kick at the head of the rogue. Turning in midair, he blocked the coming blow from his far right, grabbed the rogue by the back of neck and hit him with his elbow in the face. The crunch of broken bones sounded, as the painful howl of the rogue echoed. The other rogue jumped on Rance's back and wrapped his arms around his neck. He dangled as he tried to pull Rance backward in an attempt to break his neck. The other two staggered up and approached the combatants looking for an opening to aid the rogue. The two started raining blows on Rance.

"Shouldn't we assist the Alpha, Prime?" The young Beta standing next to Damian asked with a hint of worry in his voice.

Raising his brows, he regarded the Beta then looked back to the center of the clearing. "Nah! Give the Alpha some time. He's just playing with them."

"But..." the Beta tried to reason with Damian, but the Prime lifted his hand and pointed at the center of the clearing. The thud of bodies hitting the ground resounded as the three rogues were thrown off Rance's body. One by one they charged him, only to be met by a kick or a punch whenever they did. In point of fact, the Alpha looked a little bored as he kept on evading their attacks and countering with vicious punches. At one point, Rance picked one up over his head and threw him on his charging companions. Rance stood over the rogues with his massive arms crossed on his chest, who groaned as they tried to pick themselves up again.

"Had enough yet?" he asked coolly of them.

The leader of the three shook his bloodied head and attempted to get up, only to fall on his knees. Once all three were down, panting and bleeding from all the hits they received, Rance signalled for Damian to have them restrained with cuffs made especially for shifters. As the betas converged on the fallen rogues, he finally turned his back on the three.

"I take it you had fun beating the shit out of them?" Damian asked as he approached.

"Not much of a challenge," Rance snorted derisively. "Did not even make me break a sweat. Alex gives me more of a work out than those three." Rance nodded towards the trio.

Damian smirked at his friend and Alpha. "I bet she does."

Rance looked at Damian at the tone of his voice and noticed his smirk. "Not that kind of work out, jackass," he shook his head at his Prime, "so better erase that smirk off your face. Watch out that Alex doesn't catch you doing that or you'd be in big trouble."

"I know, I know. Your mate is one scary shifter. And she's still young, so her powers are still emerging. No way would I want to be on her shit list."

"Remember that, my friend." Rance patted Damian on his shoulder. He saw the three rogues were trying to give the Betas trouble. With his Alpha voice he focused on the three, "shift...NOW!" Instantly the three shifted back to their human forms. Their faces and bodies still bore the marks of the fight.

"Take them to the estate and have them put in separate secure rooms. Inform no one that they have been apprehended. Tonight is the formal presentation of your Alpha Regina and I don't want to have it tainted with politics or bad news. Tomorrow is soon enough to deal with them."

He shifted as he turned his back on them. Rance looked as immaculate as he'd been at the start of the day. No signs of the fight marred his face or body; a good thing too, since he was on his way to see his mate.

******

The agonized scream woke her from unconsciousness. Panic and terror momentarily paralyzed her as the memory of her rape and brutal beating came to bear. Sluggishly, she tried to move her leaden limbs as agony shot through her muscles and pain buffeted her bruised and battered body. Blinking in an attempt to fully open swollen eyes, she managed to open one to a slit while the other remained shut closed, encrusted in blood and grime. Shivering in cold and shock, she excruciatingly pulled herself to a sitting position on the damp earthen floor.

Fear had been her constant companion for God knows how long. She was locked in a nightmare from which she could not escape. The dull slap of flesh against flesh could be heard, as the shrieks that dragged her to consciousness continued to echo in the murky darkness of her prison slowly tapered to pitiful whimpers.

The smell of blood and death overlaying the dank smell of decay and neglect assaulted her nostrils. She had no idea where she was or how long she'd been there. She was on her way home from her night class at the community college when two men grabbed her and hauled her in a waiting van. She was petrified, but more so when they brought her here and showed her to that creature!

She remembered in clear details the monster to whom those men took her; There was no doubt in her mind that he was not human. He was hideously grotesque! Although his face was shadowed by the cowled robe he wore, his eyes burned red in the deep pits of his eye sockets. A smell so nauseating emanated from him. And he radiates an almost tangible air of evil.

She recalled screaming in horror when he stepped close and roughly grabbed her face. Seeing his face then -- a face eternally frozen in a horrific rictus, he was beyond frightening. Sharp, yellowed teeth filled his mouth, and strange striations of veins stood and crisscrossed his bulging forehead. His brows were ridged and his nose was strangely misshapen - short and flattened. When he leaned nearer, she stood frozen and terrified. His fetid breath that smelled like rotting meat washed over her and made her gag and heave.

Strangely, after looking closely at her for several moments, he sniffed her neck from left to right then abruptly pushed her away. In a grating guttural voice he said, "She's not the one. The usual tests only." Turning, he walked away. That's when she noticed that although he stood on two feet, his limbs were strangely formed and bent. His body was tall and bony; hunched with a hump on the top of his back, and almost cadaverous in appearance. Even though he spoke with intelligence and seemed to lead the rest of them, insanity and death shone in his eyes.

Shaking herself back to the present, she listened as everything became eerily quiet around her. Quietly, she mused at her dire predicament. If she wanted to live, she needed to get away from here, that much was clear to her. Practically from the moment she was abducted, in the van, she was passed around by her abductors and repeatedly raped. Her abductors took turns in violating and beating her. Pleading and crying did not move them.

After her abuse, they dumped her in this cell. That was when she noticed she shared this prison with other women who had been taken like her. She witnessed others being debased, raped, and beaten. What's more, each woman was subjected daily to their leader's experimentation. They would be taken to his makeshift lab and strapped on a table. He would then inject them with some strange concoction that left them writhing in agony. Fire coursed through their bodies as they shuddered and shook in excruciating pain.

Her turn on the table was utter agony -- she prayed for death as her flesh seemed to burn from the inside out. Blisters appeared and burst all over her body. She felt her bones crack and move as she screamed futilely for mercy and oblivion.

Last night, the nightmare became more vivid when she saw them rape one of the girls from the other cell to death. The girl looked so pitiful and frail. Her emaciated body flopped like a rag doll between two of their captors as they violated her simultaneously, one drilling her vagina, while the other hammered her mercilessly in her anus. Her lifeless eyes stared vacantly in space. Spending themselves inside her, they got tired of not getting any reaction from her. They lifted her up between them by her arms, one pulled back her head by her hair and slapped her face repeatedly.

Getting no reaction, one of them spat on the ground and said, "This one's as good as dead. Might as well get rid of her." He grabbed her face and kissed her brutally then slit her throat cleanly, deeply. The woman's blood spurted everywhere and her head lolled back, barely attached, as they dropped her body like so much refuse. At first she did not see what they used to kill her, but when the man turned, she saw that his hand no longer resembled that of a human. It was now tipped with sharp looking claws that dripped blood that shone blackly in the meager light. Horrified, she blinked to see if she was just imagining things. But no. Her eyes did not lie. They were all monsters! They tipped their heads and howled evilly, then rolled in her blood like animals! She closed her eyes and covered her ears as the scraping and wet sound of tearing flesh reached her cell.

She did not know what kind of creatures her abductors were, but they are incapable of being reasoned with, much less pity. All of them were pure evil as they laughed and reveled in each pain inflicted on their victims. Their eyes particularly glittered with insanity when their prey screamed and begged for mercy.

No. She refused to end like that. She'd never give her captors that satisfaction. She'd escape or die trying. She would not remain a victim or a fodder for their amusement. Once she found her chance, she would take it. She had to... Closing her eyes, she bided her time, praying to God to give her a chance.

******

The downpour of water sluicing on her body was so refreshing. Taking a shower had become Alex's favorite pastime since she moved in the mansion. Taking a sponge and pouring her favorite shower gel on it, she started lathering the stress and grime of the day away. Tonight would be difficult for her. Alex was not used to being the center of attention. She'd rather be left out of the limelight. If she had to step out of her comfort zone though, then by damn she'd do her best to shine. She grinned in thought. She'd make Rance proud of her. She'd try to appear cool, serene, and collected.

Absentmindedly rubbing her arms and torso, she did not notice Rance enter the bathroom. He closed his thoughts; he wanted to surprise her, after enjoying her obliviousness for a few more voyeuristic moments, and didn't want her to 'hear' the lascivious thoughts in his head. Rance hurriedly shucked off his clothes to join her. Watching as Alex languidly ran the sponge across her beauteous breasts, he noticed that her nipples were erect. They looked succulent and begged for his mouth. Rubbing his growing arousal with his palm, he stepped near the stall. Admiring as his mate sensually kept on her ablutions, he quietly opened the shower door.

Alex felt Rance's presence when he started getting aroused. He could not even try to mask his scent as it slowly permeated the air. Hmmm, musky and wild just the way she loved it. Ignoring her mate, she bent down from her waist to reach her calves. Wiggling her hips purposely and widening her stance, she smothered her giggles as Rance's pained groan rang amid the sound of the cascading water. She knew that her labia gaped open and her mate could see her red inner lips as her vulva continued to engorge in arousal. Letting go of the sponge, she sensuously ran her hands up her legs until she reached the apex of her thighs. Moving both hands behind her, she temptingly cupped her buttocks and squeezed and separated the globes, exposing everything for his delectation.

"Like what you see?" she huskily asked Rance, looking behind her and locking gazes with emerald eyes burning with passionate heat.

Stepping forward, Rance grab ahold of her hips and pulled her tight to his groin. "My hard cock is a testament to how much I was enjoying your show, babe." Rubbing his huge erection on her slit, he deliberately bumped her clitoris with the mushroomed head. Alex caught her breath on a moan as his shaft dug a furrow in her slit and caressed inner lips and aching clit. Pulling his hands from her hips, she placed both on her breasts.




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 07



"Play with me..." she begged, as her eyes closed.

Running his hands on her supple breasts, he avoided touching the turgid peaks. Hearing her catch her breath every time his fingers got close to her pink nipples drove him a little wilder.

"Rance," she moaned, "stop teasing me and pinch my nipples." She demanded of him.

"Like this?" he asked, lightly taking hold of her nipples and pinching them between his thumbs and forefinger. Alex sighed as Rance manipulated the peaks in milking motions.

"Harder..." Complying with her wishes, he applied a little bit more pressure on her nipples, then mashed and kneaded her breasts as he nuzzled her from behind.

A frustrated groan erupted from Alex's throat as her mate stubbornly refused to give her what she truly wanted. She was not in the mood for tender and prolonged lovemaking. She wanted a hard and raunchy fuck, and she wanted it now!

Rance grinned behind Alex as her emotions blasted through their connection. Nibbling delicately on her earlobe, he whispered, "More?"

"Yes!" She put her hand on top of one of his and made him pinch her harder. "Ungggh...just like that," she murmured. Running her other hand down her torso, to her belly, and down below where his cock split her labial lips. Her small hand caressed his shaft as it slipped and rubbed between her legs, pushing it down more whenever the swollen head kissed her clit to get the most out of the contact. Each touch sent electricity from her clit to the rest of her body. She swiveled her hips and turned her face toward Rance, as her excitement continued to rise

Rance was enthralled at Alex's rising passion. She had become more uninhibited -- more carnal in seeking her pleasure.

"Kiss me. I want your tongue in my mouth."

"My, but my mate seemed to be in a very aggressive mood tonight." Rance murmured under his breath with such satisfaction. Holding the back of her head, he aligned their mouths. He teased her by painting her lips with his tongue and latching on her bottom lips, sucking and nipping it strongly.

Alex's passions rose and she got more single-minded in the pursuit of satisfying her craving for Rance and his massive cock. She growled and snapped her mouth at her mate.

"Do it...now!" Alex snarled with bared teeth.

Giving in to Alex's insistence, Rance plunged his tongue in. Immediately, she suckled hungrily on him. She couldn't get enough of his rich flavor. Stabbing his tongue in and out of her mouth, he relished his mate. Alex had exhibited elevated sexual drive since her pregnancy, and most of the time she was impatient for wild uninhibited couplings. She often curbed it when she was working at the shop, but when she comes home, then all bets were off.

Rance moved one of his hands down where his cock was sliding up and down in the furrow of her cleft. Feeling how wet and slippery her mound was, he slipped one finger in and started slowly moving it in and out of her.

"Oooh, yes Rance. More..."She groaned with eyes closed.

"Baby your pussy is greedily clutching at me." He added one more finger as she rolled her hip. Damn! She was fucking hot and tight! Her vaginal walls clenched steadily and seemed to hold on to his finger every time he pulled out of her. Her body produced copious amount of lubrication that helped ease the addition of two more in her channel as he fucked her with his digits.

Her incessant groans of pleasure were driving him crazy with lust, and the smell of her arousal was making him salivate for the taste of it. Turning her roughly, Rance kneeled between her thighs and feasted his eyes on her shaven pussy. Alex reached down as Rance stared, mesmerized, to pull her outer labia apart to display her clenching sheath. The glistening fount of her honey pot gave off the strong heady aroma of her arousal, which saturated the steam in the shower in a cloud of pussy he could breathe in. Inhaling deeply, Rance took in his mate's heated perfume. He nudged her legs apart, pulled her labia lips open, dove in and proceeded to devour her, plunging his tongue and licking inside her slick channel. Alex screamed as she shuddered in orgasmic bliss as Rance's partially shifted tongue licked incessantly at her g-spot, clenching repeatedly at Rance's invading tongue, her hunger fanned further by his relentless attention as she squirted helplessly on his mouth. Slurping sloppy on Alex's cunt, Rance relished the sweet salty taste of her pussy juice.

Moving his lips to the top of her slit, Rance nipped and suckled her clit like a small nipple as he milked her from one climax to another. Oblivious to everything but Rance's devotion to her pussy, Alex rolled her head to and fro on the shower walls. Without the support of Rance's shoulder and hands, she would have melted on the floor. The plethora of sensation made her weak kneed and shaking. Raking her nails on Rance's shoulders, she shook as she was once again thrown into another climax. He slurped noisily at her juices and plunged three fingers into her hungry pussy. He raised one of her legs and hooked it on his shoulder to open her up more for his ministrations, Finger-fucking her vigorously and watching her breasts jiggle with satisfaction. Alex peeked languidly at Rance, seeing his eyes slitted with feral intent and hunger.

"I need..." she gasped out.

"What is it that you need, little one?" Rance rasped out. "More?" He plunged his fingers forcefully into her and watched her pant for breath.

"No! Rance, I need you...."

"Ssshh... Alex, you've got me," Rance crooned, still relentlessly pumping his fingers in and out of her creamy center.

Clutching tightly to his shoulders, Alex tried to pull him up. "I need YOU now. Not your fingers."

"Tell me what part of me you want, Alex." Rance demanded. " I want to hear it from your lips."

"Damn it Rance! Okay, I want to have your big cock in me! Satisfied n -" She screamed as he surged into her in one powerful thrust. She clung tightly to his massive shoulders as he humped his hips in and out.

"So... damn... tight!" Hooking both legs around his waist she clenched her vaginal walls on his cock. Her muscles felt like a warm wet vise around his throbbing tool. Even after all their lovemaking, her flesh resisted his domination, still tight as the night he claimed her. Clenching his teeth, he grunted, "You're killing me Alex. Your pussy fits tightly to my cock. Come on, babe. Take all of me." Putting both thumbs on her opening, he inexorably pushed forward as he drilled the remaining inches into her clutching sheath. Groaning in satisfaction as his balls kissed her ass. Alex tightened her legs on Rance and quivered as she felt his swollen head butt up against her cervix.

He moved their bodies apart a little bit to watch his cock slowly tunnel in and out of her. "Look at us, Alex," he urged. "Open your eyes and see how beautifully you take me, love."

Alex opened dazed eyes and looked down to where they were joined. Her small pink pussy was split almost obscenely by his massive cock. It still amazed her how he was able to fit inside her at all. The ruddy shaft was so big around that it rubbed and stimulated every nerve ending inside her. The bulbous head never failed to hit her g-spot each time. He thrust in powerfully, and then withdrew slowly. The pace was killing her as Rance kept at it.

"Unghhh! Harder, Rance!" she demanded as she felt herself edging once again towards another climax. To her surprise, Rance abruptly withdrew his cock.

"Wha-?"

Rance stood panting in front of her, with his huge phallus pointing straight at her. Rance stopping did not make sense to her lust-fogged mind. Grabbing his erection with both hands, she tried to shove it back in her. Rance growled low in his chest, pried her hands off him and spun her around.

"Hands on the walls," he ordered. Alex immediately complied, bending forward so her ass stuck out in the air. "Good," Rance hummed with approval. He rubbed her ass cheeks and run both thumbs between it. Pulling the mounds apart, he rubbed and rimmed her puckered anus. Alex moaned as nerve endings fired up sensations from her anus when Rance pushed his finger slightly into the crinkled opening. "Soon, my love, you will give this to me too," he murmured in her ear.

"Rance, please. Enough chitchat! I want to be filled. Give it to me."

He chuckled deep in his throat and dipped his hand between her legs. He grunted, satisfied that she was still soaked with her natural lubrication. Bending over her, he rasped, "Ready?"

"Always," she replied with a sensuous smile as she looked at him over her shoulder.

Rance buried himself once again inside his mate. He nipped and laved her neck and mate mark.

"Move! Please, Rance..." Alex hissed as she tried to buck her hips. Rance was proving to be stubborn. He took hold of her hips and kept her from moving on his cock. "Fuck it! Don't' make me hurt you." She glared at her mate.

"Tsk, tsk! Such language." He grinned at Alex, as he slowly withdrew from her clenching sheath. "Patience, my love." He plunged powerfully inside her.

"Yes!" Alex cried as Rance finally proceeded to hammer her with his cock. Surrounding her with his massive form, he dominated her and rode her cunt hard, grunting as his balls slapped the curve of her ass every time he bottomed out. Alex mewled and moaned as wave after wave of satisfaction washed over her. She splintered in an agony of bliss as Rance's cock tunneled endlessly into her.

Alex's channel pulsed and clenched at his swollen cock. The pressure of her squeezing muscles was sweet torture to Rance. Sawing in and out of her, he placed his hands next to her head and bit into her mate mark as he felt his knot throb and swell. Moaning in tandem with his mate, he impaled her deeply as he filled her with shot after shot of his potent sperm. His knot extended and locked them together as they trembled at the intensity of their loving.

******

The festivity was already underway when Rance and Alex descended the grand staircase. The throng of shifters were enjoying themselves as they socialized and waited for the momentous official announcement that brought all of them here, although they all knew it was to be made, not all of them had seen their new Alpha Regina. Rumors already abounded about her extraordinary strength as an Alpha, and her tenacious determination to train with the Betas. Most of the shifters were happy about the human-turned-shifter in their midst. Some had reservations about her ability to lead with their Alpha Rex, being so newly shifter. There was a minority group who were waiting for her to fail miserably. The latter group was mostly the bitches who'd had hopes of becoming the Alpha Regina.

The undercurrent of leashed animosity from select bitches did not detract from the overall ambiance of the gathering. Any mating was celebrated with joyous festivity, more so, with the mating of their Alpha Rex to Alex. Smiles graced the wolves' faces as they saw the Alphas descend from the upper floor. Thunderous applause reverberated under the vaulted ceiling of the main foyer as the gathered pack welcomed Rance and Alex.

Smiling hugely, Alex had a sense of déjà vu. Lightly clasping Rance's arm, she hoped to hell that the no one could tell how nervous she was. And that her panties were damp from their last loving, running out of her slowly. Rance glanced down at her with a smile in his glittering eyes.

Chin up, Alex. Remember you are the top bitch here. Don't let them intimidate you. If it helps, imagine them all naked.

Locking eyes, she smiled and lifted her lips as he lowered his head to give her a lingering, gentle kiss. And just like that, her apprehension disappeared like magic. Infused with her mate's confidence in her, she walked with sure steps towards the crowd. They parted as the Alpha pair promenaded their way to the ballroom, and followed them sedately behind.

Everything was a blur after that, as she was introduced to numerous strangers that she had no hope of remembering. The wine flowed continuously and the buffet offerings were replenished constantly. Nothing was left to chance to ensure that the event would be a big success. Even security was tightened. Betas took shifts guarding the perimeter and the gate of the estate, both in human and wolf forms. After Rance had introduced her to the Wolves Council of Elders, he then guided Alex to a makeshift stage at the far side of the ballroom. Stepping almost to the edge of the center, Rance extended his right hand palm up towards Alex.

A hush settled in the room as Alex placed her hand on Rance's. Pulling her tightly to his side, he faced the crowd and in a loud, clear, voice he announced, "This is Alexandra Grant, chosen by our Goddess Luna as my mate. Give her the honor and regard you give and show me. She will stand and work by my side from this day forward for the benefit and furtherance of our pack." He paused, looked around the gathered crowd and met the eyes of his people.

Five shifters stepped forward from the crowd and faced the Alpha couple. They carried themselves with a dignified air and gave off an impression of wisdom gained from age, although none of them looked any older than fifty. One by one, they nodded their heads and with solemn voices articulated their acceptance and approval of the mating.

With a voice ringing with authority, he stated, "I, Rance de Montfort, Alpha Rex of the North American Pack, hereby take and proclaim Alexandra Grant Alpha Regina of this pack. She is the true mate and partner who holds my heart and soul, and the one who will bear and nurture our young and your future Alpha. She has my full support and loyalty. I pledge myself and everything I am to her. From this day forward, she will be known as Alexandra de Montfort - Alpha Regina of the North American Pack. Hail to your Regina!"

As Rance's speech ended, the huge room resounded with shouts of "Hail Alex! Hail the Regina!" He regarded his pack approvingly as they welcomed his mate.

After the cries died down, a line slowly formed in front of the Alphas. The Council members stepped forward with their families one by one as their names were announced. They bowed before the couple then vocally stated their loyalty and support of their new Regina. After the council members were done, family after family came with their pups in tow. Alex knew that the order of presentation had something to do with the hierarchy of the pack, but for the life of her, she could not concentrate and memorize who was who and what was what.

Easy, love. You don't need to remember all of their names and faces. No one expects that of you. You'll get to do that in your own time. So don't stress yourself over it.

Thanks, Rance. I just don't want to embarrass you.

Looking at her, Rance shook his head and smiled down at Alex. There's no way you could embarrass me. You are my Regina after all. Whatever you say goes, he chided her.

She nodded her head slightly in acknowledgement and turned back to the family being presented.

After everyone had their turn being presented to the new Regina, Rance announced that the party should commence and that everyone enjoys themselves. Then, he and Alex descended from the stage and proceeded to mingle with the pack and their guests.

In one corner of the crowded room, no cheer arose. A pair of amber eyes looked on with malice at the newly presented Alex.

So she thinks she can just come in here and steal Rance from me? We'll just see about that....

To be contined....

P.s.

Don't forget to vote and comment.



Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 08



A/N:

Thanks a million to you my readers who have patiently waited for this chapter. I hope you enjoy this one, I sure did.

Once more, I'd want to thank my faithful editors: Lunarosa, for her tiring help and invaluable input in the story and injecting your own brand of humor. MythOFreak, for her help in pointing out stuff I've missed. To you both -- THANKS!

CHAPTER EIGHT

The night was dark and still, and the moon obscured by gathered clouds. Crickets sang their nocturnal songs while the owl hooted its call to hunt deep in the forest. The night was broken by the sudden howl of a wolf, scattering the foraging small animals as they sensed a predator approach. As the clouds moved across the night sky, a shard of moonlight struck a full-grown wolf stalking through the forest. The wolf's massive head majestically inclined as it surveyed the various animals scurrying away. Her fur glistened reddish-brown as she slowly padded through the woods. Pausing now and then to nose at the rich undergrowth in curiosity, she roamed with no apparent destination in mind. A bold squirrel approached the wolf and started to chitter, as if reprimanding it for disturbing the squirrel's nighttime foray. The wolf cocked her head and nosed the belligerent rodent. The squirrel batted at its nose, causing the wolf to yip in surprise. Feeling playful, she crouched and danced around, batting playfully but gently at the squirrel. The frustrated animal finally had enough and scampered off, climbing into the nearest tree and leaving the wolf behind. The wolf sat on its haunches with an apparent grin on her face, as she watched the squirrel scuttle away.

Tilting her head from side to side, the wolf alertly twitched its ears, appearing to listen. An alluring voice beckoned for her to follow, its tinkling resonance floating in the air. Bounding up from her seated position, the wolf exploded into motion. An intense desire to follow and obey the voice had the wolf in its grip. The wolf's big paws carried her fleetly through the forest. The sheer exhilaration of being free to run and roam to her heart's content made her howl with joy at the moon peeking through the canopy with a weak light. Her nimble legs soared through the air as she jumped over a fallen log by the stream. Scrambling and climbing on the banks of the stream, she relished the natural sounds of the forest teeming with life around her. Tongue lolling out of her opened jaw, the wolf appeared to smile. Pointing her nose up in the air, the wolf sifted through the scents carried by the wind. Nothing new, just the usual smells of small wild life that scurried away as she neared and passed by, and yet a voice called and tantalized her to follow. Hastening her pace, the urging inside her became more insistent.

The trees blurred as the red wolf ran, veering left then right as the beckoning voice grew louder. Her strong legs ate up the distance, speeding to the call beating within her with such urgency. The wolf dodged low hanging branches and leaping over tree roots in her hurry.

Screeching to a sudden halt, the wolf broke into a clearing and the summoning voice stopped. She cautiously approached with silent tread, cocking her head in curiosity. The clearing seemed devoid of anyone except for the wolf. She paused in the middle where a huge boulder rested. Panting slightly, she waited patiently at whoever summoned her. Suddenly, the flat surface of the boulder glittered under the light of the moon. Tiny dots of flickering light slowly gathered and grew larger, finally exploding in a blinding brightness and leaving behind an unmistakable silhouette of a woman, standing on the rock.

The wolf crouched, ready to pounce if needed, not knowing whether the strange apparition was friend or foe. The woman slowly took substance but retained her luminosity, seeming to reflect the moon's light as she glowed.

The shining woman gazed down the wolf at her feet. A gentle smile graced her generous lips as she appeared to hover over the rock. Her willowy figure was clothed in a wispy ivory gown that floated around her, as if teased by the breeze. Her heart-shaped face appeared ageless, elegant and beautiful with delicately arched brows, high defined cheekbones and piercing golden amber eyes. Power emanated from her, and seemed to pulse with a life of its own.

The wolf stared in awe at the being in front of her, not knowing whether to run in fear or cower in submission. As if she knew what the wolf was feeling, the woman floated down to the ground and in a clear voice said, "Be at ease, my friend."

Her voice reverberated with power, like a mighty rushing river, calming and energizing at the same time.

"I have not come to harm you, but to warn you." She regarded the wolf intently and looked around the clearing. With a resigned sigh, she kept on, "Peace reigns for now, but conflict and bloodshed is coming." An air of sadness surrounded the ethereal figure. "It's the nature of both man and beast, and doubly so when the two co-exist: always struggling and contending to rule over the weaker. I should have known better... but in my vain need for veneration and companionship, I have wrought a new race of being capable of annihilating and subjugating another." Pausing, the woman gently ruffled the fur on the quiet wolf's head. After several quiet moments, she pointed her finger at the wolf. "Change," she commanded and instantly the wolf was no more. In the wolf's place, Alex crouched on the ground, shaking her head in bemusement.

"W-Who are y-you?" her voice cracked in apprehension.

"You need not fear me, child." The woman floated back to the rock and sat, patting the space next to her and nodding her head at Alex. "Come sit by me." She watched as a wary Alex slowly approached and sat next to her. She smiled in approval as Alex fought her instinct to run. She could see Alex's fear written clearly on her face. She knew that her appearance put awe, if not outright fear, in most creatures she met.

Taking one of Alex's hands, the woman caught and held Alex's gaze. "Who do you think I am?" she asked.

"I-I d-d-don't k-k-know." Alex stuttered, as her heart kept pounding in her chest. She tried to look away but could not seem to manage it. Her inexplicable reaction baffled and angered her. Although the woman looked friendly and harmless, Alex's animal half continued to cower and tremble inside her, making her heart thunder inside her chest.

The woman's eyes drilled into her, "Yes you do, Alexandra. Stop thinking and feel. Free yourself from the restraints that logic and reality put on you. Listen and hear what your feral half tells you."

"L-Luna?!" Alex's eyes went wide in incredulity.

The woman smiled serenely and patted her hand. Nodding infinitesimally, she acknowledged Alex's outburst.

Scrambling off the rock, Alex attempted to bow before the Goddess. She landed in a graceless heap before Luna's feet. What a klutz, she thought to herself. Here I am meeting a goddess for once in my life and I land on my butt. What an impression I'm giving the shifters' goddess. Rance would just kill me! Where is he, anyway? I manage to slip my protective leash for a minute and THIS happens.

Luna burst out laughing. Alex looked up from her sprawled crouch, "I'm not laughing at you child. I'm laughing at your thoughts, mostly." She smiled mischievously at Alex. "Come and sit here with me. We don't need to be so formal."

After sitting back down, Alex was at a loss for words to say to the beautiful goddess. Making a "tsking" sound, Luna leaned and lifted Alex's chin with her finger. "Child, listen, and listen carefully to what I will tell you. I have chosen you, child, to be Rance's, my faithful one's, mate. He suffered so much heartache when he lost his mother and father. I think he's due for happiness, don't you? Before you were born, I saw in you the other half of him. So I kept watch over you, guarding and preparing you for your future." She smiled warmly in remembrance, "You were a handful when you were young, getting into trouble and leading your brothers into all sorts of scrapes. You had always been protective of them, like a mother wolf ready to defend even when they didn't need it."

Looking Alex up and down, the goddess smiled radiantly. "Look at you now. A fitting mate to your Rance. Always bear in mind you are stronger together than apart. And from your union will spring forth the future of all shifters. Guard and protect the Promised One who rests under your heart. Keep the identity of the Promised One secret, for many will conspire to terminate the fulfillment of my promise. I have bestowed favor and blessings on your mating, and you, I have touched more than most." Pausing, her gaze became steely, "Remember to be canny and wise, for there's always a serpent in Eden. Find that serpent before it spread its corruption and decay."

"But..." Alex tried to ask, but Luna's finger on her lips shut her up.

"I know you have a lot of questions to ask, but now is not the time for it. All will be revealed in time." Giving Alex an enigmatic smile, she said, "Look to your past, Alex, and clarity will be yours. But above all, be strong and believe in yourself and in your mate."

And with those words, Luna simply vanished in thin air, leaving Alex more confused than ever. She sat up, startled awake, sitting up in her bed next to Rance.

Seeing that the moon was still high up on the sky from the opened balcony window, she surmised that she must have been asleep for two to three hours. Moving gingerly, she left the bed pulled on a robe and walked out to the balcony. Breathing the scents of the night, she tried to clear her head and recall as much of the dream as she could. She had been standing no more than three minutes when she felt Rance rise and move behind her.

"What brought you out here? It's lonely in bed without you." He breathed in her ear, as he nipped her lobe, dipping his tongue briefly inside as he kissed behind it.

"Just a tad restless." Turning, she hugged and smiled at him.

Rance looked feral under the moon's light. Wearing nothing but a toothy smile, he ran his hand up and down Alex's back. Cupping her ass, he pulled her tight to his massively erect cock.

"It seems to me that I did not tire you enough to make you sleep through the night. I should remedy that." He lowered his head and nipped at her lips. Licking between them, he pushed his tongue in.

Alex encircled Rance's neck with her arms and wrapped her legs around his trim waist. Her robe gaped open, showing her nakedness and spilling her bountiful breasts. Rance walked backward and sat slowly on one of the armless chairs scattered around in the balcony.

He lifted his head and stared intently at the erotic picture his mate made. Alex's eyes were languorous with passion. Her lips were swollen and glistening, her breasts dappled in the moon's light beckoned his lips to taste and mark the ivory flesh topped with tight dark pink nipples, already crinkled in arousal.

Alex met Rance's eyes and pushed the robe open all the way. She slowly pushed the garment off her body. With eyes locked on Rance's face, she ran her hand slowly down her body. She saw his nostrils flare and fire burned behind his emerald gaze as his eyes tracked her hand. She started lightly grazing her fingertips over her mounds, bypassing the nipples. She twirled in concentric circles that grew smaller and smaller until finally she grasped her aching tips and pinched them hard. She moaned at the pleasure-pain.

"Let me...." Rance rasped, as he pulled one of her hands away and licked the abused tip with his warm wet tongue. He then trailed both their hands down, skimming over her torso down to where their baby nestled safely in her womb. For a brief moment, Rance let their hands linger on the shimmery tattoo. He paused in his licking. With a suddenness that startled Alex, Rance engulfed her right breast into his ravening mouth where he proceeded to suck strongly. He wrapped his arms snugly around her wildly writhing form.

Alex ignited at Rance's aggressiveness. He nipped the tips of her breasts rather painfully. The pain morphed into bliss as his thumb found the engorged nubbin at the juncture of her thighs. Expertly polishing it, he fanned her desire higher and brighter. She was left clutching helplessly at Rance's shoulders. Without further ado, Rance lifted Alex up, lined up their sexes and thrust home.

Alex's moan rang in the quiet of the night. Her sheath convulsed as his towering rod invaded inexorably. "Ride me," Rance demanded of Alex.

Opening eyes she did not realized she'd closed, Alex looked at her mate. He looked wild. His bunching muscles jumped and rippled with his desire. Eyes slitted such that only a small bit of his emerald eyes showed, he oozed danger and raw sex. "Ride me now..." Rance's guttural utterance snapped her out of her stupor. Alex started to move up and down clumsily on the rod buried to the hilt in her shuddering vagina. Rance's hands gripped her hips lightly as she tried to establish a rhythm, finally managing to move faster in an even pace.

Holding on to Rance's shoulders, Alex rode him wildly as pleasure surged in her wet pussy. His cock touched and caressed every erogenous area in her as she moved up and down and squeezed with her muscles. Panting loudly and hair plastered in her sweating face, she scrunched her face and bore down as the explosive release washed over her. She stilled and screamed as her body spasmed in ecstasy.

Rance grunted and grabbed her tightly as he hammered powerfully with his cock. In and out he went, deep and hard as he shafted her, savoring the tight fist of her spasming muscle massage his shaft and sensitive head. Rance growled deeply as he blasted his sperm into his mate. Holding her slumped form, he crooned until he felt her succumb to sleep.

******

Today was Alex's mother's birthday. Everyone was assembled in their family home. It was a whole day affair, so Alex and Rance set off early enough to get there before noon. They agreed to officially announce their engagement. In fact, Alex was wearing the Alpha Regina's ring on her finger, a 10-carats, antique cut red diamond with faceted girdle set on gold that was passed on from one Regina to another, to evidence it. It glittered quite majestically on her ring finger.

Although Alex was not crazy about dresses, she found one, sleeveless and royal blue, that appealed to her and thought she'd wear one to her mom's birthday. She loved how the color made her skin seem luminous. Its simple cut and flowing lines made her legs look longer and sexier. Rance was dressed casually in a fitted short-sleeved shirt and low slung jeans that clung to his muscular thighs and made his butt look yummy, in Alex's humble opinion.

"You okay?" Rance turned in his seat and asked Alex, who'd been unusually quiet during the long drive to her parent's house. Although the mental link between them was open, he did not want to intrude on her thoughts. He figured that she would share it when she was ready.

"Yes, just a little preoccupied, is all."

"Don't worry about your brothers. I'm sure we'll get along famously," he reassured her.

"I'm not worried about that. They'd better be in their best behavior or else I'll beat the crap out of them," she retorted half seriously.

Alex was not worried about her brothers and Rance getting along. She knew in her gut they would. She was just pondering the past days and the most recent dream she'd had, still unsure if it was a dream or a visitation, coming on the heels of the stress of her presentation to the pack.

The days after the presentation had been quite busy. Most of the Council members and their families stayed for a longer visit. It gave the Council members and Alex a chance to get to know each other more in an informal setting. So far, she liked all of them. They were very welcoming and friendly. The same could not be said to some of their family members, though. Although they were lupine, the unmated females acted -- in her opinion- very catty.

Ophelia and Katherine had been a big help during those trying days. Ophelia always managed to be by Alex's side when the bitches, bitter about her mating with Rance, threw their barbs and unsheathed their claws on her. Trying to keep her cool was a frustrating exercise when what Alex really wanted to do was beat the crap out of them.

"Let them vent." Ophelia spoke quietly in an aside to her one afternoon after Susan, a bitch from the Carolina pack and daughter of one of the council member, commented about Rance's great stamina in the bedroom. The women who weren't themselves on the Council were gathered in one of the smaller rooms that lead to the expansive garden, as the Council members were closeted with Rance and the Alphas in one of their interminable meetings about the rogues. Alex didn't really understand why Ophelia even tried to be discreet, when the bitches around could practically hear her because of their enhanced senses.

"Everyone here knew that they were just casual outlets for him. They all meant nada. He made it clear that he was willing to fuck them raw in one of the guest rooms, but then once they were s done, that was it. None of them ever managed to even set foot in his private rooms." She smirked at the room at large, knowing that every ear could hear her clearly. "So Alex, remember that they are not even worth your attention, let alone jealousy."

Alex was surprised that Ophelia spoke bluntly, but she should have remembered that underneath her elegance, Ophelia was still an apex predator and had a primal and feral nature like all shifters.

"That's fine. I know that Rance has a past. I don't begrudge him his past dalliances -- as long as they remain firmly in the past," Alex's voice became hard and threatening as she continued, "anyone who thinks to revisit it with him will have to deal with me. I may be small -- but I tell you now that I can be a deadly adversary. Encroaching on my territory will be a challenge to my leadership, and something that I can only be tested on by the passage of time. Encroaching on my mate, on the other hand, is a challenge I will respond to immediately." Looking around at the gathered beautiful, sleek bitches, she lifted one brow and raised her chin in fearlessly. "And that I take seriously and would not hesitate to mete out just rewards."

Ophelia chuckled beside her, "Well said, my Regina."

The women in the room had different expressions on their faces when Alex scanned them casually. Most had approval and smiles on their faces, but a handful wore frowns and some had outright defiance writ clearly on them. She'd keep her eyes on them. She'd sensed their animosity the previous night before. Their group was comprised of young single bitches who had been with Rance in the past. And according to Ophelia, were hoping to be chosen his Regina, mate or not.

The five women stood with noses turned up and plastic smiles fixed on their faces. All were either daughter of a council member or of an allied alpha. She could clearly tell that the leader of the group was the black haired witch who towered over all of them. Antonia, or Toni, as was she snootily informed her, was drop dead gorgeous, with beautiful violet eyes, pouty lips and a sexy body. It was a pity her personality needed more work. Every word that came out of her mouth since they were introduced was either a thinly-veiled insult or laced with scorn. The only thing that stopped Alex from punching her in the mouth outright was Rance's calming presence in their bond. Her wolf warned her that those five warranted deeper examination, and she should always be wary when dealing with the bitches.




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 08



Shrugging mentally, Alex figured that it was none of her concern whether they took her seriously or not. She knew in her heart that she would claw their faces and eat their hearts if they ever attempted to make a move on Rance. Smiling serenely, Alex let the conversation wash around her and tried to emulate her mother's example of a good hostess as she'd seen her entertaining at home.

Katherine, on the other hand, helped ground her. She was the epitome of a precocious young girl who loved to ask questions upon questions about life as a human. She dogged Alex's steps and was a well of information about pack life and individual pack members. She was refreshing, humorous and candid in her opinions. Alex kept the girl near her to hear her take on shifters, as she supposed it wouldn't hurt to listen and see them through the girl's eyes.

Shaking herself from her reverie about the presentation, Ophelia and Katherine, she faced her mate and thought about what they would face in her very human Grant family home.

Rance was insistent that they tell her family today about their engagement, her moving in with him and of her impending motherhood. Alex agreed with him wholeheartedly about the first two, but she'd rather wait on announcing her pregnancy for later; maybe after their wedding ceremony, which they planned for the following month. Although he loathed keeping her family ignorant about the baby, Rance acquiesced. He could not understand Alex's hesitance in telling her family, he believed that the Grants would be overjoyed once they heard of her condition.

Rance parked at the curb in front of Alex's parents' house. A pick-up truck and a newer model SUV were already parked in the carport in front of the garage. Her brothers had arrived already. Exiting the car, Rance went around and opened Alex's door. Alex let him assist her out of the car then waited for him while he took their gift for her mother out of the trunk. Locking and engaging the alarm, they walked, hand--in-hand, to the front door. As they mounted the porch steps, Rance wrapped his arm on Alex's waist. She looked up at him with a dazzling smile, and he bent to give her a kiss, when the front door suddenly burst open.

"Midge!" A shout rang out, before a hulking figure grabbed Alex by the waist and twirled her around.

"Put me down, you goof! You're ruining my dress." Alex shrieked and playfully batted at the shoulder of the man holding her.

Ordinarily, a strange man putting hands on Alex, practically ripping her from his arms, would end in bloodshed; but Rance recognized this man as family by scent. Rance stood by the side watching with amusement as his mate was spun around by her brother. Also, he recognized Jacob right away from the pictures Alex took from her house that now rested on the fireplace mantel in their sitting room.

"Yeah? And when did you start wearing dresses? Hey Drew, come here! Take a gander at Midge here. You won't believe what she's wearing."

"Jacob Gabriel Grant! I'm warning you if you don't put me down this minute you are going to be in serious trouble." There was a hint of exasperation in Alex's voice, although she couldn't help her laughter from bubbling out. "And stop calling me Midge."

Jake ignored her. Instead, he slung her over his shoulder and turned to Rance with a friendly smile.

"You must be Rance." Offering his hand, he continued with a smile on his face. "I'm Jake, as you must have heard from Midge here." Rance grasped his hand and shook it warmly.

"It's great to meet you. Ah, just curious here. Why do you call her Midge?"

"We love to tease her about her size. She used to be a lot bigger than all of us and called each of us "squirt" all the time. But then she stopped growing at thirteen and we outgrew her. We started calling her "midget" then but shortened it to Midge," he explained with a devious smile.

Just then Andrew sauntered out with a beer in his hand. "Hiya, sis." He smiled at Alex, who still dangled on Jake's shoulder, and did a double take when he realized she was in a dress.

"Drew, meet Rance. Rance, this is Andrew, one of her other brothers." Jake smirked at Andrew and swiped the beer off his hand, saying, "Thanks, bro."

"Hey! Get your own. And what's with Alex and the dress? I thought we were going to play basketball later. There's no way that she can keep up with us with that girly get-up," Andrew teased.

Pushing up and kneeing Jake in the ribs, Alex loosened the arm around her. With an exaggerated huff, Jake let Alex go. "Easy on my ribs, sis. I'm still recovering from the bruising I got from you last time, remember?"

"Serves you right." Alex replied with a twinkle in her eyes that bespoke her affection for her brother.

Walking over to Andrew, she gave him a hug, "Good to see you in one piece, Drew."

"Ha, ha, funny." Drew hugged her back and then pushed her away, but kept his arms around her. Looking closely, he ran his gaze from the top of her head to her sandaled feet. His expression changed from a smile to a puzzled frown, he said, "There is something different about you. I just can't point it out yet."

Alex looked warily at her brother. Andrew was four years younger than she, but he had always been gifted with an old soul. His power of observation was such that his Army Ranger team utilized his uncanny ability in their missions. All three of her brothers, including the youngest, Devon, had dark brown hair, with a reddish mahogany tint in sunlight, and Devon and Jake had chocolate brown eyes that were a hit with females around. However, Andrew and Alex got their steel grey eyes from their dad. All three of her brothers dwarfed Alex, as all three shared her father's height of six plus feet. They shared similar features too, chiseled cheekbones and strong jawlines with clefts in their chins. Seen together, there was no way anybody could mistake them for anything than siblings. Although they were similar looking, Alex's face was made along delicate lines with high cheekbones and soft, pillowy red lips that, according to Rance, looked great wrapped around his dick.

"New hairdo? How about because I'm wearing a dress?" Alex replied, tongue-in-cheek.

Drew scrutinized her from head to toe. "Nah... I don't think so. Jake, what do you think? She seems sleeker and more toned to me." Looking at his brother, he lifted his brow in inquiry, "and there's a certain grace in the way you move. Not that you're a klutz, or anything like that..." he drifted off, puzzlement clear on his face.

"Now that you point it out to me, I believe I agree with you there." Jake quizzically ran his gaze over his two-years older sister. "Have you been working out lately, more than you did before that is?"

Alex readily grabbed the pretext, "Yes," she said with a too-bright smile plastered on her face. She never was good at lying. Uh, I'm a wolf shifter wasn't an explanatory option. She took Rance's hand and looked up at him. "Rance always makes me join him in working out and training every day at the gym. Isn't that right, sweetie?"

Rance nodded his head, "She spars with me too, although she hasn't beaten me yet." He smiled down at Alex. Rance was having fun seeing Alex and her brothers interact. The love and affection was very evident in the easy way they related.

"That's great. Maybe you and I can spar before I leave," Jake said, interest gleaming in his eyes. He could not wait to test the mettle of the man who purportedly won his sister's heart. Not that he didn't like what he'd seen so far. Rance seemed like an okay guy. Jake only wanted to be certain that Rance deserved Alex.

"You can come and visit us anytime. We have a gym where we could spar. And if you want to do it outside, we also have a big yard."

"Us?" Jake and Drew said at the same time, warning rife in their tone.

Alex looked helplessly at Rance. He was meeting her two brothers for the first time, and she hadn't told her parents yet, and now her brothers had gleaned from Rance's innocent remark that they lived together! Yeah, she was old enough to do what she wanted, but her family had always been traditional in their values. Alex knew that her and Rance's situation was not unique in the eyes of the shifter community, since they were already as good as married. Mated for life. She did not really want to disappoint her family, especially her parents. Now, how to keep her brother's mouth shut -- that was the question, at least, until she got the chance to tell them herself that as engaged couple, they weren't really 'living in sin.'

"Alex! You're finally here. Look at you, in a dress and looking oh so beautiful," her mother gushed from the doorway. "What are you boys doing just standing there? Let them in."

Miranda Callaghan Grant cast her gaze over her children approvingly. She was happy that all of them came to celebrate with her. She still retained her slim figure even at fifty, and stood almost shoulder-to-shoulder with her sons in her three inches heels, although she was still much taller than Alex. Her brunette hair was cut short in the latest style that emphasized her deep chocolate eyes. She was dressed simply in a flowered A-line cut dress cinched at the waist. As usual, she looked fresh and elegant.

"Hello Mrs. Grant."

"Rance, you may call me Mira," she chided gently as she stepped onto the crowded porch. "We don't stand on ceremony here." Glancing down at Alex's and Rance's entwined hands, she suddenly squealed in delight. She laughed out loud and cupped her hand over her mouth. Eyes brimming with tears, Mira looked at her daughter. Surging forward, she hugged her exuberantly. Letting Alex go, she then enfolded Rance in her embrace.

"I'm so happy for you both!" she exclaimed, looking from one to the other. "Congratulations!" She clapped her hands together and almost giddily looked over her shoulders. "Look at Alex's hand. You boys are so oblivious sometimes. You wouldn't know what's going on unless it hit you in the head."

Both Jacob and Andrew looked at Alex and saw the huge diamond she was sporting. Their reaction was almost comical. Their eyes rounded in awe -- probably because of the size of the stone. Then happiness bloomed, followed by chagrin and suspicion.

It was Andrew who stepped forward first, followed by Jake who hugged her then shook Rance's hand. They both offered their congratulations, but their eyes conveyed their need to talk more privately later without their mother present.

Mira finally herded everyone inside. Alex's youngest brother, Devon, was glued to the tube. His lanky frame was sprawled across the living room sofa. He was watching a scientific documentary of some sort. Their mom pushed his legs off the sofa, making him sit up and look at the newly-arrived couple.

"Hey," he said by way of greeting.

Unlike the rest of the Grants, Devon had met Rance earlier in the week. Alex called him one day to meet up. She and Rance had picked him up at his dorm and took him to dinner. He liked Rance a lot. They hit it off well. He found out that he was not some stuffy old shirt. With the way he looked, Devon thought that Rance might be a narcissistic dude, but he was happy to be wrong. He liked Rance more when he saw how he treated Alex. He was very considerate of her needs and Rance's eyes always lit up whenever the man looked at Devon's sister. Rance even offered to financially assist him through college and medical school, although Devon did not immediately grab the offer since he was still a relatively new acquaintance, even though Rance insisted that the offer would never be withdrawn. Pretty generous opportunity for someone who did not have an idea of how he was doing in school, Devon thought.

"Everybody here yet?" Tony Grant strolled in from the deck where he was getting the grill ready for the barbecue. "Good!" he boomed in a loud voice, upon seeing everyone assembled in the living room. Smiling hugely, he walked straight to Alex. Tony hugged her to his side. "Good to see you made it here early enough. How is everything going with your garage, Alex? I heard in the news lately that most small businesses are having a hard time staying afloat in this economy."

"Could be better, but I have nothing to complain about. Good thing the garage has established a good rep and my client base is quite solid. I also try to be more competitive with the service price."

"Tsk, tsk...I knew you two would start talking business," Mira chided. "Tony, there's more to ask these two than that." She looked pointedly at Alex's left hand, then met her husband's questioning eyes with raised brows. A little slow on the uptake, Tony held his wife's gaze for a moment before looking down when Mira once again exaggeratedly looked at the ring.

"Oh my God!" exclaimed Tony. He let go of the couple and grabbed Alex's hand. "Does this mean what I think it does?"

His wife playfully swatted him in the arm. "What else would it mean?" she asked, a little peeved at him.

"How would I know if it's just one of those rings you women love to wear on your fingers. Nowadays I see women with so many rings in their fingers and toes. Not to mention on their faces and other body parts," he huffed.

Mira lifted her arms in exasperation. "You know very well that Alex does not wear jewelry all the time."

Everyone looked at the older couple with barely held amusement.

"True. But Honey, this ring is huge!" He gave an apologetic look at both Rance and Alex. "I don't want to jump into conclusions and then embarrass her later because I was mistaken." Tony turned and smiled at his daughter. "I'm so happy for you," Tony turned to Rance, "for you both." He hugged and kissed Alex on the cheek then shook Rance's hand and pulled him in for a bear hug. His wife tapped him on the shoulder, and looking over at her, he let go of Rance and put his arm around Mira's shoulder.

"This is a good day," he declared. "I have my two sons safely back from their missions. My daughter is happily engaged. And my wife is celebrating her birthday and she still looks as beautiful as the day I met her."

"What about me?" piped Devon. "I'll get a complex if you exclude me," he dramatically clutched his chest and comically pouted his lips.

"Well, let me see..." Tony pretended to think. "I got it. And I'm happy my youngest is here..." he paused thoughtfully, "to help me with the clean-up later on."

"Unfair!" Devon bursts out as everyone laughed out loud.

They all moved out to the patio where the picnic table was set for the barbecued lunch the Grants had prepared Rance took a deep breath, imperceptibly sniffing the area for any possible threats to his mate's and baby's safety. Scenting the faint trace of Damian and Troy outside reassured him somewhat that his family was well protected. Satisfied everything was as it should be, he relaxed and enjoyed the serenity of the Grants' backyard. Although a little small, it had its charm.

"Mom, do you need me to get anything in the kitchen?" Alex asked. "I'm going to head inside to wash up."

"Nothing dear, everything is set up here already. We were just waiting for you to show up so we could start."

"Okay." Alex turned to go inside and noticed Andrew's eyes on her. Meeting his gaze, she lifted her brow in query. Drew just kept looking intently at her. Shrugging mentally, she went inside and went straight to the bathroom off the living room. Closing the door, she used the toilet and quickly washed her hands. Seeing her reflection in the mirror above the vanity, she looked intently at herself.

Do I look pregnant? I wonder if Andrew knows. Turning side to side, she scrutinized herself but found nothing different in the way she looked. Must be just me. Guess it's just nerves of introducing someone special to my family. Not that Mom and Dad had not given their approval early on, it's just that she wanted her brothers to like him too.

Babe, time to come back. We're all waiting for you. Rance quietly reminded her through their bond.

Coming. Taking one last look at herself in the mirror, she shook off her misgivings and squared her shoulders to face her family.

Sitting next to Rance, she smiled at her mom. For now her brothers were behaving, but she did not delude herself that it would last. Tony finally sat next to Mira. After saying grace, they all dug in. Alex ate with gusto. Rance kept putting more meat on her plate, knowing that in her condition she needed the protein in her diet. Alex was oblivious to the attention they were getting from her family at the way she let Rance serve her. Her parents watched the couple with an indulgent and satisfied smile. They were both happy that Rance seemed intent on taking care of their daughter, and the intimate smiles the two shared assured Alex's parents of the love shared between Rance and Alex.

"Slow down Midge. Leave some for me." Jake teased from the far side of the table.

"Wow, you must be really hungry," observed Devon. "Did you two not eat breakfast before you came down here? It's only an hour's drive from Alex house after all."

Alex flushed in discomfiture. "We did," she mumbled.

"So why are you this hungry then?" Devon continued.

"Mind your own business squirt, and leave me be." She looked around the table and once more caught Andrew's speculating eyes upon her. Nerves skittered across her spine as their gazes met.

Alex, you okay? Rance asked with concern lacing his voice. He sensed his mate's uneasiness. He wanted to tell her family about their baby, but Alex wanted to wait until later. Pretty soon it would be a moot point since her body would betray the secret that she was keeping.

Alex blinked and faced Rance. She forced a smile on her lips and faintly nodded her head.

"Boys! Leave your sister be. Just what kind of impression must you giving Rance of our family?" Mira reprimanded.

"It's fine, Mira. I rather enjoy seeing how siblings interact. It reminds me of how I was with my friend Damian when we were younger. Bantering and bickering all the time without real animosity. I'm an only child so it's interesting to me. Besides, you don't need to treat me differently. After all, I'm part of your family now," Rance interjected with a reassuring smile to Mira.

"About that, when did you guys get engaged?" Jake asked. "The last time I heard you just met not even a month ago."

"Last week," Rance said, at the same moment Alex said, "Last night."

They looked at each other, then at the faces of the people around them. Each one wore an expression of confusion except Andrew, who stared at both of them perceptively.

"Now I'm confused..." Mira, with puckered brows, asked, "so when was it?"

"Ah, it was last night," Alex replied as she looked helplessly at Rance.

"So why did Rance say it was last week then?" Jake asked.

"You guys did not tell me anything last week when you took me out to eat." Devon persisted.

"The confusion is my fault," Rance interrupted, shaking his head self-deprecatingly. "I had the ring and wanted to ask her since last week. I guess in my mind we've been engaged since then."

"Anyway, yesterday was Friday. So it's still part of last week," Alex added weakly.

"Don't think it matters that much anyway." Tony said, "as long as you both are happy and in love." He beamed at them.

"True, true." Mira nodded her head and looked affectionately at her husband. Bending down, Tony kissed Mira lightly on the lips.

Jake and Devon hooted at their parents.

"So how did the two of you meet? And what kind of job do you have, Rance? I caught a glimpse of your ride. Man that must have cost you a bundle. Probably as much as this house." Jake continued to quiz the two, grinning cheekily at Alex who glowered at him across the table. Alex kicked under the table him, but it just glanced off his shin. "Ouch! What was that for?"




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 08



Rance patted Alex's hand that was fisted on the table. "It's okay sweetheart. I have nothing to hide. I met Alex at a party in my home. She and her friend Pam attended. The minute I scen- er- saw her, I decided I was never going to let her get away from me. That was the most amazing night of my life."

He would remember forever the exquisite pleasure of burying his cock in her body for the first time, how her tight flesh clung as he thrust in and out of her. Just thinking about that night made him hard as rock. Beside him, Alex stiffened and started oozing her heady pheromones in the air as desire zinged between them. By Luna! She was as hot as he was. He could smell the ripe aroma of her cunt waft gently in the breeze. She must be soaking. Judging by the way she breathed deeply, she was aware of Rance's aroused state.

I will cherish that night forever, Alex.

Me too, Rance. Me too.

They turned toward each other and stared deeply into the other's eyes. The two were completely oblivious to the other people in the table. Nobody missed the heated exchange between Rance and Alex. Her parents looked indulgently at them. Jake and Devon looked on with humor and surprise. They never thought they'd see the day Alex would succumb to sappy displays. Andrew, on the other hand had an inquisitive gleam in his eyes. His sharp gaze did not miss the way the two seemed to be communicating wordlessly, nor the way Rance's and Alex's nostrils flared just before their eyes blazed with heat.

"Ahem!" Jake coughed exaggeratedly, breaking the haze of desire between the two. "Rance, you still haven't answered my other questions."

"Stop being purposely annoying," Alex cried.

"Hey, just curious. Besides I'm your brother, I need to look after you," Jake replied without heat.

"Since when? And stop giving Rance the third degree." Alex was irked at the Jake. He was deliberately trying to provoke her temper.

"It's fine Alex. I don't mind," Rance soothed his mate. She had been increasingly become short tempered. Dr. Armand said that it was because ofthe hormone elevation in her body due to her pregnancy.

"I'm actually into a lot of diverse fields of business. All legitimate." Rance opened his wallet and fished out a business card. He handed it across to Jake. "You can check me out online, or better yet, ask some of your buddies in the military to do it. What's provided on that card is just a subsidiary company I own."

Jake took the proffered card without looking away from Rance. Nodding, he put it away and planned to do later that day. His sister's fiancé seemed like a great guy. He was a little leery of how fast they were moving with their relationship. From what he had garnered from their conversation earlier, Alex already moved in with him. Bore further investigation, to his point of view, and he was fairly confident that Andrew agreed with him.

"That's enough of that," Mira stated. "So when do you guys planned to get married?"

"Alex and I have decided to have the wedding next month."

"But isn't that too fast?" Mira reasoned, "there won't be enough time to get everything ready."

"Mom, everything will be arranged by Rance's staff. We'll be married on the grounds of his estate."

"What are you going to do about your house? What about the garage?" Tony inquired.

"Well, I've been wanting to tell you this; since Rance and I are to be married, I moved in with him at the mansion." She looked closely for her parent's reaction. They looked surprised but not disappointed in the least. Rance took her hand and squeezed it slightly to show his support. "I've already put my house on the market. As for the garage, I'm thinking of taking on a business partner or a manager who could be there every day. I can't be there as often as I used to be," she tried to explain to her parents.

"Selling your house is a practical move. But hiring a manager, tsk...I'm not sure about that one. Does the garage make enough money for you to do that?" Tony asked his daughter.

Mira laid her hand on her husband's arm, and shook her head. "Let the kids decide what to do with their life together. It's early yet. They can make adjustments and compromises when needed. Remember our early days as a married couple? Sacrifice goes hand in hand with married life." Mira then addressed Rance and Alex, "You have to constantly work at it to keep it strong. Sometimes you have to give up something to gain greater and better things." She smiled at them kindly. "You'll learn. Don't worry about it."

After that, everyone continued eating and tried to catch up with the latest on Alex's brothers' lives. Although they could not divulge any of their missions, they regaled them with stories of their experiences without giving any details as to when or where they happened.

After lunch, the siblings were left with the clean-up duty. Alex and Rance cleared the table while the boys took out the trash and loaded the dishwasher. After they were done, they went back to the patio to lounge around. Tony and Mira were cuddled in the hammock, lazily swinging. Devon changed into his swim trunks and jumped into the pool.

"Come on guys. The water is great."

"Tempting. But I did not bring a suit with me, so no thank you," Alex replied.

"I'll join you. I need to get my muscles loose from the long drive. I'll just get changed." Jake went inside the house to his old room to change.

Andrew was leaning on one of the columns on the patio and holding another can of beer, sipping absently from it from time to time. He looked deceptively relaxed and lazy, but mostly he kept his eyes on his sister. Rance and Alex dragged lounge chairs next to the pool and sat side-by-side, conversing with Devon in the pool. Andrew observed and catalogued the different nuances in Alex's reactions, and her body language. He watched with hooded eyes, not wanting to be obvious. There was something niggling at him about Alex and he wanted to get to the bottom of it. His gift -- or curse, as his former girlfriends thought of it -- of observation served him well in his military missions. It kept him and his team alive. Now he was using it to answer the mystery of his sister's association with Rance and the subtle differences he'd noticed in Alex.

Jacob came out wearing his swim trunks and a towel slung around his shoulder. He bumped Andrew on the shoulder. "Hey bro, come on and join us in the pool," he said with a smile. "Why are you brooding over here anyway?"

"I'll join you guys later. I'm just finishing my beer."

Nodding at him, Jacob went to the pool, dropped his towel on a lounger and did a cannonball near where Alex and Rance were sitting. The splash of water and Alex's shriek of indignation were joined by the laughter of the elder Grants and Devon. Jake surfaced far away from the drenched Alex.

"I'm going to get you for this, you overgrown bully!" Alex pointed at the laughing Jake.

"Hey, just trying to help here. I thought I'd let you feel how good the water is. Then maybe you'd join the rest of us in the pool." He smiled winsomely at his older sister.

"I told you guys I did not bring anything to change into."

"Excuses, excuses. You have old clothes left here in your old room. I bet you can find some old swimsuits there too. You're not going to play basketball with us already since you're wearing a dress. And now you're not playing pool volleyball too? Come on Alex, we don't get together that often anymore," Jake cajoled. "Rance can also join. If he wants, I have some extra trunks in my room that would fit him."

"Alex, honey, I think I remember putting your one piece suit that you left here last summer in the top drawer. Go ahead and change." Mira stood up and approached the pool.

"Go on Alex, I'll wait for Jake here to loan me the trunks. He's right, the water is inviting and it's a waste of opportunity if you don't join your brothers. You told me yourself that you don't get to see them that often," Rance said.

"Okay, then." Walking back into the house, Alex passed Andrew who remained quiet throughout the exchange. She stopped in front of him and looked up at his impassive face. "Are you okay? You seemed preoccupied."

"I'm fine. Just trying to work things out in my mind," Drew responded laconically.

"About?" Alex persisted.

Drew just shook his head, grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her towards the door. "Go and change. Don't worry about me."

She looked over her shoulders at him. Typical Andrew. He had always been closemouthed and reticent. He'd only open his mouth when needed. She only hoped that he was not absorbed in trying to work out the subtle change that he perceived in her. Andrew was way worse than Pam in terms of persistence. He would not pester a person for answers, but he sure would dig deeper and try to find the answer himself -- and he always found it. That's what Alex was afraid of. She hadn't had the chance yet to divulge her pregnancy, much less her becoming a shifter!

Shrugging mentally, she went to change.

They spent the afternoon in the pool. It was a relaxing and enjoyable way to spend the day with her parents and brothers: playing pool volleyball and just soaking up the sun. She was paired with Rance, while her brothers teamed together. Rance and Alex's competitive nature would not let them slack off in the game. Their preternatural speed helped them move faster in the water, thus winning match after match.

After the game, they lounged around the pool. Alex continually felt Andrew's heavy gaze on her. Trying to ignore him was getting harder. Restraining her inclination to confront Andrew, she kept her attention on Rance and Jake as they talked about the merits of getting into the security business after the military.

All too soon it was time to get changed. Rance and Alex were taking the family to Mira's favorite restaurant for a birthday dinner. Everyone got ready, going to their respective old rooms to do so. Rance was left to shower and change in the small cabana next to the pool.

Done with her grooming, Alex opened her bedroom door. As she turned to close it, she saw Andrew leaning on the wall in front of her door, obviously waiting for her. Wearing a grave expression, he straightened and stepped closer to her. Not letting him see her disquiet, Alex stood her ground and waited for him to speak his mind. She quirked her brow and smiled blithely at him.

"What's going on Andrew?"

"I think that should be my question to you." He replied in all seriousness.

"My, but you look pretty grim. Cheer up! It's mom's birthday, remember?" she lightly teased.

"This has nothing to do with mom and you know it." Without taking his eyes off her, he nodded his head towards her room. "Please?"

Opening her room, she walked back inside and waited for Andrew. She looked inquiringly at him while he closed the door. Leaning back on it, he studiously held Alex's eyes.

"Well? Don't just stand there. Everyone will be ready soon to go to the restaurant. If this is really important to you, then you'd better start talking."

"How far along are you?" Andrew asked, deadpan.

"Wha -?" stunned, Alex sat down at the edge of her bed.

"I saw you and Rance rub your lower belly several times today. Before you try to pass it as nothing, let me tell you that both of your expressions would belie it. So, let me ask you again. How far along are you?"

Before Alex could respond, there was a knock on the door. Andrew quirked his brow at Alex. Shrugging, she waved her hand and said, "It's Rance. Let him in since this concerns both of us."

Although a little skeptical that she knew exactly who was knocking, he opened the door. Sure enough, Rance was standing on the other side. Nodding at Andrew, he looked over to Alex and walked toward her. Cupping her cheek, he looked at her eyes and kissed her tenderly on the lips. Andrew noticed a sparkle in Alex's eyes and her lips quirked in a smile before she straightened them.

Everything okay? I can handle him for you if you want. Rance looked tenderly at Alex.

No. I'm fine. He just surprised me, that's all. I should have known that he would figure out our secret. Alex responded.

She shook her head faintly at Rance. If Andrew weren't looking closely, he would have missed it. Although they'd only known each other less than a month, they acted like a couple who had been married forever. The mystery of his sister's relationship continued to bug him. He watched silently as Rance and Alex entwined their hands. At least he knew for sure that there was deep affection between them.

Rance faced Andrew with a stoic look on his face, "What do you want to know, Andrew?" Rance pulled Alex up beside him.

"Are you getting married because you got her pregnant?"

"No," Rance answered unequivocally. "There is no question that Alex belongs to me and I to her. Our wedding would only be a formality since we both already accepts that we are mated."

"Mated? What in the world do you mean by that?"

Alex looked pleadingly at Rance. Let me try to explain, please. He would not understand. You know my family is ignorant of the shifter world.

"Andrew, let me remind you that I'm older than you and know what I'm getting into," she tried to calmly explain. "I love Rance and he loves me. We are getting married next month. So whether I'm pregnant or not is nobody's business except mine and Rance's." She breathed deeply as she saw how her words hurt Andrew. She understood his concern for her. "Because I love you too, I'll answer your question. Yes I'm pregnant. Wait! Let me finish," she said when Andrew opened his mouth to interrupt. "We have already planned to tell the family about the baby after the wedding."

Andrew looked solemnly at Alex. "You know that I love you, sis. I just want to make sure you are not being coerced or forced in any way." He smiled apologetically at them. "But, having said my piece, I'm going to shut up now about this. I'll let you and Rance deliver this wonderful news about your coming baby." He smiled faintly and nodded approvingly at Rance. Although not totally appeased, he let it go for now. There would be time to investigate and get the answers to what niggled at him.

"Congratulations on nabbing a wonderful woman, and for my future nephew or niece." Andrew offered his hand to Rance, taking his hand and pulling him in for a brief hug and a pat on the shoulder.

"Thank you, Andrew. I'll take great I care of her, I promise."

"You'd better." Andrew then turned to Alex and pulled her for a hug. "Take care of yourself and that little one, okay?" He smiled down at her.

Nodding, she nudged him. "Come on, let's all go. Mom and Dad are probably looking for us." They went to join the rest of the family waiting in the living room.

Taking their respective vehicles, they drove to the restaurant. They were immediately ushered into their table upon walking in.

Once the food came in and they all dug in. For a moment they all shared a comfortable silence as they concentrated on their meal. Rance broke the silence by asking the Jake and Andrew. "How long are you guys going to be here?"

"I took a week-long leave. I figured that since I'm here already might as well spend more time with the family," Jake answered.

"Same with me," Andrew said.

"Well, I know you are staying with your parents, but we would like to invite you to the mansion to come visit us. I'm sure Alex missed you and hoped you'd be able to spend more time together." Rance glanced at Alex who was seated next to him. Alex nodded her head eagerly and was smiling widely at the invitation.

"Yeah guys, why don't you come visit? That way you'll get to know Rance and we can spend more time together," Alex said cheerfully.

"If you're sure, we don't want to intrude. I'd love to see your new digs anyway," Jake interjected.

"Then it's settled then." Rance said approvingly.

"What about me?" Devon cut in, "I haven't been to their place yet, either."

"You can come too, if you want," Alex said to Devon. "I figured since we both live in the same city, you can come anytime." She smiled winningly at Devon.

"Our home will always be open to all of you. You can come and visit anytime you want," Rance told the Grants.

After the meal was consumed, the wait staff came to bring a decadent looking cake with a lit candle on it. They sang 'happy birthday' to Mira, while she smiled hugely at everyone on the table. After eating the cake, each of the Grant children placed his or her gift on the table.

Mira opened the gift from her husband, Tony, first. It was a beautiful necklace and earring set in diamonds. Then she opened the card from Devon. Enclosed was a gift card to a restaurant where they frequently dined. Jake gave Mira a new e-reader tablet and Andrew's gift was a gift card for his mom to purchase the books she wanted from the online bookstore. Rance handed Mira their gift. She opened the small box after saying thanks. She exclaimed in surprised and looked up with joy at Alex and Rance.

"This is too much," she exclaimed with a tearful smile.

"You deserve it, mom." Alex patted her mom's hand with a smile.

"What did you get, Mom?" Devon asked curiously.

"It's an all-expense paid cruise to Europe!" Mira said excitedly. "This must have cost you guys so much."

"Don't think about it that way. Alex and I want both of you to enjoy it. She told me once that you wanted to visit Europe, but just didn't get the chance. So we thought we should send you both on a second honeymoon, of sorts." Rance explained.

"You can either decide to fly commercial or Rance's private jet will fly you. It's up to you to decide how you'll feel more comfortable."

"Oh I'd definitely choose the private jet," Jake butted in, tongue-in-cheek.

"Thank you so much for this gift, Rance," Tony said quietly as he saw his wife was a little speechless, overwhelmed at the grand gesture. He knew Alex could not afford such an extravagant gift, so he addressed Rance.

"Think nothing of it. It's from both of us, actually. What I have became Alex's too the minute we mated."

Alex pinched his thighs under the table. She hoped Rance's blunder went unnoticed. Looking around, she surreptitiously viewed each face. As luck would have it, Andrew's was the only one scrunched up in thought.

They stayed only long enough for Rance to pay the bill and to thank the staff. After exchanging good nights and hugs, Alex and Rance got in the car and left for the mansion.

"Did you enjoy your visit?" Rance asked twenty minutes after they'd left the restaurant.

"Yes. It's been a good day. My brothers seemed to like you and my parents love you. What more could I ask for?" She sidled closer to Rance and placed her left hand on top of his muscular thigh.

The muscles bunched and jumped as she lovingly rubbed his thigh. Up and down she went, sometimes just barely skimming over his pants, sometimes kneading the muscle underneath. Rance cast a sidelong glance at Alex. Her mischievous smile peeked out as she saw his cock slowly elongate and thicken under his pants. Looking at Rance underneath her lashes, she teasingly traced the delicious outline of his cock.

"Don't start something you can't finish," Rance warned, desire lacing his voice, and making it sound deep and sexy.

Alex's body responded to the deep timbre of his voice by gushing out cunt juices that saturated her thong. The intoxicating smell of Rance's musk grew stronger in the enclosed space of the car, making Alex salivate for the taste of his precum, which she knew would be coating the head of his dick by now. Licking her lips in anticipation, she winked saucily at him and said, "Who said anything about not finishing?"

Rance's nostrils flared as the piquant, sweet aroma of Alex's pussy and her natural vanilla scent mixed with his own. He ground his teeth in a futile attempt to keep from losing control and wrecking the car. They were going over eighty, for fuck's sake! It was a good thing they were travelling through an out-of-the-way country road. Slowing the Bugatti down took a lot of his concentration as Alex attacked his jeans in her eagerness to get to his cock. When he felt the damp warmth of her breath wafting on his turgid length, he started to frantically search for an access road where he could park and keep them from being seen from the road.




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 08



As Alex gingerly pulled him out of his jeans, Rance turned into a side road, killed his lights, and using his preternatural eyesight, drove far enough away from the road to park under a tree. Alex was already tentatively licking around the rim of his cockhead when he turned off the engine. Pushing the seat away from the wheel, he fisted Alex's silky hair. He pulled it gently away from her face so he could zero in on his mate's luscious mouth, as she slurped her way from the shaft to the bulbous head of his dick. He was not fully erect yet, but he was getting there fast. Alex looked up at Rance and smiled, with her mouth full of his cock. What a beautiful sight. She was so fucking hot! She slurped loudly, and ran her lips up and down his shaft leaving a trail of her saliva behind. Holding the cock away from his belly with one hand, she cupped his nuts with the other.

Alex rubbed her face appreciatively on Rance's groin. Inhaling the strong musky scent of his sex, she drew a feral enjoyment on having his scent and fluid cover her face. It would have been freaky for the old Alex, but her wolf exulted and wallowed in it. Alex drew one of his nuts gently in her mouth and suckled. His low groan of enjoyment gratified her to no end. Redoubling her efforts, she moved her hand up and down on his throbbing shaft as she suckled the twin.

"So beautiful...Yeah just like that, baby," he crooned. Rance was in heaven. His mate was attending to him so beautifully with her mouth. Her lips was driving him crazy as she glided them over the long stalk of his cock, leaving the towering flesh wet and glistening. She mouthed the fat head, nipping with her lips and laving the leaking precum with her wet tongue.

Alex was grunting and mewling as she hungrily adored his manhood. Opening her mouth wide, Alex wrapped it around the purple, bulbous head of Rance's cock. Making sure not to accidentally bite him with her teeth, she relaxed her jaw. She bobbed her head slowly while keeping up the suction of her mouth. It was a challenge to get Rance down her throat; he was too thick and too long to fit. Wrapping both hands on the remaining flesh of his shaft, she worked it up and down. Keeping her grip tight on his tumescent cock, she squeezed rhythmically.

Alex was trying to swallow almost half of his fat cock down her throat without gagging, but still failing to accommodate all of his shaft. Contenting herself with taking less than half of Rance's length, she sucked vigorously on his pole. Her saliva dribbled and pooled freely down his shaft, saturating his groin and nutsack.

Rance was groaning constantly from the pleasure his mate was giving him. Her wet mouth was like a silken vise on the top of his cock. The visual satisfaction of seeing Alex take such pleasure in blowing him was almost enough to push him to the edge. All the nerve endings on his crown were firing up from the constant stimulation she was giving them. Rance felt the telltale tingling of an impending climax in his tailbone. Tightening his grip on Alex's hair, he stilled her bobbing head. Alex raised sexy, languorous eyes to Rance. She quirked a brow in question but continued to suck on his cock.

"Babe stop..." Rance panted. "Alex wait..." Rance remonstrated as Alex pushed her mouth down further on his shaft. "I'm about to cum, babe. I don't want to hurt you with my knot when it comes out." He groaned. Sweat dotted his brows and his wild scent rose strongly with his impending release.

Alex released him long enough to gulp air in, then say, "I want to taste your cum, Rance. Don't worry, I can't take much of your cock anyway. Once I feel your knot growing I'll make sure it's not inside my mouth. Let me drink your seed, babe, please?" she beseeched, eyes burning with lust.

Rance was entranced by the beautiful sight of his mate begging for his cock. Her lips were red and swollen from sucking him. He traced them with his thumb. Keeping her gaze locked with his intense emerald eyes, she opened her lips and bit playfully on it. Rance sucked in his breath as Alex licked then sucked his thumb into her mouth, suckling it like a small cock. Taking his thumb out of her mouth, Rance pulled her to him and kissed her hungrily. Tangling their tongues together, he tasted himself on her. Breaking the kiss, "Okay..." he murmured. Rance then held his cock with one hand and nudged her head back down his groin.

Smiling brightly, Alex took his cock with both hands. Crooning quietly, she blew warm air on its helmeted head. "I love the way your cock looks. So eager it weeps for me. Sooo long and soo thick... Mmmmmhhh, succulent and so sweet to the taste too. Look at it throb just for little me..."

The mushroomed tip was purple and pulsing in time to his heartbeat. Alex watched in rapt fascination as his precum welled and gathered at the slit. Licking her lips hungrily, she watched as the drop pearled bigger until it was in danger of trickling down. Swooping, she caught the fluid on the tip of her tongue. She swallowed and closed her eyes as the delicious taste of Rance exploded in her mouth, firing off sensations to her nerve endings, making her shiver in renewed arousal.

Once again, she dove in with gusto and swallowed the pulsing erection bobbing in front of her. Moaning in delight as the flavor of Rance's freely flowing precum coated her mouth, she sucked harder and lashed the underside of his cockhead while she bobbed up and down. The low groans that tore out of Rance's mouth were music to her ears.

She was so hot, her skin felt tight and she was burning up with arousal. Alex felt her pussy cream trickling down her thighs. She could even smell herself. She rubbed her legs together to alleviate the tingling of her clit. She was certain that her labial lips had engorged with blood and that her inner lips are red with her excitement. Giving Rance a blowjob was pushing her buttons. She felt powerful and desirable because she had made such a strong, masculine man putty in her hands.

She felt a spurt of liquid escape from the eye of Rance's cock. Then the flesh in the middle of his cock started to thicken and pulse. His knot was rising! She thought excitedly. Moving one of her hand to the swollen part, she wrapped it snugly and sucked harder. It was fascinating that only about two inches of Rance's cock swelled in the middle and became hard and unyielding. Rance growled in subvocals, grabbed the steering wheel and howled aloud as his cum jetted mightily out of him.

Alex pushed his cock down her throat as it pulsed and released his load. The first volley of his sperm went down her throat smoothly. Its bittersweet taste acted like an aphrodisiac to her as it ramped up her arousal. Her vaginal walls started contracting in mini orgasms. Controlling her gag reflex, she swallowed as he kept spurting powerfully. There was so much of his seed that she had to swallow twice for every pulse he released. After the eighth volley, Rance was done. Alex kept his cock in her mouth gently suckling even after Rance finished ejaculating.

Pulling her mouth off his cock made a popping sound in the silence of the car. Rance guided her head with both hands and attacked her mouth with his own. Tasting his seed on her mouth made his newly emptied cock hard as a rock. Their teeth, lips, and tongue battled as they ate and savored each other. Rance pushed his tongue in and engaged Alex's tongue to twine with his own. Fucking her mouth with his nimble tongue, he held her head immobile with one hand while he proceeded to lift the hem of her dress with the other one. He tore her flimsy thong and threw it behind him.

Alex wasn't idle either. Her hands were tearing at his shirt, trying to get underneath the warm supple skin. Getting impatient, she tore at it, buttons popped and flew and dropped on the car floor. Letting out a satisfied moan, she ran her hand on her mate's massive pectoral muscles, kneading and rubbing all the while still engaged in a torrid kiss with Rance. Alex greedily nipped his tongue and lips, laving and licking every inch and crevice of his scrumptious mouth.

Pushing his shirt off his broad shoulders proved difficult as he had his arms around her. Groaning in frustration, she tore and ripped the shirt off his body. Now she could run her hands on her naked back and shoulders without impediment. Sighing in bliss as she lovingly stroked his silky, firm skin. Reaching out with one hand, she anchored herself on his strong neck.

Rance pulled her up on his lap to straddle him. He pulled off Alex's dress and watched with hooded eyes as her creamy skin gleamed under the moon's light. Her beautiful breasts bounced lightly after being freed from her lace bra. Cupping both in his warm hands, he savored the feeling of her silky supple flesh overflowing his palms. Kneading lightly, he weighed and caressed the pale mounds. He swirled a finger on her red-tipped nubs. Gazes locked together, he pinched both nipples. Her sudden intake of her breath was a low mewl, and the gush of cream from her pussy testified how much she loved her nipples played with.

"Push my jeans down," he grunted at Alex, "I don't want to let go of these beauties." Rance extended his tongue out and proceeded to rim the outside of her left areole. Alex squirmed and moved to divest Rance of his jeans. He helped by lifting his hips off the seat. Once Alex got it down to his thighs, Rance pushed her breasts together and buried his nose between the tender mounds, deeply inhaling her intoxicating aroma. He ran his tongue up and down the crevice between. Alex gripped his head and nuzzled his ear, biting his earlobes and lashing the lobe and canal with her tongue.

"I can't get enough of your delicious taste...." Rance smothered the slopes with biting kisses. The slight pain morphed to pleasure as the sting ran together as Rance marked her skin with little nips.

"More," groaned Alex. Pulling Rance's head up, she hefted her right breast. Pointing her crinkled nipple at his slightly open mouth, she said, "Suck it....please! Bite it! Stop driving me crazy...."

Enflamed by the passionate demand of his mate, Rance grinned and engulfed the offered breast. Sawing at the whole areole and biting the tips, he sucked fervently, hollowing his cheeks. Alex keened in ecstasy as her orgasm was triggered. Rance's other hand zoomed in on her dripping pussy. He swirled her cream on her vulva, and with a grunt, pierced her with two fingers. Her walls clutched his fingers, convulsing. He sawed his fingers in and out of her sopping cavern as she rode her orgasm out. Rance polished the protruding nub at the top of her slit with his thumb, drawing out her release. The intense sensation kept her pussy shuddering and muscles grabbing at Rance's fingers.

Rance lifted her on her knees, lined up his cock to her opening, and promptly pushed Alex down on his renewed erection. It was a tight, delicious fit. Alex was full to bursting. She closed her eyes as he filled her, relishing his hot invasion. He was long and thick. Her muscles, still locked in climax, fought the penetration of his hard flesh. Undeterred, Rance pulled her inexorably down while he pushed up with his powerful pelvis. Both panted, sweat filming their heaving torsos as he bottomed out in her shuddering channel. They let out a groan as his shaft's root kissed her tightly stretched labial lips.

Savoring the feeling of being as one, they paused for a brief moment before they started the thrust and parry needed to satisfy their craving. Rance nipped, kissed and caressed Alex face and mouth while playing with her breast. Alex scored Rance's deltoids with her nails as she slowly moved side to side. After countless moments, she started to slowly go up and down, riding Rance's turgid length.

Moans and groans interspersed with growls emitted from their throats. Their lupine halves were never far from their skin as they mated, the primordial urge emerging out with the eruption of their claws and fangs. With Rance's hands grasping and squeezing her ass, Alex tried to glide faster on him. She heard the car door open and felt Rance swivel and stand. With her mouth and cunt still busily engaged, she thought nothing of it. Without pausing in his thrust, Rance carried Alex to the front of the car and laid her on the side of the hood. She jumped when her ass met the warm surface of the car. Rance pulled her arms off his shoulders, pulled out completely, and pushed her legs wider apart.

"Hold yourself open for me," he growled. "I want to see every luscious inch of your fragrant pussy." His guttural voice and fisted hands were clear signs of his tight hold on his control. The sweet aroma of her pussy was intoxicating to him and his wolf wanted out.

Alex complied. Pulling her legs up to her chest and displayed everything to his gaze. Any hint of embarrassment or inhibition was gone. She opened herself for her mate's viewing pleasure. Rance howled as Alex's swollen labia pulled apart and presented her red inner flesh. Her vulva denuded of hair glistened with her wetness. Her cream freely trickled from her gaping opening down her crack, lubricating the one hole his cock hadn't touched yet. Later, he promised to himself. Her last virginal hole would be his...soon.

Tracing the folds of her pussy with one finger, he kneeled and positioned himself between her open thighs. Not bothering for any preliminary licking, he drove his tongue deep into her opening while holding her ass cheeks. Her keening cry goaded him to find that patch of flesh that could drive her wild, deep inside the walls of her cunt. Licking hungrily at the textured pad of flesh of her g-spot, he pushed her legs wider. Alex went wild, crying and keening aloud as hot pleasure sent her careening to shatter in a powerful combustion.

Not content, Rancee rimmed her puckered anus with his thumb and slowly pushed in. Alex grunted as she felt his thumb enter her. The double stimulation drove her wilder. The unceasing bliss built higher as Rance licked her with his rough tongue and fucked her anus with his thumb. Screaming aloud as her orgasm seemed unending, leaving Alex incoherently moaning and shaking as Rance kept the friction going, making her convulse and shudder in a continuous round of release.

Rance covered the whole of Alex's pussy, not wanting any drop of her cream to escape. He lapped and slurped, swallowing the nectar sweet of her ejaculate. Rubbing his face up and down, he covered himself with her essence. He stood up slowly, notched his crown on her opening, and watched his crown slowly disappear in her cunt as he pushed in.

"Fuck! You are still tighter than a glove, my love." Rance touched Alex clit and she jumped in reaction.

Looking up, Rance eyed his mate's sated and glazed expression. She was still breathing heavily from the last orgasm. Her heavy lidded gaze testament to how well he'd pleasured her.

He sawed shallowly, letting her muscles relax from the grip of release. Alex was limp in his arms. Pushing in deeper and deeper as her swollen pussy slowly gave in. He pulled Alex upright, wrapped her legs around his hips as he started to move faster until he was ramming his cock in and out of her. He thrust hard and long, making his pelvis slap her open pussy and shake her body with the force of it. Pulling her head back, he swiped her throat with his tongue and nipped at her jaw. He trailed kisses down her throat, until he reached the juncture of her shoulders. Rance locked his lips on his mark, sucked strongly and bit down. Her groan of rekindled passion drove him to shaft her harder...faster...deeper. She scored his back with her claws as she dug her heels deep on his flexing ass. She clung to him with both her arms and legs as he slammed himself repeatedly on her. The continuous rub of his cock's root on her clit electrified her.

"Yes, yes, yes!!!" Alex screamed as she once again convulsed as she came. She felt Rance stiffen between her legs. His knot rose and locked them together in shared ecstasy, as he grunted and sawed in and out as much as his knot allowed. The splash of his jism sent her sheath shuddering again and again as it milked his cock empty of sperm.

They stayed together in silence as they recovered and basked in the afterglow of their unbridled mating. Rance stirred and kissed Alex on the temple tenderly. Looking into her eyes, he asked, "Are you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"I feel great," she smiled at Rance groggily. "That was marvelous." She looked down where they were still connected, and started giggling.

"What's funny?" Rance asked, at a loss.

Alex met Rance's eyes, merriment making her grey eyes twinkle. "You still have your pants on!"

******

It promised to be a great day. The sun was shining bright and there was no trace of clouds in sight. The mansion's open French doors let in a cool breeze that brought the smell of grass, and the rich fecund earth. From where Alex was seated, she could glimpse some trees lining the mansion's perimeter was starting to change color. She loved Fall, especially when the trees started to turn gold and red.

She absently toyed with the food in front of her while letting the presence and conversation of the unmated pups wash over her. Another night with that puzzling dream of Luna, she had shared the gist of what she could remember of the dream with Rance. Luna's cryptic message left her unsettled and restless. After hearing of the dream, Rance called a meeting with Damian, Luc and Troy. He quizzed Luc more about the prophecy and brainstormed with all of them on how they could protect Alex and the unborn babe from the unknown 'serpent' that Luna had divulged in Alex's dream.

It had been two days since her mother's birthday. Alex's brothers hadn't called or visited yet. She had hoped to spend more time with them before they needed to go back to their respective stations. If they didn't call today she would invite them to come tomorrow for the day.

That morning she'd been awakened by Rance's amorous attention. She had opened her eyes with Rance's between her thighs and his tongue buried inside her climaxing pussy. He then kneeled and turned her to enter from behind. "Wolf-style", never "doggie style," Rance had once sniffed, imperiously. Though she was barely awake, Rance powered into her as she clawed at the sheets until they both were thrown into a violent orgasm. He then collapsed on top of her, bearing most of his weight on his forearms and legs. After his knot subsided, he withdrew and slapped her on the ass affectionately following it with a kiss on the abused area.

"Get up lazybones. It's time for your work-out."

"I thought that was my work out for this morning," she grumbled good-naturedly. Peeking at Rance from the curtain of her disheveled hair, she watched as his yummy ass disappeared in the bathroom.

What are you doing now? His humor was clear from the tone of his voice.

Just enjoying the view, it would be a waste if I don't appreciate it. She smiled and sent a picture of her leering at her mate through their bond.

Rance's laughter echoed before he smilingly sauntered back to the bed and picked Alex up.

Now here she sat in the dining room after a vigorous work out down at the gym, having breakfast with Rance and the other wolves and betas who are not on duty. She smiled as Rance put another piece of sausage and a couple of strips of bacon on her plate.

Her pregnancy was progressing as expected. She was thankful that there was no morning sickness or strange food cravings yet. She was hopeful that she would not get them later on. Her appetite had increased, so much so that she had to bring snacks with her all the time. If she did not, she would get dizzy and nauseated. Now, everywhere she went, the twins lugged a bag of protein-rich snacks with them.




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 08



"So what are your plans this morning?" Rance cut through her musings.

Shaking herself mentally, she met his gaze, "I'm planning on running this morning. That is, if you are available."

"Hmmm...? I can't. Not this morning. Maybe later tonight if you want. I have a conference call with another wolf alpha in Europe." Rance said with regret.

"That's quite alright." She patted his hand. "I'll run with the twins then. We'll keep to our lands and stay to the part patrolled by the betas. I'm just a little antsy this morning and thought maybe my wolf wants to run."

"Are you going in to work today?"

"Maybe later in the afternoon. I want to work with Ralph this morning," nodding her head towards the pup seated on the far side of the dining table, she continued, "see how he's doing with his attempt at rebuilding the engine of that 1969 Mustang Mach1 that his uncle bought for him."

"Alright Alex, just keep our bond open while you're shifted. Okay?"

"Sure, babe. I'll see you later then?"

"Yes." Rance stood up and kissed her lingeringly. "Enjoy your run."

******

Rance entered the elevator in the Pack Clinic building. Opening a hidden panel, he pushed the button for the third level basement. Putting his code in, the elevator slowly descended. The building looked unassumingly normal from the outside, with three floors visible. The elevator buttons showed only one basement, which served as the clinic's morgue and stock and supply rooms. Only the Alpha and some chosen few betas knew of the two floors underneath. The last two floors was where they kept the jail and interrogation rooms, and could only be accessed by the elevator, which was digitally controlled by a code.

Damian and three other betas, Xander, Thorn, and Malik were waiting for him as the door opened. Nodding in greeting, he walked purposely down the narrow hall brightly illuminated by the fluorescent light overhead.

"What have you learned so far?" Rance asked Damian.

"They are proving stubborn," Damian shook his head, "so unless we are willing to use more extreme measure of interrogation, they seem unlikely to give us any useful information."

They walked up to a door, opened it and filed in quietly. The room was devoid of any furniture save for several chairs facing one mirrored wall. The mirror showed another room occupied by a lone slumped figure, chained upright on the wall. Except for the manacles on his wrists, there was no evidence of abuse on his body.

Rance walked up to the mirror and surveyed the Were with eyes starting to burn with anger, "So what in the hell did they tell you guys then?" his voice rumbled.

"Just the usual crap. That we are doomed and the true King of the Weres is coming to exact retribution," Damian answered almost casually.

Rance turned his head to Damian and frowned in thought. "This is the first time I've heard of a King of the Weres."

"He's claiming that their alpha, who was the Promised One, is the King of the Weres," Thorn explained.

"The bunch of them were clearly delusional and crazy to boot. I doubt we'd get anything from them that would tell us where their den is," Xander stated.

"We've had them for almost a week now and still nada." Damian assessed the chained form, "maybe it's time for us to let the task force at them. I believe we've got all the information we can get from them. Now we know that their supposed alpha is abducting humans and attempting to change and impregnate them."

"It's not enough. I want to know the identity of their alpha. Or where they're holed at, at the least." Rance implacably asserted. "Do what you can to extract that information. No mercy this time. They did not show mercy to those they have killed, neither will they get it from us."

Nodding silently, Damian stood next to Rance. "What about the Alpha council and the task force then?" Damian asked, concern lacing his voice. The pack didn't need to butt heads with them. They would need their acceptance and support once the true 'Promised One' was birthed.

With lips in a straight line and eyes turbulent, Rance locked eyes with Damian. Silence reigned for long moments, it seemed, to the three other betas standing in the room. Sighing quietly, Rance nodded his head once, "Inform the task force and the council of their capture later today."

Damian's cell vibrated and started jingling in his pants pocket. Excusing himself briefly, he looked at the digital display and promptly answered the call.

"Prime here... Yeah, okay.... Let them in and I'll inform the Alpha." Hanging up he turned back to find Rance facing him with raised brows.

"What's that all about?" Rance asked.

"That's from our betas down at the main gate." Damian's eyes were sparkling with humor.

"And -? Out with it then," Rance couldn't keep his impatience from coming out. He wanted to finish this business and join Alex in her run.

"You have visitors waiting for you," Damian replied.

"I'm not expecting anyone today. Who is it?"

"Your mate's brothers have come a-calling."

"Fuck!" Rance muttered.

Turning on his heel, he walked out of the room and left Damian and the betas behind. Now he needed to tell Alex to come back from her run. Instead of a closely-planned visit, this was an unexpected -- and potentially eye-opening, for the Grant brothers -- surprise. Hopefully his pack wouldn't do anything that would make Alex's brothers suspicious.

Before getting in the elevator he yelled behind him. "Damian, make sure everyone is aware to be careful of when they shift. I don't want them inadvertently letting our secret out."

Time to make nice with thes.

******

Alex was enjoying her run with Luc and Troy. The air was crisp and fresh, the sun shining brightly overhead, and the grass wet with the night dew. Running in her fur gave her the freedom to throw away the cares and problems that beset her. The three raced each other through the woods and down the sparkling stream, their powerful paws scrambling and tearing the rich soil as they tried to outrun each other. Tongues lolling and sides heaving, they paused to drink.

How far are we from the mansion? asked Alex, as she continued to lap at the refreshingly sweet water.

Not very far. We actually backtracked in a loop after we hit the ridge on the far north side of the property, Luc answered.

Why do you ask? Troy wiggled his lupine brows.

Nothing really, I'm still not very familiar with the terrain. Just wanting to orient myself in case I ever run by myself.

Troy huffed, I don't think that will happen anytime soon.

What do you mean? Once everything settled down and we've dealt with the rogues I'll have the freedom to leisurely explore these woods by myself if I want to.

The wolf Luc shook his massive head. I don't think so. You are our Regina, and as such, needed to have protection at all times. We may fall behind and let you have the illusion of running by yourself, but never will we leave you unprotected.

Besides that, may I remind you, that you are carrying the 'Promised One'? Rance will never allow you to go unprotected, Troy elucidated.

A little dejected at what she heard, Alex hung her head and growled deep in her throat. Can I not have some time to myself then?

My Regina, if things start to overwhelm you and you need space, all you need to do is tell us. We will not intrude in your solitude and will keep our distance. But we could never leave you, Luc answered solemnly, trying to comfort Alex in his way.

Alex, don't despair. We've come here to enjoy and leave all the crap behind. Troy waggled his wolf's brow. Stop thinking about depressing things, let tomorrow worry about itself. Wearing a hangdog look on his wolf face, he asked, Don't you like us anymore?

Snorting, Alex butted his shoulder with her head. You're right. Let's enjoy this wonderful day and continue on in our run. Race you ahead. Turning, she started loping towards the ravine. The bothers let her go ahead for a couple of heartbeats then followed. Upon reaching the ravine, Alex gingerly stepped down the steep incline. On the ravine's floor she waited for the twins. Sniffing the air, she basked in the tranquility of the place. She heard the loping strides of the twins. Cocking her head to the side, she howled in greeting. Two wolf faces peered down at her, both wearing a grin.

What are you doing down there? asked Troy.

Just exploring. Come on down.

I'll stay here, you two enjoy. Luc replied, sitting in his haunches and eyeing the place. He didn't like it that they are a stone throw away from where the last victims were found. Locking eyes with Troy, he let his uneasiness show.

Troy nodded with understanding, I'll try to make her hurry.

******

Upon entering the mansion, Rance was greeted by Frank.

"The Regina's brothers are waiting for you in the drawing room."

"Thank you Frank. Please tell Ophelia to have them bring some refreshment." Rance turned, and Frank stopped him.

"May I also take the liberty of getting three guest rooms ready?"

Pivoting on his heels, Rance looked at his butler. "Huh?" Rance raised brows quizzically.

"Yours are carrying bags with them which I presumed are their clothes."

Rance remembered that he extended an open invitation for them to come and visit. Apparently the brothers took that to mean 'stay over'.

"Yes, please. And thank you." He nodded at Frank and went to meet Alex's brothers.

He heard their conversation even before he neared that open door of the room. Based on the voices, all three brothers had come to visit.

Pausing at the doorway, he perused his guests. All three men were standing in front of the big bay windows that faced the wooded side of the estate and talking quietly amongst themselves. Clearing his throat to alert them of his presence, he stepped inside just as the three turned towards him.

"Hey Rance," Devon greeted with a smile.

Jake offered his hand and shook his, while Andrew smiled guardedly and uttered a quiet hello.

"It's good to see the three of you. Alex has been moping around since she wanted to spend more time with you guys before Jake's and Andrew's leave is over."

"That's why we came. We figured we'd take you up on your offer and stay here." Jake spoke for the brothers. "Devon came along too since he hasn't been here yet." Letting out a piercing whistle, Jake surveyed the room, "You've got quite a place here, Rance. This doesn't look like a home to me. It's more like a luxurious hotel."

"I'm impressed with your security," Andrew finally spoke, "how many live here anyway?"

"Many," Rance replied vaguely. "There are quite a few who live and work here. So I usually don't count."

"How big is this place, anyway?" Devon asked with genuine curiosity, eager to tour the place. The place was huge from what he briefly glimpsed from their drive to the mansion. He saw several buildings from the distance behind the mansion as well.  

Just then once of the female young pups came in, bringing refreshment. She pushed in a cart with pitcher of sweet tea, soda and several pastries and cakes. Nodding at her Alpha, she surreptitiously eyed the Regina's brother with interest.

"Thank you, Rose. That will be all."

"You're welcome Alph- , ah Rance." She smiled and blushed leaving hurriedly the room.

Andrew's eyes and ears did not miss the way the young girl looked almost with reverent subservience at Rance. Nor did he miss the way she stumbled on how she addressed him.

"Help yourselves," Rance bid the brothers. "Lunch won't be served until noon. So get something to tide you over until then."

They all served themselves and took seats, engaging in casual chitchat. Reaching for their bond, Alex, your brothers are here. Rance sent through their link.

A screech of delight echoed through their link. I'll be there as soon as I can.

No hurry, babe. I'll entertain them until you get here, Rance replied.

Okay. Thanks, Hon. I owe you one.

Smiling at how happy she sounded, he concentrated on his brothers.

"I'll give you guys a tour later if you want, or you can wait on Alex."

"Where is Alex anyway? We called the garage before we came here and they told us that she won't be in until later." Devon said.

"She's outside. She loves taking long walks in the grounds. Don't worry, she's probably on her way by now. So how long are guys staying?" Rance asked.

"We figured we'd stay until through our leave, if you don't mind us staying that long." Jake answered.

"It's not a problem and we'd love to have you here. I can have someone show you to your rooms first to drop off your stuff and we can meet in the foyer later," Rance offered.

"What about Alex?" Andrew asked.

"She'll be here by then I'm sure and would join us in the foyer. She's been looking forward to your visit. That's all she could talk about actually." He smiled at her brothers. "Thanks for coming."

"We're family. Of course we'd come and stay with her if we can." Jake responded.

Damian knocked on the opened door of the room. Rance bid him to come and join them. He introduced him as his right hand man in business and best friend. Frank was summoned and instructed to have the brothers shown to their rooms. As they were standing and getting ready to leave for their rooms Rance suddenly went rigid and his eyes went sharp and feral. His wolf's hackles rose and the smell of something unnatural reached his nose before Alex's voice broke into their bond.

Rance! An ambush. We need your help! Opening his senses and pushing his link with Alex, he determined the place and how many rogues were attacking. He saw through Alex's eyes Luc and Troy battling four wolves each and two others were circling Alex.

Oblivious to the watchful gaze of his brothers, he growled low and cried, "Damian, ambush." Rance snarled.

"Already on it. Our betas are on their way, shifted and ready," Damian replied gutturally. They both sprinted for the door.

"What the fuck?!" Jake exclaimed, surprised that Rance just left.

"Let's go." Andrew hurried after Rance and Damian. "Something is going on and I want to get to the bottom of this. Stay here, Devon." His gaze became flinty as his body readied for combat. He did not miss the tension that swept Rance's body in an instant. Only danger would make a calm and collected guy instantly morphed into a seething lethal force. Too many questions needed answering. His gut was telling him that only danger to Alex would cause Rance to react that way.

He'd get answers at last, even if he had to battle for them.

To be continued....

P.S

Thank you all for your wonderful comments, feedbacks and votes. I love hearing from my readers. Good or bad, keep them coming. Also let me know if you want to have updates sooner and would settle to have the chapters shorter, or prefer to have it longer once a month.

Leave me your comments and feedbacks either here or on my blog. I try to post a teaser every month for the next chapter so visit me there also.

Ciao!

-BD



Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 09



A/N

Once more I'd like to thank my wonderful editor Lunarosa for doing a great job in helping me with this chapter. Also, thanks for Mapili50 who did the final proofing and corrected all the missed mistakes. To you both, a million thanks!

To all my readers: thanks for your patience. Enjoy!

Chapter Nine

Growls and sounds of battle ripped through the otherwise quiet glade. Troy and Luc faced off with four attackers each, biting and whirling in a series of motions designed to get the better of their opponents. Both were already bloodied from shallow cuts and bites, but determined to hold them off until their Alpha and the rest of the betas arrived.

On the other side of the skirmish, Alex studied the two wolves accosting her. They were circling and looking for a vulnerable spot where they could launch their offensive. She backed into a big tree, making it hard for the two to get behind her. As they neared, she pounced on the wolf who ventured the closest. With hackles raised, her wolf growled and bared its lethal fangs. Biting hard on the wolf's left flank, Alex shook her head hard. The other wolf bumped and nipped her side, trying to dislodge her. Holding on, she tasted blood. Yuck! She thought with an inward grimace. But she did not let her squeamishness stop her from clamping on and tearing hard on the muscled flank.

Whirling away, she jumped and evaded the other wolf who snapped at her neck. Eyeing her opponents, she tried to come up with a plan to better defend herself. Although tempted to look where Luc and Troy were fighting, she needed to concentrate on the wolves in front of her. One was limping but still raring to get at her. They crowded her into the tree. The uninjured one lunged and swiped its claws at her head. Ducking, she sidestepped and ran into the injured one who promptly barreled into her. Crap! Falling on her sides, she pushed with her hind legs as the other wolf straddled her, raking his vulnerable underbelly with her claws.

The wolf on top of her clamped its jaw on her shoulder. With a yelp of pain, Alex struggled to dislodge him. Biting its ears, she pulled and yanked without much result, just a mouthful of fur.

Her pained yelp alerted Luc to her predicament. Bounding away from his opponents, he threw himself on top of the wolf that had Alex in its grip. Grabbing with his powerful jaw, he punctured its neck and squeezed tightly. Viciously shaking his head, he twisted and broke the other wolf's neck. The wolves fighting with Luc took advantage of his vulnerable flank and converged on them, surrounding Alex and Luc.

Troy saw Luc and Alex's quandary and ran to them. He bit and pulled at one wolf after another, incapacitating them as much as he could.

Alpha, we are in urgent need of reinforcement! Troy let his Alpha and Prime see through his wolf's eyes the dire situation. He heard the ominous growl of his Alpha through their link.

We're coming. Hold them off. The betas I sent will be there in no time. Rance and I are on our way. Damian replied. Troy sensed them moving fast toward them.

Rance used his preternatural speed to overtake the betas, leaving Damian behind.

Damian, try to waylay her brothers. I'm sure they are following behind us. I'll take care of this. Slow them down if you can't stop them, until we've neutralized the situation, Rance commanded Damian.

But -- Damian tried to reason but Rance cut him off.

No buts. Just do what I say. They don't need to see this now. Not until Alex gets to explain everything to her brothers, Rance responded impatiently.

Malik and Thorn can do the explaining. My place is with you and the Regina. Let me do my job, he responded stubbornly.

The excruciating pain in her shoulder was making Alex lightheaded. She was vaguely aware that Luc pulled off the dead weight on top of her. She knew that the wolf was dead because she'd heard the snap of its neck when Luc broke it. Luc was covering her fully, straddling her prone body, deflecting and absorbing all the attacks and snapping his jaws at what he could reach. She sensed that he was badly hurt but continued to protect her valiantly. Even Troy was doing his part.

Rance, Hurry! I don't think Luc could hold them off for long. Luc is weakening. I felt him falter, Alex weakly screamed through the bond. Her torn shoulder was bleeding profusely. The ravaged flesh was red and soaked in her blood.

I'm almost there, Alex. Rance sent waves of love through their link, soothing his mate as much as he can. How about you? I felt your pain. How badly are you hurt? concern and worry laced his voice.

I'll live. It's Luc that I'm afraid for. He's sustained so many bites. Worry and fear were apparent in her tone.

Spots formed in her vision, but she stubbornly held on to consciousness. Alex attempted to lift her head from the ground and nudged Luc off her. Head swimming, she groggily stood and backed into the tree behind her.

Luc and Troy stood in front of her, standing tail to tail and facing off with the wolves left standing. The attack was relentless. As much as she did not want to appear weak and continue to hide between the twins, she did not want to endanger her unborn baby. They were still outnumbered. The wolves kept circling around the twins, looking for any opening to get to Alex.

She saw Luc falter and stagger on his hind legs. Three wolves immediately converged on him. One latched its huge jaws on his neck, and pulled Luc down. Alex howled in anger and worry. She pushed herself off the tree and started for Luc. Seething in anger, she focused her eyes on the wolves, especially on the one who had its jaws on Luc's neck. Suddenly, a tingling originating from her belly slowly spread over her lupine body wrapping her in warmth and making her fur stand on end. A crackling sound like static reached her ears. Suddenly, to her astonishment, all three wolves flew in the air, as if swatted by a giant hand. They flew with such speed that the thwack of flesh hitting trees and ground was audible.

"Alex!!!" Rance's voice reached them before he ran pell-mell into the clearing. His green eyes glittered with apprehension and tension, but upon seeing Alex standing, most of it drained away. Leaving only cold wrath at these wolves who'd dared to come into his territory and try to harm Alex.

I'm fine. Help Troy while I look after Luc, she urged Rance.

Rance immediately shifted to his hybrid form and grabbed the neck of the other two wolves on top of Troy. He slammed their heads together and the crack of their bones sounded loudly, blood and grey matter spattering as their skulls caved in, killing them instantly. Troy immediately dispatched the wolf he was fighting with by violently digging his claws into its soft belly and breaking its neck with his strong jaws.

Alex crouched over Luc's unmoving body. She could barely see him breathe. Nudging him with her snout, she tried to wake him. Luc remained unresponsive. A little panicked, she promptly shifted and yelled "Rance! Troy! Come here! Luc is in serious trouble!"

The two came in wolf and hybrid form. They shifted as they neared her and Luc. Rance kneeled beside Alex, who at that time was cradling Luc's bloody lupine head on her lap.

"How is he?" Rance asked gravely, brows furrowed in concern.

"He's hurt really bad," Alex ran her eyes on Luc's body. It was covered in blood and his fur was torn in places showing raw flesh and muscles.

Troy stood quietly. He still bore some of the battle wounds, but most had closed and healed after he shifted. He knew his twin's condition was grave since Luc hadn't regained consciousness yet. He watched as Rance put his hand on top of Luc's head and willed him shift back to human form. Luc looked so pale. He noticed the long jagged tear on his neck which was starting to scar over, a stark reminder that his brother almost died at the hands of these wolves made his anger simmer. The betas finally arrived with Damian. They took stock of the scene and gathered the unconscious wolves together on one side and the dead ones on the other.

Damian made a call to the Pack clinic for them to bring a stretcher for Luc and other three wolves. The dead wolves would be bagged and cremated later. The unconscious wolves would be taken to the basement for interrogation after they regained consciousness.

"What happened before I got here?" Rance asked Alex and Troy.

The two related the events of how they were already on their way back when suddenly they were surrounded by the wolves. Alex then told them of the baffling detail of how the three wolves were thrown in the air. Rance looked at her curiously. We'll talk of this more later, he promised. Alex nodded her head. Troy left the two, giving them some privacy.

Rance gathered Alex into his arms and breathed deeply, savoring her unique smell. Luna, if anything had happened to her, he would have torn apart these woods and personally disemboweled and dismembered all of the wolves who'd ambushed them. Then he would have hunted any conspirators involved. Kissing her gently on the forehead, he ran his hands down her back.

"Are you okay? I felt your pain. Where did you get hurt?" Rance cupped her face and turned her head left and right. He then visually examined her from head to toe. She looked fine, a little pale, probably from the fright of Luc nearly dying.

"One of the dead wolves bit me on the shoulder, but I'm fine," she gingerly touched where the wound should have been, but was surprised to encounter smooth, unblemished flesh. Her eyes rounded in astonishment. Uncertainly, she looked straight into Rance's eyes. "Shouldn't I have a scar like Luc?"

Rance was running his thumb tenderly over the skin, disbelief and relief warring inside him. "Yes," he replied gruffly. "We heal fast, but we usually bear the scars of the wound for several days before it completely disappears. And for serious wounds such as this, takes a long time to disappear..." He trailed off as he searched her face for clues.

"Could it be...do you think-?" Alex hesitated to speak it out loud since the small clearing was bustling with activity and lupine's hearing was acute.

Quirking a brow at her, go on, he encouraged. He used their mate bond to speak privately since the clearing was teeming with packmates who could easily hear even hushed conversations. Rance held her snugly in his arms.

Before the wolves flew off Luc, I felt the tattoo tingle and warmth enveloped me. Did you feel that at all? Alex sounded so uncertain, still unsure of what was going on in her body.

No, I could only sense your hurt and panic. Do you remember what you were thinking or feeling before then?

I was so mad at what was happening and fearful for Luc. One of the wolves had him by the neck and it was obvious he was going to die. I felt so helpless because I was too far to stop the wolf from breaking his neck. She lifted watery eyes up to Rance, I don't want to ever witness one of my friends dying in front of me if I can help it. Breathing deeply she burrowed her face into his chest and held him tightly. His scent comforted her and his solid presence gave her a sense of safety.

Rance ran his hands down her back soothingly. Allowing Alex to gather her thoughts, and examine everything clearly. After several moments of telepathic silence while everyone bustled around them, Alex finally lifted her head.

I remember focusing on the wolves, and willing myself to go and help. But before I even covered half the space between us, I felt power surge out of me, then those wolves went flying. I think... I believe that I also got healed during that. I recall that I did not feel pain from my wounds anymore.

I thought as much, Rance replied musingly, meeting her gaze steadily. I see the hand of Luna is already strong on our pup. His hand covered her lower belly. His or her power manifested, even inside your womb. The pup must have felt your frustration and anger and reacted by pushing those he or she perceived as a threat. Thank Luna for that. I cannot imagine my life without you in it. I love you, Alex.

I love you too, she responded with her heart in her eyes. They kissed tenderly and held each other in the midst of the chaos surrounding them.

"Will Luc be okay?" Alex asked after breaking apart. She watched as more pack members arrived. They were obviously workers from the clinic since they carried portable stretchers for the unconscious wolves. Two of them went to where Troy stood over Luc. They laid the stretcher, unfolded it and gingerly loaded Luc in. They strapped him in snugly to transport him.

Rance nodded his head, "Yes, he should be fine." Although he answered in the affirmative, his countenance was grim. Usually a shifter wakes up shortly after shifting back, but the wounds in his beta's neck were quite serious. He hoped to Luna that Luc would be fine. Alex would be devastated if anything happen to the beta while protecting her.

Alex brows were furrowed in thought as she took note of the disquiet in Rance. Uttering a short quiet prayer for Luc, she started tugging on Rance's hand. "Where are my brothers?"

"Some of the betas are taking care of them. Don't worry."

One of the betas approached the couple, bowed his head and addressed Rance. "Alpha, we have a problem. Prime would like for you to come to the other side of the clearing."

"Why?" Rance asked with raised brows. "Are there more rogues?"

The beta's eyes flitted to Alex then returned to Rance. "No Alpha, it's not rogues." His gaze flicked back to Alex then bowed his head, "it's one of the Regina's brothers..."

******

Upwind from the clearing, Andrew crouched high up on a branch of a tree overlooking the scene below. With Jake's help he was able to slip their watchdogs and follow the rest of them here. He had to use his tracking ability to follow Rance, but by God he was able to do it without any of their knowledge. From the little information he'd garnered there had been some kind of ambush. To his consternation, he could not find any other casualty except for the scattered wolves and one lone male being loaded in the stretcher.

On the far side, Rance and Alex stood locked up in a tender embrace. Something was seriously fucked up here if wild animals ambushed and attacked humans in broad daylight. And why was Alex taking a stroll in the middle of the thick woods? Besides, he knew there were no wild packs of wolves roaming Ohio. So where did those fucking wolves come from? And how about the unbelievable speed with which Rance moved? Not to mention his uncanny ability to know what was happening with Alex. Andrew intended to find out what the hell was going on, and there was no better time than now.

He climbed down the tree, not even bothering to keep quiet or hide his presence. Even before he reached the bottom, he noticed that several men were waiting for him, including Damian, and he looked pretty pissed. His arms were crossed over his chest and his face scrunched up in a frown that would have put fear in a lesser man. But Andrew was not daunted, he had stared down death on many occasions and one pissed off male would not deter him from finding out what his sister got into. Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission, though I be the lone survivor, for fuck's sake.

Jumping down the last couple of feet, he slowly straightened and faced the welcoming committee. Smiling amiably, he flexed his hands loosely on his sides, readying for an attack if needed. Andrew met the gaze of Damian head on. Blue and steel grey eyes clashed. The tension was palpable in the air. The two betas standing next to them shifted restlessly on their feet. Although smiling, Andrew's stance and flinty gaze was issuing a clear challenge to Damian.

Their silent battle for dominance would have continued on if not for Alex's shout ringing loudly in the quiet of the woods.

"Andrew! What are you doing here? Damn it! You just have to stick your nose in my business. Why couldn't you have waited for me in the mansion?" Alex rushed over, with Rance trailing behind her.

"And hello to you too," Andrew said sarcastically, turning his inscrutable gaze toward Alex. Looking her up and down, he ascertained that she was not harmed or hurt in any way. Breathing through his nose, he let his muscles relax from his battle-ready stance.

"Besides, my business is to make sure that you're okay," Andrew replied without heat.

Stomping her foot, Alex cried, "See I just knew you'd say something like that." Trying to keep her irritation in place was hard, knowing that Andrew was just being himself made it harder to hold on to her annoyance. Even though she was older than he, he had always been protective of her even when he had been physically smaller. Now, with all his training in the military, he took it to extreme levels. It was endearing before, and sometimes infuriating; but now, it was downright dangerous. A whole community of shifters was on the verge of exposure because of her. She had no clue as to how Andrew, or her family, would react once the cat -- er - wolf was out of the bag.

"As you can see, I'm fine." She felt Rance stand behind her and put his hands on top of her shoulders. He squeezed gently to offer his silent support. Looking back at him, she smiled and turned back to Andrew.

"How did you manage to follow us?" Rance asked.

"I tracked you. Even if you made it hard for me to do so," he paused for a second and directed his steely gaze on Rance. "No natural man could move as fast as you can, even if they're Olympic sprinters. So tell me, Rance.... What are you? And what have you involved my sister in?"

Alarm colored Alex's face, as she took a step forward. Rance held her still and shook his head. "Allow me to answer him." Rance put his arm around her shoulder and faced Andrew squarely. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions for me, and I'm willing to answer all of them. But I'd rather take this inside where Alex can be comfortable. Let my men do their job here." Turning, he did not wait for Andrew to answer. Rance knew that he would follow, if not out of curiosity, then out of concern for his older sister.

Andrew followed after Alex and Rance after nodding briefly at Damian. He did not fault the man for being contrary; after all he must be following Rance's orders. He did not sense personal antagonism from Damian. Andrew had no ill feeling towards the man, in fact he approved of Damian's loyalty to his future brother.

******

Anytime now...she mused.

She had bided her time. Watched and carefully observed her captors' routines and activities. Last week, they were agitated for some reason. She'd noticed that the monsters who had snatched her originally were now missing. And today, a bunch of them passed by her cell earlier, talking quietly about a raid they were planning.

Although her captors deliberately fed them as little as possible, probably to control them, she'd noticed that she had more strength than expected. Her eyesight had improved immensely too. She could see clearly in her dark cell and her hearing had become acutely sensitive. Maybe it was the deprivation of her freedom that made her hyper aware or the abominable experimentation that had been done to her and the other women, she was not at all sure. Whatever it was, she knew for certain that she was no longer HUMAN.

Today God had finally answered her pleas. Today was the day she had been waiting for.




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 09



She'd overhead them talking of leaving on a raid...something about alphas and mates. Only two minions would be left behind to guard them. Their fiendish leader had been noticeably absent for some time, she had not smelled his foul odor permeating the underground jail.

Blinking rapidly, she sent a prayer for strength. She would not waste this chance that God had seen fit to give her. She would escape...and kill if she had to.

******

After making sure that Luc was being taken care of in the pack clinic, and the rogue wolves taken down into the basement, Alex and Rance went to the mansion to face her waiting brothers. Rance would let Alex decide how much they would reveal. She knew her brothers better, and he trusted her judgment implicitly.

The tension was so thick in the sitting room, it was almost palpable. Jake and Andrew stood on one side near the panoramic windows. Their usual sphinxlike features now displayed a myriad of emotions ranging from irritation to outright hostility. Devon, on the other hand, was looking with uncurbed interest between her and Rance and his two brothers. It was clear that Andrew had already shared with Jake what he had seen in the woods, although at the moment, neither Rance nor Alex were certain to which conclusion Andrew had arrived.

Rance stood next to the lounge chair where Alex had been ensconced since entering the sitting room. Her mate was exuding calm and comfort, trying to alleviate her anxiety. She was not ready to divulge their secrets yet, but her two brothers were bristling with suspicion and aggression, all directed at Rance.

The tautness of Jake's and Andrew's features almost made her afraid, but she knew her brothers were only looking out for her, since they knew something unusual was at play, more than her getting seriously involved with a man, which was unusual for her. Alex knew it was really up to her to make them understand the situation, that Rance was by no means a sinister character from whom they needed to rescue her.

Her lips twitched as she thought of Rance in his hybrid form appearing before her brothers. They'd probably think him a monster, grab her and start shooting, no questions asked.

Not helping here, Rance gently chided, snapping her out of her reverie. Your brothers are waiting for an explanation and the more we make them wait the more belligerent and unbelieving they will be.

Glancing up at Rance, she thought at him, Oh right. She bit her lips and shook herself. It was not time to be scatterbrained.

Andrew crossed his arms across his chest and waited for Rance or Alex to speak.

"Aren't you going to at least sit down? I'm getting a crick in my neck looking up at you." Alex tried to interject lightness into the otherwise seething tension in the room. Waving her arms toward the seats in front of her, she encouraged her brothers to sit. After both sat down, albeit reluctantly, she tugged her mate's hand and patted the space next to her. "Please?" Rance looked down at her and sat.

"Now that everyone's seated, would any of you want anything to drink or eat?" Alex asked.

"Let's cut to the chase Alex," Jake replied. "What happened earlier? That's what we want to know."

"What do you mean?" Alex hedged.

"Quit dodging. We all saw how Rance here seemed to know what was happening to you. And sis, don't even try to deny it." Andrew trained his gray eyes on her. "I've noticed even during Mom's birthday that you two seemed to communicate without verbally speaking. And when Rance just blurted out the word ambush, I knew right away that I was right in my suspicions." He looked at Rance, "Who, and what are you, really? Is this some kind of cult that you've embroiled my sister with? Alex, are you being coerced or forced to stay here?"

"No!" Alex vehemently denied. "I'm staying here -- with my fiancé -- of my own free will." She grasped Rance's hand and twined their fingers together.

"What in the hell is going on? And why am I the only one who missed all of the excitement?" Devon interrupted. Served him right for listening to his older brothers. He should have followed them and not stayed. Now, he was the only one who was in the dark.

"Yes, Alex. What is going on? Please enlighten us," Jake said bitingly.

"Well" -- She looked at her mate and with pleading eyes, asked his consent to fully divulge their secret. Seeing how anxious Alex got, Rance steeled himself and gave her a curt nod of his head. Rance then kept his gaze trained on her brothers to gauge their reactions to what she would say.

Biting her lower lip and meeting her brothers' gazes head on, one by one, Alex breathed in deep, gathering her thoughts. She knew what she was about to reveal would be too fantastical for her pragmatic brothers. And Devon... well, she didn't even know how he would react.

"You see...ahm...it's kinda hard..." she trailed off.

"Stop dithering. It's not like you to mince words," Jake snapped impatiently. "Just tell us already. If what you claimed is true and you're not involved in anything sinister, why the reluctance to come clean?"

"Okay, okay," Alex threw her hands in the air and swept her eyes over all three brothers. Here goes nothing... she thought.

"Just a warning though. Please keep an open mind. Not everything you believe to be true is really correct. Remember that every day new discoveries are made. Species we might think extinct or mythical sometimes still exist....ACTUALLY EXIST." She locked gaze with Andrew.

How am I doing? she asked Rance.

You're doing fine. Although the way Jake's frowning, I believe he thinks you're once again giving them the run around. Andrew, on the other hand, is staring intently at the both of us.

"You're doing it again," Andrew murmured aloud.

"What the fuck are you talking about now?" Jake said, looking at his brother.

"Those two are talking." Andrew nodded at Rance and Alex.

Devon looked incredulously at Andrew. "How? Like ESP? You're kidding, right?" He looked at his sister and raised his brows in inquiry. "Well? Is Andrew right or wrong?"

Rance couldn't help but admire Andrew's astute observation. He was glad he wouldn't be forced to ensure that Andrew and the rest of her brothers were kept quiet forever about their existence.

"All mated pairs have the ability to communicate telepathically. And since Rance and I are mates, we can talk over great distances. Rance being the alpha also put me in a position of authority in the pack," Alex tried to explain matter-of-factly.  

"Backtrack a little bit," Jake scowled, puzzlement clearly expressed in his brown eyes. Even Devon had a funny look in his face, probably thinking that she was crazy or something.

"Mated? Alpha? Pack?" Andrew burst out incredulously. "Does his cult believe themselves to be animals then? Is that why wolves are freely roaming in his woods? Wait...." Andrew's eyes bored intensely into hers. "Don't tell me you're buying into all this. They're clearly delusional." Steel crept into his voice as he said, "Alex, if you think we'll leave you here, you're sadly mistaken."

Rance had had enough. If her brothers thought they could take her away from him, then they were the ones who were delusional. No one would come between him and Alex, even her brothers. His wolf paced back and forth inside him, antsy at not being allowed to do anything to these men who threatened to take away his mate. The growl vibrated in his chest and his eyes narrowed in warning at the brothers.

Alex looked at him with alarm. Clutching at his arm, she smiled conciliatorily at Jake, Andrew, and Devon.

"What's wrong with him?" Devon asked, unease making nerves skitter up his spine. Rance looked feral and brimming with suppressed violence.

"It's okay," Alex tried to soothe Rance's aggression by sending him loving thoughts and assurance through their link.

"It's my fault. I'm botching up this explanation....there's no easy way to say it. So here goes." She paused and took a deep breath. Smiling reassuringly at her brothers, and casting a wary glance at her mate, "You see we're all shape shifters." Her brothers regarded her with varying degrees of bewilderment in their faces. Shrugging she clarified, "Werewolves to be exact."

A stunned silence ensued for a couple of seconds, as her incredulous claim registered. Jake and Andrew stood up abruptly and took a step forward. Rance stood to meet the brothers, not certain what their intent was, but unwilling to let them get near Alex while he remained uncertain. Everyone started yelling and pandemonium ensued.

The brothers grappled with Rance, thinking that he was trying to keep them from their sister. Rance tempered his strength, not wanting to inadvertently hurt the brothers. Jake swung at Rance while Andrew tried to grab both his arms to incapacitate him. Devon stood next to Alex, not really knowing what to do. Rance pivoted on his heels and dodged both brothers while using his palms to strike them where it would not hurt too much. The brothers staggered away, determination etched on both their faces.

"Bring it on," Jake snarled, as he and Andrew lunged at Rance.

The sudden opening of the sitting room's closed door distracted Rance enough for Jake to land a blow to the side of his face.

"Hey! Surprise! What did I miss?" Everyone in the room froze, except for Alex who let out a shriek of happy surprise.

"Pam! You're back!" Alex jumped up and ran to her friend.

With her hand on the doorknob, Pam zeroed in on Alex, completely ignoring the tableau of combatants in the room. Rushing in, a huge smile plastered on her face, Pam rent the air with an ear splitting scream. Alex and Pam met in the middle of the room, hugging and shrieking their joy at their reunion while the men stared in slack jawed stupefaction.

******

Rance and Damian stood facing the one way mirror, grim-faced. They'd persistently interrogated the detainees since those rogue wolves regained consciousness. The betas took turns beating them again and again, but they remained tight-lipped, belligerent and spat scathingly at them. Rance got tired of watching them defy the betas, so he finally had them chained, dangling from the ceiling in solid silver manacles. The silver burned their skin and sapped their strength, keeping their bodies from healing and regenerating. Splotches of bruises mapped their skins, blood oozed freely from cuts and gashes they sustained from their beatings. They deserved worse than that, but he did not want to damage them so much that they could not tell him the information he needed.

Rance had learned from other Alphas that a coordinated attack was launched, apparently by the rogues, the day before. Most of the female mates of the other shifter Alphas were ambushed. They did not single his pack out apparently, as he thought, but attacked all the large packs, clans, tribes and prides. Fuck if he knew how they managed to learn the schedules kept by the mated female Alphas. Most of the rogues were dead and a handful of the betas were injured.

Thank Luna that none of the mates were taken or killed. Just thinking of what happened yesterday made him want to go in there and just kill them all. His wolf had the same idea, especially since they'd also targeted Alex. Unfortunately, the need to find the head of these rogue shifters became more imperative. They needed to learn the identity of this Pretender before the violence escalated further and got the attention of human authorities.

Still, the reason these rogues gave their loyalty to this Pretender baffled him.

That different rogue shifters had evidently banded together under this Pretender -- lupine, ursine, and felidae -- was something met with dawning horror and anger. This became clear to the Alpha Council in the aftermath of the attacks on the alpha mates, as they apprehended and killed rogues of different species. Some of the rogues that Rance now held housed in the Pack's underground jail were just like the abominations other Alphas encountered. The only reason that made any sense for the rogues' allegiance was that they truly believed the Pretender was the Promised One.

One thing they all could be thankful for was that there were no new killings of shifters or humans that they knew of. The Pretender did all that in the beginning to get the attention of the Alpha Council and propagate his claims. He probably thought that the peace treaty would disintegrate. And once it happened, he could come in and reign in place with his rogue army.

The Alphas were now busy interrogating their own captured rogues. Although the Task Force met to share all information they extracted, they were not any closer to discovering the rogues' lair. Rance and Damian had a theory that they were not holed up in only one spot. They believed the rogues kept several hiding places. Finding one would be a great break in their investigation, and put them a step closer to finding the identity of their nemesis.

Turning his back in disgust, he left the room. "Call me if they disclose anything useful. In the meantime, have the betas continue the search for clues in the pack land and the surrounding areas. They must have used some form of vehicle to get onto our land, if not, then they travelled here as wolves. They would have left a scent trail that we could track." Damian walked with him on his way to the elevator. "I'll join you later when everything has settled down with Alex's brothers."

"How did that go by the way?" Damian asked. "With all the tumult, and Luc being injured and unconscious, I forgot about her brothers."

"Better than expected, I suppose. Pam showing up kept it from devolving into a clusterfuck. Her brothers, in their own way, were just trying to protect Alex, which in hindsight, I could not really fault." He stopped by the elevator and faced Damian.

"Pam's arrival made the brothers stop interrogating Alex. I believe they don't want to involve Pam since they are not aware of how much she really knows. After Pam left, I showed them my wolf. Of course, she also let them know that being my mate, and an Alpha, she also is now a turned wolf shifter, although she did not get into details about how it happened. She thought it best not to shift in front of her brothers, to mitigate the shock of finding about us and give them time to adjust to her being one of us."

"And?" Damian asked, eager to know how the brothers reacted.

"The two older brothers were pissed and alarmed, while Devon was clearly astonished and fascinated. Alex assured them that we're not ruled by our animal half, that she truly loved me and was not being forced into staying. Andrew was quite vocal in his persistence that she needed to leave with them. Alex lost her temper and what happened next was quite unexpected."

"What do you mean? Did she bite them?" Damian asked half-jokingly.

Rance grinned at his friend. "That would be priceless. No, she did not. What happened was, with one look, she sealed their mouths and pinned them both to the wall."

"Huh?" Incredulous eyes met Rance's mirthful ones.

"Honestly. And without touching them either. She just trained those gray eyes on them and zapped! They flew across the room and were pinned to the wall. All of us in the room were shocked immobile. Alex more so."

"Wow..." Damian stared speechless at his Alpha.

"Yeah, wow." Rance smiled at his friend. "At least now I'm confident that Alex can protect herself with the help of the baby inside her."

Shaking his head, Damian thumped Rance on his shoulder, "Well, this tells us that Alex is really carrying the Promised One. Even in the womb, he or she is already exhibiting more power than any shifter."

"True. I never had any doubt after Luc showed us the sign of the Promised One in the Sacred Books of Luna. The tattoo on her belly was an exact copy of the rendering in Prophet Simeon's prophecy. Anyway, after that, her brothers didn't have any choice but to listen to her. So we've called a truce... sort of. They gave their word that they'll behave, they'll closely watch and observe how we truly act and live here on the estate. I have nothing against it, this'll give them a chance to gauge my devotion to their sister. By the way, how is Luc doing? I have not visited him yet with all the excitement going on."

"He's fine. He regained consciousness early this morning. Armand said it must be due to severe blood loss and trauma. If you had not commanded him to shift, he would have died then. He's still in the clinic. Armand wanted him to rest longer, but you know Luc, he's already raring to go and get back to guarding Alex."

"I figured as much. I'm just relieved that he pulled through. Alex would have been devastated. I'll let him know that he needs to follow Armand's orders. I'll go up there now to visit him."

Pushing the button on the elevator, Rance spoke quietly, "Once you're done here I want you to come see me later in my study. We need to strategize on covering more areas in hunting the rogues' den." Rance's voice grew taut with frustration, "We can only hope that Luna will show favor by guiding us to find them."

******

Alex was ready to pull her hair out. Her brothers were being major asses, with the exception of Devon, of course. They'd dogged her steps throughout the day, watching her with eagle eyes, and unnerving her with their silent scrutiny. She conceded that learning about the existence of shifters in the world was not your everyday regular kind of secret. Still, she wondered how long it would take to sink in that they were not monsters ready to devour people and cause undue mayhem to the population. They were just a unique race of people with abilities to shift... and to heal fast...and well... to live long lives. Plus, they knew her; even after the change, her brothers couldn't believe she was a monster, could they?

It was a surprise for her to discover that the ability to will things to happen, as she'd done in the woods, was not just a fluke. Finding this out by pinning her annoying brothers to the wall was shocking to say the least, but the opportunity to let them have it without them talking back was something she did not squander.

And boy did she talk fast in that initial silence. She told them of how she earnestly believed that she was destined to be Rance's mate; that although werewolves were portrayed as evil man-eating monsters in Hollywood, it was not at all true. Alex told them that just like any other race, Weres were also human but for something extra in their DNA, with the same emotions and values, and capacity to be good or bad. That like everyone else, they just wanted to be left alone to live in peace.

Of course, Devon asked tons of questions. Andrew and Jake, pinned on the wall and unable to talk, were forced to listen and cool down. Rance, on the other hand, sat next to her and answered Devon's questions with her.

Most of the questions from Devon, the future doctor, were scientific. He wanted to get a chance to study the unique DNA structure of the Weres. How they were able to shift from human, to wolf, to hybrid? How were they able to lose mass and add mass when shifting, et. cetera, et. cetera.

Rance patiently explained to him that their shifting was magical and had nothing to do with science at all. They had coexisted with humans in the beginning of time and Luna, their Goddess, saw it fit to gift a chosen few with the ability to shift into their animal counterpart.

For now, they'd been pacified. She was certain that Jake and Andrew were still ambivalent about Rance and the whole pack. That they were staying, hopefully, would provide them with the opportunity to truly get a feel and understanding of how the pack lived, and hopefully persuade them that she was not in any danger from Rance and the pack at all. Well, not counting the deranged leader of the rogues, of course.




Shadow of The Wolf Ch. 09



Pam's arrival was a blessing and a curse; in the immediate, she prevented Alex's brothers from asking more questions, but was another full human to prevent from learning their shifter secret, at least for now. She breezed in, said hello to Alex's brothers, and told them to 'stop fucking around,' those were her exact words. She then sidled between Jake and Rance and introduced herself. The disgruntled expressions on Alex's brothers' faces was so funny, Alex could not help from snorting in amusement.

"So, I finally meet the man who had succeeded where other men had continuously failed." Pam smiled coquettishly and ran her eyes appreciatively over Rance. "So, big guy, what is your secret?" She looked behind her where Alex stood shaking her head. Pam cast an impish smile her friend's way, "Besides the obvious, I mean." She looked meaningfully at Rance's crotch, wiggling her brows.

"Pam! Behave." Alex knew her friend would say something outrageous. She did love to shock people.

Walking up to her friend, she lightly shoved Jake and Andrew,who was standing with their arms crossed over his chest, out of the way.

"Later." She told her brothers and they nodded, understanding that they were not yet done with the interrogation.

"I'm behaving. I'm just saying. I know you don't get swayed by a pretty face or the size of a man's pockets. Although Rance here is very pretty and super rich," Pam raised one of her perfectly waxed brows. "So what gives? Suddenly you're in a serious relationship and already moved in with him. You're engaged to be married next month. It's a little crazy, girl. That's why I want to know what is his secret." She turned innocent eyes to Rance.

Rance smiled indulgently at Pam, ignoring the brothers seething in silence in the background. "Simple. She was born to be mine and I to be hers."

Lifting his hand, he urged Alex to put hers in it and laced their hands together. Smiling down at his mate with his heart in his eyes, he said, "She's the other half of me." He faced Pam and said, "And I love her and will devote my life to making her happy."

Pam searched his face, then smiled brightly. "Good enough for me." Pulling Alex in a tight hug, she whispered in her ear, "Wow girl! You really hit the jackpot. Your man is good looking, and in touch with his emotions and not shy about it." Pulling away, she said loudly, "Congratulations! Isn't there any champagne to drink around here?"

Rance called Frank and asked to have a few bottles of Dom Perignon Cristal Brut 1900 brought to the sitting room. Hurrying to do Rance's bidding,, Frank brought the bottles and popped the corks. Giving everyone a flute full of the smooth and delicate bubbly, he departed. Pam raised her flute and in a ringing voice said, "To Rance and Alex!" then drained the content of the glass, as they all followed suit.

Pam went to both Jake and Andrew and exuberantly hugged them both. "It's good to see you boys in one place. Sorry I missed your mom's birthday." She walked over to Devon and ruffled his hair affectionately, "So how is school? I hope you're not slacking. I'm sooo looking forward to having you as my doctor in my old days." She winked outrageously at the blushing Devon.

Growing up, Pam had been a regular visitor in the Grants' home, so she was comfortable with the brothers. The Grant siblings considered her an adopted member of the family, more like a pesky older sister who played all kinds of practical jokes on them when they were growing up. Pam stayed through the rest of the afternoon, catching up with Alex's brothers' lives and sharing humorous anecdotes of her trip. She left after eating dinner with them. She'd spent the whole time chattering away and basically monopolizing Alex's and her siblings' time and attention. The brothers trailed after them as she gave Pam a brief tour of the mansion and the surrounding grounds. Pam was due to come back next week and stay longer. Her friend came to surprise her straight from her business trip. And according to her, they would leave again immediately to finalize the business that took her away in the first place.

Only after Pam left did Andrew and Jake forcefully demand a full explanation. After pinning them and closing their mouths off, she had Rance shift so they'd see for themselves that they were not in any way delusional, and that they truly were shifters. Shocking her brothers might be the only way for them to take it all in. She knew that, given time, her brothers would learn to accept and love her new family. For now, however, she had to put up with their wariness and vigilance.

She hoped they'd get over it soon though, since the wedding would take place in less than three weeks. She would not put it past her brothers to get it in their heads to kidnap her just to get her away from Rance. She wondered how her parents would take the revelation once she told them the truth. She could only hope that they would respond differently than Andrew and Jake.

For now, she was happy that her brothers were busy down in the gym. Some of the pups they'd met were sparring with them, probably taking the mettle of the young pups, so she took the opportunity to escape to the garage. Not that she was left alone, of course. She knew that Troy and another beta stood guard right outside the bay doors. She figured she'd start working on the 1959 Austin Healy 3000 that Rance bought for her the previous week. It was a restoration project that she was looking forward to; she did love restoring old British cars.

The body of the car was intact and did not look that bad; a few rust spots here and there. She would strip the paint and sandblast all the rusted parts and see if they were still good to use, and if not, then she'd order new parts for it. For the moment, she had taken out the engine and was busy cleaning it and inspecting for any bearings that needed replacing.

On the other side of the garage, Raphael was busy tinkering with his Mustang. She had given him a few pointers on rebuilding the engine, but left him alone to do it himself. She figured he would feel better working alone.

Alex, ma petite. Rance broke into her thoughts just as she was immersing herself in the work before her.

Huh? She replied, hands still busy with the dismantled engine.

I heard your brothers are busy with the pups down at the gym.

Did you now? She replied with amusement.

I went down there to confirm. And it seemed like they were all having fun beating each other up. So, since you're all by yourself, I'd love to have you join me for an early lunch here in the arboretum. The weather is great for a picnic. I've got all your favorites. Rance enticed her by sending a vision of a wicker basket sat open on one end of checkered blanket with a lavish spread of food under the sheltering canopy of a tall apple tree.

Wow. You've convinced me. Just let me clean up first and I'll come over right away.

Rance chuckled, I knew you'd come.

Was there any doubt? With my appetite on overload, I'm constantly hungry anyway. Add in the appealing presence of my mate to share the meal with, then I'm totally sold.

Alex went to the bathroom in the garage and cleaned off the grease covering her hands. She hailed Raphael, and told him she was off for an early lunch. The young pup waved back and thanked her for her advice earlier. Her bodyguards met her at the open bay doors. Obviously Rance had told them where they were going already. Troy fell into step beside her while Xander walked behind the couple. Looking over her shoulder she motioned him to join them. Smiling, Xander acceded to her request.

"I saw Luc this morning. He looked better." Alex broke the silence as they walked to the arboretum.

"Yeah. But his stubborn hide won't put up with the coddling. He wanted to go back to guarding you," Troy answered with his usual good humor.

"Oh, he can stand to rest for at least another day. I'm not planning on taking a run in the woods anytime soon. And I doubt if your Alpha would let me away from the mansion without him anyway."

"A good point there," Troy replied, "but try telling that to my brother. Armand had to threaten him with silver manacles to keep him from leaving the clinic."

"And how did he take that?" Alex asked.

"With less aplomb than you'd expect from my normally composed sibling." Troy grinned.

Shaking her head at the obvious enjoyment in Troy's voice, she turned to Xander. "How was the interrogation going? Did you find out anything new?"

"Unfortunately Regina, they are proving to be closemouthed and stubborn. The Prime had been relentless but still nothing," Xander replied efficiently.

They chattered on about inconsequential things until they reached the entrance to the arboretum. Then the two betas halted and stood on each side of the entrance, making it clear to Alex that she was to enter alone. Nodding her head in thanks, she smiled and waved at the two.

"I don't think you need to stand guard. I'm perfectly safe with your Alpha. You can go and ahead and get lunch too."

"But --" Both Xander and Troy argued.

"No buts. As your Regina, I command you to go." She stopped long enough to pierce them with her gray eyes.

Nodding, both Troy and Xander retreated and headed back to the mansion.

"And don't come back until I call you," she added hastily at their retreating backs. Pausing in their stride, they looked over their shoulder and nodded.

Alex turned and entered the arboretum. She sensed Rance's approval as she picked her way through the trees. She saw him standing tall next to the spread blanket, looking oh so scrumptious. She never got tired of looking at his masculine form.

Rance wore a grin. He knew what his mate was thinking, and he approved wholeheartedly. He ran appreciative emerald eyes over Alex. Dressed simply, she exuded a raw sexuality that never failed to make him hard as a rock. Even now his erection tented his pants. Rance shifted to give room to his elongated cock. There'd be time to satisfy his carnal hunger. The sensuous glint in Alex's eyes indicated she was as famished for him as he was for her.

They started the morning with him eating her delicious pussy out and making love, their passion for each other was growing every day, with no indication of diminishing.

"Come, ma petite. Your lunch awaits." He waved his hand at the food spread out on the blanket.

With a carefree laugh, Alex launched herself at a run at Rance, jumping into his arms at the last second. Rance braced himself as Alex jumped, easily catching her. Her laughter and enjoyment were contagious. His mouth quirked in a smile and twirled her around several times before letting her down slowly. Her body slid down sensuously over him. She did not miss the hard evidence of his desire poking at her upper belly. Looking up at Rance from under her lashes, she smiled and rubbed up and down on his erection. Alex lifted up on her tiptoes and then slid back down low enough so his crown got abundant pressure from her mound.

Rance's breath caught at the pleasurable feeling of his mate's body rubbing him. The delicious smell of her honeyed depths stirred by the gentle breeze, ramped his desire more. His wolf yipped in satisfaction at its mate's demonstration, it was akin to her wolf lifting her tail and baring her sex to her mate.

Grabbing her tightly, he muttered, "You minx. Stop or we won't enjoy the lunch I had the kitchen staff prepare for us." He kissed her ravenously, belying his words.

"We can enjoy it later," she panted in between kisses, "after we have satisfied a more carnal appetite." Rance was peppering her face with tiny kisses. Then he lapped at her lower lip and insinuated his supple tongue in between. Alex closed her lips over his tongue and sucked hungrily, letting her own tongue slide and tangle with his.

She enticingly ran a finger up and down his tented pants, still amazed at the heft and length of her mate's erection. Not content, she lightly grasped his cock through the fabric and squeezed rhythmically. Rance clenched his jaw and fought valiantly to keep from sweeping the food off the blanket and laying Alex down.

His mate needed to eat; it was a mantra that he repeated in his mind on and on to leash his rampant desire. Alex's tinkling laughter broke through his preoccupation.

"Alright, I give in. You can feed me food, but after that your ass is mine." Alex smirked at Rance.

"I'd gladly satisfy all your cravings, my sweet." He replied with a twinkle in his eyes. "But remember, your body demands more fuel, since you carry the baby inside you. And it's better not to wait to eat until you're hungry." He sat at the corner of the blanket and watched Alex take off her shoes and plop herself down.

Alex appreciatively inhaled the appetizing smell emanating from the food in the middle of the blanket. Rance took a plate and piled food into it. Smiling her thanks, since her mouth was presently occupied with chewing the food in her mouth, she watched Rance make a plate for himself. The heat of their desire simmered between them as they ate. It was banked for the moment, but could flare up at any given time.

They talked quietly about the situation with the rogues, touching briefly on Luc's status and the how the pack was receiving her brothers. Devon was exuberant in his pursuit of scientific explanations on the shifter's existence and difference with humans. Her other two brothers on the other hand were noticeably cautious, and diffident in their interactions with the pack.

After eating, they packed the food away. Rance lay down and motioned for Alex to lie next to him. Extending his arm out, he urged her to use it for her pillow. Willingly, Alex complied and rested her arm across his chest. The quiet thump of his heart lulled her and the vibration of his voice relaxed her enough that she fell asleep.

The rhythmic breathing of his mate clued him to the fact that she was now peacefully sleeping in his arms. He pulled her snugly to his side and pillowed his head on his fisted hand. It was a beautiful day to spend with his mate. If only it was not marred by the constant concern about the rogues, and this Pretender.

******

"Here, put her in this bed." Dr. Armand Marchal urged Malik, who was holding the unconscious girl.

Malik gingerly laid her down on the pristine white sheets covering the narrow hospital bed. "Do you need any help with her?" he asked the doctor.

"No, I can manage. One of the pack nurse will help me with her." He took his stethoscope and listened to her heart and lungs. "What happened to her?"

Malik shrugged his broad shoulders, "I have no idea." He nodded briefly at Nita who sidled next to Armand to assist with the girl. "We found her at the edge of the pack lands. She was slumped in a heap, naked. She smelled shifter...and yet not. Obviously not from our pack. I thought it best to bring her here to get medical attention. Maybe she belongs in another pack or pride."

Armand motioned for the nurse to take the girl's blood pressure while he inspected the bruises, cuts and contusions covering her body. "She was badly beaten."

Nodding his head, Malik kept his gaze on the girl on the bed. "I assumed so. The Alpha would want to learn of her, he doesn't condone brutality of any kind. She also smelled off..."

Sniffing delicately, Armand could detect a tang of something unidentifiable in the girl's system. She gave off shifter scent of undetermined breed and something else, "I know what you mean. Did you tell the Prime yet? I know the Alpha is quite busy with his brothers in the estate in addition to the Alpha Council."

"Yes. He will be here anytime now. I called him on my way here after finding the girl. He's busy with the rogue prisoners."

"It's a little convenient for her to be found near the pack lands. Do you think that she's in any way connected to what's happening now?" Armand raised a valid point, one that Malik had pondered on the way to the clinic.

"I thought of that too. If so, then she might be the break we're looking for. She could shed light on the mystery of this Pretender."

Nodding his head, Armand looked at the pitiful picture the girl made on the narrow bed. She looked half-starved. Lacerations and bruises covered her from head to toe. He would not be surprised, after he gave her a thorough exam, if he were to later find out that she was sexually violated. Only the most brutal of creatures could do something like this, true monsters who didn't have any conscience or shred of humanity.

"We'll clean her up and treat her injuries. When she regains consciousness I'll let you and the Prime know."

Nodding his head, Malik turned and left the room. He'd stay until he talked to Damian. The girl's scent reminds him of the rogues incarcerated downstairs. He knew that the fortuitous discovery of the girl would prove helpful to their pursuit.

Seeing his Prime bound out of the elevator, Malik went to meet him.

"Prime," he nodded.

"Malik," Damian acknowledged his beta. "What do we know of this girl?"

"Nothing really. She was naked and covered in bruises. No identification or possessions we could find near where I found her. I've already asked to have her prints run in the police database, and also her likeness in any missing persons cases."

"Good. Anything else?"

"Armand is now attending to the girl. He'll let us know of his findings once he's done."

"Good enough for me." Turning, he walked towards Luc's room. "Let me know when the good doctor is ready to talk to me."

******

The delicious wet heat that covered her throbbing left nipple pulled Alex from a dreamless sleep. The rhythmic suckling had a direct effect on her clit, zapping electric pulses to her hungry core, shaking the haze of sleep from her. Digging her fingers in her mate's thick, luxurious hair, she pushed gently at the back of his head, urging him to take more of her mound. The slurping sound was music to her ears.

She felt the cool wind touch her naked flesh, and realized with surprise that Rance had stripped her, and himself, bare. How he managed to do it without her waking up was a surprise. She felt his marauding hands skim down her sides. Pausing at the lower curve of her breast, he let his heat soak in as he feasted on her rosy nub.

Alex writhed, frustrated at the slow progress of Rance's hand. She wanted his hand on her....she needed his hand in her, NOW! Letting her frustration leak through their bond, she grasped blindly for his hand and directed it toward her soaked slit. She could feel her juice leak out and wet the juncture of her thighs.

Rance would not be hurried. He kept his hand's movement languid. Skimming over Alex's smooth skin, he nipped her when she grew insistent and tugged persistently at his hand. She moaned breathlessly as the sensation of his teeth heightened the pleasure coursing through her. Holding on to his massive shoulders, she bent and retaliated by nipping sharply at the lobe of his ear.

"No fair," she murmured. "I'm dying here."

Rumbled chuckles reverberated out of his throat. "I don't think so babe. If anyone is dying here, then it's me." Rance rubbed his turgid rod on her thighs. It was hard and throbbed in tandem to his pulse. The crown glistened with precum and was sensitive to touch.

"What's stopping you then?" Alex asked teasingly, opening her thighs wide for him. "I'm willing and ready. So come and fill me up," she groaned throatily.

Dipping his hand into her mound, he pried her lips open with his finger. "Oh yeah, juicy as ever. I love the smell of your desire. It's ambrosia to me. I could spend hours sipping from your pussy." Rance inserted one finger into her juicy cavern. The wet sucking sound was such a turn on for him as she clamped down on his digit. Pulling out, he watched in rapt fascination his finger dripped with her honey. He then proceeded to paint her nipples and her lips with her nectar. Satisfied at his handiwork, he bent his head and ravished Alex's luscious mouth.




Shadow Of The Wolf Ch. 10



A/N:

I'd want to apologize for the long wait to this chapter. My muse took a hiatus. Thank you all, my faithful readers, for being patient with me and for sending me your comments and feedbacks, while I was in a lull.

Once more I want to thank my wonderful editors: Lunarosa and Mapili50 for their assiduous and priceless help in this chapter.

Enjoy!

Chapter Ten

Alex tumbled once again as Jake hurled her onto the mat. She had been working out and training with her brothers every morning since they came to visit. It was early yet, so the gym was free of the pups who usually loitered and worked out on the other side of the mat, where all the weights equipment were located. Rance and Andrew were standing to the side. Andrew had a frown creasing his brows, arms crossed over his big chest, as he watched Alex roll nimbly to her feet.

He and his brothers had been on the estate for several days. The wolf shifters, as he had observed, were reservedly open and friendly to them, although he could sense they were also wary of their presence in their midst—as they should be, since he and his brothers were humans. No doubt, if they were not related to Alex, their knowledge of pack's existence would have signed the human brothers' death warrant. He would not delude himself that these beings are as they seemed. He was too cautious not to assume they were half-beast, therefore were likely prone to the instincts of their feral side. Any animal threatened in any way would lash out, so wouldn't these seemingly normal beings if put to the test?

Watching Alex interact with Rance and the inhabitants of the estate almost eased his vigilance, but just one show of animosity toward his sister, and all hell would break loose. She may think that she's a mighty alpha with all these mysterious powers, but to him, she was still his sister who needed his protection. That thought brought him to his present concern, prompting him to quietly ask Rance, "Shouldn't she be taking it easy?".

"What do you mean?" Rance asked abstractedly, keeping his eyes on Alex as she attacked Jake with a series of punches and kicks.

"Aren't you concerned about the baby she's carrying? I wonder if this level of activity is good for her in her condition.".

The tone of Andrew's voice pierced Rance's absorption in observing Alex. He didn't like the way that Andrew was implying neglect of his mate. Turning completely toward his mate's brother, and his emerald eyes brimmed with annoyance and a touch of anger.

"I care about Alex more than you can comprehend. One way of showing my care is ensuring her ability to defend herself, if necessary. We are a hardy bunch; there is no danger to her or the baby in her womb. Our females are not fragile or prone to miscarriage as humans are."

"I still don't think it wise to risk it. Even if she is now a shifter with a hardy constitution, what if because she was once human she should therefore take more care than a normal female shifter in her condition?"

Rance looked thoughtfully at Andrew, trying to gauge if he was just being aggravating or sincerely concerned of his sister's welfare. After some moments of quiet consideration, Rance appreciated the wisdom of Andrew's words. He abruptly nodded and acknowledged the wisdom of his advice. Much as he was certain that Alex was perfectly safe training and working out even carrying the Promised One, he'd not risk his mate's and pup's health on it.

Turning once more towards the mat where Jake and Alex were sparring, he sauntered casually towards the two.

"Alex, it's time to take a break," Rance called out mildly.

Alex glanced at Rance with a questioning look. Usually Rance would work her out till she was ready to drop. Her sparring with Jake did not even cause her to break into a sweat yet.

"What's up? We're just getting warmed up," she asked Rance once he'd reached her. Jake looked on with curiosity, but not much interest.

"I just thought we should cut it short since your parents are coming today, remember?"

"Yeah, but that's not until later. If I know Dad, he'll take his time driving down here. And besides, they'll be staying till they leave for their trip to their European cruise next week."

Andrew joined them, "I believe you should take it easy considering your condition, don't you think?"

"Huh-?" For a moment Alex was at a loss as to what he was talking about, until she realized that he was hinting at her pregnancy. "Oh! But I doubt there's any danger."

"Are you completely sure?" Andrew persisted.

Looking up at her mate's face, she tried to discern his stand on the matter.

"I guess it won't hurt to be cautious," she finally conceded, albeit reluctantly.

Taking her hand, Rance steered her away from the mat. "We'd better get Armand to look at you again." He handed her a towel to wipe off as Alex fell in step with him, leaving her brothers as they got ready to spar.

"I'll see you guys later for breakfast!" she called out over her shoulder to her brothers.

With an absentminded wave from Andrew and a grunt from Jake, she hurried off with her mate.

"What's going on?" She demanded, after they were out of hearing from her siblings.

"Nothing," Rance responded with a casual air.

Alex stopped abruptly and yanked at the hand Rance was holding. Turning, Rance looked back at her. "What gives? Usually, you won't get satisfied until I've rolled more than a dozen times on those mats. And now, I've barely broken a sweat. So --?"  

Sighing, since he knew he Alex would persist until she got her answer, he finally told her of his conversation with her brother.

"Andrew pointed out that since you were a newly turned human we should take better care of you in your condition."

"In my condition?!" Alex shook her head in a show of frustration. "For your information Mr. Big Bad Wolf, human women don't just stop working out or training the minute they find themselves pregnant. And what does my brother know about pregnant women anyway? Unless a woman had health problems or has trouble carrying to term, she continues to do normal and regular things in her life. Besides, I'm now a wolf shifter. Our constitution is way better than that of a human," she huffed.

"I know. But I thought we should go and visit Dr. Armand to be truly certain. I'm not going to make you stop training. I just want to have an expert's opinion to put my mind at ease, not to mention your sibling too," Rance quietly replied.

Lately Alex had exhibited a short temper and a marked increase in her libido. She got frustrated fast and her aggressiveness tended to flare hot. Although the episodes were short lived, it was becoming a concern for him. Maybe it had something to do with her rioting hormones and pregnancy, maybe not. Seeing the pack doctor would be a good opportunity to find out about it.

"Well, okay. As long as we're clear that I'm not going to stop altogether until my belly gets too big for me to do so."

"Agreed."

Rance put his arms around Alex's waist and started walking again towards their suite. They met several pups on the way to the basement and their greetings of good morning echoed in the hallway. Alex and Rance responded and nodded in acknowledgement but did not stop to chat with them. Once they reached the landing at the top of the stairs, Rance turned to Alex.

"We might as well stop over and see this mysterious girl Malik found, since we're going to the clinic. She's been up and awake for several days now but refused to talk to anyone. Maybe you could coax her to talk to you."

"She's the one they found in the woods, right?" Alex asked.

Rance nodded briefly. "Yes. She's been battered badly. I still need to know her connection with the rogues. And believe me, there is one. She smelled distinctly of them when she was first brought in. But she refused to say anything. Not even her name. I can understand that she had been traumatized, but we can't help her if she would not tell us anything."

"I can try." Alex felt bad for the girl. She'd heard of the extensive abuse the girl had suffered physically. Although the physical wounds would eventually heal and fade away, the mental and emotional wounds would take longer to heal and probably scar more deeply than the physical one.

"I also need to go find out how the interrogation is going with the captured rogues."

"I think you should take my brothers to observe and maybe help too," she suggested.

Rance stopped in his tracks and looked at Alex with skepticism, "I don't think that would assist us in any way. We've been at it for a couple of days now and still they refused to give up even the identity of their leader. If your brothers get involved, the rogues would only clam up more."

"Why?" she asked, arms akimbo. "They are highly trained professionals. I'm sure they could give you a hand. Sometimes a new pair of ears and eyes gives new perspective to a problem," Alex trained narrowed eyes at Rance, "and I'm dead certain they could be trusted, if that's what concerns you."

Rance face was carved in granite. No glimmer of emotion showed in his face or eyes. If she were not intimately connected to him, she would have been deceived into thinking that nothing was bothering him. As it was, even tempered slightly, their connection seethed with his repressed aversion in getting her brothers involved in shifter business.

With a sigh, Alex wrapped her arms around his waist. "They are my brothers, Rance. They are not just random humans who are not privy to our secret. Besides which, their leave is almost up," peering up at him, she looked pleadingly. "I trust them...I'd willingly put my life in their hands. I think it's about time to hand them a measure of trust, don't you think? You've seen how my brothers are very protective of me. Once they learned that those rogues pose a danger to me and mine, there would be no stopping them. So why not let them help?"

She nuzzled his chest, "Your invitation to observe and help would serve a long way in assuring them of your trust. Please, for me?"

Rance hugged her to him, "I hope you're right." With a resigned sigh, he let his arms fall away.

"What the hell," he grumbled, "I'll let Damian know we're all coming then. Well, go ahead and take a shower. I'll be up after I informed -," he paused as Alex frowned disapprovingly at him. "After I NICELY asked your brothers for help," Rance amended.

Alex beamed up at her towering mate. "I know I'm right. You'll see."

Turning, Rance retraced his steps to the basement gym. All the while muttering to himself, "Pussy whipped...never thought to see the day...."

Laughing behind him, Alex yelled, "I heard that!"

Watching his impressive form disappear as he rounded a corner, she finally turned and entered their suite. She'd go ahead and take a shower and get ready for the day.

She couldn't wait to go downstairs and eat breakfast, her rumbling stomach demanding nourishment. Patting her belly, she smiled and thought of the baby growing inside her. Hey squirt, the way you make me want to eat constantly would upset me if I got huge as a house. Good thing shifter metabolism burns a lot of calories and I can eat and eat and not get any fatter.

******

"What was that all about?" Jake asked as he circled Andrew.

"Huh? About what?" Andrew replied.

"Fuck that! Stop being deliberately obtuse, I don't buy it." Jake jabbed Drew on the stomach. Andrew blocked and delivered a roundhouse kick that connected with a dull thud on Jake's side.

"Ooomph!" Jake staggered but immediately regained his balance and faced off with the grinning Andrew.

"There's nothing to tell."

Shaking his head, Jake advanced on Andrew and delivered a combination punches and kicks.

"Yeah, right. As if I'd believe that. I may not be gifted with your INCREDIBLE perception, but even a blind person can sense something going on." Jake's voice dripped with sarcasm.

He smirked at his older brother, "And here I thought you are one jarhead who's oblivious to subtle signals. I clearly remember your former girlfriend complaining that you're hopelessly clueless all the time, unless it has anything to do with sex, that is."

With perfect precision, Jake delivered a kick on Andrew's left side and punched his solar plexus. Failing to block both attacks, Andrew lurched on his feet. With a glint of determination on his eyes, he advanced on Jake and circled, looking for an opening.

Jake smiled with satisfaction. His little brother was pissed. Drew had always been serious and exacting, especially with himself. His failure to block would make his brain analyze each tiny detail and catalog it for future reference. With a smirk, he crooked his finger, "Come on, squirt, give me some challenge here." He loved it when his brother took the bait.

Andrew's muscles tensed in preparation for his attack when Rance's voice rang out, "Jake, Andrew, can I talk to you both for a second?"

Turning, Drew raised his brows in inquiry. "Sure," he replied, after a small pause.

Jake and Andrew walked up to Rance, curiosity evident in their faces. "What's up?"

"My mate, er- Alex, had suggested that maybe you could help us out with some matters. That is if you're interested."

"Alex said that, huh?" Jake looked at Rance's face. He could see that the man was not fully convinced of the proposition. Andrew's brows were furrowed, which was a bit telling. Jake wondered what secret these two shared.

"Does it have something to do with the attack?" Andrew asked.

"Yes." Rance replied tersely. "So if you would get yourself ready, I'll meet you in the dining room and we'll go after breakfast." Nodding, Rance walked away from the brothers.

Andrew and Jake shared a look. Both knew that Alex had put Rance up to the task. Neither believed that the proud Alpha would ask a mere human to help with pack business. But if it has anything to do with the attack on Alex, they were more than willing to help.

Devon approached his older siblings. A towel was slung on his shoulders as he wiped the sweat off his body from working out with the gym's machines.

"Hey guys, are you done beating each other up? I need someone to spar with me. I haven't had a decent training on the mat since I started college." Seeing that both brothers were seemingly oblivious of him, he waved his hands in front of their faces. "Hello! Earth calling Jake and Drew..."

With an air of preoccupation, both Jake and Andrew turned to Devon. "Sorry, Dev. But it seems like your mat time will have to be postponed for now." Jake patted him on the shoulder.

"Why? It'll take thirty minutes tops to put me through my paces. Come on guys, you've never shirked your duties in training me before." Devon said bemusedly.

"Sorry kid. Rance had invited us to observe, and maybe help them out with some matters." Andrew responded.

"Can I come? I'd love to see the wolves in action."

"You have to ask Rance, then. I'm not even sure what's going on yet." Andrew said.

"Come on. Let's get ready and see what the mystery is all about." Jake nodded at his brothers and started for their rooms to get ready.

******

Luc was happy to finally get the all clear from Dr. Armand. His forced inaction chafed greatly. It would have been bearable if he was able to study more about the Promised One's prophecy, but the ancient books were too precious and valuable to be handled outside the temperature-controlled archives room where the pack kept them. So, he spent his time in the clinic hashing out the dilemma in which he found himself mired - - after Alex visited him that fateful day.

He was ordered to take it easy both by Rance and Alex, so he was left with a lot of time on his hands. It was a good thing too that Alex stayed mainly in the estate since her brothers were visiting, so he did not miss much.

The day he regained consciousness would be indelibly imprinted in his memory. That was the day that he knew his mate existed. The delicious aroma, although faint, woke him from his torpor. His senses flared up and awoke a great need in him to locate the source of such an enchanting aroma, so naturally it was startling to find his Regina gazing down at him when he finally opened his eyes.

When Alex came to visit him in the clinic, his usually inactive cock chose to wake up and take notice. He secretly squirmed as his tool slowly elongated and throbbed in tandem to his accelerated heartbeat. Initially, he was bemused and alarmed at his reaction to Alex. But, as his brain started to function, he realized that he was not reacting to Alex; instead, his undiscovered mate must have rubbed her scent on his Regina. Thank Luna, he'd thought, as Alex, unaware of his dilemma, regaled him with the events after the ambush.

Discovering that Alex's brothers and best friend came to visit, Luc was equally elated and horrified to realize that the delicious smell that made his cock as hard as steel could only belong to Alex best friend, Pam. It was a good thing that he was nowhere near the mansion when Pam arrived, or she would have found herself bedded and mated in no time. He totally doubted that it would be all peachy after the initial mating, although, he was certain that it would be hot and intense. From what he had gathered, his mate was one feisty female that relished her sexuality and was not ready to settle down any time yet.

Now the question was how would he get his mate ready for shifter mating? She was human and he was not sure Pam would be as open to the paranormal as Alex. She was also a career woman who'd carved a position in a cutthroat environment. He did not want to make her resent him in the end, because of what she might perceive as a 'forced' mating. Not that he'd heard of a true mating ending in disaster...but there's always a first time, and he did not want to be the exception that proved the rule.

Maybe he should tell Alex. She was Pam's best friend after all, so she knew Pam better than anyone. At least he would have some idea how his mate would react. He only hoped like hell that Luna knew what she's doing mating him to Pam. As far as he could tell, he and Pam were polar opposites.

Trailing after the Alpha and his mate with her human brothers as they walked to the Pack Clinic, Luc wondered when would be the best time to broach the subject with Alex. He believed Alex would love the idea of her best friend becoming one of them, but he would have to contend with Alex's brothers who had adopted Pam as one of their family.

Just thinking about the complications that would arise with his mating made his head throb in pain. Grimacing, he reprimanded himself for not being grateful for Luna's gift. Some wolves lived and died without finding their mate, and here he was grousing about his great fortune. Taking a deep breath, he resolved that he would show his mate, when they finally mated, how precious she was to him.

A nudge on his shoulder broke his line of thought. "What's got your boxers in a twist?" Troy asked curiously with his trademark smirk. He'd noticed that his usually unruffled brother was oddly tense and exhibited a seesawing emotion of borderline giddiness to trepidation that bled into their twin bonds. He wondered what was causing Luc distress.

With a placid look, Luc shrugged and kept walking.

"You're more broody and reticent than before the ambush, are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," Luc grumbled. "Just have a lot of things on my mind lately."

Troy grabbed his twin's arm, making Luc stop and stare impassively at him. He took the time to watch Luc's eyes carefully. Shaking his head, he dropped his hand, "No, you're not fine. Something is bothering you."

"Of course something is bothering me. What with all these attacks happening, who would not be bothered?" Luc responded cagily as he looked away from Troy.




Shadow Of The Wolf Ch. 10



"Besides that," Troy waved a dismissive hand. "There is something going on with you and you're hiding it from me." With a penetrating look, he grinned lopsidedly, "No matter. I'll get it out of you somehow, you'll see."

Irritated at Troy, Luc turned his back and kept walking. "Leave me be," he grumbled. "Come on, we'd better move before they get way far ahead of us."

"Hmmm, I see. Are you sure you're the real Luc? You're grumpier than a bear that's awakened from hibernation. What would cause my calm and collected brother to become so erratic, I wonder?" With a considering look on his face, he kept paced with Luc until they reached the Clinic.

Just as they stepped inside the clinic doors and before Luc got the chance to dodge him, he spoke thoughtfully. "I know I get like you when I don't get laid for a long time...but you're not like me, and can actually go without action, which to my belief, is quite an aberration." A dark scowl was Luc's response to that.

With a thoughtful look on Troy's face, he continued. "The only thing I can think of for this mood is when a mature wolf has found its mate, but the mate is just too young and has not reached his or her sexual maturity yet to be... mated..." With speculation in his eyes, his words trailed off and the smirk on his face slowly disappeared. Luc's face reddened and a brief flare of panic showed in his eyes before he managed to shutter it from his brother's scrutiny.

Amazement and incredulity clear on his face, Troy grabbed Luc tightly on the shoulder before he could make his escape. "When -? How -?" He nearly shouted.

Luc breathed a deep sigh. Leave it to Troy to be so dramatic. There was no way to keep his secret now if he didn't make his brother vow to keep a lid on it. He saw his Alphas stop and look back inquiringly at them upon hearing Troy's exclaimed questions.

"What's the excitement?" Alex sauntered closer. "I for one would welcome some good news." Alex asked of the brothers, eagerly.

Luc glared at Troy, reminding him through their twin bond not to open his mouth. 'It's my secret to tell. And I'll let them know when I'm ready.'

'I concede that, brother. But don't you think that it's a great gift to finally find your mate? I for one am happy for you -- scratch that, I'm overjoyed that Luna had blessed you with a mate.' Troy responded with all seriousness.

'I know but let me handle it my way first.'

'Agreed. But please don't take so much time, this is not an obscure language or prophecy that you need to study. It just is. Accept it and you'll be happier.'

Nodding his head, Luc turned to Alex and smiled briefly.

"I've been favored by the Goddess with a gift. Although at the moment I don't really know what to do with it."

"Huh? You don't say? Is it some kind of power? Did she visit you while you were unconscious? Is that how you found out about it?" Alex was so excited for Luc that she couldn't help wearing a silly smile on her face.

Rance considered his beta. Seeing the disquiet and uncertainty reflected in his eyes, Rance wrapped his arm around Alex shoulder and slowly turned her back towards the hallway. "Luc will tell us what it is when he is ready to do so. Let him figure it out first." Nodding back at his beta, Rance said, "Remember that Luna knows what we need. So whatever it is, rejoice that you are one of her favored."

"I am ... I will." Luc said solemnly, nodding at his Alpha.

He watched Rance and Alex walk away, and then followed discreetly behind. Troy was looking at him quizzically but remained blessedly quiet for once.

Alex and Rance decided to split up once they got to the banks of the elevator. She went ahead upstairs to visit with the mysterious girl, while he and Alex's brothers went down to the basement where the holding cells were. Luc and Troy continued on with Alex. Once she was done visiting with the mystery girl, she'd follow downstairs, as would they, her faithful security detail.

The door to the girl's room was open and Alex saw her sitting up in the hospital bed with pillows propped up behind her. The girl was staring blankly outside the glass windows. Watching her, Alex noted that she was on the petite side. The girl had short spiky blonde hair that seemed to defy taming as it stood on end on her head. Alex couldn't really tell what she looked like since her head was turned away from the door. Her slight frame was almost dwarfed by the hospital bed. Her arms still showed some faint bruises, but over all she looked good for someone who'd been found battered as hell and half dead.

Clearing her throat, Alex knocked at the open door. She knew the girl was aware of their presence, since they'd determined she was a turned shifter, and thus probably smelled as well as heard them arrive before Alex even knocked. The girl slowly turned and trained guarded bright blue eyes her way.

God! She's just a baby, thought Alex.

The girl's face looked so innocent and young but her eyes were full of torment and pain. The girl blinked and immediately shuttered her emotions but her eyes belied the turmoil seething behind the bland façade she strove to present to them.

"Hello. It's good to see you up and about." Alex took a couple of steps into the room. "I'm Alex," she smiled gently and pointed behind her where the brothers remained quiet. "And these two are Luc and Troy."

The girl looked from her to the two men behind her. The flare of panic was immediately extinguished, but the sour smell of fear lingered even after she mastered her reaction.

"It's okay. We're not here to hurt you. We want to know how we can help you." Alex did not attempt to come any nearer since she sensed that the girl felt cornered somehow.

With a reassuring smile, she asked, "Would you like them to leave? I just want to visit with you for a little bit. Would that be fine?"

The girl nodded her head and trained her eyes on the men.

'Go. Leave me with her. I'll be fine.' Alex urged the brothers.

'As you wish, Regina. We'll be right outside the door.' Luc answered for them both. Nodding their heads at the girl, they walked out and stationed themselves right outside.

Looking uncertainly at Alex, the girl's lips curved in a slight smile. But other than that, no other sign of welcome was extended.

"Do you mind if I come nearer? I'd love to get to know you more." Alex slowly walked forward and sat on the chair next to the bed after the girl nodded her head.

"You know my name," Alex smiled. "Would it be too much to ask for yours?" The girls shook her head and ducked her head, as if hiding from Alex's gaze.

"Grace..." She said so quietly, "my name is Grace."

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Alex kept her tone as mild and soothing as she could. She kept a smile on her face to appear less intimidating. She didn't have any experience dealing with traumatized people. All she knew was that their experiences would leave them broken and fearful for some time. Hoping that by presenting herself as an ally and friend, it would encourage the young woman to open up.

She'd read somewhere that it helped some victims to share their painful experiences. It would be like lancing a wound that had been festering and finally letting out the infection that was causing the infection. It would be painful for sure, but ultimately helpful in the healing process.

This girl sitting before her had suffered untold abuse. She was strong enough to elude her captors and escape in the woods. Fate and Luna had led her here to Alex's pack.

Alex was a strong believer in destiny. Rance and her mating was a great example.

Alex believed that this girl was destined to find her way here to the Estate. To what purpose, she did not know yet, but she would do her best to assist her in finding out in any way she could.

Looking at the vulnerable girl, Alex felt a strange affinity for this waif of a girl-woman. Although her conversion was not marred by violence, they both were humans prior to becoming shifters.

An inner prodding made her compulsively project comfort and tranquility to the abused girl as she sat quietly by her bed. She hoped it was working, because she didn't know what the hell what she was doing. Though bumbling in the dark, she felt the power flow out of her. She hoped that the child in her belly know what he/she was doing, because she certainly didn't.

Alex sat without speaking. She watched as the girl's stiff posture slowly relaxed and the haunted look around her eyes diminished.

Grace kept her gaze fixed outside her window, having no idea what to make out of the woman in the room with her. She sensed that in her flight for freedom, she had stumbled into a place inhabited by beings like the one she had left.

Leery of them when she first woke up, she had later on concluded that these beings didn't seem to want to harm or hurt her. Still, doubt cast a long shadow over her mind as to whether she should trust these people or not.

On the other hand, their female Alpha exuded a calming presence that silenced the shrieks of terror in Grace's brain. Having Alex sit quietly in the same room with her acted like a balm to her broken spirit.

Alex watched and patiently waited for Grace to say something else. She figured she'd wait the girl out and let her volunteer any information without any pressure from Alex. If Grace shared her experience of her own volition, then she'd be on her way to healing.

Several minutes passed. The girl on the bed did not fidget or show any sign of restlessness. On the contrary, she seemed to relax more and her eyes began to droop. A slight smile curved Alex's mouth. She'd heard from everyone that Grace was incapable of relaxing and shedding her guard in the presence of anyone. They'd even had to resort to sedating her to get her to rest more.

Finally, Grace's even breathing and closed lids revealed she had succumbed to the arms of Morpheus. Alex stayed a little bit longer. She heard Luc approach and turned just as he poked his head in the room. Putting her finger in front of her lips, she mimed "quiet", and inclined her head towards the sleeping girl. With a smile, Luc nodded.

Alex stood and walked out of the room, quietly closing the door behind her. She waved her hand for Luc to precede her down the hall. Deciding that they were far enough away not to disturb the girl, she stopped.

"Something wrong?" asked Alex. Luc shook his head. "Are my parents here already then?"

"Not yet. But Rance requests your presence down in the basement. He would like to have your take on the progress of the interrogation downstairs."

"Why didn't he contact me himself?" Irritation was rife in her voice. Rance could have told her himself through their bond.

Luc appeared uncomfortable answering her, "Ah... He said that you have your walls up again."

"Walls --?"

"He could not get through the block you've put up."

"But I did not..." She trailed off and closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she looked inside herself to determine if she'd unconsciously thrown a wall to prevent her mate from connecting with her. Deep in her psyche she found it, but it did not appear to be one she would usually put up. Her mind blocks ordinarily looked like a brick wall. This one appeared to be made out of hard faceted glass. It was more like a diamond really, shiny and slick in appearance. Her bafflement grew into alarm, thinking that someone was manipulating her mind. Following the signature thread of power, she was surprised to discover it was coming from their tiny offspring.

'You are full of surprises, little one.' Alex mindspoke to her baby with affection.

A gurgle of sound that she interpreted as giggles echoed back to her. Satisfied that it was not someone sinister, she left and blinked her eyes open to see Luc studying her closely.

Arching one of her brow, she smirked at him. "Everything's fine. It's just an idea of a joke from this one here," she patted her belly.

Luc's eyes rounded in surprise and awe, he opened and closed his mouth like a fish on land. It was so comical to Alex that she started laughing at him.

"Care to share the joke with me?" Troy said, as he joined them.

Shaking her head, Alex linked her arms with both of them, "It's nothing Troy, just me having some fun with staid Luc here. Let's go and see what the big bad wolf wants."

"Huh?" Troy asked bemusedly.

"Rance. Your Alpha, hence the Big Bad Wolf." She grinned.

**********

The four men standing facing the one-way mirror watched grim-faced as the rogue slumped unconscious as he hung in chains on the wall. The rogue had been disgustingly uncooperative and downright defiant at times.

"Any suggestions on how we will proceed? Torture doesn't seem to faze them at all." Damian said quietly.

"Everyone has a breaking point, you know that," Rance replied. "We have to keep going short of killing them. We need to find the weakest one," he said thoughtfully.

Andrew and Jake stood listening quietly as the two men conversed.

"The other alphas had the same result. They were unable to extract the whereabouts of the mastermind's hideout or lair," Damian reminded Rance.

"I know. But we have more at stake here at the Estate."

"What do you mean?" Jake interrupted.

Shaking his head at his Prime, he looked at Alex's brothers with his penetrating gaze. The two refused to lower their eyes and remained locked in a silent battle of wills with Rance. Damn if he'd let these two humans butt their noses into pack business. Granted they were Alex's brothers, but if they continued to ruffle his fur he'd bite a chunk off their hides.

He gave both a toothy smile rife with promise of pain. Neither blinked, much to his surprise. Even the hardiest and toughest wolf shifter trembled in fear when Rance trained his eyes on them. These humans had balls of steel to not be intimidated by an apex predator who could kill them in a blink of an eye. Not that he would -- of course. He could not help but have a grudging respect for Andrew and Jake's silent courage.

Vaguely, he heard the ding of the elevator arriving. He scented the delicious smell of his mate. The bond snapped into place again and he felt Alex's presence nearing. Breaking his gaze with the brothers, he swung toward the closed door to the hallway.

'What took you so long? And why did you block our link? Good thing I could still sense you or I would have run upstairs thinking something was wrong.' Rance mindspoke to Alex as she stood framed in the doorway.

'Hey! It was not my fault. Blame it on your pup. He or she thought it funny to block you from me. Alex replied with mirth. Why? Did you make any progress yet?'

'The pup did it?' he asked, incredulity laced with healthy amount of pride. 'As for our progress here, there's not much to tell.'

Rance smiled as Alex entered the room flanked by Luc and Troy. He lifted his hand and waited for Alex to take it. Twining their fingers, he drew her to his side and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"How was the visit with our mystery girl?"

"Quite interesting," she scrunched her nose at him. He thought it endearing and cute. "She told me her name and she actually fell asleep while I was there," she said with an air of excitement.

"And this is progress, how?" Rance asked.

"All the days that she'd been conscious, she refused to talk. And they had to resort to drugging her to get her to relax enough to sleep."

"Remarkable...." A speculative gleam entered his eyes. You're not telling me something you think is important.

She grinned triumphantly at Rance and regarded everyone in the room with them. "When I was talking to Grace -," she broke off when Rance lifted a brow at the name. "The mystery girl's name is Grace." She explained to the room at large. "Anyway, I felt this need to project a sense of security and peace. So I did. And guess what happened? It worked!" Alex claimed excitedly.

"How?" Andrew asked. "Is this another thing that came with becoming a shifter? If so, why not just compel those rogues there to tell you what you want to know?"

Alex brows knitted, not knowing whether she should tell them that it wasn't really her, but the baby inside her. She looked up to Rance for guidance.

"Not everyone is gifted with this ability." Rance explained. "I can compel any wolf shifter to change because that comes with the territory of being the Alpha. But I cannot compel them to do anything else against their will." 'Except my mate of course.'

'I heard that!' Alex responded.

'Not that I would do it again. Unless, of course if was is for your own safety and protection, then I would do it without remorse'. Alex canted her head in assent. Not that she would give Rance reason to compel her obedience.

"Is this the first time you've tried it?" Jake asked with interest.

"Yes. Why?"

"Maybe you can use your mojo with these rogues then. I gather they haven't made any progress, even with the help of those silver manacles." Jake told Alex.

"Huh? I'm not so sure," she looked uncertainly at the rogue shifter in the other room.

"Come on Alex, at least try. Were there any adverse side effects you experienced after you did what you did?" Andrew prompted.

Swinging her gaze back at her brother, "No, not really."

"So what harm would it do if you practice on him?" Jake dipped his head toward the slumped rogue.

"I guess I can try," she said rather reluctantly. Alex was not even sure if she could command it. All she knew was that she felt a need to project at that moment. How could she help if she was unsure herself?

Rance turned her to face the mirror. The chained rogue was slowly stirring to consciousness. She watched him blink at the bright light trained on him. Seeing the two enforcers in the room, he slowly straightened and glowered evilly at them. A smirk curved his split lips.

"You'll not get anything from me or any of us," he spat scathingly. "Your days are numbered. The Promised One will exact vengeance. Blood will pool aplenty as he ascends and your so-called Alpha Council will be no more."

"What is he talking about?" Alex asked, confused.

"They are claiming that the shifter they're following is the Promised One of Luna," Damian answered.

"B-But that's impossible!" Alex replied. Rance and Damian nodded while Andrew did not miss the certainty in Alex voice.

"They are a delusional bunch, Alex. We know that. But they believed whatever drivel this Pretender fed them," Rance said. "I don't like the timing of this. Neither do I like the coincidence of his claims." 'Especially with our baby confirmed by Luna as the Promised One'. Rance whispered in their link.

Alex grasped Rance's hands tightly. She was now more fearful for her baby. Yes, Luna had given the baby powers. But a baby was no match against an army of deranged shifters, which were not thenormal run-of-the mill variety, but monstrous and hideously grotesque perversions of shifters.

Rance patted her hand and kissed the top of head. "It's okay, Alex. Remember, Luna's on our side." He smiled down at her as he cupped her face and caressed her cheek tenderly with his thumb. "So, are you willing to give it a try?"

There was no way she'd let her baby be harmed if she could help it! The attacks before were not just centered on their pack alone. Once the existence of the real Promised One surfaced, this lunatic would surely do everything to try and kill her baby. It had tried to kill her before, and rampaged through her home when it couldn't, to destroy Rance and presumably thereby destabilize the Alpha Council; and that was without even knowing she carried the real Promised One!

Laying a hand where her baby rested inside her womb, she sent a promise to protect the tiny life with all of her being. She felt Rance's warmth behind her before his arms enfolded her. His big, capable hand joined hers as they lay protectively over the tiny life inside her body.




Shadow Of The Wolf Ch. 10



'We'll keep our baby safe. Our pack will lay down their lives to keep our baby safe,' Rance avowed.

'I know,' she met Rance's glittering eyes and held them for a moment. 'But if I can do something now to make certain of our child's safety, then I'd willingly do it.' Looking back at the rogue behind the mirror, she steeled herself for what she needed to do.

Finally, Alex nodded and took a deep breath. Cleansing herself of all tension and uncertainties, she sent a silent prayer to Luna for guidance and help. Alex hoped that this would finally help them get the information needed.

She mentally nudged the life inside her, asking for help and cooperation. Not knowing if the baby could actually understand words yet, she also sent pictures in her mind through her connection, letting the baby know how important it was for them to accomplish this feat.

'Okay we're in it together. So help me, okay?' Alex asked Rance.

Rance flooded their connection with approval and the pride he felt for his mate. He was humbled by her courage and willingness to do what needed to be done. Hopefully with this newfound ability, they would acquire the identity of this Pretender.

He pushed a tendril of her silky curls off her face and tucked it behind her ear. Rance looked intensely at her upturned face and kissed her on the brow. With a slight quirk on his lips, he breathed on her ear, "Always."

Electricity arched between the two as their heated gazes locked in complete understanding. They were completely oblivious to the people in the room with them. Lost in a world of their own, Alex started to reach for Rance as he, in turn, bent to her. An exaggerated fit of coughing and clearing of throats by her brothers broke them apart.

Alex's face turned red, mortified that she had forgotten they were not alone. She smiled sheepishly at her brothers. She felt Rance solid's presence next to her and looked up at his face. As usual, his face did not show any emotion at all. She tapped into their connection and felt his irritation at being interrupted.

Hiding a secret smile, Alex turned to her mate. "I'm ready."

Rance waved his hand at Damian, "I want you to be in that room. You do the questioning."

Nodding, Damian left right away and seconds later entered the adjacent room. He placed himself to the side of the rogue to give the people in the next room in full view of the rogue.

"I'll take it from here," Damian told the two betas. The two men stepped back and stood to the side.

Rance turned Alex so that she faced the mirror. He stood behind her and cupped her shoulders.

'Would you want me connected with you while you try this?' Rance asked Alex as he rubbed her arms.

'I'd want that. Maybe if you'd channel your powers to me we could make it work the way that you want it to.' She looked at him over her shoulder.

"Andrew, Jake, can you tell if they're lying or prevaricating?" Alex asked.

"I had some training in interrogation, but I'm not sure the same markers in detecting lies could be applied to shifters, sis. After all they are a completely different species. They may not respond the same way humans do," Jake answered.

"I'm a trained sniper in my QRF team, Alex. So I have no knowledge of how this works, but I'm willing to help out in any way I can." Andrew said.

"I know, Drew. But still, you're the most observant and intuitive of all my brothers. So I value whatever contribution you can make." Facing forward once more, Alex nudged Rance. "I'm ready to start."

Rance opened his link with his Prime. 'Damian you may proceed.'

Rance felt Alex tense under his hand as she tried to tap into the ability that would compel the rogue into telling them the information they needed.

'Relax. Don't force it. Let the power flow through you.'

'What if I mistakenly influence the betas in the room too? Remember what happened in the dining room the first day I joined the pack?'

'Don't think of failure. You can do it. I'll help you. Rance let his essence flow through their link.' He meticulously weaved their powers together.

'Alright, now try to picture a free flowing brook... try to center your power and direct it towards our target.' He felt the gradual building of the power and magic inherent within their bond. It slowly grew in strength as the luminous color of their essence bonded together. In his mind's eye, the strands of his power glowed deep vibrant blue while Alex's were a shimmering scarlet. The strands twirled and whirled together as they weaved themselves into a rope of power.

Strangely, he saw another strand appeared and inserted itself into the weave. It glowed iridescent gold and silver. The new presence joined their mate bond and made the weave stronger, more tensile, as it pulsed more magic and power into the bond.

'Wha -? Who?' He exclaimed as more raw undiluted energy and power rushed through them than he had ever experienced before. Alex clasped both his hands and lowered them to her belly.

Rooted to the floor, Rance felt the power pitch and swell as it gathered momentum.

"Don't worry. It's the baby," Alex whispered quietly.

"By Luna!" Rance murmured in awe.

Everyone in the room was astonished as flickers of light appeared to surround both Rance and Alex. Soon, the couple started glowing as they were surrounded by the shimmery sparks. The light grew in intensity until they were fully engulfed by it. The almost blinding light seemed to pulse with a heartbeat of its own. In a flash, it arced into the next room, penetrated the glass and hit the chained rogue straight on the center of his chest.

Like a marionette being jerked back by a string, the rogue shuddered and lurched in place. The beam of light spread outward from his chest, to his head, torso and limbs until he was fully enclosed by it.

Without any prompting from Damian or the betas in the room, the rogue started talking fast. Revealing information they'd been asking him and his cohorts for days. He spewed addresses of the locations of their various hideouts and dens. He divulged experiments done converting many humans recruited by the pretender, all of whom were of criminal element blinded by the promise of wealth and power. He exposed their plans to impregnate women and raise their own armies of shifters to overthrow the Alpha Council.

Finally, he told them of shifters who had joined them secretly but had remained active in their packs, prides, clans, and tribes. These shifters were the ones who felt scorned by their ruling council or slighted by their Alphas. Those shifters were the ones who fed the Pretender valuable information as they acted as spies for them. As to the whereabouts and identity of their leader, he remained ignorant.

After the outpouring of information, the light slowly died down. Rance still had his arms wrapped around Alex as the light finally blinked out.

"You guys okay?" Andrew cautiously approached the couple, who remained stationary.

Blinking, Alex turned to Andrew, "Yeah, we're fine."

Rance squeezed Alex and let her go to turn to his betas. "Luc and Troy, have our computer experts search for the owners of the addresses given to us. We'll also form a team to storm the nearest hideout."

"Shall we inform the other Alphas?" Damian asked as he walked in.

"Yes. I will inform them of the latest development. I'll place a conference call and let all the other Alphas know. Meanwhile, find out everything you can about those properties. There will be some paper trail that would link our Pretender to them, I'm sure."

"How soon do you want to do the raid?" Damian asked.

"Tonight," Rance answered grimly. "I don't want them to have more time to regroup. I'm sure this Pretender is aware that some of his followers were captured. Time is of the essence. If we could mobilize our betas right now I would do it. I don't want to go in blind into any situation, and needless death could be avoided once we have the floor plans of the place... I don't want him to slip through our fingers, Damian. I refuse to have this Pretender threaten my family and my pack."

"I understand Rance."

"We'll go with you." Jake volunteered.

"No. I can't risk you." Rance replied immediately.

"We are trained warriors, Rance." Andrew added. "We know how to follow orders and work as a team."

"You won't be fighting normal men. You'd be facing shifters that are three times stronger and faster than you are." Damian said.

"Are you completely invulnerable? Immune to bullets?" Andrew asked.

"No. But unless you hit a fatal shot, shifters could still inflict damage that could kill a normal human."

"Then we'll make sure our shots count then." Jake nodded to his brother Andrew. "Just give us good, reliable weapons and we'll try to keep away from the frontlines of the battle. We'll try not to engage in hand-to-hand combat."

Alex was a little concerned, but she knew her brothers. If they had made up their minds to help, they would find a way to do it even without Rance's approval. She felt Rance's questioning gaze on her. He was waiting for her decision. They were her brothers after all. With a sigh, she looked at Rance and nodded her head.

"Alright, but whatever I say goes." Rance fixed steely gaze on both Jake and Andrew. With a nod, both agreed.

*********

Rance quietly opened the door to their suite. He had just finished his conference call the Alpha Council, informing them of all the possible lairs and hideouts of the Pretender. His team of computer experts and young Raphael are now busy tracking down the identity of their nemesis. Now they could try to trace him through the properties' ownership.

The Alphas had all agreed to move in tonight in a synchronized raid. After finalizing strategies of the operation, he thought he'd seek out Alex before her parents arrived. Seeking her presence in the mansion through their bond, he found her somewhere in their suite, and from their bond he gathered that she was having a quick nap. Lately, she'd sneak a nap after lunchtime.

Dr. Armand had assured him that everything was fine and she should keep up her routine. He cautioned on shifting when she reached her sixth month. Otherwise, she could engage in training as long as she didn't get thrown around too much.

Crossing the room on quiet feet, he glimpsed his mate sleeping peacefully in the next room. He stood silently drinking in her beautiful features and ripe, voluptuous shape. Rance thanked Luna for the wondrous and priceless gift of his mate.

His eyes devoured her as she slept, unaware. He would never get tired of looking at her. A slight smile curved her luscious lips as she quietly snuffled. It made him smile in turn. She looked so innocent and serene in her slumber.

Love and carnal hunger rose in him. He had vast experience in the latter. The former emotion was quite new to him. His heart overflowed with the unaccustomed but welcome emotion. He thought himself complete before he met her, but his tiny mate proved him wrong. Sometimes he felt like he was fumbling in the dark dealing with her, but he was learning a lot and learning fast. His mate may look soft and delicate, but underneath laid an iron will and heart of steel. She never backed down from challenges and never let her weakness limit her in any way. He hoped and prayed to Luna that he could keep her from any of the harm that seemed to surround and threaten them.

Savage hunger rose quickly at seeing his mate. Her delicious smell wafted to him and instantly made him hard as stone. Walking quietly, he approached the sleeping form of his mate. He listened to her rhythmic breathing and the steady beating of her heart.

Alex had taken off her shirt and jeans and was now clad in a chemise and thong on top of the duvet. It showed her generous curves, ready for ravishing. Rance's ardor rose swiftly. Quickly divesting himself of all his clothing, he stood staring at Alex. The globes of her breasts were pushed to overflowing as she slept on her side. The curve of her hips and buttocks was enough to make any male salivate with a desire to squeeze and fondle each creamy mound. He briefly palmed his pulsing hardness before crawling gingerly on the other side of the bed.

Kneeling at Alex's side, he bent his head and nuzzled the fragrant skin on her hip with his nose. Gently nibbling on the soft flesh, he slowly meandered, laving all the way down to her full ass cheeks. He gazed appreciatively at the twin mounds. Skimming his finger lightly at the crevice, he traced the thong bisecting her bountiful cheeks, following it down between her thighs. Already, her pussy was getting wet for him.

Rance rubbed his cheeks lightly on her supple ass then ran his nose down the crack of her ass. Lingering on the aromatic opening of her pussy, he lightly pushed his tongue out, tasting the wonderful juice of her arousal. Alex moaned in her sleep as his saliva mixed with her cream. Not content with tasting through the fabric of her thong, Rance pushed aside the material with his insistent tongue. He was instantly greeted with the undiluted sweetness of Alex's excitement. Her sweet musky flavor exploded on his tongue, causing his cock to throb in need. Sitting up, he positioned himself behind Alex.

Putting his nose at the juncture of her neck and shoulder, he inhaled deeply, taking in her unique and captivating scent. His hungry body grew rigid and his erection nuzzled the crack of her ass, seeking succor. Rubbing back and forth, he let his cock tunnel between the luscious mounds of her hind cheeks, bumping now and then at the top of her slit, grazing her clit.

Alex undulated in pleasure, but remained asleep. Though lost in slumber, her body recognized Rance's as her nipples grew taut and her pussy secreted more honey. Savoring the smell of his mate's arousal, Rance's nose flared in appreciation. Much as he wanted to lap at the font of her juices, he wanted to wake his sleeping beauty slowly. So he contented himself with slowly trailing kisses on her jaw and down to her neck, licking and lapping the salt and sweat off her skin.

His big callused hand drifted down her arms and curved over her slightly rounded belly, carefully caressing the slight mound where his pup rests.

Alex moaned in her sleep when Rance pulled and sucked on her skin. Eyes fluttering open, she smiled seductively at the feel of Rance hands cupping her heavy breast. Turning her face towards him, she blinked and met smoldering emerald eyes.

"Hello, Beauty," Rance rasped in her ear.

"Is that my new pet name?" she asked huskily, grabbing the back of his head and tilting hers on the side to give him more access. Her breath caught when he nipped and licked the mate mark.

"I thought it appropriate, yes," he replied with a smile in his voice. His hands pulled on the straps of her chemise. Grunting in frustration when the straps caught on her arms, Rance let his claws emerge and ripped them off.

"And I see that you're playing the role of my Beast then," she tsked at her ruined chemise.

"I can be whatever you want me to be," he murmured against her fragrant skin, running his lips up the beginning of the slopes of her abundant breast.

"Hmmm...definitely...my Beast." She sighed as his warm mouth closed over one distended nipple. Rance alternated between the two breasts, sucking strongly and nipping at her sensitive tips. The pain-pleasure of his rough caress brought her fast to the brink of orgasm. Tunneling her fingers through his lustrous hair, he pulled him to her breast more. "Rance," she pleaded, "more..." She felt a tug on her hips and the slither of her thong being pulled away from her body. With lowered eyes she saw Rance fling the scrap of silk behind him.

Rance moved on top of Alex. Nudging her legs apart, he made a cradle between her supple legs for his bulk. He did not immediately join their bodies together. By the way Alex was squirming, and by the dewy wetness of her pussy lips, he knew she was ready to be dominated by his iron-hard rod.

Locking his gaze with hers, he demanded, "Tell me what you want." He breathed on her lips.

Alex stared deeply into his eyes, seeing the same feral need to join their bodies, she pulled his head down and nipped his lobe. After swiping it with her tongue caressingly, she breathed, "Take me...possess me...make me yours...in all ways."

His eyes flared savagely. Taking her mouth in a hungry kiss, he surged forward and buried himself deep inside Alex. Her walls welcomed his domination as it wept lubrication and clasped at him tightly. Both breathing raggedly, they stayed locked for a brief moment, savoring the initial unity of their flesh, They exchanged a passionate kiss, tongues dueling and twining, then Rance pulled slowly out of Alex. Alex's arms and legs tightened reflexively on his neck and back. Undeterred, Rance pulled until only his knob was inside her. Gliding back in, he set a leisurely pace. Tunneling in and out of her, he let his tongue engage hers at the same time.

Panting and sweating, Alex clung to his muscular shoulders. Rance alternated between driving fast and pulling out slow. He ground his hips, making sure the root of his shaft brushed Alex's clitoris constantly. The pace he set was maddening. Every time he ground himself deep in her cavern he hit her cervix causing exquisite pleasure-pain to shoot deeply through her. Alex arched in intense bliss as she exploded in climax. Her walls clung and gripped Rance's length so tightly that it was almost painful for him to withdraw. Seeing that she had reached her pinnacle, Rance proceeded to hammer into her.

Alex screamed his name as her orgasm rolled endlessly. Sweat dripped down on her as Rance pulled out and flipped her to her stomach. Alex braced her body up on her hands and knees, as Rance positioned himself behind her. He palmed her ass and pussy. With hands wet with her fluid, Rance traced her rosette. Alex's breath caught in her throat.

Rance dipped his fingers into her soaked sheath, fucking her with them briefly, then placed one at the opening of her anus. He crooned at her as he gently inserted a finger. Keeping herself relaxed, she pillowed her head on her folded arms. Jutting her ass up in the air, Alex spread her legs wider for him.

"You're so wonderfully tight.... Relax and let me get you ready for my cock."

"Just be gentle," Alex said.

"I'm not hurting you, am I?" Rance kissed her spine.

"No, just feels different."

"You look so fucking beautiful," Rance breathed reverently. He kept kissing her back while he inserted another finger into her tight passage. Trailing one hand under her hip, he located her clit and gently fondled and rubbed it.

"Yesss..." Hissed Alex.

"Feels good? Wait until I get inside you, babe." Rance promised as he scissored his digits inside her. Alex started moaning as the feeling of fullness intensified. She was a little apprehensive, since Rance was huge compared to a normal man but she trusted him implicitly.

Rance nuzzled her asscheeks and nipped gently at each globe making Alex jump. Feeling his slight smile on her skin, she pushed her rump back at Rance. With an apologetic lick, Rance ran his wet tongue on the abused skin. Loving the piquant sweet taste, he proceeded to drift to her aromatic crack. Pulling both cheeks open, he watched her anus and pussy wink at him welcomingly. Bending, he breathed in her addictive smell and proceeded to rim her puckered hole aggressively.

He inserted his tongue in and out of her, letting his saliva coat Alex's anus and anal canal generously. Knowing that his huge size would prove to be a challenge to get into his mate, he dripped his saliva into her canal to further lubricate her. The healing properties in his saliva would also help.




Shadow Of The Wolf Ch. 11



A/N:

First and foremost I'd like to thank all of my readers who have waited patiently for this chapter. Thank you for sending all your encouraging feedbacks and messages. It helped me get off my butt and continue Rance and Alex story.

And of course, I want to thank my ever helpful and awesome editor Lunarosa. Thanks for your time and help with the story, and for injecting your own brand of humor.

Thank you Willie for proofing SOTW.

Enjoy!

-BD

Chapter Eleven

Even the dark of night could not hide the wretched appearance of the ramshackle house that might have been a large homestead, had neglect and nature not taken its toll on the property. The house, or what was left of it, stood almost fully covered by ivy, thick weeds, and small trees. Several sections of the roof had caved in and one side had a large, gaping hole. Some previous owner had added pillars to the front of it, probably an attempt to make it look more like an Antebellum plantation house. However, just like the rest of the house, the verandah was rotting and barely holding up the roof to which it was precariously attached. The outlying barn and buildings were overgrown with vegetation and looked as dilapidated as the house.

The place looked abandoned. Only the unmistakable stench and the sickly miasma of evil that permeated the location and the worn trail in the tall grass indicated it was inhabited by the rogues. Rance was confident, however, in the accuracy of the information the captured rogue spilled in the face of his, Alex's and the baby's combined essence and the power of the Promised One exuded by his pup in utero.

Rance and Damian waited at the edge of the forest as the betas and enforcers got into position. His scouts had counted at least ten different rogues come and go in the past two hours prior to them getting there. He was alarmed at the proximity of this lair to the Estate. Admittedly, thousands of acres separated the properties, but still, Rance's previous ignorance of the rogues' place, so close to his family and his Pack, grated on him.

The occasional call of the nocturnal birds and animals foraging in the forest were the only sounds to be heard. The weres moved stealthily and quietly as they waited for the signal to swarm the place and commence their attack.

The scents carried by the slight breeze confirmed that the rogues held female humans. The strong metallic smell of human blood worried Rance. He hoped like hell that the female humans were not too far gone to rescue. Based on Grace's condition when she first reached the Estate, these rogues did not deserve any leniency. For her grevious injuries, physical and emotional, they merited the just desserts he and his Packmates was eager to mete out.

Knowing that the element of surprise was on their side, the Pack soldiers made sure they approached the isolated house downwind. Rance didn't want them to be sniffed out by the rogues even before they were in position, making it more dangerous to the female human captives. After ascertaining that everyone was in position, Rance looked up. Above them, Jake and Andrew were perched on a tree branch. Alex's brothers were camouflaged and ready with powerful rifles to pick out rogues who might try to flee. Jake gave Rance and Damian a thumbs-up, while Andrew tilted his head in acknowledgement.

Giving the signal, they swarmed the building. Running with fleet and sure feet, they made their way down to the basement. Most had already shifted in hybrid form in preparation for battle. Rance and Damian remained in their human form. Being the Alpha and Prime, they were powerful enough to partially shift when needed.

Rance led the attack, followed closely by Damian. Encountering two rogues immediately after entering the house, Rance dispatched them quickly with a slash of his shifted hands, severing their jugulars in a spray of blood.

Not even slowing down, Rance ran down the rickety stairs that led to the bowels of the house.

The basement was empty and dark as night, but it was not a deterrent for the shifters who could see clearly, even in the dark. Rance saw a narrow tunnel dug on one of the basement walls on the far side of the room, leading away from under the house. Using his senses and tracking the stench of unwashed bodies and cloying air of misery, he signaled his betas to follow as they broke into a fast lope.

Soon enough, after rounding a corner, the tunnel branched into two. The smell of human despair was strong on the left, mixed with the faint scent of the rogues, while the stench of rogues came from their right. Not wasting precious time, Rance instructed three of his betas to free the frail female humans and escort them safely out of the lair, while the rest of them continued on to confront the rogues.

As they got nearer to the heart of the den, Rance's acute hearing picked up an argument between the rogues.

"...that is bullshit! How much longer do we need to wait?" one rogue growled in anger.

"We wait as long as we need to until the right time presents itself!" another answered brusquely.

"We've been in this shit hole forever! I want what was promised to us! We were promised money, pussy galore and freedom to do what we want against those who think they are better than us," yet another broke out aloud.

"If he was truly the Promised One, why have our attempts to snatch those female mates been a complete failure?" another continued, snidely. "We've lost a lot of our soldiers. And now there are only a handful of us left."

"Shut your mouth!" the second rogue continued. "All you are concerned about is your damned promised money!" He spat in disgust. "Why do you complain so much when you get to fuck those sniveling females anyway?"

"There's no satisfaction in dipping your dick in holes already soiled by another," another interjected. "There's no challenge when all they do is whimper and cower! It's like fucking your own hands. Human females don't give us the fight we want like Were bitches do."

Someone snickered nastily, "Yeah, no challenge in pounding into a bitch who lays limply on her back. I'd rather fuck one of the wild real wolf bitches while in my pelt anytime."

Laughter broke out among the rogues.

"Our Alpha has enhanced us. We are stronger and more lethal than an average shifter. And there's more of us...more and more are joining our ranks in our quest. We just need to have more faith in our Alpha."

"You're delusional if you think that," another muttered snidely.

"Not all of us like what we've become," another voice broke in, "we look like freaks! We've become a mishmash of parts that neither resembled any known animal, who'd want that?"

"You knew what you were getting into," the first rogue asserted. "You were nothing but a puny human before the alpha bestowed you with our gift." His voice dripped with disgust.

"Not much good it did us...." Sounds of scuffle ensued and meaty thuds heard, as the rogues tussled with each other.

A satisfied smirk appeared on Rance's lips. From the sound of things, some of the rogues were already questioning the validity of this Pretender's claim. Nodding his head, he signaled for his team to rush into the room.

"What the fu----?!," exclaimed one rogue who saw the betas rushing out of the tunnel.

The surprised rogues didn't have the chance to adequately defend themselves. Besides being caught unaware, they were outnumbered three to one. A token attempt at breaking away was quickly thwarted.

One even rushed with head hunched down at the betas blocking the exit. His headlong dash ended when Rance stepped into his path and laid him out with a clothesline move. The rogue hit Rance's extended arm hard. His feet flew up as his body was propelled backwards by the force. The crack of bones was extraordinarily loud in the confines of the cave-like room. The pained howl of the rogue echoed out even before his ass touched the earthen floor.

With an evil smile, Rance stood over the fallen rogue and cracked his knuckles.

"Who's next?" He taunted the rogues. "I really thought you would give us more of a challenge."

Scanning the faces of the rogues before him, he noticed that they all looked scruffy and dirty. Most had a starved and desperate look.

A furtive movement on his left snagged Rance's attention. With surprise, he noticed a rogue who looked barely out of his teens trying to hide behind the bulk of a much older rogue. The lanky youngster's timid demeanor was completely out of place in the midst of the company he was keeping.

Walking slowly towards the kid, Rance noticed that not only was he scruffy looking, but he was also covered in bruises and welts.

"What do we have here?" Rance murmured.

The kid seemed to shrink in stature as his eyes looked wildly for an avenue of escape. He was trembling and the acrid smell of fear exuded from him strongly. The rest of the rogues were staring at the hapless kid with disgust. One rogue actually spat in his direction, "Piece of shit!" Rance watched the situation with interest. With a nod, he let Damian and the betas secure everyone with the handcuff specially made for shifters.

Make sure to keep the young one away from the rest of them, Rance caught Damian's gaze and nodded his head towards the boy. I want to know how he ended up with this refuse.

Canting his head slightly, Damian acknowledged his Alpha's instruction.

Emerging from the dilapidated house, he noticed Jake and Andrew dragging two other rogues between them. After dumping both on the ground, they looked up and waved at Rance.

Rance approached the brothers.

"What's this?" Rance asked the two.

"We saw them coming in right after you guys went inside," Jake said.

"They were bringing in another human girl," Andrew said in disgust. "She looked barely out of her teens."

With a dark frown on his face, Rance looked around, "Where is she?"

"She's over there," Jake pointed at a tree about five yards away. A sprawled form lay unmoving on the grass at the base of a tree. "She's unconscious, but doesn't look hurt. Her breathing and vitals are good. Of course, for a clear assessment, we should take her to a doctor."

Grunting, Rance turned to the brothers. "Great job," he nodded, approvingly, "I sure could use you guys in my team." The brothers just nodded quietly.

All three watched grimly as the betas rounded up the rogues and led them past. All were handcuffed with silver to keep them from shifting and utilizing their preternatural strength. The kid brought up the rear. His unfettered state brought a questioning frown to both of the brothers' faces.

"What's the story with that kid?" Jake asked, while Andrew continued to silently track the progress of the rogues and the betas.

Andrew kept his eyes trained on the group as they were loaded into three unmarked dark vans that would take them to the Estate. His hand on his rifle remained relaxed, but the minute any of the rogues tried to make a break for it, he would be ready to take them down.

"Not sure yet, but I aim to get to the bottom of his involvement with this scum. He doesn't look like he belongs with them." Rance ran a cursory gaze over the kid being loaded in with the rogues. "We could use him if he cooperates."

Damian walked up. "There are fifteen rogues altogether..." pausing when he saw the rogues at his feet, "make that seventeen including these two," he nudged the unconscious rogues with his booted foot. "Eight human girls are now being transported to the Estate. Two looked really bad and smelled 'off'. I'm not sure if they're even going to make it through the night." Damian's voice was tight with anger at the condition of the human females.

"What of the other six?" Andrew asked.

"They are badly beaten, but with care, will hopefully fully recover."

"Any luck on finding the head honcho?" Jake asked.

"No," Rance replied grimly. "I hope that the other teams had better luck. We will find out soon enough after I've talked to the other Alphas."

"This is all kinds of fucked up," Jake softly grumbled.

Rance threw him a frustrated glance, but nodded his head in acknowledgment

"It's imperative that we find the mastermind behind all this. He poses a great threat to the community. The lunatic doesn't care that he's in danger of exposing us to the humans. The human authorities are not stupid. They might connect all the dots and soon they'd be camping outside our Pack lands trying to pin all of the kidnappings and deaths on us," Rance said. "We need to do a thorough clean-up here. We cannot afford to leave any evidence for the cops to find out. I want that house razed to the ground and the pieces set on fire."

Jake's brows drew up, "Wouldn't that draw attention? After all, a fire being set out here in a farmhouse known to be abandoned might get the authorities sniffing around."

"Sure, but by the time they come it will all be ashes; No trace of what happened here or any chance for them to zero in on us." Turning back to Damian, Rance added, "Make it look like vagrants set it on fire. Leave two betas behind to make sure everything worked as planned."

Damian nodded his head. "On it, Alpha," he said gravely.

"Alpha!" Everyone turned to the approaching shifter.

"There's something you need to see at the northern edge of the property."

"What is it?" Rance asked, as they dashed to the place the young beta indicated.

"The kid who was with the rogues told us to check on that side of the property. Malik is there right now..."

"And?" Damian asked with raised brows.

"There are roughly a dozen or so freshly dug graves over there. As soon as we ascertained what they were, Malik sent me to get you. We have not counted them all yet..." The young beta spoke starkly. Repugnance over the rogues' cruelty painted his words.

This day just keeps getting worse, thought Rance. Grim faced, they followed the beta to where the unfortunate victims lay decaying in shallow graves.

**********

"Everything settled in the clinic?" Rance asked Alex, as she quietly entered the study and watched him pour himself whiskey.

"Yes. All the women are being seen to and are now resting in their hospital beds. Those who are in a bad way are being monitored by Dr. Armand and his staff. They did everything to make them comfortable and hopefully alleviate some of the trauma they've experienced."

The Estate had been a hive of activity after the vans arrived bringing in the wounded women and the rogues. Now, after the bustle, the place was finally settling down. Thank God Alex's parents were deep sleepers, otherwise she would have found it difficult to explain all the commotion.

When she saw the appalling condition of the women, Alex was horrified. They were filthy and stank to high heaven. It was obvious that they'd been kept in squalor and deprived conditions. All of them were beaten and sexually abused and kept naked by their captors.

It made her cry when she saw the youngest one brought in. She looked so tiny and fragile. The girl, because in Alex's estimation, she could not be older than fifteen, looked so pitiful. Her face was bruised and the right side of her jaw was swollen. Both of her eyes were swelled shut.

The girl was unconscious and they feared that she might have sustained some brain injury that kept her from awakening. Her injuries were displayed starkly in contrast to the whiteness of the sheets covering her. Visible bruises and lacerations covered her body. Her chest slowly rose whenever she breathed in through her oxygen mask. Dr. Armand had her hooked up into several machines to monitor her through the night. She was not the only one in critical condition; two others were immediately taken to the operating room in a race to save their lives.

Turning, Rance lifted his whiskey and swallowed a generous amount of it. He relished the burn of the alcohol as it travelled down his throat to his stomach. It washed away the sick feeling he had since seeing what awaited them in the northern end of the property. He wished he could easily expunge the repulsive image left in his psyche.

The clean-up was brutal. They found fifteen decomposing bodies buried in shallow graves. They were not all female, nor were they all humans. Half of the numbers were males in varying stages of shifting and two of the bodies were kids barely out of puberty. The other raiding parties, as he just learned from the other alphas, had encountered the same heinous thing: decomposing bodies buried in shallow graves.

Rance sighed and opened his arms. Alex immediately walked to him, looping her arms around his waist and breathing in deep his unique scent. She took comfort in his warmth.

Rance hugged Alex close. Resting his chin on top of her head, he briefly closed his eyes and thanked Luna once again for his mate.

"Thank you for helping in the clinic," he rasped.

Alex smiled as she nuzzled his chest. "No need for thanks. It's my job as your mate to help in any way. You must remember that you are not alone anymore, Rance. For better or worse, we stick together. I'm here now to share your burden."

Alex lifted her head and saw the tired lines bracketing Rance's eyes as well as the grimness of his visage. She lifted her hand and caressed his jaw. With a tired smile, Rance captured her hand and kissed each knuckle.

"You truly are a gift from Luna." He said tenderly, " I love you Alex."

"I love you too, Rance." She stood on tiptoes and laid a gentle kiss on his lips.

The kiss lingered only for a moment as they took comfort from each other.

"So tell me the worst of it." Alex pulled Rance onto a comfy chair and made him sit down. He had been busy in conference with the other alphas immediately after they arrived in the estate.

She knew he arrived only an hour ago when she felt him touch her through their link. The betas who brought back both the women and the rogues wouldn't comment why Rance, and some of the enforcers and her brothers had to stay behind.

Whatever it was they did, it must have been a really grim task since even now at nearly five in the morning, Rance's aura was awash in negative light. His big body seemed to vibrate with unleashed violence, not directed at her, but to the unseen enemy who proved to be as slippery as eel.

"I don't really want to burden you with the ugliness of it. It's better that you remain untouched by the carnage I saw tonight." Rance leaned and sank deeply into the cushion.

Sitting next to him, Alex watched quietly as he breathed in deep and slowly released the tension from his body along with his breath. "You think that will work with me?" she asked with a serious mien. "I need to know what is going on Rance. I want to be prepared for whatever this is that is coming our way."

"I know, I know." Rance looked deeply into Alex's eyes. Regret and a touch of hesitancy showed in his face. Sitting up from his seat, he faced her fully. Picking up both her hands in his, "It's bad," he said baldly.

"Whoever is leading these rogues is obviously demented. Not only does he thinks he is the Promised One, also all evidence points to the idea that he is also attempting to raise his own army of shifters. The property we raided was not the only one. After I talked to the other Alphas, I found out that what we discovered on our raid is not an isolated case."

"What about it?" Alex asked, puzzled. "There are more humans kidnapped in the other hide outs besides the women here? We knew that that may be the case already."

Shaking his head, Rance smiled grimly. "We were prepared for that. What we were not prepared for was to discover more dead bodies in advance stages of decay. Almost all of them were newly turned," Rance locked eyes with Alex, "they were humans experimented upon who did not make it during transition."




Shadow Of The Wolf Ch. 11



Alex was horrified. She knew about the deaths of some shifters, but to learn that humans were being turned against their will was unconscionable.

"How m-many?" Her voice broke. She couldn't imagine what those people went through before death visited them.

"Fifteen in the place we raided. There are bodies in the other locations too." He paused, debating whether to tell her the rest of it. With a resigned sigh, he relented when she arched a brow at him. "There's a total of seventy-three bodies found so far."

"My God!" Alex exclaimed in shock, one hand covered her mouth. So many lives cut short because of one demented shifter's delusion.

Staring at Rance, thoughts rapidly cycled through her mind. How could they possibly tell the families of those killed that their loved ones were dead at the hands of a shifter? Those poor people waiting for news would remain ignorant of the demise of their loved ones.

"We can't afford to have word any of these human and once-human bodies leak out. It would compromise the security and secrecy of the existence of the Shifter community." Rance answered the question running through her mind.

Alex shook her head in negation, unbelieving eyes brimming with horror.

"I understand how you feel, Alex. But we need to protect our Pack," Rance insisted. "The bodies discovered were all in stages of shifting. The anomalies in their physical appearance would lead the government to dig deeper. We cannot afford to compromise the secret of the Shifter community right now. Maybe in the future we could reveal ourselves and all live peacefully with humans, but right now, I don't think the humans are ready to accept our existence."

Tears gathered in her eyes as she continued to stare at Rance's determined features. She understood where he was going, but her heart broke for those who awaited news of their missing loved ones. Tears rolled down slowly her cheeks as she nodded infinitesimally.

"I understand," she said in a subdued tone.

"Come here," Rance rasped, as he pulled her up on his lap. He wrapped his arms around Alex as she cried silently for the dead. She cried both for the people who were killed as well as the broken ones residing in the clinic who suffered horribly.

Rance held Alex tenderly, willing his strength and presence to infuse her with comfort. His mate had a gentle and tender heart. He knew this even in the short time they'd been together. Though the dead were strangers to her, still she grieved for them. He rubbed his hand slowly up and down her back while she hid her face in the crook of his shoulder.

"I know I'm being silly," Alex murmured, "but I can't help feeling sad for them."

"I don't think you're silly at all. You're all kinds of good and sweet. It's normal to cry when confronted with such a tragedy."

"But I should be strong. Like you." She lifted her head and looked at him.

Rance cupped her face with one hand and proceeded to wipe away the traces of tears on her cheeks.

"No, babe, you are strong. Don't ever think otherwise." Rance slightly shook her. "Being impassive is my forte. We both know that you're no weakling. You can kick ass anytime," he joked, "but you are also a gentle soul, with a sweet heart. Compassionate and tender-hearted when the situation asks for it, but strong and fierce when injustice is done," Rance held her gaze. "Shedding of tears is not a sign of weakness but of great strength. That means you are not callous and unfeeling, that you care even for those who are strangers to you, those who are weaker, the unfortunate ones who require protection." He smiled into her eyes. "You have the mark of a true Alpha. Never doubt that."

Rance held Alex's gaze for an endless moment until Alex straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath. Collecting herself, she sent a watery smile Rance's way as she looped her arms around his shoulders and laid her head on his wide chest.

"You did great in helping getting those women situated in the clinic." Rance continued to hold Alex in his lap even as Alex' tears dried up. He loved holding her in his arms. He knew the rumbling of his voice lulled and comforted her. Unbeknownst to Alex, Rance drew comfort from her presence too. She soothed the raging of his beast inside him.

His wolf was wildly enraged at the rogues. Earlier that night, as each body was unearthed, his wolf growled ferally and tugged at him to be let loose. He wanted to go to the holding cells and tear each rogue apart. His wolf wanted to disembowel and mutilate their carcasses. The rage that he was experiencing was such that he knew if he let the beast control him, then there wouldn't be anything left of the captured rogues.

Only the thought of Alex's horror kept his wolf's bloodlust at bay.

Breathing her delicious scent calmed the beast. Although the desire to extract justice from the rogues was still there, it was not as all-consuming as it was before.

Earlier, after he got back from the raid, he purposely closeted himself in his study and called all the other Alphas. He did not want to be near any of the rogues knowing his wolf thirsted for their blood. Tomorrow would be soon enough for torture and interrogation.

Alex and Rance sat in comforting silence, each drawing strength and solace from one another.

"What did you do with the bodies?" she asked quietly.

"We brought all of them here. The exhumed bodies will be autopsied by Armand. Each one will be examined. Samples and DNA will be taken. This will help us determine if they were all pure humans before they died and what kind of species were they changed to. We need to find out what sort of experiments were done to them. I have never seen the likes of it in my long life...it was as if they were caught mid-shift. The agony in their faces..." He paused and held her gaze, "the baffling thing is that all of them exhibited several characteristics of different shifter species."

With a puzzled look, Alex asked, "What do you mean different characteristics?"

"They are not pure. They are a mish mash of animal parts. Abominations..." Rance uttered starkly. "After Doc is done with the bodies we will incinerate them. There are still so many questions unanswered by the rogues. We still don't understand why this pretender thinks he's the Promised One. I won't rest until we have identified him." Laying his hand on her lower belly, Rance somberly said, "I need to eliminate the threat to you and our baby."

Rance touched his forehead to Alex's. Staring in her eyes with such intensity, "You are my life," he said with such emotion. "You and the baby are now my world. There's no way that I could live in this life without you. We are just starting our life together and yet we are besieged by unseen enemies who threaten our life together and that of our unborn child."

Alex smoothed the frown that marred Rance's brow with her fingertip. Looking soulfully into those glittering emerald eyes, she saw how much it bothered Rance to not know the identity of their faceless enemy.

"We'll be fine. You, me, and the baby will get through this." She smiled as she laid a soft kiss at the corner of his unsmiling mouth.

"I believe in the destiny that was promised for our child." She took his hand and laid it on her stomach where their baby lay. "We just need to be strong and ready for anyone or anything that will challenge the fulfillment of Luna's promise. Together, with our Pack, we will face and overcome any threat to the Promised One."

**********

Things were settling down into some form of normal at the Estate after the past several days of unending activity brought on by the capture of the rogues. All the women rescued were still healing slowly from the injuries sustained from the hands of the rogues. Physically they were on the mend, but the emotional scars would take time to heal. Sadly, one woman passed away. Her injuries were too severe and her organs shut down right after she arrived in the Pack clinic. The youngest one came out of her coma just two days before and was still extremely weak.

After delving into their backgrounds, one thing all of the captives had in common was that they were all alone with no family or close friends to miss them once they'd gone missing. These women kept to themselves and didn't socialize much. It made it easier for the rogues to snatch them unbeknownst to human authority.

The Pretender's plan was simply diabolical. The women they were able to interview explained that he planned on raising his own army of abominations using these hapless women as incubators.

Information that Rance squeezed out from interrogation and outright torture of the rogues did not help in tracking the real identity of the Pretender. It was obvious that most of them truly had no idea who they were following. Even the ones captured in the other raids proved ignorant of the Pretender's identity. Their interrogation and testing proved though that more than half of the rogue army were newly turned humans.

Rance demanded that Ralph conduct a thorough background investigation on each rogue captured.

Rance's visage grew grimmer after every bit of information was unearthed as the investigation progressed. To a one, all the humans-turned-rogue had criminal history. Petty and hardened criminals, all of them, except for one whom had become a puzzle for Rance.

The boy captured with them at the raid that night was a mystery. The youth did not fit the profile of all the rogues he was with. Rance did not like mystery, so he left instructions that the boy be separated from the rest and be treated well until such time Rance could deal with him personally.

Rance's week was full of conference calls with other smaller wolf Packs and the other shifter Alphas. He learned that they were all successful in routing the rogues in the different hideouts and dens, but they still failed to capture the elusive mastermind.

In his pursuit of the property trail, Ralph unearthed more bogus companies used as fronts to hide the real person behind the money. Each business address was carefully checked and re-checked, all leading to a dead end. Whoever was funding the rogues did a hell of a job in covering his tracks. But, Ralph was very tenacious and almost gleeful at the challenge presented to him. Rance had every faith that they would find the identity of this Pretender soon.

Alex kept busy visiting the women at the clinic, answering their questions about the Shifter community, and lending her inner strength to those who had problems adjusting to their present reality. She reassured them of their continued safety at the Estate, although she acknowledged to herself that what to do about a new crop of humans and newly turned weres who knew about Shifters where they should not, even if through no fault of their own, was a dilemma Rance and the other Pack, pride and clan Alphas would have to address at a later date.Pack

She had engaged Grace's assistance in talking with the traumatized women. It was slow going at the most, but every bit of progress with them was an accomplishment in which she took delight.

Almost all of the women showed fear in the presence of her guards, so she dismissed them whenever she came to visit, entering their rooms without Troy and Malik. This helped calm the women's skittishness and quiet their fears.

They still had a long way to go before they could trust any male shifter near them. Only Dr. Armand was able to approach them without most of them getting quite hysterical.

Alex's brothers had long since left the Estate and returned to their duties, promising to come back for the wedding if they were not in some hush-hush mission somewhere in the world. Meanwhile, her parents were in the middle of their Italian cruise and kept her appraised of their daily adventure by phone or through their social media account. Although Devon needed to commute every day to school, he was now a permanent fixture at the Estate. He had decided to stay and learn more about the shifters. He asked Dr. Armand if he could work with him in preparation for medical school. He was a great help with the traumatized women, representing normal in a world gone awry.

Security was elevated more since the Pretender was still at large. Although the rogues' number were greatly diminished, they wouldn't take any chance in the security of the Estate. Betas both in wolf and human forms patrolled the Estate's perimeter constantly. It was a little difficult to do since the Estate land was vast. More security cameras had been mounted and the community was on heightened alert.

**********

Alex slowly opened her eyes as she felt butterfly kisses strewn along her shoulders. She roused earlier when she heard Rance come in. She went back to sleep anyway, knowing that he would get into the shower first before getting to bed. It had been this way since the raid. Rance usually came to bed very late at night, or very early in the morning. Now, laying on her side, Rance's heat radiated at her back as she felt him feather his lips down her exposed arms. Apparently he was feeling amorous as evidenced by the steely rod prodding her nether cheeks. With a sleepy smile, she turned and opened her arms for her naked lover and mate.

"What time is it?" she asked huskily.

"A little after two in the morning," Rance replied as he nipped her lower lips.

"Ummph...that late?"

"Or early, if you think of it," he said cheekily.

Alex's raised brow brought a repentant smile to Rance lips. "Will this be the norm for us now that we're already mated? You coming to bed so late?" She teased him back, "If that's the case, I need to call Pam and ask her to stock me up with dildos and vibrators."

She bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud at Rance's outraged expression. Although both of them had been busy lately, their sex life never really suffered. Rance always found a way to corner her somewhere in the estate and passionately ravish her at least once or twice during day hours. He found different places to drag her, satisfying both their bodies' need for each other. It was a great advantage that he could keep track of where she was at all times through their mate bond.

"I'll show you what happens to an impertinent mate who questions her partner's capacity to perform his duties." Rance play growled then pounced on Alex, pushing her on her back and tickling her relentlessly.

Alex writhed on the bed hollering in laughter with Rance crouched on top of her.

"Call uncle and I'll stop," Rance said with a laughter-laced voice.

Alex thrashed as she tried in vain to dislodge Rance's bulk. Rance caught both her arms and trapped them above her head with one of his while he straddled her. He repeatedly tickled her with his other hand.

"Okay! Okay! I give!" Alex rasped, breasts heaving from her exertion. Rance stopped, and his hands started to roam caressingly over her curves. He lowered his head and nipped her lips lightly. He laved the seam of her full lips with his tongue, teasing her mouth open for him. A smile still curved her lips as she allowed his tongue entrance. Rance immediately took advantage and dipped into her luscious mouth, engaging her tongue to duel his.

A muffled moan broke from Alex as Rance thoroughly kissed her. He sucked on her tongue and thrust his in and out, encouraging her to do the same. The kiss was hot and hungry. Desire burned fast and bright as the two kissed endlessly.

"So beautiful...," Rance whispered as he trailed kisses along her face, across her cheeks, and down the curve of her neck. "You make me burn for you. I can't wait to have your pussy wrapped around my cock," he breathed hotly in her ears. He nudged her with his massive erection. "See how eager I am for you? Feel how hard you make me."

Alex's breath caught at Rance's crude words, but she could not deny that those words made her hot and caused her body to spill more cream between her thighs. The walls of her pussy pulsed in anticipation. She arched her back to rub her belly to Rance's hard shaft. It felt so hot, that it seemed to burn her skin. Precum leaked freely from its tip and painted the skin of her belly, leaving glistening trails up and down as Rance rocked on top of her.

Rance gaze was riveted at the succulent mounds that were almost spilling from the bodice of Alex's negligee. Seeing his eyes dilate and his nose flare in hunger, Alex slowly licked her lips. She watched with great expectancy as Rance lowered his head and nuzzled hard between her breasts. Nipping and licking the exposed creamy flesh.

Her eyes closed in delight when his warm wet tongue licked between her breasts. With a moan of surrender, Alex grasped Rance's head to her heaving breasts. She pushed down the straps so Rance could have full access to the needy peaks that begged for attention. Her nipples seemed to throb in tandem with her racing heartbeat.

Rance helped her by pushing the negligee down her body. She lifted her hips so Rance could pull it free of her. He threw the garment behind him, heedless of where it landed. Eyes burning with feral hunger, he feasted on his mate's erotic beauty displayed before him.

"Hmmm. I can never get enough of you," Rance growled low as her ran his big calloused hands on her lush figure. His eyes glittered like burning flames in the darkness as it met Alex's hooded gaze. With deliberate slowness he leaned down, extended his tongue and swirled it round and round her right areole without touching the distended nipple. His gaze never leaving hers, Rance lowered his lips and nipped the bud sharply with his teeth.

"Ooooh," Alex groaned at the pleasure-pain. Rance pulled the captured nipple away from Alex's body, watching closely how Alex responded to the stimulation. He was rewarded by the increase of her breath and warm flush of her arousal covering her whole body. Even her sweet pussy released more of its nectar as her body was thrown into an elevated level of arousal.

Clutching at Rance' arms, Alex panted, "Rance."

"Yes?" He let go of the nipple, but caught its twin with his finger and twisted and pinched. "Tell me what you want now, my sweet Alex," he crooned into her flesh.

"I want you." Alex gasped out on throat that felt dry and scratchy from her panting. Rance always got her so hot so fast. It was unfair how he could take her to the brink in a matter of minutes.

Rance nudged her closed legs with his turgid length. "You want me? What about the dildos?"

She narrowed her eyes on him. "Maybe I'll ask Pam to get me the biggest one yet. Since you're all talk and no action." She wiggled her brows at him while trying to open her legs and arch her hips to get the best friction with his cock. If she could nudge him down a little then her clitty would find some relief.

Rance locked his eyes on his mate as she wiggled under him. Her slithering around trapped his cock between their bodies. So, he kneeled over her and took hold of his dick. "Hmmm, since you want a dildo then I guess I have to take care of this by myself then," he teased, running his fisted hand leisurely up and down his throbbing cock.

"Don't' you dare!" Alex sat up from under Rance, pulled her legs from under him and grabbed his cock with both hands. "This is mine!" she snapped, a little irked since she was all hot and wet with arousal.

With a satisfied smirk, Rance palmed her between the legs. "And this is mine." He parted her folds and delved two fingers inside her wet cleft. Pleased at her pleasured moan, he fucked her with his fingers, first with a leisurely pace, then with increasing speed. He coaxed her clit out of its hood with his thumb and polished it with finesse until it stood out like a small penis. He could visibly see her wetness flow and paint her labia lips and inner thighs.

"Yes! Yes. Ooohhh...." Alex was helpless as she was buffeted by the electrifying pleasure of Rance's big fingers tunneling in and out of her needy pussy. Her grasp on his cock grew slack, until she finally let go of him. Surrendering to the sensations coursing through her flushed body, Alex could do nothing more than cling to Rance's muscular arms as she tottered on the verge of orgasm.




Shadow Of The Wolf Ch. 11



Unconsciously digging her nails on his muscular forearms, she keened as she fell off the brink. Her walls squeezing tightly at the fingers thrusting relentlessly in her weeping slit. Rance grunted in satisfaction.

He pulled her into his arms as he slowly withdrew his fingers from her clutching pussy. He watched as she opened languorous eyes. Without breaking their shared gaze, he proceeded to lap at the pussy juices on his fingers. Alex's delicious flavor burst on his tongue. He wanted to drink from the source of Alex's desire. His painful erection throbbed in rampant demand to be buried deep into his mate's wet haven. Alex watched with rapt attention as Rance sucked his fingers one by one until none of her juice remained.

"Now it's my turn," Rance growled deeply.

His predatory gaze and growly voice caused her to shiver in renewed passion. Quivering in anticipation, Alex let Rance push her onto her back. "Hold open for me," Rance demanded, as he pushed her legs up to her chest. She was lewdly opened to her mate's hungry eyes.

Rance framed the glistening, puffy lips of Alex's pussy with both hands. Leaning down, he breathed deeply of his mate's addicting and unique scent. He nuzzled her labia open swiped between the folds. Her accompanying groan pleased him greatly. Although said in jest, the thought of letting his mate be satisfied by toys was unacceptable to him. Only his finger, tongue, and cock would give satisfaction to his mate.

Rance lavished her fragrant pussy with open mouthed kisses, dipping his tongue in and out of her convulsing passage. He sucked on her pleasure nubbin, causing Alex to arch away from his mouth. Her sex had gotten sensitive and it was almost painful to have Rance suck on her clit. Rance would have none of it. He grabbed the cheeks of her ass and pulled her back into his mouth.

"Too much... too much..." she panted, helpless in the face of Rance's relentless hunger. Alex could do nothing but clutch at the rumpled duvet as Rance proceeded to eat her out. Rance took each of her legs and pushed it all the way back until her knees almost touched her ears. He plundered her gaping hole with lips, tongue and teeth as he nipped, plunged and nibbled on her sensitive flesh.

Alex could not count how many orgasms she'd had. They seemed to roll continuously until she was left limp and panting for breath. Finally, Rance kneeled between her thighs. His massive cock rose straight up from the root. It looked angry red, while its helmeted head glistened wetly from the copious precum that dripped from its slit.

His face was painted with voracious hunger, and he pulled his cock down to position it in her opening until it lodged in place. Then taking her legs, he slung both over his shoulders as he leaned down and grabbed her hips. And without ado, he pulled on her and thrust his hips at the same time, burying his full length inside. Alex screamed in ecstasy as her clit was smashed and Rance mushroom-shaped cockhead rammed into her cervix, throwing her into orgasmic bliss.

Gritting his teeth, Rance waited until her clasping muscles loosened a bit. Still shuddering, Alex watched Rance look where they were connected intimately as he slowly pulled his shaft then rammed it home again. He gripped her thighs securely as he fucked her relentlessly. The wet slap of his heavy balls on her ass added to the sensual sounds of grunts, moans, and whimpers filling their bedroom. The heavy length of Rance's cock tunneled in and out of Alex as he sought his own orgasm. Rance's muscled ass move in a blur as he hastened his pace. "Yeah! Take it all!" he muttered. "You're so tight and wet, babe. I'm almost there." He groaned. He withdrew his cock and pushed three fingers inside her, coating the digits generously with her juices. Then he took his fingers out and replaced it with his cock. Rance snaked his hand down to where her clit protruded and pinched delicately.

"Aaaahhh!!" Alex screamed as the pleasure-pain of pushed her into another strong orgasm that seemed unending. She reached for Rance and grasped his flanks as he thundered towards his own fulfillment. Alex pulled on his flexing ass and dug her nails deep, as her eyes rolled to the back of her head while Rance swelled and knotted inside her. She felt the hot splash of her mate's seed as she continued to spasm in ecstasy. She barely heard Rance's roar of satisfaction echoed in the room.

Rance watched his sweat drip on Alex's heaving breasts. She looked barely conscious. He grinned in contentment; that would show her not to question his ability to please her. With slow measured movement, he lowered Alex's legs on the bed. Careful not to jar his connection with his mate, he lowered himself over her and turned them carefully so he ended up under her.

He kissed her tenderly on her head and feathered his fingers up and down her back.

"Alex?"

"Hmmmm?

"I love you, babe."

Alex lifted heavy lids to look at Rance's face, "Love you too, Rance." She replied sleepily as she smiled at him.

********

The preparation for Rance's and Alex's wedding was also underway. Fittings and planning seemed endless to Alex. She couldn't wait to have it all done. It was a good thing that she had already hired Ben, a manager for her shop, otherwise, the business would have suffered greatly because of her neglect.

She still took an afternoon to visit and go through the shop paperwork. Eventually, she planned on handing over the reins to Ben. She would also offer him the chance to co-own the place since she would be very busy soon, after the baby came.

Her best friend Pam had visited and conferred with her briefly about the wedding. Their time together was always short, because Pam being busy with work and Alex busy with Pack life and wedding preparations. They had planned to meet later that day to meet near her work in town to one of their favorite restaurant. They planned to at least spend some time catching up.

Thinking of her friend made Alex frown, slightly. It was becoming hard to keep THE secret from her friend. The reveal about the baby would be a doozy, but fun; but the other one, not so much.

Pam had already commented about her body guards, or 'super-hot-and-yet-still-a-goon squad', as she referred to them. The heightened security at the Estate did not help alleviate her friend's suspicious nature. She jokingly asked if Rance was some kind of 'mafia kingpin'. Although jokingly said, Alex saw the worry and concern in her friend's eyes.

Maybe it was about time to let her in on Alex's other secret, not that she doubted Pam would keep it. Convincing her of the truth would be a challenge though. That girl was such a realist. She remembered well how Pam teased her mercilessly about her addiction to paranormal romances, and that all things 'supernatural' are just a bunch of crap.

Well, her friend would be in for a shock of major proportions. It took a lot for Alex to accept the existence of shifters, and she was open to all things paranormal. She doubted her friend would take it well.

Alex knew that the time to tell her was now. Secrets tend to bog one down anyway. It would just strain their friendship, if she kept Pam in the dark much longer. Right. Because oh God someday her godchild would turn into a wolf pup, shifting uncontrollably in adolescence. Probably while Pam was with him or her. Gifting my child with a drumset would be the least of it.

It would be better to reveal it before Pam got more suspicious of the people at the Estate. Her friend was not stupid. She would question the oddity of so many people living with them and how clannish everyone acted. Not to mention the way they seemed to 'scent' everyone.

They may act human, but they couldn't hide their animal side too.

Finally mentally deciding to reveal all to Pam later that day, Alex proceeded to the Pack Archive where Luc was waiting for her. She started to walk across the estate and left the Mansion, shadowed as usual by Troy and Malik. Alex was on this errand because, due to the heightened activity and vigilance after the raid, Alex realized she forgot about the "Callaghan box" that her mother handed to her, and was reminded of it only after her mom asked her, after regaling Alex with stories about the cruise, what Alex had done with it. Immediately after that, she sought Luc's help in unraveling the mystery of it. Henceforth, Luc and Alex were to work together in the afternoon to solve questions about her mysterious heritage.

She neared the building where the Pack Archive was housed. Putting in the code that would open the vault-like door, she twisted the knob and entered the tomblike atmosphere. Malik and Troy stayed outside as she closed it behind her. It was serenely quiet inside the temperature controlled vault like room that housed the Packs ancient tomes. A stark contrast to what had been happening outside

Its walls were lined by shelves all the way to the ceiling, bursting with heavy tomes. A quarter of the Archive's floor space was similarly occupied by shelves lined up, side by side. The remaining area was occupied by three long mahogany tables with chairs on each side of it. One was cluttered with several opened books and a pad with some pens. The box that her mother gave her also rested on top of the table. There was no trace of Luc in the main room.

Alex figured that Luc might be in the inner room where all the most ancient of the Archive treasures and rare books were kept. Sure enough, after several moments, Luc emerged from the doorway that led to the inner room.

"Hey, Alex," he greeted absently, eyes focused on the open page of the book he was holding. Alex noticed that he was wearing cotton gloves as he handled the fragile-looking tome.

"Found anything interesting?" she asked, as she stepped forward toward the table.

Luc looked up abstractedly, "Maybe..." he muttered. He pulled out a chair for Alex, laid down the book on the table and pushed back her chair after she settled in.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." Luc smiled, then pulled the chair next to Alex. He handed her a pair of cotton gloves.

"So how are the patients doing today?" Luc asked, as he watched Alex don the gloves.

"They're better than yesterday, but they still have a long way to go. Physically, they're on the mend. Mentally...still not sure," she said regretfully

"The pack will help them." Luc nodded his head. "The presence and power of the pack will help them mend."

Alex raised questioning brows at his words.

Luc smiled at her, "The pack has a power of its own, Alex. Don't you feel the energy inside the Estate? Anyone who belongs to a pack draws strength and healing from it. That's why a shifter needs to belong to a Pack or a Pride or a Clan. It's not merely for protection, but also for their well-being. The energy that the pack generates encompasses everyone that belongs to it. It strengthens and heals us. Even rogues tend to run together because of the innate need to belong."

"Belong? Like if you were born to the pack?"

"Ah, yes and no. We belong to the pack when we are born to it, but also by pledging our allegiance to the Pack's Alpha."

"What about the rogues?"

"Either they were born outside of the Pack or chose to walk away from their pack."

Seeing her confused state, Luc continued, "As magical creatures, we are bound by the magic and power of our Alpha. We can walk away from it, should we choose to, after all we have free will. But our animal half would always respond to the will of the Alpha. That's just the way Luna created us. Every Alpha has certain power over our animal half. The more powerful the Alpha, the more influence and power it has over our animals. Remember when Rance commanded the rogue who ambushed us to change and they did? It's because their animal is helpless. It cannot ignore the command of someone who dominates them. There's a reason why Rance is the Alpha of the North America, it's not just a title passed on to the eldest son or daughter, but a position gained because of the strength of the wolf inside and the power given by Luna. Yes, Rance's father Theon held the position before him, but after Theon died, Rance was open to be challenged by any who believed they had the strength to be Alpha, including an existing Alpha of a different Pack."

"Okay, I get it now. So in a way, the animal inside us seeks the comfort and strength of the Pack. And the Alpha holds the most power. So if there's anyone in need of healing, the Pack's cumulative energy helps that person to heal fast."

"Correct."

"But the women have not pledged their allegiance yet to Rance, not the least of which is the reason that they are human. Can allegiance be enforced and energy conveyed to a human not compelled by a wolf nature?"

Luc smiled and nodded his head, "You wouldn't think so, but you have already taken them into our fold. As the Alpha Regina, you have already imbued them with your essence and thus allowed the Pack's energy to flow through you to them."

"Wow, I can't say I fully understand what you said but I'm glad that I helped." She smiled at Luc.

"It's all mystical and stuff, I know..." Luc added with a touch of mirth.

"Enough about Weres, and let's discuss what I have discovered so far about your interesting heritage." He pulled the Callaghan box to him, flicked the lid open and reached in to take out what was inside.

"This, my dear Alex, is one hell of a legacy." He laid a bound book on the table. Its covering was some kind of dark tooled leather. Surprisingly, even after being kept in the attic all those years, the leather looked supple and remarkably good.

After leaving her mother the afternoon she'd received it, Alex had gone directly to the suite she shared with Rance. Sitting on one of the chairs in the sitting area, she had pried open the lid with trembling fingers. A soft yellow and blue light pulsed gently from the open box. Extracting what was inside, she discovered it was some kind of a book. It was carefully wrapped in some dark heavy velvet cloth. Once she unwrapped it, the pulsing light suddenly disappeared, leaving a leather-bound book on her lap. It had been a great surprise to also find a blue polished stone the size of a silver dollar in between its pages. Faint etchings marked the stone's circumference and a hole was meticulously punched through it, telling her that it was an amulet of sorts.

Looking at it now with Luc in the Archive, she was surprised that it still glowed faintly with iridescent light. She wondered if Luc could see it too.

"What do you mean, 'legacy'?" Alex asked Luc.

"I still haven't fully interpreted the writings. But so far, I've gathered that this is a journal of one of your ancestors. It's actually a combination of recipes, spells, and observations." Luc said with brimming excitement. "As I've told you before, the writing was a combination of ancient form of Gaelic and Ogham. Throw in some other symbols which I have never seen before makes it harder to interpret... hard, but not impossible," Luc added. "Look here," he leafed carefully through the book and pointed at a page, "this page shows a drawing of this plant and notations on when, where and how to harvest it."

"Okay. So my ancestor was a witch then? And why to the oldest daughter?" she asked with suppressed humor at the excitement coming from Luc.

"Not your run-of-the-mill kind." Luc replied. "This journal is protected by a powerful spell that kept it in pristine condition and kept it safe until it reached your hand."

With a baffled look, Alex looked at the journal, then at Luc's face. "What exactly do you mean?"

"Well -. I was able to interpret a couple of sentences. The fact that this was a journal of a female ancestor might be the main reason why it was handed down only to the daughters. But I discovered, as I leafed through its pages that she also used it to jot down plants useful for healing." Luc raised the journal between them, "This book may actually answer the question why your transition to Were was as seamless and sudden as it was. Could be that you already carried magic in your blood and mating with Rance triggered that latent magic in you. Of course right now it's all just speculation on my part." Luc grinned good-naturedly.

Alex answered with a smile of her own. "Whew! If that's the case, then that would explain all these unexplained powers that I seem to carry within me. And why I can see the journal pulsing softly with light. I'm not complaining, mind you, I kind of think it's cool when the baby," she put her hand on top of her belly, "allows his or her power to leak out and manifest through me."

Luc nodded, "Yeah, but I think that some of it is also from you. I have not heard of any human mate turned that shifted before the full moon." Luc shook his head at Alex's unbelieving face, "It's true. Not even when they're mated to an Alpha. You're the only exception to the rule."

"What is it?" Luc asked, when her eyes rounded in sudden comprehension.

"I just remembered my dream and my conversation with Luna."

"Wait, what? What did she say?" he prompted.

"Well, she said that she's been guarding and watching me since I was a child," she said looking down with a thoughtful frown. "And I distinctly remember her saying that I should look into my past and everything will become clear."

When she looked up at Luc, she couldn't help bursting out in a short laugh at the awe in his face. She never thought that she could dumbfound this self-possessed shifter, but Luc sat before her with mouth slightly opened in apparent shock.

Alex waved her hand in front of his face while trying to suppress her mirth from escaping. "Luc, you okay?"

Shaking his head, Luc nodded and swallowed audibly.

"Wow! Now I know that Luna's hand was in this mating and that you were destined to be here at this time to fulfill the prophecy. I can't wrap my head around the fact that the goddess visited you in person."

"Well not really in person, just in my dreams." Alex replied.

"Semantics," Luc waved her words away. "There is no record that she ever appeared to anyone else after the Great Upheaval. She ceased to visit her people even in dreams. So you, Alex, should consider yourself blessed, literally and figuratively."

"Hey, I know I am," she readily agreed. "What is this Great Upheaval you were talking about just now? That's the first time I've heard of it."

"It's one of the darkest parts of the Shifter history: When Shifters tried to annihilate each other in an attempt to reign over species other than their own. The sad part was that too many humans were slaughtered because they were in the way of the raiding parties. The carnage was horrendous as the Shifters let loose their feral side. I believe that's when humans banded together to protect themselves against what they considered monsters: us Shifters. That's also the time when Luna ceased showing herself to us. Her last message was a promise of peace brought by the Promised One, if we all learned to live in harmony.

I think the reason there was enmity between Shifters was because we are all predators at heart."

"So no soft, furry bunny Shifters, then?"

"Ah, no. And we tend to favor our animal half, add in the human half that's greedy for power and dominion over all, so you get the perfect recipe for war among Weres. I'll find you the books so you can read more about it. We have carefully written the annals of the Weres so that we won't repeat our mistake again. Anyway, I believe that we have a good chance of deciphering this journal in no time." Luc grinned at Alex.

"I'm happy that you think so. I can't wait to know what it will tell me about myself and the Callaghan family."

Luc laid the journal back on the table and proceeded to leaf through the pages, and said absently, "So what are your plans today? I heard that a delegation of bitches from the other small Packs are coming to help with the wedding preparation."




Shadow Of The Wolf Ch. 11



Alex couldn't help but burst out in laughter. Luc trained inquiring eyes at her, "You said bitches!" she blurted out, still smiling.

A smile quirked his lips, "well, they are bitches, literally and figuratively."

"I just thought it was funny. But you do have a point, they do live up to their appellation. Most of them but not all." Alex remembered the hostile eyes she felt on her at the party at which she'd been introduced as Alpha Regina, and Rance's mate.

Luc nodded and turned back to the journal.

"Well, a delegation is coming from the Council and the other Packs. They are supposed to stay until the wedding. But I am meeting with my friend Pam today after I confer with Ophelia about the guests we expect to arrive later today." She peered over and saw that whatever held Luc engrossed on the page of the journal had been suddenly interrupted, and that he seemed galvanized.

"Pam might come and stay with me tonight." She grimaced, "well at least I hope she will."

Luc lifted one brow in question, trying to appear nonchalant. Alex misinterpreted it as politely muted censure and reacted a bit defensively.

"I miss my best friend and we haven't spent enough time together since I moved here in the Estate. She's been so busy with work lately too."

"Is that wise? What with all that is happening around here and the women from the other Packs arriving, I don't think it would be prudent," Luc said evenly.

"Why not?"

"Have you told her about us yet? If not, she might stumble on the truth herself if she stayed in the Mansion."

"I intend to tell her today. That's the reason why I want her to come to the Estate and stay. If I have her here, then I could be assured that she won't run hysterically away from me once I reveal the truth. She won't be able to get away." Alex smirked.

Luc smiled but uncertainty shone in his eyes.

"Don't worry about it, Luc. I know Pam. She'll think it's a big joke at first until I show her my wolf." Looking down at her watch, she stood up and smiled down at Luc, who looked worried. "I better get going. Pam hates it when I'm late. I'll see you later tonight."

"Okay. I'll see you later." Luc nodded his head.

Alex walked away and left the building leaving a brooding Luc behind.

To be continued.....

Don't forget to vote and send me your feedbacks and comments.



Shadow of The Wolf



Alex sometimes envied their devotion to and obvious love for one another, and hoped that one day she'd find what they had. They were openly affectionate and had shown her that intimacy with the right person is the most beautiful thing in the world. She wanted to fall madly, hopelessly and passionately in love, just like her parents had. Her reticence to having sex for the sake of having it stemmed from her desire to experience what her parents had. But this man can't be him. It's just impossible! Even if he's real, he's too gorgeous to be attracted to ordinary-looking me. She imperceptibly shook her head; I know I'll languish to death with unrequited love if I were to set my sights on him in the flesh. She sighed.

"Alex, are you okay? You look a little flushed. For a minute there I thought you'd faint when you started hyperventilating," Pamela glanced up at the portrait, "That's one hot guy in that painting. He's positively scrumptious!"

Alex had trouble looking away from the portrait long enough to respond to her concerned friend, "I'm alright. I guess I'm a little hungry. We were too busy at the garage today so I skipped lunch, but I'm fine now."

"Let's get going then. These parties offer a buffet supper so you can have something before we go out and scope out the available studs," Pamela comically leered at her, "We'd better appease your hunger for food first before we go hunting for the other meat that will feed your other hunger." She couldn't help but laugh at her friend. She was like a dog with a bone sometimes.

"Come on then, time is ticking. I told you I'd only stay for a couple of hours and after that all bets are off. Time to go ahunting for that perfect guy that will screw me to a blazing orgasm," Alex jokingly said.

She took another longing look at the painting and wished that she'd get to meet the real person who posed for it. She wouldn't mind meeting and giving her virginity to him! Wishful thinking on her part, she knew, but a woman could dream, right? No one who looked that gorgeous would settle for an ordinary looking, overweight woman like her.

If men like that exist, they look for gorgeous sylphlike women who have perfect bodies. I can't compete, and have no intention of doing so! Guys like that are welcome to the supermodel type."She mentally shrugged.

Alex and Pamela set off in search of the buffet spread. She had at least one hunger she planned to satisfy.

To be continued....