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The Werewolf's Sabbat

By: River_willow76



"Cynthia, come on!" Her mother said in an exasperated voice. "Get your shoes on or you'll be late for school." Marie quickly finished the last of the dishes, placing them in the draining rack before drying her hands and grabbing the hair brush from the counter. She turned to her five year old daughter and hurriedly began the task of untangling the long messy dark mane on top of her head. 

"Ouch mommy, you're pulling!" Cynthia protested with a squeal.

"I'm sorry Cindy but you need to hold still. This hair of yours is a mess." Marie went back to the unruly mane, unable to keep her eyes off the clock. After finishing with her daughter's hair, Marie helped slip on Cynthia's jacket before pulling on her own. She grabbed the girl's book bag, slid it over her shoulders and they headed out the front door. 

It was a beautiful spring day; the early morning sky was a clear blue, not a cloud in sight. Marie breathed in deeply, the scent of fresh mowed grass filling her senses. Who in their right mind would be mowing their lawn this early in the morning was beyond her, but she didn't care. She loved the spring. Everything blooming, the trees around her taking on a deep green color, it was probably her favorite season. 

Marie hated feeling rushed. She glanced at her watch and let a frown cover her face, thinking about her hectic morning and what was to come. Usually she was much more organized than this, ready to go at the drop of a hat. She'd had to be for so long; she couldn't remember being any other way. Yet, in the past few years, Maria had found she was growing more and more comfortable and relaxed in her everyday life. Long gone were the days of keeping a 'go bag' in the closet, or in the trunk of the car in case she needed to run again. She hadn't even had a nightmare in over two years. Of course, she hadn't told her husband Bill much about her. At least not much that was true. As far as he knew, her name was Marie Stephenson and she hailed from Maryland, which was just fine by her. She'd always wanted to go to Maryland. The guilt she felt for lying to the one man she has ever loved was unbearable at times. She tolerated the guilt because it was necessary. This was how things had to be if she and her daughter were to be safe from her past. 

She had only recently moved to Minneapolis St. Paul, Minnesota, when Marie had met Bill Spencer as she was catering a wedding five and a half years ago. He was the best man at the ceremony, tall and handsome with his short blonde hair and electric blue eyes. She fell for him the minute he looked at her with that winning smile of his. Of course, his flawless firm body didn't hurt either. It was a whirlwind relationship, everything happened so fast. He somehow obtained her phone number, apparently from a coworker at the catering company she worked for at the time, he called her for a date and they were married six months later. Despite the lies she felt forced to tell him, their relationship was wonderful. Marie had never been happier and she would do anything for her husband. 

Their fifth anniversary was the coming Monday. Five years seams a long time to some people but for Marie, it had been but a flash before her eyes. The most beautiful flash she had ever seen, but a flash never the less. 

Marie sighed impatiently when her daughter stopped to pluck a stray caterpillar from the sidewalk. Cynthia had always been a curious little soul, stopping to examine everything she came across. Any other day Marie would have loved to take the time to explore with the girl, taking every opportunity to nurture her interests and talents. However, this particular morning she had bigger things on her mind than silly little caterpillars. The doctor's appointment she was running late for had her nerves on edge and she couldn't focus on much more than getting her kid to school and heading straight to Dr. Brooks office. 

Marie had been so caught up in her own thoughts that she hadn't noticed that her daughter was no longer walking beside her. She turned to find Cynthia almost half a block behind her staring strangely at something. With an irritated sigh she turned on her heel. This had better not be another damn caterpillar, she thought. 

"Cynthia Leanne Spencer, will you please hurry? You know we are running late." Feeling her patience wearing thin, she quickly walked over to her daughter, intent on grabbing her by the hand and dragging her to school, caterpillar or not. Marie instantly noticed the strange look on her daughter's face, and slowly knelt down in front of her putting them at eye level. "What's wrong sweetie?"

"Mommy, I don't like that car." 

Marie looked in the direction of the girl's disturbed gaze and noticed a blue Ford parked at the curb across the street. She raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What would make you say a silly thing like that?" She laughed. "I happen to think it's a perfectly fine car." Marie found herself wishing she had taken her own car this morning, instead of insisting on walking everywhere. Maybe then they wouldn't be running so late. She looked back to her daughter and immediately became worried when she noticed a tear streaming down the girl's face. 

"That's the car that hurts you and daddy." 

"What?" Marie blinked slowly, trying to maintain a calm expression. She reached up and wiped the tear from her child's cheek. "Cindy, why would you say something like that?" 

"I dreamed it, mommy. Two days ago I was sleeping, and then I was standing in the street and I saw daddy's car get hit by that blue one over there." She said, pointing across the street. 

Marie hugged her little girl and then held her small face in the palms of her hands. "Cindy, honey, mommy and daddy are going to be just fine. Nothing is going to happen to us. What you saw was just a dream. We all have strange dreams from time to time. Now let's get going okay?" She stood and taking her daughter's hand once more they headed down the street before Cynthia stopped again.

"But mommy, Gramma and aunt Beff said I should always listen to my dreams. They said my dreams can tell me a lot of stuff." 

Marie rolled her eyes and shook her head, looking down at her daughter. "Do you always listen to what Gramma and Aunt Beth tells you?"

Cynthia paused a moment as if to consider her mother's question. "Well, yes. I love them and we have so much fun. Yesterday, they were showing me things about different plants and insects and little animals... and also we go and sing around the place where they make the fire in the yard. And also they showed me how to make a house around my body. They said it was called a shield." 

Cynthia seemed so excited that Marie couldn't bring herself to burst her bubble so instead she made a mental note to go and have a long heart felt talk with her mother and aunt. She had made it quite clear that she didn't want her daughter brought up this way. She wanted her to have nothing but a normal childhood, not one full of spells, chanting and magical mumbo jumbo. Marie had been told that she was a witch when she was a child. The different chants, spells and energy work, along with the celebrations around the fire all became a normal part of her everyday life. She hadn't known that she was different from other children her age. One day, when Marie was nine years old, she told her best friend, Alicia, about some of the things her family did. Alicia had gone and told several other kids in her class and they had all made fun of her, one boy even physically hurt her when he pushed her down in the school hallway. The principal had heard about what was going on and threatened to call the authorities and have Marie removed from her home, claiming it was an unsafe environment. The torment and ridicule that she had gone through had been traumatizing, to say the least, and she had decided never to practice any form of magic again. She most certainly didn't want Cynthia being taught those things. She couldn't imagine what she would do if her daughter had to go through that kind of hell. She had made her wishes clear to her mother and aunt and it angered her that they would do anything behind her back.

She walked Cynthia the rest of the way to the school entrance before giving her another big hug. "Mommy and daddy love you very much, you know that, right? Now I want you to go and try to have a good day and I will be right here waiting when you get out."

"Okay, I love you too, mommy." She waved as she turned and ran up to the school door.

Marie tried to sound as reassuring as possible to her daughter, but found that she wasn't feeling so sure of herself. As far as she knew, her daughter hadn't had any previous dreams. It was likely that she was making a big deal out of nothing, yet she wasn't able to shake the tinge of fear suddenly seeping into her heart. All the women on her mother's side of the family had a unique ability, if not several. However, Cynthia had yet to display such talents. Could it be that her particular talents lie within her dreams? Marie suddenly had an unsettling feeling sweep over her, as though she was being watched. She quickly looked around for the source of the feeling but didn't see anyone. She scanned her surroundings once more and then hastily walked in the direction of the doctor's office with a distinct feeling of uneasiness in her stomach.

*

"He's found us. We have to do something." Bethany said to her twin while pacing nervously across the living room. "Anne, there has to be something we can do." 

"Don't you think I know this, Beth? Don't you think I have thought this through? There's nothing we can do." Anne regarded her sister with a frown marring her face. "I've looked at this from every possible angle. It must be that this is supposed to happen because there's nothing we can do to stop it." Anne was finding it difficult to keep her composure and her voice shook slightly. "Beth, the last thing in the world that I want to do is to lose my only daughter, but I can't find any way around it. I've seen it over and over again, like a replay of a bad film in my mind every night for the past week."

"I understand that." Beth said in a low voice. "I've seen it too, but we can't just sit back and let this happen."

"We are not just sitting back." She spat with a glare in her eyes. "We are taking the only action we have available to us." Anne sighed, giving her sister an apologetic look. "I'm sorry for being so short with you. We have a lot of work to do and a short time to do it in." Anne knew this day was coming but didn't think it would arrive so soon. She didn't know how to handle the anguish and guilt pulling at her heart. Anguish for the loss of her daughter and guilt for not having protected her better. 

"You said that you recognized the location in your vision, but how can you know for certain that it will happen tonight?" 

The twins hugged each other for a moment, both on the verge of tears. "Let's just call it a gut feeling. I don't know how else to explain it. I can feel it in my bones. We need to get started with preparations." Anne gave Bethany a wad of cash along with a list of needed supplies. "You go collect the things on the list and I will get started here."

Bethany stuffed the cash into her pocket and grabbed her jacket from the hook on the wall. "I'll be back as soon as I can." She hugged her sister once more before walking out the door towards the black pick up in the drive way. 

Anne watched her sister drive away before turning and walking up the stairs leading to the attic. Using a flat head screwdriver, she knelt down and pried up a loose floor board. Reaching in, she began removing plastic ziplock bags containing all of the cash they had saved over the past five years, along with several pieces of identification and social security cards. She placed the items in a small duffel bag, replaced the floor board and descended the stairs to a closet on the main floor where she retrieved three pre-packed suitcases. Anne took the money filled duffel bag and added whatever small keepsakes she felt she couldn't part with including several pictures of her daughter and granddaughter. She made one last sweep of the room, assured that she hadn't overlooked anything; she went to the kitchen in search of her mortar and pestle.

*

"Mrs. Spencer, you can get dressed now. Dr. Brooks will be with you shortly." The nurse drew the privacy curtain closed before leaving her alone in the room. Marie hadn't thought about having another child, she and Bill had never even discussed it before, but the second she realized she had missed two menstrual cycles, and what that might mean, she instantly made an appointment for a check up. The unexpected excitement bubbling up at the possibility of being pregnant took her by surprise. Was she even ready for this? How would her husband react when she told him? If she was indeed pregnant, Marie decided she would break the news to Bill on their upcoming anniversary. She let out a long sigh in an effort to calm her nerves when she heard a knock at the door. Marie's tummy flipped when the doctor entered the room holding a clipboard in one hand, a prescription slip in the other, and a wide toothy grin on his face. 

"Mrs. Spencer, I have what I'm hoping is good news for you."

Marie looked at him, a big smile of her own slowly creeping across her face. "I'm pregnant, aren't I?"

Dr. Brooks let out a low chuckle, handing her the prescription slip. "You're due in approximately seven months. Now, we won't know an exact due date until we can get you in for a sonogram. The script I just gave you is for prenatal vitamins. I want you to start taking them as soon as you can get it filled. I'm also giving you a few pamphlets concerning the Lamaze classes we have available and here's one on breast feeding. Do you plan on breast feeding, Mrs. Spencer?"

Marie sat there stunned. "I don't know, Dr. Brooks. This wasn't exactly planned." She didn't know what to think. Her mind was in a whirl of confusion. There was so much to do, so much to think about.

"I understand." Dr. Brooks stood, handing Marie the packet of pamphlets and other paper work. "Well, unless you have any questions, I believe you are free to go. Head down to the reception desk and Sara will help you set your next appointment. I'll see you in a month." The doctor reached out to shake Marie's hand with a smile before walking out the door and moving on to his next patient. 

Marie sat there a moment longer, wide eyed and grinning like a fool, before grabbing her purse and heading towards the reception area. She made her next appointment for the following month, along with a separate appointment for a complete sonogram and then headed out the door practically skipping towards her mother's house.

*

"Mama!" Marie burst through the front door to her mother's house barely able to contain her excitement. "Mama?" She wandered through the living room and into the dining room finally finding her mother sitting at the kitchen table earnestly grinding some herb or another. She and her aunt Beth were always making things, weather it be incense, candles, or soap, they were always busy with some project or another. Marie loved her mother more than anything, even though there was a certain flare of crazy to her. That was just one of the attributes that made her that much more lovable.

"Mama, what concoction are you making now?" Marie rolled her eyes at her mother. She turned to pour herself a cup of coffee. Remembering her doctor's warning against too much caffeine in her delicate condition, she returned the cup to the cabinet and opted for a glass of water instead. She leaned against the counter sipping from her glass and watched as her mother combined the ground herbs with what looked to be something akin to Vaseline or lard. Marie grimaced, wrinkling her nose. "What on earth is that?" 

"I'm making a healing salve, dear" Anne smiled at her daughter then carefully spooned the mixture into a small jar and screwed the lid on tightly.

"And just who do you plan on healing with that disgusting mess?" Marie knew that her mother and aunt liked to make things for others in exchange for money to help supplement their income, but she found their witchy behavior quite ridiculous at times. 

Anne wiped her hands on a dishtowel. "I'm making it for... a friend." She said before turning away, unable to hide the pain in her eyes.

"Mom, are you okay?" Marie didn't think she had said anything hurtful to her. She stepped closer to her mother and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Mama, you always get so carried away and emotional when doing things like this. Why don't you take a break and sit on the sun porch with me. It's a beautiful day out, and besides, I have some news I want to share with you. Marie was practically dragging her mother to the porch giggling. 

"Marie, what has gotten into you?" her mother asked with a small grin on her face.

"Well, if you must know, I've been feeling a bit out of sorts lately so I went to the doctor this morning." She said rubbing her tummy.

It didn't take her mother long before she put two and two together. Her face split into a wide grin and she grabbed her daughter's shoulders. "Marie, you're pregnant?" She beamed, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"I just found out today. Apparently, I'm due in about seven months, but we won't know the actual due date until my sonogram which is scheduled two weeks from now."

"What did Bill have to say about it?" she asked, unable to let go of her daughter.

"I haven't told him yet. I wanted it to be a surprise and so I have decided to wait until our anniversary dinner this coming Monday night. Although, I don't know how I will be able to keep it quiet for that long." Marie felt that all too familiar nervous twinge come back to her when she thought about what her husband's reaction would be.

The cheerful look slowly fell from her mother's face as she narrowed her gaze on her daughter. "Marie, you have to tell him today." She said worriedly. 

"Mama?" she said in a low whisper. "What's going on?"

"Don't you worry, just trust me. You have to tell him today as soon as he gets home from work. Promise me you will, Marie." 

Her mother's strange behavior only increased Marie's nervousness. "Ok mama, I promise. We were planning on going out to dinner tonight, maybe I will tell him then."

"Marie, I know that you don't accept the witch in you, you never have. But do your old mother a favor. Humor me just this once and stay home tonight. Please. I need you to do this for me."

"Okay, enough of this. What's this all about exactly?" Marie folded her arms across her chest, awaiting her mother's answer.

Anne took a deep breath. "I had a vision, Marie. It wasn't a good one. Just do this one thing for me. Stay home." Another one of her so called visions, I should have known, Marie thought to herself. She shook her head in defeat. "Okay. I'll stay home. If that's what will make you happy then I'll do it."

Anne placed her hand gently on her daughter's tummy and smiled when she sensed the little life growing inside. Looking up into her face, tears shining in her eyes, she once again wrapped Marie in a warm, tight embrace. "Do you know how much I love you?"

Marie hugged her back, taking in the scent of her mother's hair. "I love you too, mama. I have to go. Lots to do yet, you know."

Anne gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, and one last quick hug walking her to the door. "Now get on out of here." She said with a giggle. "Give little Cynthia a big ole hug for me."

She watched her daughter walk down the sidewalk in the direction of her house, finally allowing a single tear to roll down her cheek. She walked back into the house and slowly closed the door.

Marie walked a couple blocks when she suddenly remembered the incident with Cynthia on the way to school. She stopped and looked back at her mother's house, wondering if she should go back and talk to her about it. After a moment's consideration, she thought better of it and continued on her way.


The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 02



"Daddy, Daddy!" Cynthia squealed when she spotted him outside of the school. Running late, Bill had just arrived in front of the school. He smiled and waved at his little girl. She ran as quickly as her short legs would carry her, and he reached out and scooped her up in a big hug. "Hey there, ladybug!" He hugged her tightly, swinging her in circles. "I'm sorry I'm late."

"What are you doing here, daddy? Mommy is the one to get me from school." She said with a giggle.

"Well today it's daddy's day to pick you up." He said before planting a kiss on her forehead and setting her down. They walked side by side, her small hand in his. "How was school today princess?" 

"Oh it was good, daddy. Today was show and tell and Bobby Williams, who sits next to me; he brought a big green snake. It was this big!" she exclaimed spreading her hands apart, her brown eyes wide as saucers. 

"Oh my goodness, really? That big, huh?" Bill said smiling and feigning surprise.

"Yes daddy!" she squealed with excitement. 

"Why don't you show daddy what you brought for show and tell?"

Cynthia stopped to dig through her book bag and pulled out her favorite toy. "I brought my dolly!" She pulled out her favorite Barbie doll and handed it to her dad.

Bill laughed down at her. "Well that's a pretty dolly but not near as pretty as my Cindy." He gazed down at his daughter, his heart swelling with pride. She was smaller than the other kindergarteners but sharp as a tack. He was so proud that she had taken so well to her first year at school. Both Bill and Marie had worried how she would cope with being around strangers and away from her parents, but she never wavered, not once. They walked the few blocks home, hand in hand, giggling and talking about Cindy's new caterpillar she had adopted on the way to school that morning. She named him Henry. 

"Marie?" Bill called out as he entered the house and closed the front door.

"In here!" Marie said from the bedroom. His breath immediately hitched in his chest when he caught sight of his wife modeling her new blue dress in the closet mirror. She was absolutely stunning. "What do you think?" She said smiling up at him and giving a glamorous twirl. 

"Where did you get that dress? You look absolutely amazing!" He walked across the room and wrapped his arms around her. 

Marie couldn't help the blush rising across her face. "I bought it from that little shop on Main Street this afternoon. It was on sale, I hope you don't mind."

Bill laughed out loud. "Of course I don't mind. Why would I mind when my wife looks so hot?" He leaned down to kiss her, taking her in his arms. "You look beautiful, baby. I don't care if the dress was on sale or not. You are worth every penny."

Marie couldn't help but to giggle in delight. Her day had been trying, to say the least, and she was due for a compliment or two. "Where are we going tonight?" She asked excitedly.

"We are going to Giorgio's." That was the restaurant he had taken her to on their first date. He thought it fitting that he takes her there to celebrate them bringing another life into their family, as well. It was a pricey place, but as far as he was concerned, this was a special occasion and she was well worth the money spent. "So are we going to drop Cindy off at your mom's before we go?"

Marie thought about all that Cynthia had told her that happened at her mom's house the previous day. She remembered her promise to her mother that she would stay home but after looking at her husband's eyes and seeing the happiness radiating from his face, she decided to go anyway. "No, I think we should take her with us." She looked into her husband's eyes reluctantly. "She is apart of our family. If we are celebrating a new member joining us then I think it appropriate that she be there."

Bill looked as though he was considering her reasoning. He smiled down at Marie, "You're right." He went to Cynthia's room and looked through his daughter's closet for something appropriate to wear. He handed her a small, pink and white dress and asked her to put it on. "You are going out somewhere special with mommy and daddy; we want you to look nice." 

Cynthia jumped up, excited to be going somewhere special with her parents. She had always loved getting dressed up. It made her feel like a princess. "Are we going to Chuck-E-Cheese?" She said, hopping up and down, barely able to contain her excitement.

Bill laughed at his daughter. "No, princess, we are going somewhere even better. Get dressed quickly so we can be on our way." She nodded happily at her dad before taking off her clothes and putting on the dress he had handed her, eager to be included with her parents rather than being handed over to a babysitter. 

They had a wonderful dinner at Giorgio's. They ate steak and all sorts of shrimp, laughing and joking with one another, before they loaded into their car and drove home. Bill had never felt this sort of happiness. He was driving along the highway with his arm around his wife, wondering how he had become so lucky to have such a perfect family.

"Mommy?" Cynthia said from the back seat, a look of terror covering her face.

Marie turned to acknowledge her daughter. She didn't see the blue Ford coming from the side road, heading straight into their car. 

The sound of metal screeching and twisting was enough to make one's stomach turn. Their car rolled eight times before coming to a stop in the middle of a field. The air was heavy with dust and dirt surrounding the overturned vehicle.

*

Bethany drove as fast as she could to the center of the field where the wrecked car rested. 

"Shield us, NOW!" Anne commanded as she quickly rushed from her truck to the vehicle carrying her daughter. 

Bethany began slowly manifesting a glowing ball of blue energy between her hands before expanding it to surround not only the twins, but their truck as well. They suddenly became invisible, camouflaged by Bethany's shield. 

Anne raced to the overturned vehicle. The windows were blown out and she reached in to grab her granddaughter. She looked to the front seat. She let out a tormented sob when she saw her only daughter blood soaked, lying there, lifeless. You can do this Anne, remain focused, she thought to herself. She knew that she had to keep emotions at bay, as they would taint the energy work she was doing on her granddaughter, rendering it ineffective. She slowly scooped the small child into her arms taking her to the awaiting truck. She went back once more, reached to the front seat checking each for a pulse on her daughter and son. Finding nothing, she ran back to the truck, got in and slammed the door. "Drive!" She said as she climbed into the back seat. Anne reached into her duffel bag and pulled out the jar of healing ointment. She opened the jar and started applying it liberally to the wounds on the small girls' body, chanting as she went. Once she was satisfied that the girl would be okay, she returned to the front seat of the truck. 

Bethany gave her sister a worried look. "Is she going to be alright?" She asked in a panicked voice. She waited until they were safely out of harms way before releasing the shield she had created. After all, it's not safe to drive down a highway shielded where nobody could see you.

Anne looked at her twin. "She is going to be fine. She has been knocked unconscious but I can't find any broken bones or internal injuries." Anne looked straight ahead as her sister drove them to safety.

They drove in silence for awhile before Bethany looked over at her sister. Putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder, she watched as Anne covered her face, no longer able to contain the sorrowful wails escaping her body. Anne's body shook violently with sobs, mourning her daughter's death.

Bethany pulled slowly to the side of the highway, turning off the ignition, she embraced her sister. Her own tears flowing down her cheeks, she hugged Anne tightly. "I'm sorry, sissy. I'm so sorry." She sobbed. "You did the right thing. Don't ever doubt that." She glanced in the rear view mirror to the tiny replica of Marie lying sleeping in the back and started the truck once more and drove. Anne finally fell asleep on her sister's shoulder still hiccupping a cry every now and then. They drove for five hours before finally stopping to rest at a cheap motel before taking off again in the morning. 

*

Leonard stepped out of his wrecked vehicle, looking both ways before marching across the highway to the overturned car in the field. It had taken him more than five years to find the ungrateful bitch that left him. Did she really think she could outrun him? She was his. He had told her that numerous times, even once when he was making love to her on the kitchen floor of her apartment.

Go to her, she yours Leo.

The voice in the back of his head urged him forward. Stalking up to the car laying on its top, he kicked in what remained of the driver's side window. Peeking in, he saw a blonde male sitting beside his beloved. He couldn't control his temper any longer as he violently kicked the man in the head, sending a spray of blood towards the windshield. Who the fuck did this bitch think she was? Did she really think he was going to stand by while she bedded another? 

She's YOURS. Go to her. You deserve her. Teach her a lesson. 

The voice in his head was persistent. Sometimes it seemed to have a mind of its own. He walked to the passenger side of the vehicle and knelt down. He seen Marie lying upside down, covered in blood from a nasty gash on her forehead. It was obvious that she was dead as he looked into those unseeing eyes. Leonard suddenly became violent, kicking at the car that carried his Marie. 

"You fucking bitch! Why did you run from me? We could have been together forever if you would only have listened to reason!!" He screamed into the night. He wanted to say more but the voice stopped him.

LEAVE. Someone's coming. They might see you.

The voice was right. He heard the faint sound of a car engine grumbling along the road, coming closer. He kicked the bashed car a couple of more times, before finally crossing the street from where he came and disappeared into the night.



The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 03



Twenty years later



Janette located her favorite ink pen and name tag from the shelf in her grandmother's living room before grabbing her purse. "Grandma, I'm heading to work now. Do you need anything before I go?" She had been staying with her grandma the past three weeks, helping her recover from an injury she had obtained during a freak ice storm.

"No, dear, I will be just fine. You have a good day at work." She smiled up at her granddaughter, before returning her attention back to her crocheting project in her lap. The past few weeks have been hell for her after taking a nasty fall down the icy front porch steps and breaking her ankle. She felt that she probably could have taken care of herself all of this time but her granddaughter had insisted on staying to help her. She wasn't about to argue, though, it had been nice having an extra helping hand around the cottage. 

Janette slipped her jacket on before giving the old woman in the rocking chair a worried look. "Are you sure? There's a fresh pot of coffee ready for you in the kitchen and some sweet rolls that I bought from the bakery last night if you get hungry." She stepped quickly over to her grandma, leaning over to kiss her lightly on the cheek. "I'll be home in about eight hours, unless my shift runs long. But, if you need anything, you have my cell number and my work number. Just dial extension 589 and it will ring you directly to my phone." 

Grandma rolled her eyes. "Stop fussing over me and just go." She said with a smile. "I'm 65 years old. I'm pretty sure I can manage, you know."

"I know you can. I just worry about you, that's all grandma." Janette gave her one last kiss before grabbing her car keys and heading out the door for work. The hospital was a 20 minute drive from her grandmother's small farm house; however, Janette tried to leave at least 45 minutes before her shift was to start. She hated being late for work and with these country dirt roads you never knew what to expect, especially in bad weather.

Janette knew that her grandmother didn't really need her there to take care of her. She was perfectly capable on her own, plus she had her twin sister there to help if need be. She had just wanted to stay a few days with her grandma Rose and Aunt Marion but after those few days was over; Janette found that she wasn't ready to return to her lonely one bedroom apartment in the city. She had been raised on this very farm since they had moved to Washington when she was five years old. She loved being independent and having her own place but never really felt at home unless she was at her grandmother's house. They had always had so much fun together, cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the animals. They didn't have a regular run of the mill farm. They only had ten acres of land containing a few milking goats, chickens, three horses and two cats. You wouldn't think that house work and cleaning up after animals could be fun, but her grandma and aunt always found a way to make it so. 

Janette's favorite thing to do on the farm was to care for the horses. She loved her horse, Calico. He didn't look anything remotely calico but she had insisted when she was young that the horse actually spoke to her and told her that was his name. Grandma always forbid her to ride through the woods bordering their land, claiming that the big bad wolf would get her, but she knew it was just a scare tactic and did it anyway. That was the running joke between the three of them, grandma's house in the woods, the big bad wolf... one time she had even made Janette a hooded red cloak as a gift, to top it all off. Of course, these days she didn't have time for that kind of care free living and horse riding as she had been too busy with work and being a responsible adult. 

Janette pulled into the staff parking lot of the hospital with twenty minutes remaining before her shift was due to begin. Parking her car and switching off the ignition, she walked quickly to the employee entrance, and went to her locker where she hung her jacket and grabbed her stethoscope. She politely bid several coworkers 'Good morning' before heading to the break room for a cup of coffee and Danish. Janette looked forward to this time of morning as these few precious minutes were likely the only ones she would have to herself all day. She pulled her name tag from the pocket of her scrub top and ran her finger across the bold lettering. 'Janette Timbers, RN'

Janette had been accepted into the RN program at the local college right out of high school. It had never been her dream to become a nurse but she had already had all of the required prerequisites out of the way and got in immediately even though there had been a rather long waiting list. She had accepted it mostly because it was convenient as she didn't really know what she wanted to do with her life yet, as far as a career went. Besides, nurses made a pretty good wage there in Washington, so she couldn't complain. She was grateful to earn a good income and have the ability to take care of herself without relying on another. Janette had gone to college for two years before finally getting her RN and landing a job at the local hospital. She had been working there for five years now and had grown to actually like it. 

"Good morning, Jan." Her coworker, Robert flashed her a flirtatious grin while grabbing her cup and refilling it for her. "How's your morning going so far?"

"Can't complain, how about yourself?" She accepted the cup he offered her and nodded her thanks. 

"Another day, another dollar." He said, pouring a cup for himself.

Smiling politely at him, Janette glanced at her watch seeing that it was time to get to work. She finished her coffee and Danish before throwing both the paper cup and Danish wrapper into the trash. She started to walk out the door towards her unit when Robert called her name. "Hey, Jan, wait up!" He took off in a light jog to catch up to her. "Hey, I was thinking," He averted his eyes from hers nervously. "Why don't you have dinner with me tonight?"

Janette felt her tummy flip. This was the last thing she was expecting him to ask and she wasn't too sure how to respond without hurting his feelings or making herself sound like a cold inconsiderate bitch. She paused momentarily considering her response. "Robert, that's very sweet of you but I don't date coworkers." 

His face fell slightly before he recovered, masking the disappointment in his eyes. "That's ok, I understand. Thanks anyway." He gave her a wink before turning and walking away.

Janette breathed a long sigh and headed to the surgical floor. She suddenly felt frustrated at the way things always seemed to play out as far as her love life went, or lack of one. There were no official rules about dating coworkers but she had found out the hard way that it wasn't a good idea. The first and only time she had dated someone from the hospital things went to hell and she almost lost her job. She had been seeing Ben for almost three months when she caught him having sex with another nurse in a utility closet and broke it off with him. His ego was bruised and he sought retribution and accused her of stealing. The only reason she didn't get canned was because one of the doctors somehow overheard him talking to another male coworker in the hall about what he was doing. They both laughed their asses off about how he was getting back at Janette. The doctor reported it to administration, an investigation took place and Ben was fired a week later. Every since then, she had made it a rule to never date the people she worked with. The only problem was that nobody outside of the hospital ever asked her out. She hadn't had a date in over two years and it was starting to wear on her. 

Janette was suddenly shaken from her thoughts when her friend Melissa came running up to her. "Oh my gawd, Jan. Where have you been?? I've been looking everywhere for you." The woman put her arm around Janette's shoulders, walking in step with her. 

Janette rolled her eyes at her high strung wide eyed friend and laughed. "I just got here, why what happened?"

"Girl, you have got to go to the club with me tonight." Melissa was almost hysterical she couldn't control her excitement. "I met this guy... no...wait, wrong word. I met this Greek God the other day and he asked me out. He's supposed to meet me tonight at that club on the other side of town. Please, you so have to go!"

Melissa always seemed more like a teenager than a grown adult. Janette couldn't help but to be jealous of her friend's carefree, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants personality, not to mention her good looks. The 5'8 blond with electric blue eyes and stab-you-in-the-face boobs never seemed to have troubles getting a date. She was almost like a real life Barbie Doll. Janette burst out laughing at her friend's wild expression. "Melissa, I can't. I'm sorry but I've got quite a bit to do tonight."

"Like what?" Melissa rolled her eyes at Janette. "Oh, I remember now. You have all those chickens to feed and the horse poop to scoop, or whatever it is you farm girls do. Seriously, Jan." She grabbed her by both shoulders almost shaking her. "How is scooping horse shit more important than going out to the hottest club in town and dancing all night with Greek Gods? You really have to lighten up and have a little fun. Let your hair down for once, will ya?"

"Okay, okay, I'll think about it!" She finally relented.

Melissa smirked. "Yeah we all know what that means. For the love of the Gods, just go with me! Please, please, please?"

"I'll see what I can do." Janette hugged her friend. "I gotta run." She said walking down the hallway still laughing.

"Call me!" Melissa shouted after her.

Janette was no ugly duckling but she always felt like a third wheel when she went out with her friend. Everywhere they went she found herself waiting patiently on the sidelines for her friend to get done talking and flirting with whatever guy was falling at her feet at the moment. She loved spending time with Melissa but going out with her was a whole other story.

Janette worked through her day moving as though she was a robot. Everything came automatically to her, most of the time she didn't even have to think about it. Checking in on her patients, charting, taking vitals, starting IVs, catheters, basically doing whatever her patients needed her to do. By the time her shift ended she felt drained even if the day hadn't been physically trying. She had about ten minutes before her shift ended and she could swear the clock had to be moving backwards. How could ten minutes take so damn long? She let out a wearied sigh, replacing the last chart before finally walking to her locker to collect her purse and jacket. 

Janette needed to run a few errands before heading back to the cottage so she got into her car, started the engine and headed in the direction of the supermarket. She despised grocery shopping but had promised her grandmother that she would pick up a few things on the way home. She quickly walked through the isles checking off her shopping list while throwing one item after another into her shopping cart, not even paying attention to prices or brand names. 'This is way more than just a few things, grandma' she thought while rolling her eyes. Janette wanted nothing more than to go home to a hot shower and perhaps a nap. She rolled down the frozen food isle, throwing things into her cart in a hurry to get home when she came around the corner and ran full force into another cart. 

'Oh shit', she thought. "Wow, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there." Her face turned beet red with embarrassment as she looked up into the dark brown, almost black eyes, of the man she'd nearly knocked over. He had to have been at least 6'5 with thick black wavy hair and one of the most muscular bodies she had ever seen, covered by tight fitting blue jeans and a dark blue button down shirt. Her mind went back to Melissa's talk of Greek Gods and her blush deepened at the thought. He seemed to regard her with a look of annoyance before something else flashed into his eyes. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. It was a look of... recognition? She knew for a fact she had never met him before but found herself racking her brain trying to think of a time they may have crossed paths. 

The corner of his mouth turned up in a slight smile. "Are you okay, Janette?"

He laughed lightly at the shocked look on her face. "How...how do you know my name? Have we met?" She gave the Greek God a confused look as he stood there smiling, casually pointing towards the name tag she had yet to take off. She tried desperately to look anywhere but his eyes as she willed the floor to open up and swallow her whole but it didn't work. She was left standing there stuttering and feeling like a complete,and utter moron. She closed her eyes for a moment and swallowed hard. "I'm sorry for running into you." Then she hastily steered her cart around his and took off towards the check out. 

As she rushed by him his eyes followed her "I'm not" he said to himself.

Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God. What the hell just happened? She thought to herself. She couldn't seem to get a hold of her nerves. She took a few deep breaths and tried to calm herself only to look over and see him in the next check out lane still staring at her. She had never felt so mortified in all of her life. What must he think of her?

'Oh look! There's that girl who runs carelessly down the isles plowing innocent people over with her shopping cart.'

She tried to remain focused on paying the cashier and getting the hell out of Dodge but she couldn't stop her eyes from flitting over to him. It's as though the orbs in her head had a mind of their own. When she took notice of the contents of his shopping cart in the next lane she couldn't help but give him a look of disgust at all the steaks he was purchasing. Who eats that much meat? Someone throw that man a vegetable, please! He seemed to pick up on what she was thinking and only shook his head and laughed. The full fledged smile he directed her way was more than she could take. He had the most perfect, whitest teeth she had ever seen. She found herself holding her breath in anticipation of that famous 'gleam' that always happens to peoples smiles on toothpaste commercials. Janette didn't know what had come over her; she only knew she had to get out of there. NOW. 

"Stop." She ordered the cashier.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am?" He said cocking one eyebrow at her.

"Stop scanning things. I don't want the rest of the things in my cart. An emergency just came up, you see, and I have to leave. Would you just give me my total please?" She didn't mean to sound so desperate. The cashier gave her an irritated look and stated the amount she owed; she slid her credit card through the machine, placed the last of her bags in her cart and hurried out to the parking lot. She was so flustered that she almost forgot where she had parked. Finally locating her car she scurried to it, loaded her groceries into the trunk, and jumped into the front seat resting her head on the steering wheel in an effort to catch her breath. 

"Hello again."

"OH MY GOD!" Janette jumped and screamed, putting a hand on her chest. So much for trying to catch her breath. She closed her eyes trying to calm her heart which was about to thump its way out of her chest. "I... I didn't see you there."

"Yes, that's twice now." He laughed, leaning down, bringing them eye to eye. He slid his index finger along her forearm setting butterflies loose in her tummy. "You left before I could get your phone number. Judging by the way you ran out of there I could have swore the building was on fire." 

Janette blinked several times trying to register what he had just said. "You... you want my phone number?" She looked up at him as though he had grown a third eye.

He sighed, narrowing his gaze on her. "Yes. As shocking as it may seem, I want your phone number. I also would like it very much if you would have dinner with me tomorrow night." Taking her hand in his, he slowly brought it to his lips placing a light kiss on the knuckles. "Janette, don't be so nervous. I don't bite... unless you want me to, of course"

Thank goodness she was sitting in her car at that moment because she was sure if she had been standing; her knees would have given out on her. "You want my phone number... we don't even know each other." She said uncertainly.

"Yes, hence the dinner invitation. It's called a first date, at which time we will get to know each other." He winked once more and handed her a pen and a note pad. He waited a moment before giving her a sigh of mock impatience. "Okay, this is how you do it." He took her right hand in his. "Start by grasping the pen in this hand, and then you very carefully write your phone number on the paper. It's quite simple." He said, matter-of-factly.

Janette suddenly laughed out loud at his sarcasm. "Okay, okay, I get it." She quickly jotted down her name and number before handing the pen and paper back to him. When he tried to take the paper with her number on it she tightened her grasp, holding it a moment longer, and meeting his gaze. "Don't make me regret this."

"Oh you won't, trust me." He turned to walk towards his truck.

"Wait, you didn't tell me your name!" She called after him unable to take her eyes off of his tight jean clad ass.

"Mitch. Mitch Evans!" He hopped in his truck and waved at her before driving off with another gorgeous smile.

Janette could barely remember the drive from the grocery store to her grandmother's cottage. Everything seemed a blur as all she could see in her mind was that amazing smile and those eyes that seemed to stare right into her very soul. She was still quite confused as nobody had ever had this powerful effect on her after only knowing them a few minutes. She silently reminded herself to be careful and not take things too seriously.

She raced up the front steps to the house before remembering the groceries in the trunk. She ran back to the car, unlocked the trunk and pulled out several plastic bags before slamming the door and heading back once more to the house. 

Her grandmother just stood there looking at her with one eyebrow raised as she zipped through the house, dropped the bags on the kitchen table and quickly began putting things in their place. "Good day at work?" she asked

"Yeah it was ok, I guess." Janette was still unable to remove the stupid grin from her face. 

"I see." Her grandma said with a smirk. She walked back to her rocking chair and clicked on the TV.

"Grandma, I'll be out in the stables if you need me, okay?" Janette didn't wait for a reply as she raced out the back door of the cottage, running almost the entire way to see Calico. She hadn't ridden in a long time and needed to clear her head. The best way for her to do that had always been horseback riding. She approached her horse slowly, talking softly to him as she saddled him up. Once she had him ready to go she jumped up onto his back and led him out into the open. At first she just let him trot around the yard a bit, giving him time to get use to her once more. She finally came to the tree line at the edge of their property. Janette gazed into the trees and then turned to look back at the house. Surely her grandma wouldn't see her from here, plus she was too busy crocheting and watching her TV shows. 

'I'm twenty five goddamn years old' she said to herself. 'To hell with the big bad wolf.' She let a wide toothy grin stretch across her face before spurring Calico into a run straight into the forest. The wind whipped through her hair as freedom found her once again. She hadn't felt this happy in such a long time. 

Rose and Marion stood next to each other staring out the window, watching the rebellious girl as she raced into the forbidden forest on her horse. "It won't be long now." Rose gave her twin a smile as she put an arm around her shoulder.




The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 03



Janette was almost done caring for her Calico after what had to have been one of the most amazing rides she had ever been on when her cell phone rang. "Hello?" she said absently, walking over to put the saddle away.

"Hello again." Replied a deep voice on the other end.

She froze suddenly unable to move. Oh my God. It was him. "Um... hey... hi!" She stuttered.

"Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"No!... I mean, no. This is a great time. Um, hold on just a sec." She held her hand over the mouth piece of the phone before jumping up and down, and squealing like a teenager. Taking a deep cleansing breath she brought the phone back to her ear. "Hey, um, so how have you been?" Unable to think of anything better to say, she shook her head, she felt like a complete ass.

"Actually, I've been great. You see, I met the most amazing woman earlier today and she agreed to have dinner with me tomorrow night. It's incredible what can come of a simple trip to the grocery store, isn't it? The only problem is, I forgot to tell her when and where our dinner date would be. Thank goodness I got her phone number, huh."

"Yeah, it's a good thing." She couldn't stop smiling like a fool.

"So there's this place across town called Timber Wolf Steakhouse. Do you know it?"

"Yeah I'm pretty sure I could find it." Of course she knew of it. It was only one of the classiest steakhouses in Washington, if a steakhouse could be considered classy, that is.

"Okay, do you want me to pick you up or can you meet me there?"

She had thought about having him pick her up but wasn't sure if he'd be able to find the place. "Actually, if it's okay with you, I think I will just meet you there."

"Good. Be there at seven sharp, and wear something nice."

"Okay, sounds good. See you then." She disconnected the call and ran as fast as she could through the back door of the cottage. 

Janette couldn't stop smiling as she fixed dinner, ate, did the dishes, put them away....

It took her a while to notice that her grandma and aunt had been watching her with a look on their face as if they knew something she didn't. However, every time she would ask them what they were up to they would always look away as if they had no clue what she was talking about. She didn't give it much thought, though, as she had her mind on other things.

"I think I'm going to head on to bed early tonight. Do you two need anything before I go?" 

The twins looked at each other before shaking their heads. "No, I can't think of anything, can you?" Grandma Rose looked at her sister with a twinkle in her eye as Marion shook her head. "Not a thing." She said.

Janette eyed them for a moment. "You two are strange, you do know that, right?" She turned from them and headed for the guest bathroom where she started the shower.

Janette lay there in her bed for two hours unable to sleep. She had already picked out the dress she would wear for her date and had it hanging on the outside of her closet, ready to go, along with the matching shoes. What was it about this guy? She had only known him for a handful of minutes but found that she could think of nothing else. She was restless and about to go nuts. She suddenly remembered her friend's invitation to go out clubbing with her and shot straight up in bed. She looked at the clock seeing that it was only ten at night; she got up and slipped on the dress hanging from her closet, along with the matching shoes. For some reason she felt amazing and was ready to go out and have a good time, weather her friend hogged all the attention or not. It didn't matter to her anymore. She had what she wanted; she just had to wait until the following night to see him. Tonight was hers though. 

Janette grabbed her phone from the bedside table and dialed Melissa's number. She could barely here her over the loud thumping music in the background but was able to convey to her that she would be there within the hour. 

"He's bringing a friend with him!" Melissa shouted excitedly. "Girl, we are totally gonna get you laid tonight!" 

Janette disconnected the call shaking her head and laughing. Melissa was already half toasted, this should be interesting. She went to her dresser mirror, brushed through her waist long brown hair and applied a bit of lip gloss before grabbing her purse and heading to the living room. She left a note for her grandma explaining where she was going and left it on the kitchen table before grabbing her car keys and heading out the front door.



The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 04



Mitch turned his truck into the driveway and parked in the garage of the wolf den. Shutting off the ignition, he sat for a long while in a daze, having trouble wrapping his brain around what had just happened. Janette Timbers. Who would have guessed? Especially after all these years! Not him, he was sure of that. Mitch got out of the truck still shaking his head in disbelief. He grabbed the groceries from the back seat, heaving them over his shoulder, and went into the house to the kitchen. His sister, Mariah, came up beside him. 

"Here, let me put this stuff away for you." She gave her older brother an odd look from the corner of her eye. "Why are you doing the grocery shopping anyway? I thought that was Emily's responsibility." Emily was one of the pack's older omegas. Mitch had known her as a friend for some time now. Each member of the pack had their own set of responsibilities, according to their talents, and her job was the shopping, and the occasional selling. She had a hell of an eye for a bargain and was a pro at getting the most for her dollar. Therefore, anything having to do with shopping, from groceries to automobiles, or selling, from TVs to radios, went directly into Emily's hands.

"Her daughter is nearing the end of her pregnancy and Emily didn't want to leave her side just in case something was to happen", Mitch started, "I needed a break from everything so I told her I would do it." 

"Whatever you say, Mitch." She said shaking her head, with a smirk on her face. She suddenly pictured her burly brother standing in an isle baffled, with both hands on either side of his head in a state of confusion as to what brand of peanut butter to buy and couldn't help the giggle that escaped her. When her mind unexpectedly added to the image an apron wrapped around him, adorned with pretty pink flowers she just about lost it, laughing out loud. 

Mitch frowned at her. "What the hell is so damn funny?" He had a feeling that she was internally making fun of him and was not the least bit impressed.

"Oh nothing." She tried to calm her laughter but failed miserably. Mariah, seeing that she couldn't stop the funny images running through her head, thought it best that she leave and walked down the hall to her room, still laughing uncontrollably. 

What the hell was that all about, he thought to himself before putting the final items away in the freezer. His younger sister was a real nut; he'd always thought so but loved her none the less. Sometimes he thought that if it weren't for her, their pack wouldn't have near as much fun. 

After putting the groceries away, Mitch went to his study and poured himself a drink of brandy before lighting a few logs in the stone fireplace. He took his brandy and sat on the love seat staring into the flames, unable to take his mind off of the petite, timid brunette he had literally run into at the supermarket not two hours earlier. Janette Timbers was the last person he would have guessed was to be his mate. Although, looking back through the years, it all made perfect sense. 

*

Mitch had purchased the mansion they currently lived in, along with all 400 acres that surrounded it fifteen years ago. It was a real steal as it was dilapidated and needed a ton of remodeling. It took him and his pack members a full year to get the house livable again. He knew several of his pack members thought him crazy for buying the place. It was built in the year 1800 but had been abandoned since the early 1900's. It had been uncared for, housing the occasional squatter, until his pack moved in. They had outgrown the previous den in the neighboring county, but when Emily showed Mitch this particular property, he instantly fell in love with it. The place spoke to him in a way he didn't understand. It was a real struggle to get the property back into working order but he loved every minute of it. Mitch wanted to do most of the work himself rather than hire outsiders to come in and renovate. It made the place seem more... personal. It was as though the work they did added their personal energy to the land, protecting the pack that much more. 

It had been six long months after purchasing the mansion, all of them living in tents until the house was inhabitable again, when he met Janette. Mitch made it a habit to take a run every afternoon, letting his wolf come forth uninhibited. He used this time to roam the grounds and get to know every inch of his property.

One afternoon he came out into the woods after a full hard day of renovating. He stripped his clothes off, dropping them to the side, shifted to his wolf form and sped off into the trees, the same way he had done every afternoon for the past six months. He ran long and hard, reveling in the feeling of the wind ruffling his thick black coat when out of nowhere, a young brown horse raced past him. Mitch didn't take kindly to intruders on his land. Didn't the rider see the 'No Trespassing' signs clearly marking his territory? He immediately followed the horse and its rider. His intention was to run them off telling them in no unclear terms not to come back. But when he finally caught up to them, he was taken aback when he found the rider to be a girl of about ten or so. He couldn't understand how a parent could allow a child so young to ride off on her own in unknown territory, but he couldn't bring himself to run her off either. He was confused by his feelings as he instinctually felt the need to protect the child at all costs. He stalked them quietly, careful not to frighten the horse as he didn't want the small girl to be bucked off and injured. Mitch watched as the girl dismounted her horse and spread out a blanket in the middle of his woods. She sat on the blanket and pulled from her bag, a small tea set along with a few dolls. She arranged the dolls in a circle on her blanket and then retrieved a thermos of hot tea and some cookies. She sat, unaware of his presence, and had a picnic with her dolls right there in his woods. He thought it strange when he noticed she was actually talking to her horse as though the animal understood every word she had said. She referred to the horse as Calico. 

After her picnic, Mitch followed her to the tree line where she took off on her horse and galloped to the cottage neighboring his land. He didn't stop watching her until she was safely inside her house.

Mitch had run full speed back to the mansion, got dressed and went right over to the neighboring cottage to talk to the parents about their daughter's trespassing. He knocked impatiently on the door when it was suddenly answered by an older woman and someone who appeared to be her twin sister. 

"Ma'am" he said politely. "I fear your daughter has trespassed on my property. She has been riding her horse through my woods and I want it stopped immediately." He said commandingly. "I don't take kindly to trespassers on my property, as they may get hurt." 

Mitch stepped back as the two women advanced him. "What is your name, sir?" 

"Mitch, Mitch Evans." He said refusing to back down. 

"Well here's something I don't take kindly to." Rose glared at him with eyes of warning. "Janette is my granddaughter, and if I hear of her getting hurt whether it be on your property or not, someone will suffer greatly." 

Mitch couldn't stop the look of shock that covered his face, as the small woman standing before him put him in his place. Usually he wouldn't have tolerated someone speaking to him that way but with this woman, it was different. There was something odd about her. He almost felt as though she was his own grandmother reprimanding him. "Yes ma'am." He said quietly.

Rose suddenly smiled sweetly up at Mitch. "I will have a talk with my granddaughter and will try to keep her away. However, you know how children can be. I'm afraid she might slip by me every now and again. She's very stubborn, you know."

"I understand. Thank you for your time Mrs..."

"Rose. Just call me Rose. And this is my sister Marion." The women stepped back into the house. "Have a good evening Mr. Evans." Rose nodded her head and clicked the door shut.

Mitch had called a pack meeting shortly after returning to the mansion. He informed everyone about the little curious intruder from next door and made it very clear that she was to never be harmed. If he had found that anyone had hurt her in any way they would have to deal directly with him and it would be their throats. 

Everyone thought he was nuts, of course, but no one would say it to his face. Even he didn't know why he was so insistent on allowing her free reign of his woods along with full protection from his pack. Nuts or not, the pack complied with Mitch's orders. If any of them were out and about and they noticed her riding in the woods, they were to get the message back to him as soon as was possible. More often than not, when he heard she was riding through the woods Mitch was off in a flash, zipping through the trees, to keep an eye on her personally.

On one particular outing, the little girl had somehow tripped and fallen, leaving a deep gash on her bony knee. She never cried but Mitch could see the pain in her face and knew that she wanted to. It took every bit of self restraint to just sit still, as he instantly wanted to race over to her and lick her wound clean, seeing to it that she was ok. Later that day, he went to town and bought a new doll, one that he thought she would like. He brought it home and set it on a small boulder that lay next to her favorite picnic spot. When she found it the next day, she seemed undecided in what to do with it. She looked around cautiously to see if anyone was near and then smiled really big putting the doll in her bag. Mitch found himself doing this occasionally when he came across something he thought she would enjoy; anything to put a smile on her face.

This all went on for the next several years until one day, he had noticed that she stopped coming around. She hadn't been seen on his property for about a month. When Mitch finally went to talk to the twins next door, he explained his concern telling them that he just wanted to be sure that she was ok. They informed him that she had started college and was far too busy to be riding. No one had seen her in the woods since then, so he assumed that she had moved away, and things were going to be back to normal. He had let the endearing little girl slip from his mind until they quite literally ran into each other at the supermarket. She most definitely was not a little girl anymore. The instant he saw her standing in front of him dumbstruck with that embarrassed little grin, he knew she would never slip from his mind again.

Mitch sat in front of the fireplace shaking his head in disbelief. It had never occurred to him that she was to be his mate. He hadn't even thought of it because she was so young at the time, but that could explain the psycho protective tendencies that he had always had for this girl who he had never officially met before. Judging by her reaction to him during their brief encounter earlier that day, it was obvious to Mitch that she was feeling the mating pull as well. She probably didn't understand what it was but she was definitely feeling it. 

Mitch was suddenly shaken from his thoughts when the door behind him opened and his brother, Liam, entered the room.

"I thought I'd find you here." He said eyeing the glass in Mitch's hand and rolling his eyes. "You're not getting soused this early are you? It's not even six in the evening yet." 

Mitch gave his brother an annoyed look then continued to gaze into the fire. "No. I just needed to relax a bit, that's all. Calm my nerves."

"What's going on with you?" Liam eyed his brother wearily "I can tell when something's up. Go ahead. Spill it." He stepped up to the small bar, poured himself a drink from the half empty bottle of brandy and sat next to Mitch.

Mitch wasn't sure how much information he should divulge to his brother. He trusted Liam with his life but was still confused about the way he felt. He didn't even know how to begin to tell him. Mitch leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and took a deep breath. "I think I've found my mate." He said flatly.

Liam swallowed the liquor he had in his mouth and looked at his brother in surprise. "Really?" He said. A sly grin turned up the corners of his mouth. "And just who might the little she-devil be? Do I know her?" He asked as he took another gulp of brandy. 

"It's Janette from the cottage next door." Mitch blurted out.

Liam's eyes began to water as he choked and sprayed a mist of brandy all over the floor. He stood up abruptly as though someone had just poked him in the butt with a pitchfork. "What? Are you kidding me? H..ho...how do you know this for sure?" He stuttered not knowing what to think. "Dude, isn't she like ten or something?"

Mitch shook his head and laughed. "No, Liam. As a matter of fact, she is about twenty five now. I ran into her at the grocery store earlier today. I even talked to her a bit. She has agreed to have dinner with me tomorrow night."

Liam stood there looking at his brother. He suddenly remembered Mitch telling him about the gifts he would leave in the woods for Janette. Liam was the only person Mitch had confided in about this and when Liam thought of it he laughed out loud. 

Mitch looked over at him, confused. "What exactly do you find funny here?" He was not the least bit amused.

Liam couldn't stop chuckling. "This explains so much. We all thought you had gone mad, what with your anonymous gifts left in the woods and your insane protectiveness. Don't you see, Mitch?" Liam said, his face suddenly taking on an exaggerated expression of seriousness. "You've been 'wooing' your future mate since she was ten years old." Breaking out in another roar of laughter, he held his belly with his hands. 

"You know Liam, I'm so glad I shared this with you." Mitch said sarcastically before standing up and starting for the door. "Asshole." He muttered.

"Whatever, pedophile." Liam wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes. "Aww come on, I was just messin' with you!" He called towards the door after his brother walked out. 

Mitch walked to his jacket that was hanging on the coat rack by the entrance of the house, reached into the pocket and fished out the phone number Janette had given him. He walked back into the study and sat behind the desk. Grabbing the phone, he gave his brother a 'go to hell' look, flipped him the middle finger and then dialed the number on the slip of paper he was holding. 

The entire time he was talking to Janette trying to set plans for their date the next evening, Liam was puckering his lips making kissing noises to his brother. "Oh Janette," Liam said in a playful, high pitched voice. "Will you be my girlfriend Janette?" He would say, batting his eyelashes dramatically at his brother. 

Ending the call, he put the phone down, grabbed the thickest book he could find off of the shelf and threw it towards Liam. "How old are you?!" 

Liam dodged the book flying towards his head and burst out into another fit of laughter. "No, really, I'm sorry, man. I was just giving you a hard time. I'm glad you found your mate. I really am. I wish that we were all so lucky." Liam calmed his laughter and regarded his brother once more with a look of worry. "Hey, wait a minute. What about that busty blonde you made a date with tonight? You still gonna go?"

"Shit!" Mitch cursed. "I completely forgot." He sighed, running a hand through his thick hair. "I guess I'm gonna have to break it off with her." Mitch glanced at the clock and seen that it was only 6:45 pm. He retrieved the phone once more and dialed the girl's number. It went straight to voicemail and he hung up with a look of frustration. "She's not answering." He said to his brother.

"And you didn't leave a message because..." Liam shook his head in question.

Mitch looked disgusted. "Oh for Christ's sake, Liam. You don't break a date by voicemail. Who does that? I'm not a complete asshole, you know."

"Says you." Liam grinned before dodging another flying book. "My dear brother, we are going to quickly run out of books if you keep using them as ammunition." He walked over and refilled his drink before turning and offering to top off Mitch's glass. Mitch waived him away with his hand and paced back and forth across the study floor. "Mitch, you need to relax a bit. Okay, so you found your mate. The next step is figuring out what you are going to do about it." Liam leaned against the desk, folding his arms across his chest, suddenly serious. "Does she know about us? Have you ever shown yourself to her?"

Mitch stopped pacing for a moment and eyed his brother. "I don't know if she knows what we are. I haven't shown her my wolf but I am aware that her grandmother knows. She pretty much told me so on one of my visits to her cottage." Mitch began to pace again, slowly wearing a hole in the hardwood floor of the study. "If she doesn't know yet, then I don't know how she will react when she finds out."

Liam looked as though he was in deep thought, running his hand across his chin. "Okay so just take it slow for now. Date her and let her get to know you. You know how the mating bond works. It's practically inescapable for most people. Some may fight it at first, but in the end the pair always winds up together."

Mitch stood a moment, considering his brother's words and shook his head in agreement. "You do know she's a witch don't you?" He said nervously. 

Liam laughed suddenly. "A witch mated to a werewolf. Well... stranger things have happened, I suppose." He looked at his brother, worried once more. "So are you going to go see this other chic later and break things off with her? She's a hottie I gotta say." He said, wiggling his eyebrows. "You gonna get one last bang before settling down?"

Mitch rolled his eyes astounded at his brother's remark. "Have you heard anything I've said? Janette is my mate. There is no one else for me." He stalked towards the door in anger.

Liam considered his brother's statement for a moment before going after him. "Well can I have her then?"

"Congratulations, Liam. She's all yours." Mitch said and walked down the hall to his room.

Mitch took a quick hot shower before lying in his bed, and slowly drifting off for a nap with the visions of racing horses and a timid long haired woman invading his dreams.

*

Janette pulled into one of the few parking spaces available across the street from Club Luna. She didn't normally patronize night clubs as the bar scene just wasn't her thing. She walked up to the front of the building and saw the huge crowd of people waiting to be let in and frowned. She wasn't about to wait in line just to go to some club. She pulled her cell phone from her purse and dialed Melissa's number. "I'm sorry but I don't think I'll make it."

"What? You have to!! What's the problem?" Melissa sounded irritated and a bit tipsy. 

"I'm standing in front of the club now. Have you seen the line out here? It would take an hour waiting and I still doubt I'd get in before they close." 

"Oh for fuck's sake." Melissa said. "Hold on, I'll be right there."

Janette spotted her friend a moment later at the front door. She was whispering something in the door man's ear, accidently letting her breasts graze against his chest while pointing her finger in Janette's direction. Janette shook her head in astonishment at her friend's brazen behavior. A moment later, the burly door man waived his hand to Janette beckoning her to come forth. Janette walked hastily to the front of the crowd and he held the door open quickly scooting them inside. She heard an irruption of protests from the awaiting crowd before the door slammed shut behind her. 

Janette looked at her friend in awe. "How do you do that?" She said.




The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 04



Melissa smiled, raising her eyebrow. "It's amazing what a nice rack will get you, isn't it."

"You're disgusting." Janette laughed. She eyed her friend, taking in the girl's outfit. Melissa was wearing a pair of tight fitting, low rider jeans along with a tight, black leather halter top that bared her midriff showing off her sparkling belly button ring. She had her blonde curls loosely falling to the middle of her back. Janette suddenly felt like the ugly duckling in her plain Jane, hunter green dress. 

They both walked to the bar where Melissa ordered two rum and cokes. Janette had never had rum before but took it from her friend anyway. She took a small sip, expecting the worse, but found that it wasn't too bad. In fact, she kind of liked it. She sat at the bar sipping her drink and watching her friend on the dance floor, under the flashing strobe lights, dancing quite provocatively with one guy and then another. 

It was then that Janette noticed a man standing next to her leaning on the bar. She started to feel uneasy as he just stared at her for the longest time. He stood at about 5 ft 8 inches or so, had long straight blond hair and the lightest blue, almost violet eyes. They were the strangest eyes she had ever seen. The man stepped closer to her and introduced himself. "Hi, I'm Dane."

"Janette." She nodded politely before taking another sip of her drink. 

"Why aren't you out there dancing with your friend?" He nodded to the dance floor where Melissa was gyrating against yet another guy. 

"Sorry, I don't dance."

"Well maybe you should." He said, moving even closer to her. He put his lips to her ear and whispered, "Dance with me."

"I don't think so." Janette said with a blush, taking a step back.

Janette downed the rest of her drink and motioned to the bar tender for another. The guy behind the bar noticed her look of distress and handed her another rum and coke. "Miss, is everything ok over here?" He eyed the pale blond man standing next to her with a fiery look of warning in his eyes.

"Yes, I'm fine." She said taking the drink from his hand and giving him money. She turned to the man next to her. "I'm sorry, I'm not interested." She said flatly. Janette didn't mean to come across so rudely. She didn't know what had come over her just then but red flags of warning were going off in her head making her heart race. The man called Dane raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, I get it. You don't have to be a bitch about it." He glared at her and stomped away leaving her in shock. She hadn't done anything to deserve that kind of treatment.

She turned towards the bar and away from the dance floor. "I'm Jack." The bartender offered his hand and she shook it introducing herself. He nodded in the direction of the offending man. "If that guy over there gives you anymore trouble just let me know and I'll take care of it."

"Thanks." She smiled. Janette took another gulp of her rum and set the glass on the bar. She had only been there about 45 minutes but was already starting to feel lightheaded from the alcohol. "Excuse me, um, Jack?" She stood and grabbed her purse. "Where's the ladies room?" Jack pointed down the hall at the end of the bar and gave her a smile. 

Janette nodded her head in thanks and took off down the hall in the direction he had pointed. She didn't really need to use the toilet but had an uneasy feeling sweep over her and had to calm her nerves. She reached out to push the bathroom door open when she heard what sounded like a scream coming from further down the hall. She couldn't be sure what the sound was over the loud thumping music in the club. She proceeded in the direction of the perceived scream and peaked around the corner into what looked like a small store room. Janette quickly put her hand over her mouth to stifle the gasp that escaped her. There was the strange, rude blond man with the weird eyes. He stood there with his arm wrapped tightly around a small red head. The girl had her head thrown back with her eyes closed and he was sucking greedily at her neck. Janette's eyes widened in shock and a deep blush rushed up her face when she looked down and seen the man had pulled the girl's skirt up to her waist and his hand was moving back and forth forcefully inside her panties. At first, Janette was going to turn around and leave. It wasn't any of her business if two consenting adults wanted to make out in the back of a club. But then she noticed what seemed to be a trickle of blood trailing down the girl's neck and she looked into her slack, pale face and realized she was unconscious. 

You have to do something! Janet thought to herself in a panic. This girl is being raped! You can't just stand by and allow it to happen. She turned and rushed back down the hall to the bartender. She didn't know him well, but she didn't know who else to turn to.

Jack's expression turned to worry when he seen Janette running back to the bar. "What's going on?" He asked.

"It's that man that was bugging me earlier." Janette said in a shaky voice, barely able to catch her breath. "I saw him in the back, past the restrooms. He has a girl back there. I think he's raping her."

Jack mumbled something into his coworker's ear before leaping over the bar. He grabbed Janette by the shoulders and gave her a stern look. "Stay here. I'll take care of it." He then motioned to a rather large blond man wearing a tight shirt that read 'Security' on the back of it in bold black letters, and they both took off down the hall. 

Janette just stood there with her jaw hanging open. She didn't know what to think about everything that was happening. All she knew was that if this was an example of what normally happens at clubs then she most certainly wouldn't be coming back any time soon. She sat there for what seemed to be twenty minutes, taking several big swallows from her glass in and effort to calm her nerves. Suddenly, the blonde security guy came through the hall carrying the unconscious girl in his arms. He disappeared through a door that read 'Employees Only' and Jack came back around the bar as though nothing had happened.

"Um, what just happened?" Janette asked cautiously.

"Don't worry about it. He didn't get far with her. She just drank too much, that's all." Jack smiled reassuringly. 

Janette wasn't buying what the bartender had told her but figured it was none of her business. So long as that girl was okay, that's all that mattered to her. She sat at the bar for a good 30 minutes more before Melissa finally stopped dancing and returned to the bar for another drink. 

"Melissa, can we please go now? It's almost midnight, you're drunk, I'm not far behind and I'm exhausted." Janette wasn't too tired; she just wanted to get away from the music that was making her head throb. If she had even one more drink she probably wouldn't be able to drive herself home. 

Melissa looked at Janette with bloodshot eyes. "Aww, come on. Aren't you having fun? I know I am."

Janette stood to leave, with or without her friend when Melissa roughly grabbed her arm. "Oh my God! There he is!"

*

"Mitch, wake up!" Liam carefully woke his brother. "Come with me to the club. We have some issues to settle."

Mitch awoke in a state of distress, hating his brother for not letting him sleep. "What the fu...?" 

Liam smirked at him. "This is what it's like to own a club. We are on call until closing. Get use to it." He began rummaging through Mitch's closet in search of something appropriate to wear. "It seems a vamp felt it fitting to come into our club and start some trouble. So get dressed, Now!!! You're coming with me." Liam tossed the clothes he picked out to his brother, who was still groggy with sleep.

Mitch got up reluctantly, put his clothes on and hurried out the front door and into the jeep his brother was waiting in. He could have been just as happy sleeping the night away but here he was, going to the club at eleven o'clock at night.

Liam pulled into the parking slot reserved for the club owner, got out of the jeep and pushed a button on his key ring setting the car alarm. He and Mitch bought Club Luna four years ago thinking it would be a good investment. So far, they have been right. They already owned two restaurants along with another night club on the opposite side of town. However, Club Luna was the most lucrative of the four pack owned businesses, always bursting at the seams on the weekends with a long line of eager party goers awaiting entrance.

Liam and Mitch walked down the alley towards the back entrance leading to the office when they saw Thor with his big hand around a young vampire's throat holding him against the brick wall several feet off the ground. His name wasn't really Thor, it was actually Mike, but with his big overbearing stature, square jaw and long curly blond hair he had reminded Liam of what he imagined the Norse God might have looked like. All he was missing was a big square hammer in his hand. He had jokingly called him Thor one day and the name just stuck with him.

Liam watched the skinny blond vampire struggling under Thor's grasp and couldn't help but laugh. "Thor, you seem to have things under control. What exactly happened that we needed to be called down here?"

Not taking his angry glare from the loathsome creature, Thor emanated a low growl from deep within his chest. "I found this blood sucker feeding off of one of our human patrons." He sneered. "If I hadn't gotten there when I did, she would be dead right now."

"Where's the girl now?" Mitch asked

"She's inside. She's suffering from blood loss but is resting on the sofa in your office. I've already made the call to Alexander." 

The vampire suddenly stopped struggling under Thor's grasp. His eyes went wide with terror when he saw the two regal figures walking elegantly down the alley towards them.

Liam noticed the direction the trouble maker was looking and turned around to see two men stalking towards them. "Alexander. Jude." He nodded a greeting to them both. Alexander was one of the oldest vampires in the country with his brother Jude following not far behind. They were both clad in black from head to toe, complete with black leather trench coats, and they shared piercing, almost transparent sea green eyes. The long jet black hair that flowed loosely down their backs just made their complexions seem even paler than they already were. The two ancients exuded power wherever they went and weren't ones to be crossed. The few that did cross them, found themselves quickly and ruthlessly beheaded.

Alexander gazed menacingly at the vampire being held by the tall blond man. "Dane, Dane, Dane." He said shaking his head. "I hear you have been a very, very bad boy." He said with a smirk, his fangs elongating. "Give him to me." He commanded.

Thor growled in frustration and swiftly threw the smaller man in the direction of the ancients. Dane grunted and was momentarily air born before Jude reached up and caught him effortlessly by the back of his neck, holding him up like he was some kind of rag doll. 

"I would like to apologize for my youngling and the trouble he has caused." Alexander said smoothly, not taking his sinister gaze from the man dangling helplessly from Jude's grasp. "It seems that he has yet to learn his place, which is something we will have to remedy very soon." 

Mitch turned his head, suddenly realizing what was about to happen. He flinched when he heard an agonizing groan followed by what sounded like gurgling noises, as Jude fiercely ripped Dane's still beating heart from his chest. Mitch knew that the vampire world held a stricter set of rules and weren't ones to grant second chances, especially if you were sired by one of the ancients. He just didn't understand why they had to be so goddamn dramatic about everything. 

"I can guarantee you that he won't cause any further trouble here." Jude said with a chuckle, carelessly dropping the limp body to the ground with a hard thud. 

"We made an agreement, Liam, and you know me well." Alexander said. "I'm not one to go back on my word."

Wolves and vampires hadn't always gotten along; in fact, many of them still didn't as the blood suckers always held themselves higher than anyone else, especially when it came to werewolves. The arrogant bastards couldn't help it. It was in their nature. However, they had eventually agreed to disagree. 'Live and let live' was their new motto. Liam had made an agreement with Alexander that his kind were welcome in his club so long as they minded their manners. If a vampire stepped out of line, Alexander and Jude were to handle it immediately. However, it did happen on occasion that a young, newly turned vampire, still riding high on some kind of power trip, would come along and start trouble.

"Take me to the girl." Alexander told Liam. "I need to assess what damage has been done." He glanced down at the bloody body at his feet, lifeless eyes still wide with shock, staring at nothing. "Jude, clean this mess up and wait here for me. I will return shortly."

"My pleasure, Alex." His brother said, before bending over to pick up Dane's body from the pavement. Liam and Mitch led Alexander through the club to the office in the back where he found the red headed female still unconscious on the sofa. Alexander noticed how pale the girl was and placed two fingers to her neck barely feeling a pulse. He knew she wasn't far from death's door and he had to take action right away. Lifting the girl up, he sat himself behind her, resting her back against his chest. Alexander then brought his wrist to his mouth and sank his fangs in allowing a healthy amount of blood to seep out. He held his wrist to the girl's mouth and urged her to drink. "Come on, little one. You need to drink right away." He said softly. She began sucking gently at his wrist, taking a few good gulps of his ancient blood before collapsing back against him once more. 

Mitch looked at the scene before him in awe. "So how does this work?" He said "Will she become a vampire now?"

Alexander laughed. "No, no. I only gave her enough of my blood to speed her healing. The blood in her body will now replenish itself faster." 

"So she's out of the woods?" Liam asked relieved.

"Yes." Alexander couldn't take his eyes from the red head in his lap. "She is no longer in any danger. In fact, she won't remember any of this, will you little one." 

Liam and Mitch exchanged a curious look with one another. They had known the ancient one for a very long time, but have never seen him act so gentle with anyone before. They found it quite strange to say the least. 

"Mitch, if you want to go back to the club, I will stay and watch over the girl." Liam said, dismissing his brother.

"No!" Alexander almost shouted. "I will stay with her. I promise she will be safe with me."

"Okay." Liam said cocking one eyebrow at the ancient man. "Whatever you say, Alexander." He motioned to his brother and they headed out of the room. 

The girl woke, slowly blinking her eyes in confusion as she stared up at the pale man who was holding her tenderly. "What happened? Where am I?" She said, flustered. She tried to sit up only to feel her head start to throb painfully. She laid a hand across her forehead with a moan and lay back against the stranger behind her. 

"Someone spiked your drink. I found you passed out in the back of the club." He lied. "Lay down, little one. A bit of rest will make it all better." Alexander said while slowly stroking the girl's hair. "What's your name?"

She looked up at him, again on the verge of unconsciousness. "Mia." She said, her eyes growing heavy. "Mia Stephenson." 

Mitch and Liam headed back to the main room of the club, back into the flashing strobe lights and blaring, thumping music. "Wow, that was intense, huh? I need a drink." Liam stepped up to the bar. "Jack! Two beers please?" 

 *

"There he is!" Melissa shouted. "See? I told you he was a Greek God!" She exclaimed. 

Janette looked in the direction of her friend's gaze and found herself staring straight at Mitch Evans. Oh my God! She thought. She hadn't been expecting to see him! What if he sees me? What will I say? Just then, his gaze met hers and a tingle rushed through her body. She couldn't help but grin from ear to ear at seeing him again so soon. 

"Well didn't I tell you he was a hottie?" Melissa jabbed Janette in the ribs.

She briefly looked at the man standing next to Mitch. "Yeah, he's ok." She said absently before returning her eyes to Mitch's. Melissa had said that her guy was bringing a friend but she had no idea that this friend would be Mitch Evans. Her heart sped up and she found that she couldn't think straight. She was definitely glad that she decided to come out tonight.

Melissa grabbed her hand, pulling her forward. "Come on, let me introduce you!" They reached the two men standing at the end of the bar. "This is my friend I was telling you about!" She exclaimed. Melissa stepped up and wrapped her arms around Mitch's waist and boldly planted a heated kiss on his lips. "Janette, this is Mitch... my Greek God." She said drunkenly.

It took Liam a moment or two to recognize who it was standing in front of him. He noticed the distraught look on his brother's face before turning to catch the smile slowly leave Janette's face only to be replaced by a sudden look of hurt in her eyes. He could almost hear her heart breaking at that very moment. "Oh, fuck." He sighed under his breath.



The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 05



Janette stood there; numb, unable to move or think straight. "Um, it's nice to meet you." She nodded politely to the man who Melissa's arms were possessively wrapped around. She forced herself to smile as convincingly as she could in a desperate effort to mask anything on her face that might betray her utter humiliation at that moment. 

Melissa looked at her friend excitedly. "Mitch is the owner of this club, plus several other places in town. He's one of the wealthiest bachelors in Washington, aren't you, baby." She said braggingly. 

"Oh, is that so?" Janette raised her eyebrows at him, and folded her arms across her chest, a thought suddenly occurring to her. She'd heard about men like Mitch, flinging their riches and good looks around carelessly, bedding a different woman each night. She gazed around the dance floor noticing the wealth of gyrating, bouncing, barely dressed barbie dolls and felt her anger slowly rising through her chest. Why the hell couldn't he have picked one of those bimbos to make a fool out of instead of picking on her? 

Mitch gave the buxom blond a stern look. "We need to talk." He said flatly as he dragged her away by the arm.

'Is that what they are calling it these days... talking?'

Janette's eyes followed them as they walked away, Melissa still clinging to him as though they were Siamese twins joined at the hip. 

"It seems my rude ass brother failed to make proper introductions. I'm Liam, the co-owner of this club." Liam took Janette's hand in his, raising it to his lips and gently placed a kiss on her knuckles. 

Janette quickly jerked her hand from Liam's as though his lips had scalded it.' How dare he touch me,' she thought.' He's probably just as much of a conceded asshole as Mitch is'. She looked around, her nerves on edge, not sure what to do or say. "I have to go to the bathroom. Be right back." She said to Liam before scurrying away down the hall leading to the restrooms. 

"Wait, Janette!" She heard Liam call after her before shoving the restroom door open and locking herself inside, unable to catch her breath. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid.' She thought to herself. 'Why in the hell did you ever think he would want you when he could have someone like her?' Janette couldn't decide what made her angrier. The fact that Mitch had been playing games with her or the fact that she actually fell for it. She gazed at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, suddenly noticing all the lines and imagined wrinkles covering her bland features. 'She's like a model and he's a 'Greek God'. She thought. 'They deserve each other'. Janette was kicking herself for being so gullible. Was she so desperate that she would fall for any line a guy told her just because he happened to be one of the most beautiful guys she's ever laid eyes on? She wiped away the one silent tear falling down her cheek. Refusing to feel sorry for herself she straightened her spine and raised her chin before opening the bathroom door and stepping out into the hallway. She looked to her left, seeing Mr. Full-Of-Himself and her floozy of a friend having what appeared to be quite the intimate conversation. She couldn't bring herself to face them again. She looked to her right and sighed her relief when she saw a big neon EXIT sign at the end of the hallway and decided to take it. Janette raised her chin, taking a deep breath and walked to the end of the hallway and burst through the back door. She was in such a hurry that she almost knocked someone over. 

Looking up into the face of the man dressed in all black with sea green eyes, she took a few steps backwards in trepidation. What was it with all the pale faced people around here? They definitely needed to invest in a sun lamp or something. Perhaps a tanning bed? "Are you lost?" The pale, black haired man said grinning wickedly.

"I'm fine thank you." Janette said nervously before bolting away from Mr. Pasty and towards her car in the parking lot across the street.

Jack stood leaning against the building taking a smoke break when he noticed the brunette streaking across the street into the parking lot. With the way she was running, he thought someone may be chasing her. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket, and placed his thumb on the speed dial button that would ring Thor's phone in case he needed back up. Jack didn't see anyone following her so he watched a few minutes longer as she got into her car and sped away down the street. 'She's an odd one', he thought to himself before stomping out his cigarette and going back inside to finish out his shift.

        *

"What did you tell her?" Liam asked, taking another pull from his beer bottle. He didn't hear any of the conversation that Mitch had with Melissa but he did notice her march angrily to the back of the club and new it couldn't have gone well. He certainly didn't envy his brother's situation.

"I simply told her that I didn't want to see her again." Mitch said "I didn't know what else to say to her. I told her that there was nothing between us and that she needed to lose my number."

Liam laughed. "And what did she say to that?"

"Oh, believe me, she wasn't happy about it. She actually slapped me in the face. Can you believe it?" Mitch shook his head in disbelief. "I only met her a day or two ago and she has already slapped me."

Liam smirked. "I can't say I blame her. Sometimes I want to slap you, too."

Mitch couldn't help but join his brother's laughter. He gazed around the dimly lit club in search of a petite brunette wearing a hunter green dress. "Have you seen Janette? I need to talk to her." He couldn't understand why she had been there in the first place. She didn't seem the type to frequent night clubs.

Liam leaned back on his bar stool and peered down the hallway. "She said she was going to the bathroom but she's been gone a long time now." He looked at his brother and shrugged his shoulders taking another swig of his beer. 

Jack, overhearing the last of the conversation piped in, "Janette? You mean that cute brunette that was in here with that blonde girl you were with?"

"I wasn't with her." Mitch sneered.

Jack raised his hands in surrender and took a step back. "Hey now, you could have fooled me. Hell, she was all over you. I'm just calling it like I see it, boss. Besides," Jack handed a beer to another customer before continuing. "The girl left about ten minutes ago, boss. She took off out the back door. I saw her leave when I was taking my break.

Mitch stood up so fast his bar stool fell backwards behind him. "What the fuck? Please tell me you're kidding." He felt his face turning red in anger. How' could she just leave like that?', he thought to himself. When he realized how the situation may have looked from her point of view, he found himself swearing again.

Jack shook his head nervously. "No I saw her leave. She was running like a bat out of hell across the street. She looked pretty upset."

"Fuck!" Mitch said before grabbing his phone. "Why didn't you say something earlier?" Glaring at his best bar tender, he dialed Janette's number and waited when he heard a ringing behind him. 

Liam picked up the ringing phone on the bar and handed it to his brother. "Is this what you're looking for? She must have rushed out of here without her phone."

"What the fuck am I suppose to do now?" Mitch couldn't imagine how things could get much worse. What could Janette possibly think of him right now? He had to find a way to talk to her and explain things. 

Liam punched his brother in the shoulder. "You idiot. You have her cell phone; therefore you have to return it to her." He said before throwing Mitch the keys to the jeep. "It's the perfect opportunity to talk to her. I'm sure I can find another ride home. Go ahead, take it."

Mitch shoved the forgotten cell phone in his pocket. "Thanks. If she returns to the club for her phone, stall her. Call me right away but don't let her leave until I get back." He said to his brother before heading down the hallway towards the back entrance. He stepped out the door and headed towards his jeep when he noticed Jude pressing a blonde female against the wall, kissing her rather passionately. He looked once more before stopping suddenly. "Melissa?" The couple looked over at him, their eyes glazed over and both of them panting wildly. Jude shooed Mitch away with his hand in irritation before continuing to ravish the girl's mouth. "Well, that certainly didn't take long." He smiled and got into his jeep.

         *

"Oh my God! What time is it?" Mia sat straight up in a sudden panic. She took in her surroundings in a state of utter confusion. She had no idea where she was or why she was here, she just knew that her head ached like never before and her stomach felt queasy. She got up quickly only to find that her knees, which seemed to be made of jelly, wouldn't support her slight weight. Mia gasped when she felt someone put their arms around her as she started to fall to the floor. She looked up to find a tall slender man standing above her. He had straight black hair that reached the middle of his back and the most entrancing, sea green eyes she had ever seen. Whoever this man was, he had to be the most beautiful, yet intimidating creature she had ever laid her eyes on. Mia closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. She had never felt this nauseated before.

"It's okay, little one, I've got you." Alexander said, cradling the girl in his arms. He quickly pulled the waste basket to her when he noticed her hand flying to cover her mouth and her cheeks bulging out like a chipmunk. Alexander held her gently over the trash can, holding her hair back as she vomited uncontrollably, unable to catch her breath in between abdominal spasms. "Well, that's disgusting." He said plainly. He half expected something like this would happen once the girl regained consciousness. Anyone he has ever seen who had lost as much blood as she had, always got sick while recovering. 

Once Alexander was sure that the girl was finished vomiting he helped her stand, his hands grasping her hips supportively. "Are you okay?" He said with a worried look in his eyes. 

Mia tried to stand on her own but found her legs still shaky. She held on to the strange man, unsure she could maintain her balance if she let go. "Who are you? Where am I?" She asked weakly, her throat feeling hoarse. 

"My name is Alexander. I don't know if you remember anything, but someone spiked your drink. You were found in the back of the club unconscious." He smiled reassuringly at her. "You have been here asleep in the office for an hour now. Come on, little one, I'll help you get cleaned up." He walked her slowly into the bathroom in the back of the office. 

Mia didn't know what to think of the man who was helping her. Why did he keep referring to her as 'little one'? She found it quite annoying but didn't say anything. "I'm sorry about that." She blushed with embarrassment, nodding towards the foul trashcan. "That was very unladylike of me." She leaned down in front of the sink and began rinsing the sour taste from her mouth. Mia was well aware of Alexander's overbearing presence behind her, still holding her hips to keep her steady. The feeling of his hard body pressed against her back sent unexpected goose bumps down her arms and a shiver down her spine. She gazed in the mirror at her reflection and noticed the dark circles under her eyes. 'You look like hell', she thought to herself. Suddenly she felt Alexander's strong arms sliding around her waist and his lips grazing the side of her neck making her shiver once more. She looked down at his arms around her and slowly looked up in the mirror realizing that something wasn't right about the reflection staring back at her. It seemed to be missing something. Something like... the man standing behind her?

Alexander groaned when he seen shock and fear slowly creep into Mia's face, her eyes going wide as saucers. Finding new strength, she quickly broke free of his embrace, and began backing away from him, her mouth moving as if to say something but no words came out. 

"Mia, stop. I can explain everything. Let's sit and talk about this for a minute." Alexander tried to calm the terrified girl but it was no use. She continued her retreat backwards until she finally hit the bathroom wall, unable to go any further. 

"H...How do you explain the fact that you have no reflection?" She squeaked. Her heart raced painfully in her chest as her eyes darted back and forth in search of an escape route, but finding none. She was trapped. She was trapped in a strange bathroom. She was going to die here. She didn't want to die in a disgusting bathroom in the back of a damn bar! 

"Mia, please try and calm down. I'm not trying to scare you. I would never do anything to hurt you." Alexander didn't know what to do to calm the frantic girl who was trying desperately to squish herself into the wall behind her.

Mia thought about all the monster movies she had seen over the years and how the vampires in these movies never had a reflection. She couldn't stop the hysterical laugh that escaped her. There was no such thing as vampires... were there? Her face went pale as she was on the verge of hyperventilating. "You're going to kill me, aren't you?" She tried to fight the darkness that overcame her but failed and silently collapsed to the floor. 

Alexander was beside himself and decided right then and there that he would just forget about any attraction he felt towards the little red head who lay on the floor at his feet. After all, you can't very well bed someone who has trouble remaining conscious for more than five minutes at a time. He let out a sigh and rolled his eyes before reaching down and swiftly picking Mia up and depositing her, once again, on the sofa in the office. 

         *

Jude couldn't seem to get enough of the blond little tart who was crushing her mouth against his at that moment. Don't misunderstand; he had had his share of women over the past two millennia. One of his favorite pastimes had always been seducing an unsuspecting female until she was putty in his hands. However, he had never been one to make it a habit of making out in filthy alleyway's either. 

Jude wasn't sure of what happened. He had been standing there, minding his own damn business when a blond goddess came rushing out of the door he had been standing next to. She seemed rather distraught and was looking all around her as though she didn't know what to do or where to go. 

"Looking for someone?" Jude let his sudden heated gaze leisurely travel from the girl's generous perky breasts, down to her narrow waist and curvy hips before bringing his eyes back up to meet hers. Her heart shaped face with bold blue eyes and porcelain skin didn't affect him near as much as her full pouty lips. The thought of his thick cock disappearing between those sensuous lips left him instantly hard. She had long blond hair curling down her back, perfect for wrapping his fingers in forcefully pulling her head back as he took her from behind. It had been entirely too long since he had allowed himself any playtime with a human female. Jude licked his lips in anticipation of what was to come. Let the seduction begin, he thought, pushing himself from the wall he'd been leaning against and slowly walking towards her like a predator stalking its prey.

Jude slowly circled the girl, her anxious eyes never leaving his. The slight fear he detected in her face turned him on even more and she jumped at the low growl of a laugh coming from deep within his chest. 

'Hmm... Where to begin.'

He slid one long finger slowly along her jaw line. "Don't you know it's dangerous to be alone with a strange man in a dark alley?" He noticed her bottom lip quiver slightly and couldn't wait to slide his tongue across it.

He carefully pushed himself into her mind and smiled when he saw the blush rise up her face at the vivid mental pictures he was sending, showing her exactly what he was about to do to her body. Jude slowly stepped towards the frightened girl only to find her matching each of his strides forward with her own strides backward. He continued towards her, inhaling deeply the scent of fear in the air, until she finally backed herself into the brick wall behind her. Jude laughed lightly in amusement when she looked around realizing what predicament she had gotten herself into.

'Is this how it is always to happen? Do they never look behind them?' 

"What's your name?" Jude asked softly, his face but an inch from hers.

"M...Melissa." She gasped when his tongue snaked out, sweeping along her bottom lip. 

"Just as sweet as I imagined it to be." His smile grew wider at her furious blush. "I wonder if your other lips are sweeter." Jude slid his fingers around the back of her neck and up into her hair, pulling her head back. He took one look at the flawless skin on her neck. He could here the rapid beat of her pulse and could almost taste her fear spiced blood on his tongue.

'You don't have to fear me. I won't hurt you.' He thought to her convincingly

Jude looked deep into the girl's eyes and willed all of her fear to leave her. He lowered his mouth to hers, gently parting her lips with his hot tongue. She pushed at his shoulders for a moment, trying futilely to escape him only to find herself surrendering, melting into his body and wrapping her arms around his neck. Jude felt the girl's knees give out beneath her and he wrapped one arm around her waist, holding her up while the other hand remained on the back of her neck pressing her lips firmly to his.

'Calm down now, it's only a kiss.' He thought to her, letting his tongue explore and tease her mouth. 'I haven't even got to the good part yet.' He laughed cruelly into her mind, feeling her body shudder under his hands.

Jude inhaled and caught the girl's musky scent of arousal thick in the air as she hopped up, wrapping her legs around him, kissing him even deeper, tangling her fingers in his hair and pulling him closer. What was with this girl? Her scent and taste were driving him wild with need. His steel hard erection was almost painful in the confines of his jeans that had recently become too tight. He pressed her back, using the wall as a support in order to free his hands up. 

Jude's senses were on fire as he continued to ravish this beauty before him. No longer fearful of him, she seamed to respond wantonly to his every touch, her small moans and gasps spurring him on. He broke away from the heated kiss, and looked into her flushed face before gazing down at her heaving chest, her breathing becoming ragged. In one swift move he ripped the flimsy material from her chest, revealing the most perfect breasts he had ever seen. She threw her head back with a moan when he teasingly ran his tongue over one hard pink bud, while roughly rolling the other with his free hand. Jude looked to his left, noticing a small stack of crates sitting along the wall.

'Perfect'

He effortlessly carried the girl, sitting her on top of them. Jude wasn't a fan of 'quickies' but seeing as they were in a semi public place, he knew he didn't have as much time as he would have liked. He slid Melissa's ass to the edge of the makeshift table and quickly unzipped her jeans, almost ripping them down her legs and throwing them to the side, along with the black heels she had been wearing. Melissa sat up, pressing her lips to his once more while unzipping his pants and pulling his erection free. Jude growled low in his chest when he felt her small hand grab the shaft of his rock hard cock and began firmly stroking him, her tongue never leaving his mouth. He couldn't take much more of the torture this little vixen was putting him through. He firmly pushed her back against the wall, dragging her hips to the edge once more. He spread her well-toned legs open, grasped his cock in his hand and began sliding the engorged head slowly up and down the girl's soaking slit, coating it liberally with her hot juices. 




The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 05



'Jude, we have a problem up here.' He heard his brother Alex call to him in his mind.

'BUSY!!" He replied rudely.

'No, seriously, I need your assistance up here. It's that girl that was bitten tonight.'

'Jesus Fucking Christ!! Can you do nothing on your own?!'

That was the downside of communicating telepathically. People were always interrupting at the most inconvenient times.

Jude tried to calm his temper before replying. 'Give me a few minutes, I'll be right there.'

Jude pushed Melissa's legs even wider apart and with one powerful thrust, he found himself buried to the hilt in the woman spread before him. Melissa flinched and screamed out as his size filled her. With one hand grasping her waist, holding her still as he thrust into her with long hard strokes, Jude brought the thumb on his other hand to his tongue, wetting it, before using it to trace slow, firm circles around her clit. Wearing nothing but her knee high stocking, Melissa lay there, legs spread wider than she'd ever thought possible, her head thrown back moaning, almost screaming in ecstasy as the stranger she'd met that might mercilessly pounded her into oblivion.

When Jude heard the desperate screams of Melissa's first climax and felt her hot juices drip down his aching balls, he knew he wouldn't last much longer. He pumped into her tight wet center, harder and faster, if that was even possible. He leaned down, taking one taught nipple into his mouth sucking vigorously, feeling the crates beneath them rock back and forth, threatening to give way as he slammed into her. Jude held one hand over her mouth, muffling the moans that were only growing louder and more frantic with each forceful thrust. 

He found his control slipping fast as his feral side took over completely. He wound his long fingers into the back of her hair and pulled hard, exposing the delicate skin of her neck and the throbbing pulse of her heartbeat. When he felt her muscles clamp down on his shaft in another mind blowing orgasm, his vision went blurry and he jerked, shooting long hot ropes of cum deep inside of her. In one graceful movement, his fangs elongated as he forcefully sank them into her neck, his pupils disappearing as his eyes went completely black, her muscles continued sucking and squeezing, milking him of every last drop. The first spurt of her lust laden blood spraying on his tongue was like ambrosia... no... ambrosia covered in honey. His eyes rolled back with the pleasure he was experiencing as he drank deeply from his Melissa.

His Melissa?

Jude's final release had been so intense that he'd lost track of all of his senses. When he finally came back to reality, he released his bite and looked down into the blond temptress's pale face and knew at once that he'd taken too much. He stumbled back, feeling a sudden panic envelop him. Jude felt shaken by what he'd just done to the blond goddess laying unconscious before him. He'd never been one to lose control like that and immediately became worried. He'd never felt remorse before... if that was even what he was feeling.

Jude quickly entered Alexander's mind. 'It seems we might have a bigger problem than you think, brother.'

He picked up the blond beauty and cradled her close, dropping to his knees, whispering his apologies and asking forgiveness for what he was about to do.



The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 06



Janette turned her radio up as loud as she could stand in an effort to drown out all the commotion that was screaming through her mind, threatening to take control of her sanity. She really hated Alan Jackson and his 'tear in my beer' genre of music, but sang along anyway because it matched her mood at the time. After a few verses, however, she became tired of the depressing, self-loathing feeling that was sinking into her bones. This wasn't her. She wasn't one to sit and feel sorry for herself. Taking a deep breath, she popped in an Alanis Morrisette CD. After a few verses from the self-proclaimed feminist, Janette began to feel much better and more in control.

As much as Janette loved her grandmother and aunt, she didn't feel like staying at their cottage tonight. She needed some time alone to gather her thoughts, so she headed to her apartment in the city. She'd kept her place up even though she was staying with her grandma, with the intent of returning there soon. When she unlocked the front door to her apartment, she found herself thankful for the time she'd have alone with her thoughts. She tossed her keys on the table beside the door and immediately noticed how dusty things had gotten since she'd been away. Her fingers itched to grab a cloth and start dusting, but she quickly put that thought aside. She could clean tomorrow. With the crap mood she was in, she'd rather scratch her own eyes out than to clean at this time of night. Instead, she reached into her purse in search of her cell phone to call her grandma and let her know what she was doing, but came up empty handed. 

Janette rolled her eyes in annoyance when she realized that she'd left her phone at the club. What next? she thought to herself, as she threw her purse to the side of the sofa. She'd go back and get it later. She didn't want anyone calling her anyway. She wasn't on call at the hospital and had the next day off so what did it matter if she had her cell phone?

Janette grabbed a bottle of red wine from the fridge and popped the cork, wanting nothing more than to get a good mind numbing buzz and veg out in front of the TV for the night. She reached for a wine glass from the cabinet, put in the DVD "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry," and sat on the couch with her favorite blanket, intent on watching one of her favorite movies. She felt a stirring by her leg, and soft fur ruffling against her foot. 

"What are you up to, Snowball?" Janette cuddled her white fluffy cat. "Did you miss mommy?" She made a mental note to send her neighbor, Lisa, a thank you gift of some kind for looking after her baby while she'd been away.

Janette flinched at the idea that Snowball would likely be her only baby, as she would probably grow to be an old maid, not bearing any children. There are plenty of women who lead fulfilling lives without a husband and children, she thought reassuringly to herself. They are called nuns!

She downed the first glass of wine before pouring herself another and setting the bottle on the coffee table. Janette got up and went into her room, stripped off her dress, bra and panties, tossing them to the floor. A She put on a dark blue night shirt that reached the middle of her thighs. 

She sat at her vanity looking into the mirror and running her brush through her long, dark straight hair. Her eyes settled on the photograph sitting on the table and she picked it up, running her finger over the slick glass. The picture was of her mother and father. They were sitting in a park under a tree and were holding her close, smiling. She was probably three at the time it was taken. Looking into her mother's face and then into the mirror at her own, Janette couldn't believe how much they looked alike. They both sported painfully straight dark brown hair, fair skin with a light dusting of freckles, a small nose and full lips. They even had the same 5 foot, 6 inch slim athletic-type bodies. If it weren't for her mother having blue eyes compared to Janette's dark brown ones, they could have passed for identical twins--if her mother was alive, that is. They died in a car accident when she was five, and that's when she went to stay with her grandmother and aunt. Janette blinked rapidly when she felt her eyes fill with unshed tears, wishing that she could remember her parents. Even just one memory would be better than nothing. 

" Stop torturing yourself," she said aloud. Janette put the hairbrush back in its place and looked once again in the mirror. "To hell with it. Who are you trying to impress anyway? Snowball?" She ran her hands through her hair in a shaking motion leaving a big, tangled mess upon her head. She returned to her spot on the couch, grabbed the remote and pushed the 'play' button.

Janette kept refilling her glass until the bottle was empty, not caring about the hangover she'd feel the next morning. She just wanted to forget all the nonsense of the day. Forget about Mitch, the high and mighty Don Juan. Forget about her scandalous 'friend' Melissa. Definitely forget about the fact that they were probably doing it right now like a couple of filthy rabid dogs. Forget about the fact that she hadn't had sex in more than two years with anyone other than herself. Just forget everything. Her vision went hazy and she chuckled at the black man dancing and singing in the shower on the TV screen. Her eyelids grew heavy and she pulled a fluffy pillow against her chest, hugging it tightly before rolling over and falling into a sweet, drunken abyss of dreamless sleep.

*

Mitch had been pacing back and forth in the driveway, glancing at his watch impatiently for at least an hour before he heard the tiny footsteps behind him.

"She's not here, Mitch," Grandma Rose said, wrapping her robe tightly around her body, protecting herself from the cool chill of the night. She stopped right in front of him and looked into his eyes with pity.

Mitch suddenly became angry with the small woman. "Why didn't you tell me?" he said, glaring at her. "You knew, didn't you? You didn't tell me!" He wasn't really angry with Rose and didn't mean to take it out on her. He immediately felt a pang of guilt for snipping at the small woman who had done nothing wrong.

Rose shook her head. "Mitch, it is not my place to tell you anything. When it comes to the mating bond, you two have to figure it out for yourselves." She smiled up at him. "Besides, would you have believed me if I'd told you fifteen years ago? Would she have even understood what it all meant?" She looked up into his confused eyes. "I didn't think so."

"Where is she?" Mitch sounded almost desperate. 

"I'm sure I wouldn't know, dear." Rose turned to walk away when Mitch grabbed her shoulders, turning her back to face him. 

"Please," he said with a shaky voice. "You don't understand. Please tell me where I can find her." 

Rose sighed heavily, looking into the love-stricken eyes of the wolf next door. She could see the desperation in his eyes and scribbled something on a scrap of paper, shoving it into his hand. 

She held her grasp on the slip of paper when he tried to take it from her, giving him a stern look of warning. "Don't make me regret this," she said, then turned and walked quietly back into the cottage.

*

"Hey man, cool it with the banging! It's two in the morning, people are trying to sleep!"

"Sorry." Mitch nodded towards the disgruntled, sleepy-eyed man with bed head, who was standing in the hallway of the dilapidated apartment complex. He'd thought to just come back the next day but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to leave Janette's door step. It was as though his feet were glued to the spot.

Why isn't she answering? I know she's here. I saw her car parked outside.

Mitch checked the address on the scrap of paper once more, making sure that he was at the right apartment. He found himself getting angry at the thought that perhaps Janette was being stubborn and ignoring him on purpose. With one weary sigh, Mitch knew exactly what he had to do.

This had better be the right place. Otherwise this is going to be rather awkward, he thought to himself.

Looking both ways down the hall and seeing that he was alone, Mitch reached out and turned the door knob. He had fully expected it to be locked but was surprised to find that it wasn't. Feeling a tinge of anger at his mate for leaving her run-down apartment door open to God only knows what kind of danger, he swung open the door and quietly let himself in before closing it softly behind him. He knew right away that this was her place as he could smell her the second he entered. The sweet smell of honeysuckle and cherry blossoms. He inhaled deeply, savoring her sent and feeling a sudden need spiral through him. Mitch crept through the kitchen. "Janette?" he called cautiously. He continued walking through to the living room and stopped when he saw her curled up on the couch, sound asleep. 

So this is why she didn't answer the door. 

Mitch picked up the empty wine bottle and glass from the coffee table and took them to the kitchen, placing them on the counter. He didn't have any trouble locating her bedroom as the apartment was ridiculously small. He didn't like seeing her living in such a place when he knew she belonged with him. Belonged in his arms, day in and day out, where he could give her anything and everything she'd ever wanted, including his very soul. Mitch found himself wondering when he'd become so sappy as he fought the urge to throw the drunk woman over his shoulder and haul her out of there, kicking and screaming, taking her home to his bed. Seeing as she would likely have a fit if she were to wake up in his bed, Mitch had to settle for the next best thing.

He pulled the blanket down on her twin size, less than comfortable mattress and fluffed the pillows before going back into the living room. He gently picked her up, careful not to wake her, and lay her softly in her bed, pulling the covers over her and placing a light kiss on her forehead. When Mitch lay down next to her he'd only wanted to hold her for a moment. He hadn't intended on falling asleep but that's precisely what he did, with his mate wrapped securely in his arms where she belonged.

*

The night was warm and moist. The light breeze ruffling her golden brown coat carried the scent of lilacs and summer rain. She bolted through the trees, exhilarated, her heart racing in anticipation of what was to come. Pushing herself even faster, she raised her nose slightly and inhaled deeply, catching another scent on the wind, one that she wasn't quite familiar with. Whatever the scent was, it tantalized her senses, calling to her. She sniffed the air again, unable to get enough of that intoxicating aroma. She saw the familiar figure racing ahead of her. She had never been able to catch the beautiful black wolf before, but tonight would be different. She sprinted as fast as she could, flying past him.

"I told you I'd catch up to you one day," she laughed into the black wolf's mind. "Not so tough now, are you?"

The golden wolf continued her race through the trees, expertly dodging any obstacle that presented itself, laughing at the black wolf behind her. She just barely made it to the clearing when she turned, only to see him charge her, knocking her over and pinning her down several feet from the large bonfire burning in the center of the field. 

"Tag! You're it!" The familiar voice laughed into her mind.

The huge black wolf released his hold on her, letting her up, and began to circle around her, licking her muzzle affectionately. She returned the gesture, and for some reason felt elated that he was there with her on this special night. She snuggled up to his black fur coat and inhaled, finally realizing where the beautiful scent had been coming from. It was from her black wolf.

Her black wolf.

He circled behind her and slowly slid his tongue between her hind legs, sending shivers through her body. Placing his two front paws upon her back, he mounted her. She felt a moment of confusion before she let her instincts take over and lowered her chest to the ground, giving him full access to her back end. The black wolf entered her slowly, taking care not to hurt her. It was then that she noticed numerous other wolves surrounding them, forming a circle around the fire. She didn't feel an ounce of fear as she thought she should. They all raised their muzzles to the sky where the pregnant moon rested, smiling down on them, and began howling in what seemed to be an orchestra of celebration. She turned her attention from the commotion happening around her, back to the black wolf still stroking into her. She looked back behind her and was dumbfounded to find the black wolf's paws clinging to her fur, holding her still for the mating, but fading in and out, going from wolf's paws to human hands and then back again. 

She felt the thickening of the wolf within her, firmly lodging himself inside. The little golden wolf was no longer able to turn around to see the black wolf behind her, but was stunned when she looked down and saw two strong human arms wrapping themselves around her middle. The wolves' howls became louder, reaching a fevered pitch when she heard the first beats of the drums.

*

Janette shot straight up in bed, covered in a sheen of sweat, her breath escaping her in little gasps. Looking at the clock on the bedside table, she saw that it was already eight o'clock in the morning. She raised herself up out of her bed and headed to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She grimaced at the bitter aftertaste of the pinot noir from the night before and leaned down to rinse her mouth before brushing her teeth. She scrubbed back and forth fervently, remembering the dream she'd just awoken from. She'd had the dream often since she was a kid, but it was never like this. There had never been any sex involved, or other wolves, for that matter. It had always been about the chase and nothing more. She had always thought that the dream was of her totem animal and how she couldn't catch him. This was totally different though, and the arousal it ignited within her was quite disturbing, to say the least.

Janette splashed cold water on her face to wake herself up before opening the door and heading to the kitchen. She had a light headache and needed to search for the aspirin. She was on her way through her bedroom towards the kitchen door when she noticed the dark figure sprawled out on her bed and her heart stopped in her chest. She couldn't move. Janette's mind started sorting out the events of the night before, thinking perhaps she'd brought someone home with her. That was impossible. She hadn't gone to bed until the wine was gone and she knew for a fact that she had been alone. But then again, how did she wake up in her bed when she clearly remembered falling asleep on the sofa in the living room? She had never been one to sleep walk.

Janette slowly turned towards the bed, cautiously stepping closer to see who the man was lying on his stomach. If she had had a stick or something, she probably would have poked him with it. She leaned over the edge of the bed in an effort to see the stranger's face when he rolled slightly, readjusting his position and letting out a sleepy moan. Janette's face went pale for a moment before turning a deep magenta, as the anger in her flared when she realized who the beautiful sleeping stranger was. 

Mitch Evans.

"How did you get in here?" she asked the sleeping figure. He didn't move. She ripped the pillow from under his head and smacked him with it, rudely waking him. "What are you doing here?!" she said through clenched teeth.

Mitch leaped from the bed, his hair handsomely disheveled, looking as though he didn't know where he was. He looked at Janette, his eyes going wide as though he just remembered where he was. "Oh my God, Janette, I'm sorry. I must have fallen asleep," he said, rubbing his hands across his face.

Janette shook her head, momentarily tongue tied. "Why... where... what... What the hell are you doing in my apartment, Mitch?!" she shrieked. 

Looking down and noticing her lack of attire, she grabbed the bathrobe hanging from the hook on the bathroom door, slid it on quickly and wrapped it tightly around her body, clutching the neckline closed. She suddenly realized that they had slept in the same bed and she had nothing but a small night shirt on-- not even any underwear. The red in her face went from a red of anger to a red of utter embarrassment and she clutched the neck of her robe together even tighter, until she felt as though she would choke herself with it. 

"I'm sorry, Janette. I came by to return your cell phone. You left it at the club last night." He dug the phone from his pocket and handed it to her, as though that should explain everything.

Janette took her phone from his hand, looked down at it in confusion and carelessly tossed it onto a chair. "That doesn't explain why you were sleeping in my bed, or how you got in here in the first place!" What was with this guy?

"Janette, I'm sorry. I stopped by to return your phone and found the door unlocked. I knocked several times but you didn't answer." 

Oh, well in that case...

Janette felt her fury hit the roof. "LOOK!" she yelled, pointing her finger at his chest. "I don't know how it works in 'Oh-Look-At-Me-I'm-A-Rich-Stud-Land,' but here in the real world, if you knock on a door and no one answers, that doesn't give you the right to come on in and sleep in the person's bed!"

Mitch closed his eyes in an effort to gather his thoughts and took a deep breath with an almost desperate expression on his face. "Janette, I wanted to talk to you, to explain what happened last night with Melissa. I just needed to tell..."

"I don't want to hear your lame explanations," she interrupted. "What's happening between you and Melissa is none of my damn business and I don't care to hear about it!" Still fuming, Janette stomped into the living room, Mitch close at her heels. She opened the door. "Get out, Mitch. Now." 

"Janette, please, just let me..."

"GET OUT!" 

Mitch looked at her a moment longer trying to think of something to say to fix the situation, but came up with nothing. It was plainly obvious that she wasn't going to allow him to finish a sentence in the frame of mind she was in. 

"Okay," he said, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. "I understand." He calmly walked through the door and into the hallway. He turned and tried to say something before Janette slammed the door shut in his face. He leaned his forehead against the door when he heard the deadbolt being engaged.

This is ridiculous, he thought. How had things gotten like this? He had finally found his mate and already she hated him, all over a stupid misunderstanding. The anger and hate he had seen in her eyes nearly ripped his heart out. He turned and took a step when he noticed a metal message clip attached to the frame of her apartment door and an idea came to him. He searched his shirt pocket for a pen but found none. A small older woman was walking towards him down the hall. "Excuse me ma'am, might you have a pen and paper I can use?"

"Why certainly, I think I have something somewhere." She began rummaging through one of the largest handbags he had ever seen and pulled out a pen along with an old grocery receipt and handed it to him. "I'm sorry, that's all I can find," she said, smiling up at him. 

Mitch gave the old woman a grin. "It's perfect." He scribbled a quick note on the back of the receipt, folded it and placed it firmly in the clip on the door before handing the pen back to the old woman. "Thank you," he said, and strode down the hallway.

*

Janette locked the dead bolt on her door and leaned back against it, taking a deep breath, trying to get hold of her anger. She still couldn't wrap her mind around what had just happened. That jackass actually had the audacity to come into her apartment, uninvited, and sleep in her bed! Who the hell did he think he was anyway? What had he been expecting? Perhaps she should have woken up this morning, swooning, thanking her lucky stars that he graced her with his presence? Or maybe she should have dropped to her knees offering to service him right then and there? Yeah right, she thought, pushing herself from the door and walking into her kitchen to continue the search for the elusive bottle of aspirin. She needed it more now than she did before all this mess started. Her headache went from light to thundering, all within the last fifteen minutes. Janette finally found the bottle in a kitchen drawer and popped two of the pills into her mouth before going to the sink to get a glass of water.




The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 06



He came into my apartment while I was sleeping. Who does that? she thought to herself, taking another sip of her water. Never mind that the man looked absolutely delectable first thing in the morning, with his hair all a mess. Never mind the fact that the smell of him sent her senses into overdrive. Never mind that the way he looked at her with those eyes of his and that smile made her heart flip in her chest. These were all moot points! Janette was bound and determined that she would not end up being just another notch on this asshole's already painfully marred bed post! 

Janette chugged the rest of the water in her glass and placed it in the sink before going into the bathroom and turning on the hot water, thinking that a long hot shower was just what she needed to clear her slightly hungover mind. She slipped out of her robe and hung it back on the hook she had taken it from. A She pulled her night shirt over her head, tossing it into the laundry hamper, and stepped into the shower. While washing her hair, the memory of the disturbing dream came back to her. It all seemed so real, so familiar, she just knew it had to mean something. But what? The thing that bothered her the most was the definite arousal the dream had caused her.

Janette froze, unable to move or breathe, when she felt two arms at her sides. She quickly wiped the water from her eyes and looked down to see what appeared to be the same two arms from her dream, sliding their way across her soapy skin and wrapping themselves around her waist. She felt a hard warm body pressing firmly against her naked back and a pair of soft lips placing light kisses across her bare, wet shoulder, sending an unexpected shiver down her spine. She gasped and turned to see who was behind her only to find no one there. She was alone. 

Startled, Janette wasted no time jumping out of the haunted shower, grabbing her towel from the rack as she streaked into her bedroom, shutting the bathroom door behind her with a slam. She barely dried herself before throwing on a pair of old jeans and a black tee shirt, not bothering with underclothing or socks. She didn't even take the time to fix her hair, leaving it in a wet tangled mess down her back. Thinking she'd do her hair in the car, she hurriedly grabbed her brush along with her purse and phone and ran out of her apartment. She barely noticed the white slip of paper clipped to her door as she turned the key in the lock. She plucked it from the metal clip and without taking the time to read it, stuffed it into the front pocket of her jeans.

Janette quickly got into her car and locked the door, her clothes still clinging uncomfortably to her damp skin. She sat there for several minutes with her eyes closed trying to calm herself. What the hell was that? she thought. She dared a glance at her apartment window, expecting to see someone looking out at her, but there was nothing there. Taking a long breath, her heart finally steadied and her nerves calmed. She drove a few blocks and pulled into the parking lot of her favorite coffee shop in need of a caffeine fix before heading to her grandmother's house.

"Large black coffee and a bear claw please." The cashier stated the amount she owed and Janette began rummaging through her purse looking for her wallet. She'd briefly considered asking the cashier to slip a shot of bourbon in with the coffee, but didn't think he would see the humor in it.

"Let me get that," the man behind her said. "I'll have the same, minus the danish." He slipped the cash across the counter, paying for their coffees. 

Janette looked up surprised to see Jack, the bartender from the night before, standing there behind her. "Oh you don't have to do that."

"I don't mind. It's not often that I get the privilege of buying a pretty lady a cup of coffee." He smiled and handed her the steaming cup and danish, before grabbing his own cup from the counter.

"Well thank you," she said, taking the cup from him and lightly blowing on it before taking a sip. "What are you doing here? I didn't figure you night owl, club working types would be up this early in the day."

Jack laughed lightly, taking a sip from his cup. "I'm usually not. I had some early morning business to tend to. If not for that I would be in bed right now. You just missed Mitch. He was here a few minutes ago."

Janette didn't even try to hide the irritation in her voice but smiled politely. "I'm afraid I didn't miss much then, huh?" 

Jack gave her an amused look. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"It's not suppose to mean anything. Just not my type, that's all."

"And just what is your type?" Jack said, smiling flirtatiously.

"What's my type?" Janette said, pausing as if to consider the question. "Definitely not the womanizing type, that's for sure."

Jack chuckled with a look of surprise. "Mitch? A womanizer? That's a hoot!" 

Janette shook her head, unable to hide the grin on her face. "What's so funny about that?"

"Hell, Mitch and I have been good friends for years now and I can tell you for a fact that he is no womanizer. In fact, he rarely dates at all, always claiming he's too busy. Now his brother Liam, on the other hand..." Jack flipped open his phone when it began buzzing and read the text message that had come through. "Speaking of the devil." He took Janette's hand, bowed down and very theatrically kissed her knuckles. "M'lady. I've got to run. It was very good to see you again." He flashed her one more humorous smile before taking his coffee and heading out the door to his vehicle. 

Janette stepped out the door of the coffee shop and walked to her own car. She reached into her pocket to pull her car keys out when she saw a piece of paper drop to the pavement. She remembered the note she'd found on the door and reached down to pick it up. Assuming it was from her friend Lisa, her cat sitter, she quickly scanned it.

'I need to talk to you. Last night was a misunderstanding. I'm not with Melissa. Please meet me for our date tonight at 7. Mitch.'

Fat chance. Janette shoved the paper back into her pocket, unsure what to think about the relentlessly handsome intruder. He was certainly luscious looking and he knew it. As true as it may be that she hadn't had a date in eons, she certainly didn't want to date just any schmo that came along, especially not one who seemed to have only asked her out because she happened to sport a vagina.

*

Janette pulled into her grandmother's gravel driveway thirty minutes later to find her outside watering what seemed to be a billion plants that she had brought to the porch from the greenhouse. Spring was near and everything was greening up quite nicely. This had to be Janette's favorite time of year. "Do you need any help, grandma?" Janette didn't wait for an answer and instead picked up the spare water can and began watering the countless pots of herbs and flowers overflowing the porch.

"Where have you been, Jan?" Grandma said with a smile on her face. "I've been worried about you."

"I'm sorry. I stayed at my place last night. Just needed to get away for a bit and look in on Snowball."

"Oh?" Grandma Rose turned to her granddaughter with a look of curiosity. "Something bothering you? Something you want to talk about?"

Janette set the watering can back down. She wanted to tell her grandma about the dream and about what happened in the shower but wasn't sure if that was a good idea. "No, grandma. Nothing's wrong, just stressed I guess." She turned to go inside.

"Did you get your phone back?"

Janette halted abruptly, then turned. "How did you know about that?"

"Oh, someone by the name of Mitch Evans came by last night, or should I say this morning, looking for you. He said you left your phone at a night club." Grandma continued watering, smiling. "Goodness, he had to have been here a good hour, hour and a half waiting in the driveway. What were you doing at a night club anyway, dear? That's not usually your cup of tea, is it?"

Janette stood there unmoving, her mind a frenzy. "Wait. He... he was here last night?" How did he even know where her grandma lived? And how would he have known that she would be there?

"Yes dear," her grandma replied casually. "He seemed rather desperate to talk to you. I hope you don't mind, I gave him your address and told him to stop by your place this morning. I kinda figured that was where you had gone. I just wish you would have called me. You know how I worry."

"Grandma, I couldn't call you. I didn't have my phone, remember?" Janette said absently, the gerbil in her head kicking into high gear. "What time was it when he came by?"

Her grandma looked as though she was trying to remember. "I'd say perhaps one in the morning. Somewhere around that time."

One in the morning? So he hadn't gone home with Melissa after all? Janette thought about everything that had happened. Thought about what grandma had just told her. About waking up and finding him in her bed. About the note and the things Jack had told her at the coffee shop. Then she remembered the troubled look on Mitch's face at the club when Melissa flung herself at him, like some starving orphan to a half-eaten donut. Was it possible that she jumped to the wrong conclusions about them? Had she misjudged him? If she had a talent for anything it was misjudging people or situations. 

"Things aren't always the way they seem, dear," Grandma said, as though reading her granddaughter's thoughts.

Janette stood there with a perplexed expression, watching her grandma picking leaves off of a basil plant with that familiar I-Know-Something-You-Don't look on her face. She took the note from her pocket and read it once more before finally going into the cottage and to the spare room she had been occupying. She slipped off her sneakers and put on a fresh pair of socks from the dresser drawer before pulling on her boots. A bit of sunshine and hard labor in the yard would do her some good. It wasn't even noon yet but the day seemed to be getting warmer, so she pulled off her black tee and slipped on a dark blue tank top, tied her hair up and headed out the back door. 

She didn't mind yard work. In fact she rather liked it. She always felt more connected to the earth after hours of tilling the garden area and pulling old brush and fallen tree limbs from around the property into a big pile. Today, however, her goal was to get as much done in as short an amount of time as possible. After all, she had to be at the Timber Wolf Steakhouse by seven. She hummed a familiar tune as she went about her work with a smile on her face, oblivious to the creature watching her from the tree line.

*

Mitch didn't carry high expectations that Janette would show up for their date. In fact, after the events that took place that morning, he rather doubted it, but he went to the steakhouse anyway, dressed in black slacks and a dark maroon dress shirt. A wolf had to eat, right? Not to mention, being the owner, he needed to check up on the place, making sure things were running smoothly. Generally, Liam was the one to take care of issues at the restaurant, but Mitch still liked to stop in and see how things were going now and then. He pulled up to the restaurant at 6:30 p.m., went inside and headed straight to his office in the back of the building where he logged onto his computer. He hadn't been there ten minutes when his brother Liam peaked his head through the door. 

"Hey, bro, I'm gonna take off for awhile. Do you have a handle on everything here?"

Mitch looked up from the financial documents on his computer screen. "Yeah, I got it. I didn't even know you were here. Where are you rushing off to?"

"A pretty little blond with the longest legs you've ever seen is gonna..."

"Figures." Mitch interrupted. "When do you not have a date, Liam? Do you even know her name this time?" he said with a teasing smile.

"Oh please. You know, maybe if you'd go out and get laid more often you wouldn't be such an ass." Liam gave his brother an irritated look. "And just so you know, her name is Tiffany... or was it Patricia? That's not the point. She's beautiful, I'm beautiful and we are going to go have a beautiful time together. Not everyone is so lucky to have found their one and only, you know."

Mitch smiled at his man-whore of a brother. "Now don't go getting too jealous. My one and only doesn't want anything to do with me." He looked down at his computer screen and resumed his typing.

"She doesn't want anything to do with you? What did you do now?" Liam stepped into the office and plopped down on the over stuffed chair across from the desk. "Please don't tell me you already went and fucked things up." 

Mitch clicked the mouse a couple of times sending several documents to the printer. He figured he would review them over dinner in the main dining room of the restaurant, rather than be locked away in his office. "It's nothing that can't be fixed," he said absently, still clicking away on his keyboard. "Go. Have a good time. Things are almost taken care of here. I'm going to grab a bite to eat and head out myself."

Liam stood to leave but stopped at the door. "Oh yeah. I set Thor and Mikey on the task of preparing for the full moon celebration. They're almost finished with the set up." He paused when a thought occurred to him. "You know, maybe you need to start planning your mating celebration soon."

"It's kind of early for that, don't you think? Why would I plan a celebration to mate with someone who not only doesn't know what I am, but at this very moment, can't stand the sight of me?" Mitch's heart lurched at the thought of not mating with his Janette. His wolf wanted nothing more than to drag her, kicking and screaming, to his bed and mark her, willing or not, making her his for all eternity. Yet, his human self desperately wanted her to come to him willingly and of her own accord, with the same amount of love and desire that he himself was feeling. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples trying to ease the headache that his inner turmoil was causing. " Why are you still here? Isn't there an innocent blonde that you're suppose to be defiling right now?" 

"Oh yeah," Liam said with a wicked grin. "If you get bored later you should give me a call. I'm pretty sure she has a friend." Liam ignored the angry glare coming from his brother's eyes and walked out of the office. He couldn't wait until Mitch was fully mated. Maybe then the little shit wouldn't be so damned edgy all the time. He walked across the dining area to the bar where his little blonde vixen stood waiting. "Come on, let's get out of here," he said. She squealed when he leaned in and roughly nipped at her earlobe. The couple walked hand in hand out to the parking lot. 

When Liam opened the car door for his date he suddenly noticed Janette parked a few stalls down from his truck. She kept walking back and forth from her car to the restaurant door and talking to herself as though she was debating whether or not to go inside. Oh for crying out loud, he thought, shaking his head and thinking she must be half crazy. 

He got into his truck and started the engine with a roar and rolled down his window. "Janette." She looked up at him with a start and a deer-in-the-headlights look in her eyes. "Just go in. He's not going to bite you. Well, not yet anyway." Liam gave her a wink and then drove away.

*

Mitch reached over and grabbed several papers, still warm from the printer. He logged off of his computer and turned the office lights out before stepping out and locking the door behind him. He hadn't eaten since dinner the night before and was ravenous. He sat at one of the tables at the back of the restaurant and began looking over the papers in his hand, but found that his attention span was like that of a two-year old. He couldn't concentrate on anything for longer than a minute before his mind would wander back to his mate. He took a deep, relaxing breath and tried, once more, to gain focus. 

"Can I get you anything, Mitch?" the waitress asked with a flirtatious smile. Darla was born into his pack and had been working at the restaurant for three years. She had never been the modest type, making her attraction to Mitch blatantly clear. She was far from ugly, with her dark brown spiral curls, overly full lips, crystal clear blue eyes and womanly curves. Most of the men who dined at the Timber Wolf took notice of her right away, some even specifically requesting that she wait on them. She probably made three times more tips than any of the waitresses there. However, Mitch knew what kind of woman she was, hearing all the rumors about her going home with several of the cooks and some of the waiters. Sex wasn't looked down on in pack life, but the speed at which this woman went through bed partners was a turn off to him. He had tried numerous times to make it clear to her, without coming off as rude or hurtful, that he wasn't interested, but she remained persistent.

"Darla." Mitch nodded a greeting with a polite smile. "I hope you are doing well this evening."

"I am now that you're here," she said, slowly licking her bottom lip.

Mitch found it difficult to mask the annoyed look that wanted to burst forth on his face, drawing his brows together in frustration. He wasn't in the mood for her antics tonight. Or any night, for that matter. "Can you bring me a glass of chardonnay, please. Make it a full one, none of that fancy half glass stuff."

"Been one of those days, huh?" Darla said, feigning her concern.

"You could say that. I'd also like... um... the T- bone, cooked rare, roasted rosemary potatoes and steamed asparagus. I think that should do it," he said dismissively, turning his attention back to the papers in front of him and pretending to be intensely involved in what he was reading.

"You sure you don't want any company tonight? I could join you if you want."

Dear God this woman was thick headed. "Actually, now that you mention it, just bring the bottle and a second glass." Darla's eyes lit up. "My date should be here any minute now." The polite smile that he gave her before looking back towards his paperwork widened when he heard an insulted huff as she turned on her heel and walked away. 

Finally giving up the fight for concentration that he was sorely losing, Mitch tossed the documents to the side just as Darla brought his wine to the table. He took a long drink from his glass and let his mind wander. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply and smelling the scent of cherry blossoms and honeysuckle. He couldn't recall a time when a woman had ever possessed him to the point that Janette had. She occupied his thoughts day and night He could even smell her when she wasn't there.

"Mitch?"

Startled from his thoughts, Mitch's eyes flew open and his breath caught when he laid eyes on the woman standing before him. He'd never seen her looking so beautiful. He let his gaze slowly roam from her hair braided loosely down her back, her nervous big brown eyes, fair skin and full, glossed lips, down to the light blue dress with sheer sleeves covering three quarters of the way down her arms. He sat there unable to move, surprised that she had come.

Janette stood there for what seemed like forever, desperately fighting the urge to fidget with her watch, her necklace, her earrings... whatever her fingers could find that didn't run away from her. She had never felt so nervous in all of her life, as Mitch just sat there staring at her as though she was a zoo animal in a cage. Oh good Lord, what was I thinking, she thought. Just say something already. "Um... I'm sorry. I...I shouldn't have come here," she said in an anxious whisper. She turned and started walking away, almost stumbling in her ridiculous heels.

Mitch stood suddenly. "Wait! Janette, please don't go." He walked quickly to her and took both of her hands in his. "I'm sorry. You caught me off guard. I didn't think you would come after my behavior this morning."




The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 06



Janette laughed nervously, looking down at her hands in his. "Yes, that was quite awkward, I have to admit. I certainly wasn't expecting anyone to be there, especially not you."

"I can't apologize enough. I was out of line. I'm not sure what I was thinking, but it won't happen again, okay?" He released her hands and led her to his table with one hand at the small of her back. "Come sit. I ordered us a bottle of wine. I hope you like chardonnay." He pulled the chair out for her and waited for her to be seated before taking his own seat across from her and pouring her a glass.

"I love chardonnay. Actually I love all wine. I guess you could say I'm a lush when it comes to wine." Dumb! Dumb! Dumb! What was that? You don't admit to your date that you're some kind of a wino. Janette practically chugged the contents in her glass as her face burned with embarrassment, wishing that a team of assassins would storm the restaurant and shoot her right then and there before she had a chance to humiliate herself even more.

Damn she was cute when she blushed, Mitch thought, wondering just how far down her chest that pretty shade of pink reached. "I'm glad to hear that," he said, unable to contain his amused smile at her obvious nervous state. "I rather love wine myself. I can't say I'm a seasoned wine connoisseur, but I do enjoy a glass or two every now and then." 

"What can I get for you this evening?" Janette hadn't even noticed the waitress approach their table and was shocked when she looked up to see the woman practically glaring at her with fire in her eyes. "Um... I don't know. I guess I'll have what he's having," she smiled politely.

"That's original," the waitress snorted before rolling her eyes and walking away.

"What was that?" Janette felt very out of place all of a sudden, as though she wasn't welcome there. "An old girlfriend?" 

"Not even close," Mitch said, trying to contain the eruption of fury that was boiling in his chest. "I'm sorry Janette, but will you excuse me for a moment? I need to deal with one of my staff." He stood and took two steps towards her, bent down and kissed her lips lightly. He knew Darla had seen the kiss and walked towards her, leaving Janette at their table, stunned by the unexpected contact. 

"Darla!" Mitch said through clenched teeth, not attempting to hide the disapproval in his eyes. "My office. Now!" She followed behind him while several coworkers stared, an obvious look of fear in their eyes. They knew that Mitch had a good hold on his temper, so when he got pissed at you, you'd really messed up. They also knew that it was a very bad idea to be the one who had pissed him off. 

Mitch waited for Darla to enter before closing the door behind her. She didn't have a chance to even gasp in surprise before his hand found her throat, slamming her against the wall, holding her two feet off of the floor. His face was mere inches from hers, his breathing ragged as he fought to control his temper. "Heed my words well, because this is the only warning you will get," he growled. "If you ever, EVER disrespect my mate again, I will personally make sure that you regret it. Am I understood?"

Darla's eyes went wide in surprise. "Your mate?"

"Yes. My mate. I would advise you that you learn your place. Am. I. Understood?" 

Darla had never seen Mitch this way and couldn't stop her body from shaking in fear. "Yes sir," she said, lowering her eyes in submission.

"If I even hear rumor that you so much as looked at her wrong, you will be thrown out of the pack. Am I understood?"

Darla nodded her head.

"And if it goes that far, I will see to it that no neighboring pack will accept you either. Take my word for it."

"That won't be necessary," she croaked out with her eyes lowered as submissively as was possible from two feet above the ground.

"Am I understood?"

Darla nodded her head.

Mitch's breathing slowed and his temper quieted as he let the terrified girl, with tears in her eyes, down from the wall. He turned away from her, not entirely sure what the hell had just come over him. "Get back to work. Oh, and Darla? Tell Tony he is our waiter for the rest of the night. You can finish out the rest of your shift busing tables." 

He heard her shocked gasp when she turned and walked out the door. Mitch closed his eyes and took a deep breath, assuring himself that he had regained complete control, then walked out the door and back to their table.

"Is everything okay?" Janette said, a look of worry in her eyes. She wasn't sure what had just happened but knew it couldn't be good when she saw their waitress come from a back room looking as though someone had just run over her dog.

"Everything's fine. I just had a situation to deal with, that's all." Mitch reached across the table and took Janette's hand in his, holding it gently and lightly rubbing a thumb over the soft skin of her knuckles. "Thank you for coming tonight. You look absolutely amazing, by the way."

Janette's gaze went from their joined hands to Mitch's eyes, her face still covered in that never-ending blush that he caused her. "Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself." Absolutely lickable was more like it, but she wasn't about to say that out loud. "So, you own this place along with the club, huh?"

"Yes. My brother Liam and I own both of these places, along with two others here in town. I don't own them entirely to myself." Janette's expression turned suddenly suspicious. "My grandmother told me that you had been to her house last night. How did you know where she lived? How did you know that I would probably be there?" Please God, don't let this edible morsel of a man be a psycho stalker.

"Melissa told me," he lied. "I hope you don't mind that I went there looking for you. I just wanted to return your phone in person, that's all." He caught a slight flicker of hurt in Janette's eyes before she quickly looked down at the table. "Speaking of Melissa, I want to clear things up. I was never with her, Janette. Yes, I asked her to meet me at the club last night, but only because of my brother." He released Janette's hands, took another sip of his wine and leaned back in his chair. "Liam seems to think that I should be chasing every skirt that walks by me. He doesn't understand that that's his thing, not mine. I agreed to the date with Melissa to shut him up."

"Mitch, you don't have to explain things to me. I mean, we just..."

"I know I don't owe you any explanations," he interrupted. "I just wanted to talk to you about it. I didn't want you to get the wrong idea about me."

"I admit the words 'vain egotistical bastard' might have crossed my mind for a moment." Janette laughed when Mitch's eyebrows rose in surprise. "I'm kidding. You're fine. I understand."

"So what is it that you do for a living?" Mitch moved the wine bottle and their glasses to the side when Tony came to their table with the food they had ordered. 

Janette's eyes widened when she caught sight of the enormous T-bone steak sitting in front of her. If I eat all of that, surely they will have to wheel me out of here on a dolly, she thought. It smelled divine. She grabbed her knife and fork and sliced a small piece from the steak but grimaced when a little blood squirted out of the rare piece of meat. She immediately put her knife down and took a forkful of asparagus, one of her favorite vegetables, instead.. 

"I'm a registered nurse," she said, swallowing and sipping her wine. "I went to nursing school at the local college here in town, got a job at the hospital and have been there every since." She looked up at Mitch, surprised to see him not eating, but smiling at her in a weird way. 

"I'm sorry, I should have warned you about ordering the same thing as I did. I usually like my steaks pretty rare. It didn't occur to me that they would cook yours the same. I can get you something else if you'd like."

"No, I'm good. There's enough asparagus and potatoes piled on here to feed a third world country," she laughed, spearing a potato and popping it into her mouth. "So what is it that you do? I mean, other than run a slew of businesses? What do you do for fun?" Janette found herself starting to relax, feeling more comfortable in Mitch's presence rather than wanting to run screaming for the hills.

Mitch picked up his knife and began slicing away. "Well, I love to hunt, for one," he said, taking a bite of steak. "I'm not much into the club scene, though."

"What? But you own two of them."

"They are business endeavors, nothing more." Mitch didn't go to his clubs often. All the scantily clad youthful figures bouncing around in a drunken state, reminding him of his own youth, just made him feel old. "Now you."

"Hmm?"

"Now you. What do you like to do for fun?" Mitch watched her as she put down her fork, took a sip of her wine and thought about his question.

"Oh, I like to do a lot of things," she said smiling. "I love gardening. Horseback riding. Cooking. The list goes on and on." She knew of something she'd like to do and it was sitting right in front of her. She reached across the table and poured herself some more wine and then refilled his glass.

"Do you like your job?" he asked, unable to mask the smile that crossed his face when he pictured her in a naughty nurse uniform.

"I do, actually. I didn't think that I would but I can't imagine being anything else now." They sat together eating and chatting like long lost friends for the better part of an hour. Janette only had two glasses of wine, but already was feeling the dizzying effect it had on her. She pushed her glass and plate away with a sigh. "I'm stuffed." 

"Yeah, I'm getting that way myself." Mitch wiped his mouth with his napkin. "Take a walk with me."

"What?"

"An after dinner walk. Just to help digest." Mitch stood, pulled out his wallet and threw a wad of bills on the table for the waiter. He reached down and grabbed Janette's hand, pulling her to stand with him. "It's a nice night out. We can walk a bit and then I will bring you back to your car." Seeing the hesitation on her face, he rolled his eyes at her. "Come on. I promise to have you back before midnight when you turn into a pumpkin... or however that goes."

Janette laughed lightly. "The carriage turns into a pumpkin." 

"Yeah, yeah I knew it was something like that. Let's go." Mitch entwined his fingers with his mate's and led her to the door, nodding to Tony as he held the door open, leading her outside. 

They walked in silence for a block before he led her down a strip of concrete leading to a bike path by the river. She hesitated for a moment, noticing that it was night and the walkway was far from well lit, with only a few street lamps. "Come on. It's okay, I won't let the big bad wolf get you." She looked into his laughing eyes for a moment before following his lead, heading down towards the river. "So what's the story with your grandma anyway?" 

"What about my grandma?"

"She seems like a real nice lady, but where are your parents?"

Janette let out a long sigh. "My mom and dad died in a car accident when I was five. I've lived with my grandmother and aunt every since. I have been staying with grandma for awhile because she injured herself and needed a little extra help."

Mitch paused suddenly. He thought he had known everything about her, from things her grandma had told him and all the snooping he had done, but he didn't know this. "I'm sorry to hear that." He put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to him, and kissed the top of her head.

Janette was surprised at how natural his contact felt, and how at ease she had become. Just a little more than an hour ago she would have jumped out of her skin if he had touched her. "It's okay. It was a long time ago. I don't even remember them. It's crazy. It's as though my memory begins at the time of their death. Then again, how many memories would I have I retained? I was only five." She looked up at him, seeing nothing but shadows on his face in the dark. "Do you remember when you were five?"

Mitch laughed at the idea. He hadn't been five in one hundred and fifty years. Of course, he didn't remember it. "Not really," he said, leading her by the hand to sit on a bench just off the walkway near a light post. He slid his arm around her and playfully nuzzled into her neck.

Janette laughed. "Stop it, you naughty, naughty man," she said teasingly, in her best English accent. Her burst of giggles just egged him on and he nuzzled her even more. "Stop it. You're tickling!" she squealed. 

"You think that's tickling?" he said, before wiggling his fingers against her ribcage. "Now that's tickling."

Janette couldn't control the laughter rolling from her, as he assaulted her ribs mercilessly. Her laughter came to a sudden halt when she saw the expression on Mitch's face. She looked in the direction of his glare and saw a man walking towards them on the path. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled up, shadowing his face. 

"Come on, lets go," he said, pulling her to her feet and quickly leading her in the direction they had come from. They walked in silence, approaching the walkway leading back up to the street to his restaurant. "Don't say anything," he whispered to her, making her nervous. What was going on, she thought.

They walked a block or so when Janette sighed her relief, seeing the hooded man head in a different direction. "What was that all about?" she said, looking up to Mitch.

"I don't know," he said, glancing once more behind them. "I just had a bad feeling. I had to get you out of there." Mitch said with a stern look on his face. The man approaching them smelled of death and rot and he wasn't about to put his mate in danger. 

He walked her to her car, not wanting her to leave. "Meet me the day after tomorrow," he said, pulling her close. "We can catch a movie or something."

"I have to work." She said, feeling her heart skip a beat with his sudden closeness.

"The movie doesn't even start until eight or nine in the evening. When do you get off work?"

" I get off at two."

"How about if you come to my place and I will cook you dinner before we go to the theater?"

"You cook?"

"Of course I can cook," he said grinning down at her. "I'm not completely helpless, you know."

"I have a better idea. How about if I cook for you instead, at my place. You obviously already know where I live." 

"You're not going to smack me with a pillow again are you?" he said, winking at her.

"No, silly," she laughed, shaking her head, thinking of the bewildered, sleepy expression on his face when she hit him with the pillow.

"Okay, dinner at your place. Six o'clock. But before you go, I have to warn you of something," he said, a serious expression covering his features.

"And what might that be?"

Mitch paused, looking deep into her eyes. "I'm going to kiss you now." 

She didn't have a chance to protest before his lips found hers, placing a soft, gentle kiss on them, his fingers entwined with hers, pulling her to him. His lips sent a wave of electricity through her, starting from her head and ending at her toes. His hands left a trail of blazing heat as they slowly slid down her sides and rested on her hips. 

Mitch pulled his lips from hers and looked down at her, lightly brushing his knuckles along her jawline. He didn't want to move too fast with her, afraid that he might scare her away. 

Janette wasn't sure what was happening. She woke up that morning hating the man standing in front of her, so why was it that his touch was igniting a blazing fire within her? She gazed into his heated brown eyes and felt the warmth of his hand against her cheek, somehow realizing at that moment that she could trust him. She wanted him to kiss her again, needed him to kiss her again, but he just stood there looking at her with a small polite smile on his face. She had never been one to initiate things with men. She had always been too shy for that kind of thing. She stood there for several moments longer, waiting, wanting. To hell with it, she thought. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on her tip toes, pulling him into an even deeper kiss than before, their tongues battling each other fervently.

Mitch was caught off guard when Janette began kissing him, and he paused for a moment. It was not what he was expecting but he wasn't going to complain. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tightly to him, exploring her mouth with his tongue, feeling her heart race against his. Reveling in her sweet honey taste, he couldn't get enough of her. She was like a drug to him. Her amazing scent overwhelmed him. He slid his hand up her back, feeling her tremble, and placed it on the back of her head, not willing to let her go. "Janette?" Mitch groaned before returning to her tasty, bruised lips. "Janette, come home with me?"

She froze for a second, not knowing what to say. Of course she wanted to go home with him. For some reason, at this point, she felt that she would follow him anywhere. "I can't." She looked at him with regret. "I'm sorry, but I just can't. 

Mitch leaned over and kissed her again, intending it to be an acceptance of her decision. He softly brushed his lips against hers and started to pull back thinking he would say 'okay' and then open her car door for her, and watch her drive away. 

Janette felt the electricity race through her the instant his lips brushed hers. If anything, his soft, almost chaste kiss somehow had more of an effect on her. She knew that he really was okay with her decision and that he intended to act gentlemanly, but that only added fuel to the quickly escalating fire roaring through her body. When she felt him start to pull away, she couldn't help herself, she pressed her lips back to his, and opened for his tongue, drawing him into another heated kiss. She felt his strong hands moving up her sides, pulling her softly to him, as they crossed over her back and reveled in the duality of strength and softness. They both pulled their mouths away slowly at the same moment. 

"Come home with me?" he repeated, his voice a mere whisper, as they stood together with their foreheads touching, almost panting from the shared intensity of their first real kiss. 

A voice in the back of Janette's mind was screaming at her to fling herself into his arms, letting him sweep her away and into his bed. She desperately tried to suppress that wanton part of her mind and pay attention to her morals. They had only known each other for two days at the most. She had never been the promiscuous type and didn't plan on starting anytime soon. "Mitch, I... I just..."

He smiled, letting out a tormented sigh. He wanted nothing more than to be with her right now. Forever. He knew her quite well, but he had to remind himself that she didn't know him. Trying to keep her perspective in mind, he took her hands in his. "I understand."

"I... I'm sorry, Mitch. It's just that..."

"No, it's okay. I want to be with you, Janette, but I'm willing to wait until you are ready." He reached up to the side of her face, tracing one thumb along her earlobe. "But you're still stuck with me. Dinner, and then a movie, agreed?"

She nodded her head. "Agreed."

"Until then." Mitch placed one last light kiss on Janette's forehead and opened her car door for her. She slid into her seat and he closed the door, went to his truck, got in and drove away.

Janette sat there for a moment, her body still buzzing from his touch, grinning from ear to ear. She wasn't entirely sure what had just happened but she knew that she loved every second of it. She hadn't been kissed like that in a very long time. Who was she kidding? She had never been kissed like that before. She slid the key into the ignition starting her car, backed out of the stall and drove away, as their former waitress glared out of the restaurant window after her.



The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 07



Thanks to my editors, PrincessJezebel and MythOFreak. Hope you guys like this one! 

*

"Hmm?" Janette realized that her patient had been talking to her, but she hadn't heard a word of what the woman in the hospital bed had said. 

"I said it hurts the most right here." The middle aged woman said pointing to the right side of her abdomen. "If you could bring me a pain pill, that would be great."

"Yes, I'll go get that for you right now. Is there anything else I can do for you while I'm here?"

"No. I think that's it."

Janette smiled politely and walked out of the room. She found herself feeling quite frustrated at the fact that she couldn't concentrate on anything. She couldn't keep her mind off of Mitch and their second date planned for later that evening. And that kiss. That kiss. Dear God, that kiss was enough to make her melt just thinking about it. She tried to remind herself to take it easy, that she didn't know if he was really serious about her or not. They had only known each other for a few days, and it was too early to swoon over him just yet. Swoon? She wasn't the type to swoon over a man. Janette laughed at the thought of her fainting simply because of his good looks. No, not good looks. Looks of a Greek God.

"Have you seen Melissa?" she asked her coworker, Shannon.

Shannon shrugged her shoulders. "No. She never showed up this morning. They marked her as a no call, no show. She'll be lucky if she has her job after this." 

Janette didn't really want to see Melissa. She didn't know what she would say to her if they were face to face. The situation would be awkward, to say the least. Melissa and Janette weren't exactly bffs, but she did consider her a friend and she worried about her. It wasn't like Melissa to just not show up for work. Even though she was a flighty, teenage type, she was always punctual. Janette stepped into the storeroom and pulled out her cell phone, dialing Melissa's number. No answer. It went straight to voice mail. "Melissa, this is Jan. You didn't show for work this morning. Please call me and let me know that you are okay. Talk to you later." She put the phone back into her pocket and walked out, into the hallway of the hospital. 

Janette grabbed the chart of her next patient, quickly scanning through it before knocking once and walking into his room. "Mr. Valtesse, how are you feeling this morning?"

"I'm good. A little sore, but good." 

"I'm glad to hear that. I need to get your vitals real quick. We are going to have to start an IV before you go into surgery."

Janette wrapped the blood pressure cuff around the man's arm and pushed the "start" button on the machine. She looked down at him, noticed his gold-colored wristwatch, and remembered that Mitch wore a similar watch. Oh my God, will you stop it already? she thought to herself. She shook the thought from her head and continued with her work, writing down her patient's blood pressure, pulse, temperature and respirations on his chart. She smiled kindly at him. "Your blood pressure is a bit high, but other than that, everything looks good. Do you need anything?"

"No, I think I'm alright," Mr. Valtesse said, with a smile of his own.

"Okay, if you need anything later, push this button." She pointed to the nurse button on his bed rail. "Someone will come right away and take care of you."

"Okay, will do. Thanks," he said.

Janette put her patient's chart back into the slot in the cabinet, and was grabbing another one when she heard Shannon call to her from across the hall in an exasperated voice. "Jan, can you do me a favor and go get a set of vitals on room 322? I'm kind of tied up here."

Janette nodded, noticing the patient that Shannon was dealing with. It was a young child who was screaming and crying, while the hospital staff tried to insert an IV into her arm. That poor thing, she thought. That's the one thing she hated about being a nurse. The small children who came in, with whatever illness or ailment they had, always tore at her heart. 

Janette knocked lightly on the door of room 322 before entering. The patient seemed to be asleep. She stepped up next to the bed and looked down at the blond man, his face pale and sickly looking. She was just about to wake him when his eyes fluttered open, looking up at her. He tried to speak but the effort seemed to pain him. "Shh. Relax, don't say anything. I'm just going to check your blood pressure and then you can go back to sleep." 

Janette reached forward and grabbed the blood pressure cuff from the machine beside the bed. She screamed when the man's hand flew up and abruptly grabbed her wrist, almost knocking her off balance. She looked at the man's face and was surprised when she saw him glaring up at her with an angered expression, his eyes glowing. She flinched at the pain in her wrist when his grip grew tighter. Janette felt panic rip through her as the man's painfully tight grip on her arm seemed to hold her immobile. She began to feel dizzy and her peripheral vision started to blur, making it seem as though she was peering through a small tunnel. Her body suddenly raced forward at a dizzying speed, as if there was a length of rope attached through her chest and someone was at the other end, pulling at it. 

When the pulling finally stopped, she found herself standing in the middle of a field. She looked around in confusion. The scene before her was colorless and cold. She turned to look behind her and gasped, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth, when she saw the mangled car next to her resting on its top. The windows were bashed in and the doors on the driver's side were crushed. She guardedly knelt down to look inside and stumbled backwards, falling on her rear, when she saw her mother and father lying there, dead, covered in blood. Her heart was pounding in her chest, as she crept slowly back to the banged up car on her hands and knees. Janette looked into the back seat where she found the younger version of herself lying unconscious. She felt the tears rolling down her cheeks. She reached out to touch her mother's face when the pulling started again, sucking her violently back through the fuzzy tunnel. 

"Janette?" Shannon was standing at the door with a look of worry on her face. "Jan, sweetie, are you okay?" 

Shannon raced over to her when Janette suddenly became weak and fell to the floor. She felt exhausted and her hands shook violently. She wasn't expecting the fit of nausea that rolled through her. She quickly grabbed the trash can sitting next to the bed, and pulled it to her just in time to empty her stomach. 

"Oh my God, are you okay?" Shannon asked, attempting to hold Janette in a sitting position. "I heard a scream and when I came in here, you were just standing there staring into space."

"I'm fine. I just haven't been feeling well, that's all," Janette lied. "Just give me a minute and I'll get back to work." She tried to stand but failed, still too weak.

"Oh no you don't. Let me help you up. The room across the hall is unoccupied. You can rest in there until you feel better, but you are going home right after." Shannon helped Janette up off the floor. "The last thing we need are sick nurses running around here making everyone else ill."

Janette let Shannon help her across the hall to the empty room, receiving odd looks from several people. She hated being coddled and found the extra attention embarrassing. She'd been lying on the bed nearly five minutes and found that she was starting to feel better, her strength returning to her. "I'm feeling pretty good now." She sat up slowly. "You know, I only have about four hours left of my shift. I'm sure I can make it through."

"Uh-uh... nope, not gonna happen." Shannon regarded Janette with a stern, motherly look. "You almost fainted in there. What is it that made you scream like that anyway?"

"He... he grabbed me," she said, looking for the bruises that she was certain were on her wrists from his insanely tight grip. She found no bruises. Her skin wasn't even red from the contact.

Shannon looked at Janette, thinking that she'd lost her mind. "Honey, that man has been unconscious for two days now. You saw him before we left the room. He was out cold."

Janette didn't believe a word of what her co-worker was telling her. Surely she hadn't imagined it all. It seemed so real, all but the tunnel ride, that is. "What was he admitted for anyway?" she asked, still trying to understand what had happened.

"Some kind of animal bite. But that's just a guess. Joe from security found him passed out just outside the emergency room entrance. He said that he thought the man was probably drunk, but then when Joe rolled him over, he found a nasty wound across his shoulder. He said it looked as if something had been chewing on him." Shannon looked down at the floor and grimaced at the thought. "He hasn't woken up since, so no one has been able to ask him exactly what happened."

"That's strange," Janette said, thoughtfully. "Well I hope he's going to be okay."

Shannon stood to walk out. "Look, I have to get back to work." She turned to go when a thoughtful expression crossed her face and she looked back at Janette. "I really don't feel comfortable with you driving yourself home just yet. Is there someone you can call to pick you up?"

"I'm fine," Janette said with a reassuring laugh. "I don't need a ride home." The only person she could think of who could pick her up was Mitch, and she wasn't about to call him. It wasn't his job to chauffeur her around.

Shannon gave Janette one more worried look. "Okay, if you are sure. But promise me that if you start to feel bad again, you will call someone. Please."

"I promise you I will call someone, but I'm fine. I swear." Janette always liked working with Shannon. The woman, much older than she, was always very motherly to everyone. Sometimes she worried too much, though.

Shannon waved her hand lightly before walking out the door. Janette breathed a sigh of relief and stood up from the bed. She had never had an experience like that before and decided right away to go talk to her grandma and aunt about it. They probably knew more than she did about this sort of thing.

She stepped out the door and headed toward the staff lounge to get her purse from her locker. Even though Janette didn't like leaving work early, she was suddenly relieved to get out of the hospital. She stepped out the back door and took a deep breath of fresh air before heading to her car. She felt so much better than she did before. It was almost as if the incident at the hospital had never happened. Janette unlocked her car door, got inside and started the engine. 

She pulled out into traffic when her thoughts strayed, once again, to Mitch. She could see his face so clearly in her mind's eye. She could almost smell him, his masculine scent taunting her, as though he was sitting right next to her in the car. She was driving in the direction leading her out of the city, to her grandma's house, when she passed a clothing store. Of course, she had never shopped there before. The clothes they sold were much more provocative than she was used to wearing. It just wasn't her style. She remembered that insane kiss she had shared with Mitch, two nights before. She remembered how it made her feel. That delightful throb between her thighs. That intense tingle that ran the length of her body. The delicious feel of his tongue invading her mouth and his strong, large hands sliding up her back. 

Dammit, she thought to herself. Then Janette made a decision. A decision she'd never thought she would make, not after only knowing someone for a few days. She turned the corner and went around the block, heading back to the little promiscuous clothing shop. It wouldn't hurt to just look around, would it? 

*

"Mr. Marshall? How are you feeling?"

Leonard slowly opened his eyes to find his vision fuzzy and distorted. He stared up at the blurry figure standing over him. He tried to sit up but every muscle in his body ached and he laid back down with a groan. He felt like he had been run over by a car. 

"Please, don't try to get up. I'm Dr. George Cole. Do you know where you are?"

Leonard's vision began to clear and he rubbed his eyes with his fists. Looking around, he thought he was in some kind of hospital. He panicked slightly when the thought came to him that he might be back at the psychiatric hospital where he had spent some time a few years ago. "Shit, where am I? What happened?"

"Calm down. You are at St. Joseph Medical Center. You were found unconscious outside of the hospital, and have been here for two days." The doctor put his pen to the clipboard in his hand, preparing to take notes. "What is the last thing you remember?"

Leonard laid his head back and closed his eyes, his mind still in a fog. His eyes shot open when he saw Marie's face in his mind. Everything came rushing back to him at that moment, including the rage he had been feeling when he was bitten. He had been walking along a bike path, on his way to his sister's house, when he saw her. She was laughing, sitting quite intimately next to a dark haired man. When he first sighted her, he felt elated that she was alive. That elation quickly turned to anger when he realized that she had tricked him. How had she done it? he thought to himself. He had seen her with his own eyes, that dreadful night, and had been sure that she was dead. Yet here the little whore sat with another man. He hadn't meant to kill her. He just wanted to do away with the husband and take her with him. By the time he had gotten to her, it was too late. It didn't matter, though. She was alive now. She was to be his. He had decided that when he first laid eyes on her in that bookstore. She still would be his, he'd see to that. But first he had to punish her for evading him.

"Are you okay?" the doctor asked when he saw the angered look on the man's face. "Anything that you can remember will be helpful."

Just tell him what he wants to hear so we can get out of here! 

Leonard's expression softened. "I remember walking down a path by the river. I don't know what happened, exactly. Someone or something struck me from behind, I was knocked over, and I hit my head. Things went black for a moment and when I came to, I was bleeding from my shoulder. I think something bit me. Maybe it was a dog or something. I walked as quickly as I could, trying to find a hospital. That's all I remember." Leonard closed his eyes again, remembering the pain shooting through him, his body becoming weaker with every step he took. His blood had felt like fire running through his veins. For a moment, he thought that maybe whatever bit him may have given him rabies or something. He didn't remember reaching the hospital. 

The doctor gave Leonard a guarded look and cleared his throat. "Did you happen to see what bit you?"

"No. Like I said, it came at me from behind. I didn't see anything."

"Are you on any prescription medication, street drugs, over the counter, anything like that?"

Not anymore. "No." Leonard had been diagnosed with schizophrenia years ago and was prescribed medication for it but when things started to get better, he stopped taking the pills. He didn't need them anyway. 

The doctor directed a small pen light at Leonard's face, checking his pupils. "Do you have pain anywhere?"

His entire body throbbed as though he had gone through a workout designed for a Navy Seal. "No. I feel fine." 

"Are you sure? I can give you something for pain, if you need it."

Leonard felt himself getting angry with the irritating doctor. "NO. I don't need anything. I feel fine." He hated taking any kind of medication. He felt that it slowed him down somehow and dulled his senses. What if something were to happen when he was under the influence? He wouldn't be able to escape as fast.

Dr. Cole smiled down at Leonard. "Okay, but if you change your mind just let me know. There's a few blood tests I want to do. I'll send in the nurse to collect a sample. In the mean time, try and relax, and get some rest." The doctor patted him on the arm, turned and walked out the door. He walked to the nurses station and ordered the blood work on Mr. Marshall, then grabbed the next chart and headed down the hall to do a work release follow-up with a patient who came in last week with the flu. Ten minutes later he walked into the break room and pulled out his cell.

When he was sure that nobody would interrupt him, he hit a speed dial number. "Liam, it's George. I think I have a newly turned were here in the hospital." He paused, listening. "No, I haven't gotten the blood work done yet. He doesn't know what happened to him and I'm not sure where to go from here." The doctor looked up and saw two police officers striding toward him. "Hold on," he said into the phone. "Can I help you officers?"

The bigger of the two men spoke first. "We were informed that you had a patient by the name of Leonard Marshall?"

"That's correct. What seems to be the problem?"

"He is a suspect in a rather gruesome crime that we are investigating. Where is he? We need to speak to him."

"Oh? What did he do?"

"We can't elaborate on the details of the crime while it's still under investigation."

"I understand. He's down the hall a ways, in room 322."

The officers turned and walked towards the room that the doctor had directed them to. They entered the room but walked back out with disturbed expressions on their faces, one of them speaking quietly into his radio. "He wasn't taken anywhere for some sort of procedure, was he?"

Dr. Cole looked confused. "No, why do you ask?"

"Because he's not there," the shorter man said. "We're going to have to alert hospital security. We have to find him." They walked hurriedly away from the doctor.

Dr. Cole raised the phone once more to his ear. "This just got a lot worse. The police are after this guy for what they called a 'gruesome crime' and he just walked out of the hospital. We are gonna have to check this guy out and find him before the next full moon."

*

Janette spent the entire afternoon scrubbing her apartment and preparing for her date with Mitch. By the time she was finished with the intense cleaning spree, her place reeked of lemon. She waved her hand in front of her face, trying to waft the strong odor away. Maybe I overdid it, she thought and opened the living room window a couple of inches to let in some fresh air. She glanced at the clock on the wall and saw that it was only 4:30. She had all of the prep work done, so making dinner wouldn't take too long. 

Janette sighed heavily and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. She didn't know what she was feeling. Nervousness? Anticipation? Fear? Perhaps a combination of the three? She walked into the bathroom and started the shower, before stripping off her clothes and getting in. She stood under the spray and remembered the arms sliding around her. Instead of feeling fear from the memory, she found herself wondering what it would be like if those arms had been Mitch's and it had been him standing behind her. The thought sent the most delightful shiver down her spine. 

Okay, stop wasting time fantasizing, Janette told herself. She quickly washed her hair using the coconut scented shampoo she had bought earlier, rinsed it out and applied the conditioner of the same scent. She grabbed her razor from the shower caddy and began shaving her legs, intent on not missing a single hair. When she pulled the razor to the top of her thighs, she caught sight of the sparse, brown curls between her legs and stopped. She had never shaved there before. What the hell, she thought. What's it going to hurt to try it? Lots of people were doing that these days. She had overheard a couple of girls talking about it at work one day. Why anyone would talk about such a personal thing was beyond her. Satisfied with the shaving she had just done, she ran her hand gently over her now bare mound and was surprised at how smooth it felt. Everything seemed more sensitive than before. 




The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 07



Turning off the shower, Janette reached for her towel, wrapped it around herself and walked into the bedroom. She eyed the smallish outfit that she had picked out for herself from the clothing store and suddenly wanted desperately to take it back and get a refund. She slipped on the lilac lace panties along with the matching bra and looked at herself in the mirror. She blushed furiously, wondering just what she had been thinking when she bought all of this. Oh, who was she kidding. She knew exactly what she had been thinking, and who she had been thinking of. She looked at the clock on the bedside table. Five o'clock. 

Janette tugged on her bathrobe, tying the belt snugly around her waist and headed to the kitchen to begin dinner. She didn't want to put her outfit on before cooking for fear of splattering something on it.

She put a pot of water on the stove and turned the fire on high. She already had the chicken and sauce ready for the Alfredo she was going to make--she had taken care of that earlier. All she had to cook now were the noodles. While waiting for the water to boil, she started ripping lettuce apart for the salad, unable to keep her eyes off the clock. Once she had the salad done and on the table, the pasta cooked and everything ready to go, she went back to her room to dress.

Janette didn't think the outfit that she had picked out was too skimpy but when she slid the small black, stretchy skirt on along with the dark green, lacy, spaghetti strap top, she felt as though she were still just in her underwear. The skirt barely reached mid thigh and the top was skintight. Wow, you've gone and become a regular harlot, haven't you? she thought to herself. 

Janette was just about to walk to the closet and change her clothes, chickening out of everything, when she heard a knock at the door. Oh hell, she said to herself. You can do this. Just relax.

She went to the door and peeked through the peephole, seeing the most gorgeous pair of brown eyes. Oh dear God. She straightened her hair with her fingers and smoothed her ridiculously short skirt before smiling and opening the door.

Mitch stood there in the doorway. He looked amazing. He wore fashionable black slacks along with a midnight blue button down shirt. Janette thought his cologne smelled magnificent, but then she realized he wasn't wearing any cologne. The enticing aroma she had noticed was his. God, how could anyone smell this good? she thought.

Mitch stood there staring, unable to move. His eyes stared at her tiny feet, covered in black strappy sandals, and he let his gaze glide slowly up her smooth, toned legs, finally letting his gaze reach her taut tummy and perky breasts before allowing his eyes to settle on her beautiful, nervous face. Mitch just stood there for the longest time, admiring his mate-to-be. He sucked in a deep breath, trying to get a hold on his hormones, and kissed her cheek lightly. "You look amazing." He walked in when she stepped aside. "I brought something for you," he said with a smile. He pulled out a single rose from behind his back and gave it to her. 

Janette blushed slightly. "Oh, thank you. That's so sweet." She closed the door softly behind him and walked to the kitchen to put the rose in a vase of water. "You can sit at the dining room table if you want. Dinner is ready to go. I was just waiting for you." She called out from the kitchen. She didn't realize he was standing right behind her.

Janette jumped when she felt his hands at her sides. She turned and looked up at him. 

"You don't have to shout. I'm right here." Mitch smiled down at her before brushing his lips against hers. "I wasn't lying earlier. You do look amazing." He inhaled her scent deeply. "You smell amazing. Is that... coconut?" He didn't smell coconut as much as he smelled her honeysuckle and cherry blossom scent. The coconut aroma was just an aftertaste.

Janette found herself in a fit of giggles at the tickling sensation he was causing when he was sniffing her neck. "It's my shampoo... now let's go eat." She grabbed his hand, laughing, and led him behind her to the dining table that was set for dinner. They sat across from each other and Janette carefully poured them both a glass of iced tea from the pitcher on the table. She scooped a healthy serving of chicken Alfredo and salad onto both of their plates and then sat in her chair.

Mitch lightly sniffed his plate. "This smells amazing. I didn't know you cooked."

"Well, of course I cook" she laughed at him. "I was raised on a farm. I know how to do a lot of things aside from cooking. Oh, and don't go thinking that Alfredo sauce is from a jar, because it's not."

Mitch speared a piece of chicken with his fork. He took his first bite and was in heaven. "A lot of things like what?"

"Well, like raising horses, gardening, and a lot of other stuff."

Mitch grabbed Janette's hand across the table. "I just wanted to say thank you for meeting me the other night."

"Well you're welcome. Why wouldn't have I met you?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because I came into your apartment and slept in your bed without your knowledge or consent?" Mitch laughed lightly at her expression. "You really should remember to lock your door, you know."

Janette nodded her head slowly and wiped her mouth with her napkin. "Yes, I have to admit that was awkward seeing you in my bed. But you were fully dressed so it's okay, right?"

"Yeah, I was." He looked at her and winked. "But you definitely weren't." 

Janette felt the flush rise to her face at the thought. The idea had come to her that she should share her dream with him. She normally didn't tell others about her dreams but it just felt right. "You know, I had the strangest dream that night."

Mitch wasn't expecting her to share something so personal. "Hmm? What was it about?"

"I was chasing a beautiful black wolf through the woods next to my grandma's house. I've had the dream before but this was different. I actually had sex with the wolf in this dream, and I was a wolf as well. And there were other wolves. They were circling us. It was like a celebration or something, maybe a holiday, wolf style." Janette sat and fidgeted with her necklace, waiting for him to tell her she was crazy, but he never did.

"That's quite interesting," he said with a knowing smile. "I'm sure it has to mean something, don't you think?"

"I don't know. It was very erotic." Janette continued to stare at the chicken Alfredo in front of her, no longer having an appetite. They ate in silence for a little while longer, Janette barely picking at her plate. 

Mitch watched Janette as she sat there looking preoccupied. He knew that she was thinking of him in his wolf form, but he couldn't say anything just yet. He knew he had to tell her at some point but he wasn't sure of when or how. "Janette, I know we agreed to go see a movie but..." He paused and smiled. "I brought a rental, just in case you wanted to stay in tonight." 

Janette took another sip of her tea and cleared her throat. She actually liked the idea of staying home and watching a movie with him. After all, there was no way in hell that she was going into public dressed the way she was. "Actually, that sounds like a great idea," she said enthusiastically. "What movie did you bring?" She watched him take another drink and noticed a single fat drop of tea left behind on his bottom lip. She was surprised to find that she felt an unnerving desire to lick it off of him. What was it about this guy that had such an overwhelming effect on her?

Mitch smiled when he noticed the direction of Janette's heated gaze. He realized what she might be thinking, and slowly licked the tea drop from his lower lip.

Janette blushed and quickly averted her gaze down to her plate again, hiding the sudden lust that filled her eyes. When she saw his tongue slide across his lip, all she could think of was the numerous places on her body that she'd like to have that tongue. She jumped when she felt his foot under the table slowly slide up her calf in a gentle caress. 

Mitch smiled innocently at her when he scented her arousal in the air. He was fully aware of the effect he had on her and couldn't help but to tease her a little. He wiped his mouth with his napkin and pushed his plate away. Neither of them had eaten much but he had other things on his mind. 

"The movie's called 'The Grey.' It's about a group of stranded people who are being stalked by a pack of wolves." He felt rather stupid just then, thinking he should have chosen a romance or something. He had been in such a hurry to get to Janette's apartment that he just picked the first thing he had seen on the shelf at the video store. He stood and walked around to her seat and extended his hand down to her. "Will you join me?" 

Mitch led Janette by the hand into the living room. She sat down on the sofa and watched as he put the disk in the DVD player and hit the 'play' button before sitting next to her.

Janette tried to follow the movie but failed miserably. She could care less about what they were watching. She was much too busy basking in the warmth that was coming from the man sitting insanely close to her. Her heart kicked up a beat when he casually draped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her even closer to him. He didn't even feign a yawn first like the guys do in those cheesy romance movies. She felt almost like a teenager on a first date. She felt a shiver run through her when he let his hand slowly caress her bare arm.

Mitch glanced at Janette and noticed her distraction. She wasn't even looking at the TV screen. He didn't blame her. He was having difficulty paying attention to the movie as well. He turned slightly to her and brought his lips close to her ear laying his free hand casually on her thigh. "We can watch something else if you like." He smiled when he noticed the goose bumps appear on her skin. His hand moved slightly higher up her leg to the hem of her short skirt. He traced a finger along her shoulder. 

Janette looked down at where his hand lay, the heat of it almost scalding her skin. She closed her eyes momentarily, trying to tame her breathing and heart rate. She could feel his hot breath on her ear. 

"No, this is fine. Really." Her breath caught in her chest when she felt his tongue pull at her small earlobe and then gently nip it with his teeth. Oh hell, what is this guy doing to me? she thought.

Mitch found his control slipping fast. The unmistakable scent of her arousal was teasing his senses. He was already rock hard and they hadn't even kissed yet. He couldn't resist any longer. He felt her body tense when he put his hand to her chin and turned her to face him before placing his lips softly on hers. He felt her tremble when he slid his tongue into her mouth. She sat there with her hands to her sides, tense and nervous as he continued gently massaging her tongue with his. He reluctantly pulled his lips from hers and looked down into her large, nervous brown eyes. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." He wiped his mouth with his hand and tried to calm his breathing. He didn't want to stop. He wanted to claim what was his right then. The need growing within him was almost unbearable. However, he didn't want to push her either. He sat back against the sofa and pulled her closer to him, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

Janette sat with Mitch's arm wrapped possessively around her shoulder. The kiss they had just shared left her shaken. She knew that she wanted him. Wanted him with every ounce of her soul. She couldn't remember when she had realized that but it didn't matter. She felt drawn to him, as though he was a magnet pulling her to him. The feeling scared her a little. She had never felt that kind of attraction before. She looked down at where his hand had been resting on her thigh and then looked over at Mitch's face. His jaw was tense, as though he was trying hard to concentrate. She sucked in a deep shaky breath and turned her body towards his. 

Mitch sat there trying to pay attention to the movie when he felt Janette move from his embrace. He glanced over and caught the look of uncertainty in her eyes. I shouldn't have kissed her, he thought to himself. She's probably going to ask me to leave. "Is something wrong?" he asked. She remained silent. "Look, Jan, I'm sorry I..." 

"Shh... don't apologize." Janette slid her hand behind Mitch's neck, pulling his face closer to hers and let her lips lightly brush against his. 

Mitch's breathing stopped for a beat when he felt her warm mouth against his. He pulled back and looked deep into her eyes, trying to see what she might be thinking. When he noticed the look of need on her face, almost matching his own, he pulled her closer to him, wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her. He slowly slid his hand up her waist and along her rib cage, letting one thumb brush lightly across her breast before bringing his hand to the back of her neck, pulling her deeper into the kiss. 

Janette couldn't stop the moan in her throat when she felt his hand gliding along the length of her torso. She didn't want him to stop, but she had to be sure of a few things before letting him continue any further. She pulled her lips from his and sat back, nervously. "I don't know how to say this." She swallowed and let out a breath, trying to gather her thoughts. "I need to know what is going on between us."

"What do you mean?" Mitch said, his eyebrows drawing together in confusion.

"Look, I'm not the type of girl who would sleep with someone after only knowing them for a couple of days. Yet, I find myself wanting to do that with you. I'm not the type to invite a man into my apartment for dinner when I don't even really know him. Hell, I don't even dress this way. I mean, look at me. I look like one of those girls at your club. The only thing missing is me, grinding myself against some stranger, with a shit load of make up on!" Janette didn't mean to get so worked up but she couldn't help it. "I just said the word 'shit'... I don't normally do that!" She stood up and looked down at Mitch.

"I need to know what you are expecting of me. Where do you see this 'relationship' going? Look, Mitch, I want to be with you. God, I want to be with you. But I don't want to get hurt. I'm not a big fan of getting screwed over, or used, either."

Mitch's expression relaxed and he stood in front of Janette. He stared down in her distraught face and smiled. He knew he had to tell her sooner or later. He braced himself for her rejection and took both of her hands in his. "This might not make sense to you right now but I believe that we were meant to be together." 

Janette shook her head in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Mitch held her face in his hands. "Do you believe in soul mates?" 

"I... I don't know... I guess so. I never really thought about it." 

"Well, I believe that you are mine. I want to be with you, Janette. I would never do anything to hurt you. I would give up my life for you. Do you understand that?"

"But why? You have only known me for a few days." 

"You are mine, just as I am yours. I've known this from the first second that I saw you." Mitch closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to decide how to tell her. "Janette... I have to tell you something. You might find it hard to believe but hear me out." Mitch stood there with a serious expression. "I'm a werewolf." 

Janette blinked several times and raised her eyebrows. "You're a werewolf." It wasn't a question, but a statement.

"Yes, I'm a werewolf."

Janette laughed suddenly. "Very funny." She didn't understand why he chose that moment to joke with her when she had just bared her heart to him. She found it rather insulting.

"I'm serious. I wouldn't make something like this up," Mitch said with a serious look.

Janette's smile slowly faded from her face. "You're not kidding, are you?" 

Mitch smiled, relieved that she seemed at ease with what he had just told her. "No, Janette. I'm not kidding. I've wanted to tell you, but I didn't know how."

Janette turned away from him when she felt her eyes fill with tears at the realization that she had fallen for an emotionally unstable nut. She suddenly wished that she hadn't been at the grocery store that day. If she hadn't run into him, they probably would have never met and her heart wouldn't be breaking right now. She couldn't be with someone who actually believed he was a werewolf. That would be crazy. What was he going to tell her next? Maybe that his brother, Liam was a vampire? Or his mother was a mermaid? There wasn't much she could do about the feelings that she already had for him, but she could prevent the relationship from going any further and that's exactly what she was going to do. Just forget about him. It hurt to imagine not being with him but it was something she had to do.

"Look, Mitch, I like you, I really do, but I'm not into role playing." Janette walked into the dining area of the apartment and busied herself with clearing the table. 

"This isn't role playing." Mitch felt his irritation rising. "I'm trying to tell you something important. I'm serious. Here, I'll prove it."

"I don't want you to prove it. You don't need to prove anything to me." Janette carried the dinner plates and glasses into the kitchen and placed them in the sink. She pulled the Seattle phone book out of the kitchen drawer and grabbed a pen and paper. She walked back into the dining/living room area and was just about to write down the address and phone number to West Seattle Psychiatric Hospital when she turned and found Mitch unbuttoning his shirt. Her eyes went wide. "What exactly do you think you are doing?"

"I'm going to prove it to you. I'm a werewolf and you are my mate. If you don't believe me, I know just the thing to make you believe." Mitch slid his dress shirt down his back, folded it carefully and placed it on the arm of the sofa. He kicked off his shoes and reached for his belt and zipper. 

"Mitch!" Janette averted her shocked eyes when he slid his pants and boxers down to his ankles. He reached down, picked them up and carefully folded them in the same manner he had with his shirt. "What does your being naked have to do with any of this?"

"I don't want to ruin my clothes, Janette." He said calmly. "I didn't bring extras with me." 

"I think you need to leave." Janette tried not to let her curious gaze wander over his naked muscled body, but failed miserably. 

"Janette, you have to see this." Mitch said, standing before her in all his naked glory. 

"Oh, I think I've seen enough, thank you." She suddenly realized that it had gotten quite warm in the room. "Now will you please put your clothes back on and leave?" She reached her hand out and tried to give him the paper that contained the address of the psychiatric hospital.

Mitch was getting angry at this point. He walked over to her and took the paper, wadded it up and threw it aside. He took her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers forcefully. He was done being patient and nice. "I'm not going anywhere." He stepped several feet away from her, took a deep, calming breath and called forth his wolf. 

Janette's eyes grew wide as she gaped at the scene unfolding in her apartment. The sounds of Mitch's transformation were quite disgusting, popping and stretching, his bones, muscles and tendons rearranging themselves in his body. His face slowly sprouted forward into a muzzle. His hands and feet grew longer, complete with a rather impressive set of sharp claws on all four appendages. The black hair that covered him was thick and shiny black. It looked to be a very painful experience, but he never made a sound. He just stared at her the entire time. She wanted to scream and opened her mouth to do so, but nothing came out except a pathetic squeak. 




The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 07



Mitch changed forms right in front of her, his eyes never leaving hers. When it was all done, she found herself face to face with the black wolf from her dreams. She realized instantly that it had never been a dream of her totem animal like she had thought, but rather a kind of premonition. Her heart was racing in her chest as the wolf stepped towards her. She tried backing away from him but hit the wall instead. She held her breath, not knowing what to expect, when he approached her and began sniffing her. He was big enough that his head reached chest level on Janette. He looked up at her after he was done sniffing and licked her cheek affectionately. She couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't take her frightened eyes away from his familiar gaze. 

Mitch couldn't tolerate the fear that he saw in her eyes. It tore at him to know that he was the one who had caused the terrified reaction in his mate. He quickly changed back into his human form. He stepped towards her, wanting to hold her in his arms and tell her it was okay, but she pushed him away. Her face was paler than he had ever seen it before. For a moment he feared that she might pass out. 

"Breathe, Janette. I'm not going to hurt you. I would never cause you any harm. I only want to protect you and spend my life with you. You needed to see that. You didn't believe me."

Janette's mind was in a whirl, she didn't know what to think. She didn't know how to react. What's the appropriate reaction when you find out that the guy you have been crushing on is a werewolf? She went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, still silent. She pulled out the half empty bottle of wine and opened it, filling a wine glass to the rim. She glanced at Mitch, still unsure of what to think, downed the wine in several gulps and poured another.

Mitch followed Janette into the kitchen, still naked. After watching her chug two glasses of wine in less than two minutes, he took the bottle from her hands and put it back into the refrigerator. "That's not going to help. Please tell me what you are thinking." He tried to touch her but she jumped back away from him.

Janette pointed her finger in his direction. "You... you stay back." Her voice was shaky. She took a few steps back but ran into the stove. She found herself suddenly wishing that her apartment was bigger. "Y... You're a wolf," she said, as though she was informing him of something he didn't already know. She quickly became oblivious to the fact that he was standing in front of her, stark naked.

Mitch didn't take her behavior personally. He figured she would react like this. It would just take her some time to get use to him, that's all. However, he had no intention of letting her go. He smirked at her and shook his head. "I tried to tell you."



The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 08



Thanks again to my marvelous editors, MythOFreak and PrincessJezebel.






Seeing a faint light behind her eyelids, she stirred in protest, not yet ready for the morning. She'd never felt so comfortable  lying in such a soft bed. It was like sleeping on a billowing white cloud, and she wasn't ready for her slumber to end. She let her eyes slowly open and blinked rapidly, trying to clear the haze from her vision.

Not recognizing the strange place she was in, Melissa bolted straight up in a state of sheer panic. Her heart beat wildly in her chest when she  realized she lay in an unfamiliar king sized, four poster canopy bed, draped on all four sides with sheer, flowing, white cloth. How did she get here? She looked down, feeling how amazing the silk sheets felt against her skin when she realized she was completely naked.

It didn't take long for Melissa to remember the events of the night before and her face flooded with a burning blush of shame. She remembered the black haired beautiful man and what had occurred between them. What have I done?  she thought to herself, on the verge of tears. 

Melissa was no saint, she'd be the first to admit to that fact. However, she still had some sense of  self-respect, and despite what people thought of her, she wasn't one to sleep with a guy on the first date. On the second or third, maybe, but never on the first. Especially not on a stack of crates in a filthy alley way.

Mitch had rejected her, that asshole. Nobody had ever rejected her before. She'd felt so embarrassed and humiliated,  she'd decided to go to the restroom. Melissa hated crying in front of people.  That would have just added to her embarrassment. She couldn't bring herself to go back to the main room of the club and face Mitch and any bystanders that may have heard their little argument, so she took off out the back door instead.

When Melissa stepped out the door, she found herself in a dark alley at the rear of the building, the single bulb burning above the door  the only thing lighting the area. She'd had enough to drink that she felt disoriented. She was looking around frantically trying to figure out where the parking lot was located, when her eyes locked on a man standing next to the door. He was leaning back with his knee bent and his black leather booted foot propped up against the wall behind him. He had his head tilted back against the wall as though he was impatiently waiting for something. What he could possibly be waiting for in a dark alley at this time of night, she didn't know, but it gave her the creeps. She stood, frozen in place, wishing that she had gone out the front entrance instead.

A rush of fear raced through her body when she saw a wicked grin crossing his face in a smooth, straight line. She knew she should run, and run fast, but found herself unable to move when she attempted to walk away. It was as though she was glued to the spot. When he stepped out of the shadows and she caught sight of his electric green eyes, she felt almost entranced by them. The closer he came to her the more entranced she became. The fear that she had felt just a moment before was suddenly replaced by a strange feeling of belonging. She didn't know where the feeling was coming from, but she knew it wasn't from her. She wasn't able to take her eyes off of him as he walked around her in circles, as though he was taunting her. 

Melissa had every intention of turning him down and resisting his advances... at first. After all, the man looked plain evil. Beautiful, yes, but evil at the same time. When he kissed her, though, it was like his taste was a drug. A drug that she had become immediately addicted to. She had never met anyone that made her feel that way. Everything seemed a blur to her. It all happened so fast. She couldn't remember when she'd lost control of herself. 

Melissa scooted to the edge of the bed and stood up, immediately falling in love with the thick, lush, cushy, white carpet beneath her feet. She slowly walked around the expansive bedroom, wondering where she was. She had never been in a place that was so big before. All the walls in the room were a crazy bright white. The vaulted ceilings had to have been at least twenty feet high and covered with all sorts of different pieces of art. She wasn't familiar with art or paintings, but she thought that they were probably expensive. She walked to the bathroom and found it to be just as large as the rest of the place. The shower stall covered the entire back wall and there were probably ten different shower heads all pointing in different directions.

Melissa turned and went to the window. She opened the curtain expecting to see the city but was surprised to find that she was in a room three stories off the ground and there was a thick mess of trees surrounding the house. It was probably the most beautiful place she had ever been in. She went back into the bathroom thinking she would take a quick shower. When she passed the large full length mirror she stopped, amazed at what was staring back at her.

Melissa had never been fat or even heavy, for that matter. She'd always thought she had a nice body but when she looked at herself in the full length mirror in the bathroom, she noticed how flawless her body had become. Despite the new paleness of her skin, her muscle tone had become spectacular. It was as if she were one of those women who faithfully worked out at the gym daily. She had never been to a gym in her life. Her thighs, abs and biceps were solid. Examining her face closer, she saw that her eyes were an even lighter blue than they had been before, almost translucent, with a ring of sea green around the irises. Her hair was healthier than it had ever been, the curls  springing tightly as they shone in the fluorescent bathroom light. 

Melissa was too busy ogling herself in the mirror in a state of awe to notice that her reflection seemed to be throbbing in and out of focus in waves. She grinned at herself really wide to examine her teeth, and saw that they were whiter and the canines seemed unusually sharp. She slid her tongue across them and flinched when the sharp tip punctured her tongue. She put her finger to her lip and found that she was bleeding. Even stranger was the fact that her blood tasted unexpectedly sweet.

"Enjoy it while you can."

Melissa jumped. She hadn't realized that anyone was in the room with her. She turned to her left and saw the tall, black haired man standing in the doorway. He was leaning against the door jamb with his arms folded across his chest. His look was stern without a hint of humor in his eyes. He was wearing a pair of fitted, blinding white jeans, and a white t-shirt that  stretched across his chest and molded itself to his lean muscles. His attire surprised Melissa when she remembered him the night before. He had been covered from head to toe in black, as though he was a burglar attempting to camouflage himself into the night.

Melissa eyed Jude up and down and then blushed when she remembered all of the things she had allowed him to do to her. Her blush deepened even more when she remembered how much she had enjoyed it, sending that familiar tingle between her legs.

"What do you mean, enjoy it while I can? Enjoy what?" Melissa gave Jude a confused look.

"Your reflection." Jude stepped towards her and stood behind her, resting his hands on her upper arms. "You won't have it much longer."

Melissa stood, watching her reflection still throbbing in the mirror but she didn't see Jude behind her. She knew he was there. She could feel him breathing on her neck.

"You mean, I won't ever be able to see myself again?"

"That's right. I haven't seen my reflection in over two thousand years." 

Melissa turned her head to give him a shocked look. "But how will I do my make up? What about my hair?"

Jude shook his head and smiled at her vanity. He had just told her that he was more than two thousand years old and she was more worried about her hair. "Believe me when I say that you will never need make up again. Don't worry about your hair. It will remain perfect from now on."

Jude slid his hands down Melissa's arms, grabbed her hands in his and wrapped all four of them around her waist. He rested his chin on her shoulder and inhaled her scent. "Melissa, I need to tell you something. I don't think you are grasping what has happened. You are far too calm."

Melissa turned her naked body to face him and looked down at the floor. "I have to say something too. Please. Just hear me out. I want to apologize for my behavior last night. I don't normally do things like that." Yeah right, like he hasn't heard that one before, she thought to herself. Jude tried to interrupt but she put her finger to his mouth. "Wait. Just listen. I don't know what came over me. I don't want you to think I'm that kind of girl. I mean, despite the fact that I'm standing here naked in front of you, I don't want you to get the wrong idea."

Jude slowly nodded his understanding. "I have never thought badly of you, Melissa. But I don't think you are understanding what has happened."

"So tell me then. What has happened?" Melissa had been too busy observing everything to realize that something was different. It hadn't even dawned on her to think anything was weird about the reflection thing. 

"Well, for one," Jude began cautiously, "You have been here for the better half of a week. What happened between us didn't happen last night. It was several days ago."

"A week?" Melissa didn't believe what she was being told. "How can I be here for that long and not remember it?" 

"You don't believe me? Do you really want to remember the past few days?"

"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?" Melissa found herself getting frustrated at the tall dark man.

Jude nodded and took a deep breath before putting his palms on either side of Melissa's head. He looked deep into her eyes and gently removed the block he had placed on her memory.

Melissa's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open when all the memories came flooding back into her mind. Memories of Jude carrying her home to his house. Memories of being sick and writhing in pain. When the last memory came to her, she watched, in her mind, as she straddled Jude on the bed, riding his cock like a wild woman, moaning and screaming with her head thrown back. Her face paled when she saw an image of her teeth elongating and piercing Jude's neck, sucking his hot blood from his body. He hadn't even flinched. He just held her there and encouraged her to bite him. She remembered the taste of his blood on her tongue. Remembered the orgasm that rocked through her when she fed from him. 

Melissa slowly stepped away from Jude. "What have you done to me?" she said in a whisper, a look of fury slowly covering her face. She stumbled back into the bedroom and turned to face him, her eyes glowing with rage. "WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!!" She could barely contain her temper as it flared, her hands shaking and her voice cracking. She brought her hand to her mouth and panicked when she felt her long sharp fangs protruding from her gums. She shook her head in denial and ran to the bed, grabbing a sheet and covering herself with it. 

Jude stood there looking at her for a long moment. "There. Now that's more like what I was expecting your reaction to be," he said nonchalantly. 

Melissa turned and gave him an angry glare. "You're enjoying this? You are, aren't you?"

Jude shook his head. Why did he always have to pick the overly dramatic ones, he thought to himself. "I'm not enjoying anything, Melissa. I just wanted you to understand what the situation was."

"Why did you do this to me?" Melissa suddenly looked as though she would break down crying at any moment.

Truth be told, Jude didn't really know why he had done it. He had never actually sired anyone before in his long life. To be honest, he wasn't one bit happy about it. He didn't want some girl following him around, asking him an endless stream of questions and needing his help with everything. He had been alone for as long as he could remember and didn't want the kind of responsibility that he now found himself stuck with. Jude was kicking himself for allowing a little fun with the human girl. As a rule, he generally stuck with women of his own kind when it came to his sexual needs. They were less of a risk. 

"I don't know,"  was his only response. He leaned against the wall with his hands in his pockets, trying to decide what to do about the mess he'd gotten himself into.

Melissa stood there, dumbfounded. "I don't know? Really? That's the best answer you can come up with?" She watched him nod his head, still looking bored with the whole thing. "Wow! Fabulous answer. Someone give this man a fucking prize!" she said sarcastically, throwing her hands in the air. "By the way, where the fuck are my clothes?" she spat hatefully at him.

Jude's patience was wearing thing very quickly. He wasn't at all impressed with his new youngling's attitude. He didn't care that she was upset at the fact that she was now like him. She could still show a little respect. After all, he could have just left her to die and rot in that alley. "Perhaps you shouldn't swear so much," he said calmly. "It's rather unbecoming of you."

"Really? Ya think so?" She turned and stalked quickly over to Jude, bringing her face a mere inch from his. The glare in her eyes was almost like poisonous darts ready to be flung loose at any second. She raised her chin and smiled defiantly. "Fuck... You." 

Jude's control snapped just then and his hand went to her throat. The speed at which he flew her into the wall was almost blinding. He stood on the opposite side of the room, his hand wrapped around her throat, holding her against the wall that now had a jagged crack from floor to ceiling. She tried to wriggle free from his grasp. A  fear-stricken look covered her face when she saw his eyes turn completely black and his fangs shoot out. She could feel the anger emanating from him in thick waves. "You will show me respect during your stay here. That is not a request," Jude growled through clenched teeth. He could smell the fear coming from the girl and found it strangely disturbing. He let some of his anger go and his face became somewhat softer. "I could kill you now if I really wanted to. You know that, don't you?"

Melissa continued to stare into his black eyes. Her bottom lip began to quiver and a single fat tear rolled down her left cheek and dropped onto Jude's wrist. "Go ahead. You'd be doing me a favor," she whispered.

Jude tensed. His eyes slowly took on their normal wicked shade of green and he let Melissa down from the wall. He turned his back to her, and closed his eyes when a pang of unexpected guilt hit him. "You haven't had any blood in a couple of days. You need to feed soon." 

Melissa looked at him, wondering if he was a complete idiot. "I don't think so, buddy," she said, wiping the tears from her eyes. She could feel the hunger creeping into her but no real food sounded even remotely appetizing. She knew what she wanted. The idea that she craved this man's blood not only nauseated her but it pissed her off, as well. She didn't want this. She didn't want to be some kind of disgusting blood sucker. "Please tell me where you put my clothes. I can't walk around  here naked all the time." She tried to sound more polite than she had the last time she'd asked.

"Actually, you could, but if you insist on dressing, you should be able to find something suitable in the closet over there. It's well stocked with anything you might need."

Melissa  walked over to the closet on the left side of the bed and opened the door. It had to have been the largest closet she had ever seen. It was filled to the brim with all sorts of blouses, t-shirts, jeans, slacks, dresses, even formal wear. She began rummaging through everything and gasped when she realized that everything in the closet was quite expensive. Looking at the floor, she found rows and rows of shoes, any shoes you could need to match any outfit you came across. "This is amazing," she said, still gawking at everything, gasping and oohing and  aahing when she came across yet another magnificent item.

Jude sat on the edge of the bed and watched her, the corner of his lips turned up in a smile. She was so excited, she reminded him of a child in a candy store. When he bought the clothing, he was worried because he didn't know what she liked, so he just bought one of everything. 

Melissa finally chose an outfit to wear when the thought occurred to her that she may be wearing clothes that Jude kept around for his many lovers that he brought home with him. Surely there had to be several. She shuddered with disgust. That  jackass, she thought. She slipped the clothes on quickly, tired of being naked. She looked herself over in the closet mirror before turning to Jude. "This is really nice, thanks." She looked all around the room but he wasn't there. She rolled her eyes and turned back to the mirror, admiring her slowly fading reflection.

*

Janette leaned over, teasingly slid her tongue across Mitch's lower lip, and then continued her path slowly along his jaw and up to his ear, where she lightly bit his earlobe. She brought her face just inches from his and stared down into his deep brown eyes. 

"You want me don't you?" Mitch said, with a cocky smile.

"Am I that transparent?" Janette said with a smile of her own. Unable to resist her desire for him any longer, she crushed her mouth to his, slipping her tongue out to explore him. She groaned when he tangled his fingers through the back of her hair, pulling her lips firmly to his, his need matching her own. She couldn't seem to get enough of his kiss. It was like no kiss she had ever experienced. The fire that it ignited raced through her body sending liquid heat between her thighs. She felt his large hands glide their way down her back, sending a shiver through her. She just about lost it when he firmly grabbed her hips and started sliding her wet heat slowly up and down his hard shaft. She couldn't remember either of them disrobing but she didn't care. She instinctively began grinding against him, wanting nothing more than for him to be inside of her. She wanted it more than anything.  

"Mitch, stop teasing me," she gasped. "Please... just... oh my God," she groaned when the tip of his cock brushed up against her swollen, throbbing clit. She reached down with her hand and tried to direct him to her opening but he shifted away from her, a low chuckle coming from deep within his chest. "God, please."

"Please what?" Mitch sat up with Janette still straddling him and slowly sucked one hard nipple into his mouth, continuing his endless torture.

Janette sucked in a breath and wrapped an arm around his neck, urging him to continue. She was no longer able to control her frantic breathing, the heat of him pressed between her thighs was almost scalding. 

"Jan?"

"What?"

"Wake up, Jan."

"Hmm?" She looked down at him, and her brows drew together in confusion. He was just staring up at her.

"Come on, wake up sweetie." 

Janette woke with a start, her eyes flying open. 

"Are you okay? You were tossing and turning. Were you having a nightmare?" Mitch knew she hadn't been having a nightmare. If the scent of arousal had been much thicker in the air, he would have been able to cut it with a knife. He was half tempted to just let her sleep, maybe add to whatever dream she was having with a few touches of his own. As tempting as it was, he wasn't comfortable touching her that way when she wasn't aware of it. 

Janette sat up slowly, her face burning with embarrassment when she remembered what she had been dreaming. It all had felt so real. How could it have been a dream? "I'm fine," she said, unable to meet his eyes. "It was just a weird dream, that's all." 




The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 08



She looked down to find that she was still wearing the same outfit from the night before, when she remembered what had happened. She remembered Mitch's revelation to her and the look in his beautiful eyes when he changed right there in her living room. The initial shock of the situation was gone. The thought of him being a wolf didn't frighten her anymore, but she still had trouble wrapping her head around it. One minute she had been living her life, thinking that werewolves were a myth and then the next minute she finds out that, not only do they exist, but her own boyfriend is one. Her boyfriend. Is that what he was? 

"I made you breakfast. Come eat with me. There's a fresh pot of coffee ready for you in the kitchen." Mitch leaned down and gently placed a kiss on her cheek. 

"I'll be there in a minute. I just need to change clothes first."

"Okay. Don't take too long." 

Janette watched him walk out the bedroom and close the door behind him. She got up and went to her dresser, grabbed an old pair of jeans along with clean underclothes and a purple knit top. She quickly changed her clothes and ran a brush through her hair. She opened the bedroom door and walked into the kitchen and was surprised to see the dining table covered with small platters of everything. There was fruit, scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, jelly, sausage... enough to feed a small army. "Where did you get all of this?" She knew she didn't have much in her refrigerator, other than maybe a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter. Everything smelled delicious and her mouth began watering instantly.

"I hope you don't mind. I went to the market while you were asleep," he said as he poured them both a cup of coffee.

"I don't mind at all. It was just unexpected. How long have you been up anyway?" Janette sat at the table and began filling a plate. For some reason she felt like she was starving.

"Basically all night. I couldn't sleep," he said, smiling at her and handing her the coffee he had just poured. "I spent most of the night watching you sleep. Did you know that you snore? It's the cutest thing, really." He laughed when he  saw the embarrassment on her face.

"Why couldn't you sleep?" she said, trying to change the topic away from her snoring. She could see the exhaustion in his eyes and it worried her.

Mitch took a sip of his coffee. "I was worried about you," he said, looking into Janette's eyes. "I know that what I showed you last night was a shock, but I didn't know how else to tell you."

Janette swallowed the eggs in her mouth and nodded her head. "The word 'shock' might be a bit of an understatement, but yes, you're right." She took another bite of eggs followed by a nibble on a piece of bacon. God could this man cook. "I'm glad that you told me. I still don't know what to make of it though."

Mitch could see that Janette had a lot on her mind. He poured her a glass of orange juice and handed it to her. "Look, I know that you are confused right now. You can ask me anything you want and I will try to answer you the best I can."

Janette took a drink of her orange juice and wiped her mouth with her napkin. She let out a big sigh, unsure of where to start. There was so much that she wanted to ask him. "Okay, so you're a wolf."

"Yes."

"Until last night, I had no idea that werewolves even existed. I thought they were only in the movies. Are there vampires too?"

"Yes."

Janette's jaw dropped in surprise. "You have got to be kidding me."

"No. I wouldn't kid you. In fact, I know a few vamps who happen to be close friends of mine." 

"Mermaids?"

"Not that I know of. If there are, I have never met one."

"Elves?"

"No."

"Gnomes? Goblins? Boogey Man? Tooth Fairy?"

Mitch couldn't contain the roar of laughter she was causing him. He shook his head. "You are something else." 

"How long have you been a wolf?"

"One hundred and  fifty-six years this coming December."

Janette stood suddenly from her chair. "No fucking way!" Her hand flew to cover her mouth, her eyes growing wide, when she realized what she had just said and a deep flush covered her face. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say that," she squeaked.

Mitch couldn't stop chuckling. "It's okay. Sit down, relax." He cleared his throat and took a deep breath, calming his laughter. "I was born a werewolf. Some people are born that way while others are born human and then they are changed later."

"I see." Janette slowly sat back down, still trying to get a grasp on everything. "So what do werewolves do exactly?"

"What do we do? Well, the same things that humans do, I suppose. Aside from shifting into an animal, of course. We work, eat, sleep, have sex, procreate, play basketball... and whatever else we feel like doing. We aren't so different from you if you think about it."

Janette thought back to the night before when she watched him shift forms. "Does it hurt?"

"Does what hurt?"

"Well... when you change into a wolf. Is it painful?"

"It can be. If you are changed from human to were, your first shift can be rather uncomfortable, or so I've heard. But after that, no." Mitch tried to remember his first time shifting as a child. It had never brought him any pain. Everything just came naturally to him. "Any other questions?"

"Oh, I'm sure I'll think of something." Janette finished her eggs and put jelly on her toast. They finished their breakfast and began clearing the table, putting the leftovers in Tupperware containers and into the refrigerator. They worked together in ease, as though they had been doing it for years.

Mitch loaded the dishwasher, and started it. He turned to Janette and wrapped his arms around her, happy that she didn't push him away like she had the night before. Instead she put her arms around his waist and laid her head against his chest. He placed a finger beneath her chin and raised her face to him. "Come home with me. I don't mean come home and sleep with me. Although..."

Janette blushed and lightly smacked him on the shoulder. "Oh stop," she said with a giggle.

"I'm serious. I want you to meet my family. I want you to see where I live." And where you will one day live, he thought to himself.

Janette felt her stomach flip at the idea of meeting his family. What would they think of her? Quite frankly, the idea scared the hell out of her. She took a deep breath and tried to swallow her fear. "Okay."

Mitch could sense Janette's apprehension and tried to reassure her. "It's okay. You will like them, and I know for a fact that they will like you." He kissed her lips and hugged her close, inhaling her scent deeply.

Janette shook her head and walked over to the sofa to grab her purse and cell phone from the coffee table. She could see through the window that it was drizzling outside, and slipped on a jacket from the coat rack by the door. She sucked in a deep breath. "Okay, let's go. You ready?"

Mitch smiled down at Janette and took her hand, opening the door and leading her out into the hallway. Once they reached the jeep, Mitch opened the door for Janette and helped her climb in. She didn't need help, of course, but the gesture was nice.

"And here I thought chivalry was dead. Well, what do ya know?" she said with a smile. He leaned in to help her with her seat belt when she stopped him. "I can do it. I am a grown woman, you know."

"I know you are." Mitch leaned in and placed a lingering kiss on Janette's lips before going around the jeep and getting in. He turned the key and headed down the main road. 

"Where exactly do you live anyway?" 

"You'll see." Mitch winked at her. "I think you're going to like it quite a bit." He found himself rather eager to get her home with him and show her around the property. There were so many things he thought she would like. There were the gardens, the greenhouse, not to mention the main house itself. Now that she knew what he was, he didn't have to worry about her stumbling across something that she wasn't ready for. He turned onto the ramp leading to the freeway and put his foot on the accelerator. It was starting to rain heavily so he made it a point to slow down, not quite reaching the speed limit. 

"So what kind of house do you live in, anyway?" Janette asked, trying to talk herself out of being nervous.

"Patience isn't one of your better virtues, is it?" he said, laughing at her. "It's a rather large house. It's an old mansion that I bought years ago and refurbished. I could describe it to you but I would much rather show it to you in person." He kept his eyes on the wet road, passed a small blue Ford Escort and found himself stuck behind a lumber truck, loaded full of long, fresh cut logs. The logs stuck out at least two feet past the end of the bed and there was an orange flag hanging off of one. Mitch was going to pass the truck but couldn't find an opportunity to slip into the passing lane. The traffic was unusually heavy for some reason. "Dammit," he cursed to himself. "Anyway, I think you will especially enjoy the gardens. Or at least I hope you do. We have some of the best gardeners in my pack. They are always out there working and keeping it looking nice. It's quite breathtaking in the spring and summer." Mitch looked over at her. "You are absolutely stunning, do you know that?"

"Not as stunning as you," she said, smiling at him. Janette sighed and leaned her head back against the headrest. She closed her eyes for a moment trying to relax. She gasped when she felt a tingling pull at her chest. Her eyes shot open and she half expected to see the fuzzy tunnel again but it wasn't there. Everything was normal. 

Mitch glanced over at Janette once more, unable to keep his eyes off of her sweet face. "My father is definitely going to love you. He's been wanting me to find..."

"MITCH LOOK OUT!!" Janette screamed. She squeezed her eyes shut, slammed one hand against the window and the other against the dashboard when she saw one of the straps securing the logs give way. The thing rolled off of the bed of the truck in front of them and was heading straight at their jeep. 

Mitch looked up in time to see what was happening and he jerked the wheel to the right, trying to avoid the flying log. The jeep hydroplaned and began spinning out of control before it finally rolled. He didn't know what to do so he just held on.

Janette felt the jeep rolling over and over again. She opened her eyes and screamed when she found herself in an older model car and her parents were in the front seat. The car was rolling and she was getting dizzy. She didn't know how many times the car rolled but she had hit her head at some point. She squeezed her eyes shut once more and began crying but the sound that came from her was that of a small child.

Everything stopped. All was quiet.

Janette opened her eyes, gasping, unable to get enough air into her lungs. She was trapped by her seat belt, upside down in the jeep. It took her a minute to shake the fog from her head and realize what had happened. She had a huge gash on her cheek and she felt a rush of something warm and wet oozing down her face. She reached up with one hand and touched the wet stuff only to find it was blood. She was bleeding all over. The windows were shattered and some of the glass had sliced into her arm.  One jagged piece was still protruding from her right bicep. There were numerous other cars surrounding them, some of them right side up and some upside down. She could hear a baby crying but she didn't know where it was coming from. She was panting frantically, almost to the point of hyperventilating. 

"Mitch., she whispered. She looked around and found him sprawled out on the roof of the jeep. He hadn't been wearing his seat belt and he lay there with his head at an odd, sickening angle. She couldn't contain the shrill scream that escaped her when she realized that he was dead. She put both hands to the sides of her head as if to cover her ears from the cries that she heard surrounding her. Those deafening cries. She found herself in a state of pure panic when suddenly there was an explosion up ahead on the highway. She squeezed her eyes shut, her hands still pressed firmly to her ears. "Please God, please God, please God..."

*

"Janette!" Mitch pried her hands from her head. He wasn't sure what was happening but she was scaring the shit out of him. He had been driving, talking to her, and next thing he knew she was pressing her hands to her ears and crying. "Janette, sweetie, look at me. Come on, open your eyes. Look at me." 

Janette slowly opened her eyes to find Mitch standing there. He had pulled the jeep to the side of the highway and was now standing outside the open passenger door in the rain, holding her wrists in his hands. "I saw it," she said, her bottom lip trembling. "I saw everything."

"What? What did you see?" Mitch looked at her, confused.

"There was an accident, a horrible accident. You were...were dead," Janette sobbed. " Your neck was broken. It was that log truck we were following. One of the logs fell off and caused the accident. There was an explosion..."

"No Janette. Calm down. There's no accident or explosion." He took her face in his hands and looked deep into her tear reddened eyes. "I'm not dead, I'm right here. I will never leave you, do you understand?" 

Mitch wrapped his arms around her and held her tight while she sobbed uncontrollably. She was shaking violently when suddenly he heard a loud explosion from down the highway. It was so loud that he could feel the ground vibrate under his feet. Janette tried to turn and see what had happened but Mitch stopped her, pressed her head against his chest, holding her even tighter. He stared in disbelief at the billowing black smoke rising into the sky. "Don't look, baby. Just don't look. Stay with me, okay?" 

She began to cry even harder. He didn't know how to console her, he just knew that she was traumatized and he didn't want her to see what had happened. What had almost happened to them. The realization that they were almost involved in the accident hit him and he found it difficult to breath. He turned her face up to his in the rain and brushed the wet strands of hair aside. "We are okay. I won't let anything happen to you." 

He kissed her forehead and helped her back into the jeep. She was reluctant to get in but he had to get her out of the cold rain. Mitch knew what they needed to do. He shut her door once she was safely inside and took out his phone. With one shaking hand he dialed Rose and Marion's number to inform them that they were on their way to the cottage. Mitch introducing his mate to his family would just have to wait.



The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 09



The drive to the cottage took a lot longer than usual, with all of the traffic and emergency vehicles blocking the roadways. Eventually, Mitch got tired of waiting and drove across the grassy median, heading back the way they came to take a different route. Janette didn't say a word the entire time. She just stared out the window as if in a catatonic state. The rain had finally stopped when they turned into her grandmother's driveway two hours later. Mitch got out of the jeep and ran around to open the door for Janette. He helped her out of the jeep and wrapped his arms around her.

"Are you going to be alright?"

"I'm fine, Mitch. I'm just tired, that's all." Janette tried to smile but she wasn't really feeling it. She was still shaky from what had happened earlier.

Mitch walked Janette up the steps of the front porch with his arm still around her shoulder. She opened the door and they both walked inside.

Rose and Marion were sitting on the sofa watching the news when they looked up at the couple standing there, soaking wet. Rose noticed the distraught look on Janette's face and stood to go to her. "Oh my, what's wrong, dear?"

"Grandma, there was an accident on the highway," Janette said. She slid her jacket off and hung it on the coat hook next to the door.

"Yes, we were just watching it on the news. They said it was a pile up, maybe 20 cars involved. You weren't there, were you?"

Mitch looked down at Janette and hugged her to him reassuringly. "Just tell her what happened, Jan. You've got to tell her."

"Grandma," Janette took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, trying not to cry again. "I saw it before it happened."

"I see." Rose nodded her head, understanding what her granddaughter was trying to tell her.

"We were driving on the highway and it happened to us first. We were right in the middle of the accident. Right behind the truck that caused the whole thing. I don't know. I guess it was a vision, or something. The jeep flipped and we were rolling down the highway. When we stopped..." Janette wasn't sure she could continue when she felt her bottom lip began to quiver.

"Go on dear," her grandma said.

"When we stopped... Mitch was dead. There was an explosion somewhere. Maybe a car exploded, I don't know." Janette wiped a tear from her eye. "It was so real. Everything felt so real. There was glass cut into my arm. I could smell gasoline fumes and something burning. Everything was so real," she said again, before walking over to sit on the couch. The TV was on and a news crew was covering the accident. Janette reached forward and grabbed the remote from the coffee table. She clicked the TV off, unable to watch it anymore.

Rose took a seat on the recliner that was next to the couch. She didn't seem the least bit surprised at what her granddaughter had just told her. She felt almost happy that Janette was finally finding her gifts. "So you have started having visions. I was wondering when it was going to happen," she said with a faint smile in her eyes.

Janette looked at her grandmother's smug face and tried not to glare at her. She knew that she belonged to a family of witches but she had yet to experience any unusual abilities and assumed that the gift had skipped her generation. "Do you not understand what I have told you? I was there, grandma. I saw everything. People are dead and injured." She shook her head, not knowing what to think of the situation. "If this is what having visions is like, I don't want it. I don't want any part of it." She suddenly remembered seeing her mother and father in the car as they were rolling. "Why didn't you tell me that I was in the accident that killed my parents?"

"What do you mean?"

"I had a vision at the hospital. I saw the car with my parents in it and I saw myself in the back seat. When we were rolling down the highway just a couple of hours ago, I was in the back seat of their car, not the jeep. I was with them when it happened, wasn't I?" Janette had always thought that they died alone, that she had been at school or with her grandma or something. Nobody had specified either way and she had never asked. She didn't know why it mattered but she found herself suddenly angry that that detail had been kept from her.

Rose stood and began slowly pacing the room. "What should we have told you, Jan? Of course, we had always planned to tell you everything but the time never seemed right."

"Well the time is right, right now." Janette found herself getting angrier.

Mitch was still standing by the door when he saw the anxious look in Janette's eyes. He walked over and sat next to her, putting one arm around her shoulders in an effort to comfort her. "Let's stay calm, please. Just let her explain."

"Jan, it's true. You were in the car when the accident occurred. I'm not sure what happened but you didn't remember your parents afterward. We assumed that it was due to the trauma that you had been through. Sometimes when something really bad happens to someone, they block out the event completely. We wanted to tell you everything but it never seemed to be the right time." Rose laid a hand on her chest, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to fall.

Marion stepped up and stood next to her twin sister. "We almost lost you, Jan. After the accident, we moved here. You wouldn't even speak for the longest time. We had trouble getting you to eat for weeks. You became so thin. All you would do is sit in your room and stare at the wall. You snapped out of it after a month of being withdrawn. I'm not sure why." Marion grabbed a tissue from the box on the end table and handed it to her sister. "One morning you came bouncing into the kitchen asking for breakfast as though nothing had happened. We carefully asked you about what you remembered but you couldn't remember anything. You couldn't even remember anything about the old school you went to."

Rose dabbed at the tears in her eyes, remembering her thin, sickly little granddaughter and how she had worried about her. "I was afraid to tell you. I didn't know if it would send you back into whatever state of mind you had been in, or not. We had you back. That's all we cared about." Rose cleared her throat and sat in the chair next to the sofa. "Before the accident, you were starting to develop your abilities. You were starting to have visions and dreams. Your mother didn't want us to encourage them because of some issues she had as a child. We tried to abide by her wishes but found ourselves helping you to grow anyway we could. After the accident, though, all of your visions stopped. As far as I know, you haven't had one since, until today."

"Actually, I have been having them. I just didn't know what they were. I thought they were just dreams, or something." Janette looked at Mitch, wondering if she should tell her aunt and grandma about him.

"They already know," Mitch said when he saw the question in her eyes.

"Wait a minute," Janette said slowly with a look of disbelief. "You two know that Mitch is a werewolf?"

The twins nodded their heads. "We have known for some time now."

Janette shook her head. She didn't know if she could take any more surprises. First, the visions, then finding out that Mitch was a werewolf... what next? "What do I do about these 'visions' I am having, if that's even what they really are? Why would they have started now, after being dormant all these years?" she asked, her head beginning to throb. "Grandma, I'm serious, I don't like it. I can't live like this. It's... it's just too much." She cringed when she remembered the crying baby on the highway. Was that baby even still alive?

Janette's grandma looked at her with pity in her eyes. "I admit, it's hard at first. Your visions are different than ours." She waved a hand to her sister and herself. "We only have visions in our dreams but you seem to have them when you are awake, as well." Rose took a deep breath trying to think of the best way to explain things to Janette. "Jan, you have to learn to control them. Don't shut them out. They are too helpful. If it weren't for our visions, and yours, you likely wouldn't be here today. What do you feel when you start to have one?"

Janette remembered the pulling feeling in her chest. "Well, the last two times it happened there was a feeling in my chest as though I was being pulled by something. The first time I was actually pulled through a tunnel. But that didn't happen this last time."

Rose's eyes lit up. "Okay. So next time you feel that pulling sensation, I want you to relax. Realize that what you are seeing isn't real. Let the vision flow through your body, like a breeze. Keep the visual part of it but let the emotional part go. It's not easy. But it's necessary." Rose caught the look of uncertainty in Janette's eyes and went over to hug her. "It's not easy, at first, but you can do it. We did it. I'm sorry that I didn't prepare you better for this but we didn't know what your abilities would be. There was no way to properly prepare you until we found out what they would be."

Janette looked confused. "How will I know that it's not real? It feels so real."

"Pay close attention to the next one. I'm not sure how yours works exactly, but most of the time you will notice discrepancies in your vision. For example, a door might be in a slightly different place than in real life. Or perhaps the room will be a different color."

Janette shook her head and rubbed her temples when she felt the beginning of a headache start behind her eyes. She didn't want to deal with this right now. It could wait until later. She hugged her grandmother close. "I love you grandma. I'm sorry if I was being difficult earlier. It's just that everything seems to be happening all at once. I don't understand it."

"It's okay. I understand and I love you too. You'll get the hang of things. Just trust in yourself. You have always been a strong woman. I know you can do this."

Janette felt the need to get out into the fresh air. The rain had stopped long ago. It was already getting into the late afternoon and she needed to feed her horse before dark. She didn't like being out after dark. "I'm going to change and go out to feed Calico. Mitch, do you want to come?"

Mitch stood. "Of course." He kissed Rose on the cheek. "Thank you."

"For what?" Rose blushed.

"For being you." He left her with a look of confusion on her face and followed Janette to her bedroom. He had wanted Janette to meet his family today but was glad that he had brought her here instead. The events that morning had even him baffled. He didn't know what to do or say to calm her or explain things.

Janette closed the door of her bedroom behind them. "If you want I can throw your clothes in the dryer. It would only take a few minutes and they'd be ready to go."

"No, I'm okay."

"Well, I'm freezing." Janette slid her shirt over her head, and opened the drawer of her dresser to search for another one. For some reason, she didn't feel a bit awkward about being topless in front of Mitch. The more time she spent with him, the more she felt as though they had known each other forever. Not to mention, after all the chaos that happened that day, being topless was the least of her worries.

Seeing her standing there in her bra, shivering, Mitch suddenly realized there was something he could do. He pulled his own shirt off and stepped up behind her.

Janette found herself being pulled up, her back pressing against his chest, and realized that it felt almost as though his skin was fevered against her. She luxuriated both in the heat of his touch, and in the shameless way her body responded to his closeness. "God your body feels good, but I think you might be getting sick. You feel fevered Mitch." The answering chuckle in her ear sent wonderful tingling feelings down her neck.

Mitch wrapped his arms around Janette's waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Werewolves generate much more body heat than you humans do. Our metabolism is weird. We burn through fat almost four times as fast as you, which is why we eat so much red meat. However, we heal so much faster that we live longer and age slower. I am not getting sick, I am just warmer than the average human. It comes in handy if we have to shift in the winter since our clothes don't shift forms with us." He felt her shiver and turned her to face him. He pulled her close and allowed her to rest her head against his bare chest. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, stroking her hair with his hand.

Janette sighed and looked up at Mitch. "I'm fine. Still a little bit shaken up by everything, but I'll be fine."

Mitch smiled down at Janette with a mischievous look in his eyes. "You know... you are standing here, topless, with me in your room. The door is shut. Your grandma and aunt are occupied with God knows what, probably something having to do with knitting and rocking chairs. I think it's safe to say that..."

"Mitch," Janette rolled her eyes at him. "Just shut up and kiss me already."

Mitch laughed lightly. "Yes Ma'am," he said before crushing his lips to Janette's. He let out a low growl when she slowly slid her small hands up his well-muscled chest and wrapped her arms around his neck, melting into him.

Janette pulled slightly away from him with a giggle. "So you're growling at me now?" she said, one eyebrow raised.

"God I want you." Mitch looked down at Janette, no longer smiling, his eyes filled with pure, uninhibited lust. He pressed his mouth to hers even more desperately than before, deepening their drugging kiss. He let his hands roam up her back. They stopped at her bra strap, his fingers itching to unclasp it. Instead, he slid them back down to cup her firm ass and pulled her hips against him, intent on showing her just how much he wanted her.

Janette sucked in a sharp breath when she felt the not-so-subtle bulge in Mitch's pants pressing against her abdomen. She moaned when he slid a hand up to cup one of her breasts, squeezing it gently, his tongue still sliding in and out of her mouth. She jumped when she heard a knock at her bedroom door.

"Jan?" her grandma called. "I'm starting dinner. Would you two mind going out to the greenhouse and gathering some lettuce for the salad?"

Janette pulled away from Mitch's embrace. "Yeah. We'll be right there." She looked up at Mitch's half grin and blushed. She sat on the edge of the bed and tried to calm her rapid breathing.

"Your grandma has got some pretty lousy timing, huh?" Mitch looked down at her and laughed. He had never seen her so worked up before. He watched Janette get up and walk to her dresser. She pulled out a clean pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He couldn't take his eyes off of her as she quickly stripped off her rain dampened jeans and pulled on her dry clothes. He saw her gazing at a shelf on the wall and noticed all of the dolls and trinkets sitting there. His heart swelled when he realized that they were all of the objects he had left for her on the boulder as a child. She had taken such good care of them.

Once Janette was dressed, she pulled her shoes on and turned to him. "Lousy timing is an understatement."

Mitch put his shirt back on and followed Janette out the door and into the kitchen. He took the bowl that Janette handed him and went with her to the greenhouse. He watched her as she grabbed a small pair of scissors from a shelf and began snipping leaves of different types of lettuce and placing them in the bowl he held. She really seemed to know her way around plants and he couldn't wait to show her the greenhouse on his property.

"You really know what you're doing with this kind of stuff, huh?"

Janette smiled at him, placing more leaves in the bowl. "I was raised around this stuff. Sometimes I feel as though I was born with a garden fork in my hand. Grandma and Aunt Marion taught me everything they know."

"You're going to love the greenhouse at my place. It's probably three or four times as big as this one."

"Why so big?"

"We like to grow a lot of our own food. We do buy some things at the grocery store but a lot of times we rely on hunting and gardening. It saves a pretty penny."

"I agree," Janette said, placing the scissors back on the shelf. "We grow a lot of what we eat but not everything. We do a lot of canning at the end of the garden season. It doesn't take a lot considering that it's only Grandma and Aunt Marion here. I still come out and help, though. I don't like them having to do everything themselves." She took the bowl from Mitch and headed for the door of the small greenhouse. On the way, she led him to different areas of the yard, showing him the asparagus bed, strawberry patch and fruit trees that she helped plant and nurture. "I like my place in the city but sometimes I ache to be back out in the country. You can't do much gardening in the city." Janette opened the back door of the cottage and turned to Mitch. "Wait right here. Let me put this in the kitchen and then you can help me feed the horses if you want to."

"I'd love to." Mitch watched Janette walk into the house and noticed a big pot of nasturtiums sitting by the porch. He reached down and smelled one of the flowers.

"Those are edible, you know," Janette said, stepping out the back door. "We put them in salads quite often. They also deter rabbits from the garden. Rabbits hate nasturtiums."

"Hmm... learn something new every day, huh?" Mitch gave Janette a wink and walked beside her, entwining his fingers with hers.

They walked into the horse stall and Janette began filling Calico's food trough and refreshing his water from the water hose. "Do you want to go for a ride?" she asked, still leaning over the trough. She looked back when Mitch didn't respond and found his eyes on her rear and a silly smile on his face. She rolled her eyes and stood to face him. "I meant on the horse!"

Mitch couldn't contain the laughter coming from him. "I know what you meant. I think I'll pass though."

"What? You're not scared of a little horse are you?"

"Of course not."

"You should try it. He's a pretty fast runner."

"Not as fast as I am." Mitch said with a cocky grin on his face.

"Oh really?" she said. Janette walked the horse out of the stall and into the open. She stepped up onto an overturned plastic crate next to the door, and used it to heave herself up onto the horse's back. "You think so, huh?" She suddenly spurred Calico into a run straight towards the woods, not sparing Mitch another glance.

"So, she wants to play," Mitch said aloud to himself while slowly taking off his shirt and pants. He was in no hurry and carefully folded his clothes, placing them neatly on a small shelf on the wall. He growled deep in his chest and shifted quickly and smoothly into his wolf form. He took off in a mad dash in the same direction as Janette had gone on her horse.

Janette raced as fast as she could through the thick trees with a huge smile on her face. She couldn't see him behind her anywhere and laughed. He thinks he's so tough, she thought to herself. She almost lost control of the horse when she spotted him ahead of her, his lean naked body leaning lazily against a large oak tree with his arms folded across his chest as though he had been waiting there forever.

"I was wondering when you were going to get here," he said, feigning a bored yawn.

Janette gawked at him. "How did you do that?"

"We move unbelievably fast, Janette." He reached up and helped her down from the horse. "Now it's my turn to ask. Do you want to go for a ride?"

Janette's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean on... you?"

Mitch nodded his head. "It's okay. I won't let you get hurt. Just jump on my back after I shift and hang on tight."

Janette watched Mitch shift to his wolf form. "I don't know about this, Mitch," she said. He nodded to her and then lay down, encouraging her to get on. She reached out hesitantly to touch his fur. Even laying down, the huge wolf came up to Janette's waist. "Oh my God, I can't believe I'm really going to do this," she said nervously before climbing onto his back and hanging on tightly. 




The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 09



She lay her head down on his back and squeezed her eyes shut when she felt him stand and take off. They were moving faster than she had ever moved before. It almost made her dizzy. Her heart began to race in her chest as she watched the trees turn into a blur of green as they flew by her. She had the urge to sit up straight and raise her hands in the air like you would on a roller coaster. However, she was afraid that if she did that, she either would fall off or get smacked by a low hanging tree limb. She could feel the muscles flexing in the wolf under her as he raced through the trees. She buried her face into his fur, inhaling his scent and wrapping her arms tighter around him. When he finally made it back to where she had left her horse, she reluctantly climbed off his back, her heart still thumping wildly. She watched him shift back to human form while still trying to catch her breath.

"That was amazing," she said breathlessly. "I'm still not used to seeing you change like that, though."

"I thought you would like it," he said with a proud look on his face. "Don't worry. You'll get use to the shift soon enough." Mitch stepped closer to Janette and placed his hands on her hips. "You can ride me anytime you want to, by the way." He smiled and winked.

Janette blushed and tried to turn away but wasn't fast enough. She gasped when she felt Mitch's lips softly graze over hers. He placed his palm on her cheek and she parted her lips, granting his tongue entrance to her mouth.

Mitch slid his tongue into Janette's mouth and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her in close against his naked body. He wasn't a bit embarrassed that his rapidly hardening cock was pressing into her hip. He heard her moan and just pressed harder. The way her body was responding to him was driving him crazy. He let his lips trail light kisses down her neck and smiled when he felt her tremble beneath him.

Janette lay her head back slightly and closed her eyes, allowing Mitch better access to her neck. His lips were making her wild with passion. She felt his hands slip under her t-shirt and slide along her stomach, down to the button of her jeans. She was so caught up in the feel of his warm mouth and tongue against her skin that she barely noticed when he unbuttoned her jeans and slid the zipper down. She looked up at him, surprised. "Wait. What are you doing?"

"Let me make love to you," he said with a deep, raspy voice. "Can't you feel how much I want you? You need me just as much as I need you, Janette. I can see it in your eyes."

"What? Right here in the woods?" Janette had never done anything sexual anywhere other than in a bed. She found the thought intriguing but it made her nervous at the same time.

"Yes, right here in the woods, where Mother Nature intended," Mitch said, before going back to Janette's neck. He noticed that she was glancing around them nervously and let out a wearied sigh. "Sweetheart, nobody is here. We are all alone, I promise." He would be able to sense if someone were to approach them. He brought his mouth back to hers and felt her go slightly limp in his arms. "Just relax. I promise not to hurt you, okay?" He lifted her arms above her head and grabbed the hem of her shirt, carefully pulling it up and off her, letting his hands glide softly against her skin the entire way. He draped her shirt across a fallen log sitting near them.

Janette shivered when she felt the cool forest breeze against her bare shoulders. She let her gaze travel the length of Mitch's muscled body. She couldn't help but let her hands follow down his chest and abs. Her face took on a shade of scarlet when her eyes settled on his manhood standing erect and proud between his legs.

Mitch noticed where Janette's attention was focused. A corner of his mouth turned up in a half grin when she tried to look away, that ever-present blush covering her cheeks. He took her small, trembling hand in his, and gently wrapped her fingers around his aching cock. "Don't be nervous. It's okay, you can touch me. I want you to. I belong to you, Janette."

"I don't know about this. It's been a really, really long time, Mitch. What if I mess up? I don't want to disappoint you."

"You could never disappoint me." He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, opening her mouth and thrusting his tongue in. He let a low growl of approval rumble through his chest when she began slowly, timidly stroking him, sliding her hand lightly up and down his length. He could feel her finally start to relax when she started kissing him even deeper, her breath coming quick.

Janette couldn't think of anything she wanted more at that very moment than Mitch's hands on her. She was amazed by the feel of him in her hand and wanted to know what he would feel like deep inside her. She felt his hands slide up her bare back and expertly unclasp her bra. He slid the lace away from one breast and gently sucked a nipple into his mouth, lightly nibbling. She sucked in a breath when she felt his hot mouth on her, sending a sharp tingle straight from the nipple down to the moist little bud between her thighs. She was too caught up in the arousal he was causing and hadn't even realized that she had started stroking him faster, her grip becoming firmer. He quickly and unexpectedly pulled her hand away from him.

"Stop," Mitch said, panting. "Please stop." He felt himself coming close to losing it and he wanted to satisfy Janette first before finding his own release.

"Did I do something wrong?" Janette asked in a worried voice

Mitch laughed and shook his head. "No, quite the opposite. You aren't the only one who hasn't been with anyone in awhile, Janette." He gazed down into her eyes and slowly began walking her back into the oak tree behind them. He leaned her gently against the tree and went back to sucking one breast and then the other, her gasps just urging him on. He let his hands wander up and down her ribs and abs and then down to her ass. He kissed his way down her stomach, her fingers entwined in his thick hair, holding him to her. Mitch finally lowered himself to his knees in the wet leaves of the forest floor and hooked his fingers beneath the waistband of her jeans, sliding them down her legs.

Janette wasn't sure what to think about the things Mitch was doing to her. She had never felt so aroused in her life and most certainly had never even considered having someone do these things to her in the middle of the woods. She couldn't react. She could only stare down at him kneeling before her and watch, her breathing coming quicker with his every touch. Her knees trembled with anticipation.

Mitch looked up at Janette and locked his eyes with her half-lidded ones. He slid her jeans and panties down over her knees and around her ankles, urging her to step out of them. He tossed them towards the log that contained her shirt and turned back to her. He could see that she wasn't entirely comfortable being naked in an open space like this and he tried to smile as reassuringly to her as he could. He began placing light soft kisses over her thighs and moved his hands up to gently grasp her hips.

Janette continued watching Mitch and bit her lip to hold back a moan when she saw his tongue snake out and slowly tease its way around her hard clit without ever actually touching it. She had her hand in his hair and instinctively pulled his head closer, silently begging him to continue. The predatory gleam she saw in his eyes was almost intimidating. He moved her hand from his hair and placed it at her side. She didn't know what else to do so she just attempted to hold onto the tree behind her, trying to maintain her balance.

Mitch got one taste of his mate and nearly lost all control. He wanted to take things slow and be sure that Janette enjoyed it but he also wanted to just take her hard against the tree and make her scream his name. He had to stop for a moment and gather his wits before continuing what he had planned for her. He took several deep breaths and closed his eyes. It didn't help. All he could smell was the musky scent of her arousal. He could still taste her on his tongue and he wanted more. He lifted her leg to drape it over his shoulder, slightly opening her up to him. He heard her throaty groan when he slid his forefinger slowly across her smooth mound, gently across her pulsing clit and then down to her wet folds. He was worried that she was going to fall over when he slid one thick finger inside of her and he braced himself against her to hold her up.

"Are you okay?" he asked with a sly smile on his face.

Janette could see his lips moving but her heart was pounding so loudly in her chest that she had trouble registering anything being said. Her chest was heaving; she couldn't seem to get enough air. "I'm fine. Just don't stop," she said with a whisper. She felt the fire roaring within her, starting from her lower abdomen and radiating out into her arms and legs, finally ending in the tips of her fingers and toes. Janette didn't think she could take much more when she felt him start to stroke in and out of her slowly with his forefinger. Everything felt so good that it was almost painful. She felt something unfamiliar building within her, almost as though she could burst into flames any minute. 

She wasn't sure about what was happening inside of her. Part of her wanted him to stop but a bigger part of her desperately wanted him to continue. She laid her head back and squeezed her eyes shut, her grip on the tree becoming more desperate as Mitch's finger moved more insistently inside of her. Janette thought that she had likely reached the height of her pleasure. After all, how could anything feel this amazing? That was, until she felt Mitch lean in and suck her hard clit into his mouth, sucking and flicking it with his tongue at the same time. She cried out suddenly and grabbed the back of Mitch's head, not wanting him to stop, when she felt a liquid scorching heat explode inside of her like a volcano.

Mitch looked up at Janette, still gently sucking her clit, unwilling to stop until her climax had finished. His hand was soaked in her juices, some of it trickling down his forearm. When she finally released the back of his head and her panting slowed, he got up off his knees and stood before her, still holding her up. The look on her face worried him a bit.

"Are you okay?" he asked, gently pushing her long hair away from her face. "Open your eyes, Janette. Look at me. Are you okay?" he asked again.

Janette's eyes slowly fluttered open. She couldn't stop trembling. "I don't know. I'm dizzy. What was that?" she asked incredulously.

Mitch looked confused. "What was what?"

"I don't know. I felt like ...like I was on fire and then something happened and I couldn't see straight, my ears were ringing... I don't know," she said, looking all around her as her surroundings finally came back into focus and her breathing calmed.

Mitch noticed she was shaking like a leaf, as though her legs would give out if he let go of her. It took only a moment for understanding to register in his mind. His lips turned up into a small smile and he sighed. "You've never had an orgasm before, have you?"

Janette's eyes widened before she looked down towards the ground, unable to meet Mitch's gaze. "Um... well... no," she said, embarrassed to admit that she was twenty five years old and had never had a real orgasm before. How could she have? She had only ever had sex twice in her life and neither time had been anything to write home about.

Mitch lifted Janette's chin, bringing her eyes to meet his. "And what did you think about the one I just gave you? Did you like it?" Mitch stared into her eyes, smiling teasingly. Janette didn't answer but instead began kissing him again with an urgency he hadn't seen in her before. "I'll take that as a yes," he said against her frantically moving lips.

Janette couldn't seem to get close enough to Mitch. Even though she had her fingers in the back of his hair, pulling his lips even closer to hers, it still wasn't enough. Something was missing. She pulled away from his mouth and looked up into his lust-filled eyes. "Make love to me?" she asked breathlessly. He just stared at her for the longest time, as though he wasn't sure how to react to her request. She suddenly felt ashamed for having asked such a bold question. She averted her eyes from his nervously. "I... I mean, I'm not that experienced, Mitch, and I know it's unladylike to ask something like that but..."

"It's not unladylike," Mitch interrupted. "There's nothing in the world that I want to do more than to make love to you." He closed his eyes, trying to tamp down his desire. It suddenly seemed wrong to take her there in the woods. She deserved better than that. He wanted their first time together to be in an actual bed where he could take his time with her. He found himself suddenly regretting having touched her the way he just did. "I think we should wait," he said reluctantly. He caught the pained look that flashed in Janette's eyes before she looked away. He held her face in his hands, bringing her eyes back to his. "Don't worry. You did nothing wrong. I just want our first time to be special, and making love against this mighty oak tree is not special." He could still see the look of uncertainty in her eyes. He leaned down and kissed her lovingly to reassure her that she hadn't done anything wrong. He brought his lips to her ear and whispered softly. "When we get to your place I'm going to make this all up to you, I promise." 

Janette looked up and saw the sincerity in Mitch's eyes and smiled. She grabbed her clothes and quickly pulled them on. "We had better get back. The sun's going down. Grandma's probably wondering where we are."

"Yeah, you're right." Mitch picked Janette up off the ground as though she weighed nothing and placed her on her horse. He glanced up at her and caught the irritated look in her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I know. You're a grown woman and can do it yourself," he smiled. "Just humor me occasionally and let me do some things for you. It will boost my ego." He gave her a wink. "Can you make it back okay?"

"Yes daddy, I think so," she said sarcastically.

Mitch shook his head at Janette. "Has anyone ever told you that you are something else?"

Janette looked thoughtful for a moment. "That statement does sound familiar," she said before taking off on her horse towards the cottage.

Mitch watched her gallop through the trees on her horse for a moment before finally shifting into his wolf form and following her. This time he didn't race ahead of her. He stayed behind her the entire way to make sure she was okay. He knew she was a good rider but the woods were becoming darker by the minute and he didn't want anything to happen.

Several minutes later, they both arrived back in the horse stable where Mitch grabbed his neatly folded clothes from the shelf and began dressing while Janette took care of Calico, making sure that he had plenty to eat. Mitch's ears perked up when he heard her whispering to the horse, apologizing for interrupting his dinner to take him for a ride. He watched with an amused look on his face as she continued talking and the horse nodded several times as though he understood everything she had said.

Janette petted Calico once more before kissing him on the head. She looked over at Mitch who was standing there staring with a smile on his face. "Don't say a word," she said warningly.

Mitch raised his hands, palms facing her. "I wasn't going to say anything. A lot of people talk to their animals. Just like a lot of people talk to their plants to help them grow. It's fine, really." He walked over to Janette and wrapped her in his embrace. "You were just so cute talking to him like that. I could be wrong, but I think he actually understood what you were saying."

"You weren't wrong. This may sound crazy but Calico and I can understand each other perfectly. I don't really have to speak verbally to him-- usually I just project my thoughts. But most of the time I verbalize it as well, out of habit. You probably don't believe me but..."

"I believe you," Mitch interrupted her. "What's it like? I mean, how do you know what the horse is saying to you?" he asked earnestly.

Janette thought about it for a moment trying to find a way to describe it adequately. "Well, I don't know. It's as though I can feel what he is feeling. He doesn't speak to me in words, but rather in feelings and images."

Mitch looked intrigued. "When did you first learn that you could communicate with him this way?"

"Grandma bought him for me when I was maybe nine years old. It took me awhile to learn to ride him. We even had someone who specializes in horses come in once a week to give me riding lessons and to teach me to care for him properly. I was sitting here next to him one afternoon. I don't remember what all I was doing but I know I was singing to myself while brushing him. It surprised me when it happened but I could suddenly hear in my mind a thought that I knew was not my own. It was as though he was saying, 'I like that song. Sing it again.'" Janette laughed and shook her head, remembering the moment. "It was rather amazing. I wasn't sure where the thought came from and I asked if it was from him and he nodded his head. I asked what his name was and he sent the image of a Calico cat. That's why his name is Calico." Janette looked into Mitch's eyes for a long moment. "You think I'm nuts, don't you?"

"Not at all. It's about the same in my pack. When we are in wolf form, we can communicate with each other, even over long distances. I understand exactly what you mean." Mitch hugged Janette to him and kissed the top of her head. "Are you ready to go in, my little horse whisperer?" he asked teasingly.

Janette entwined her fingers with Mitch's. "Let's go."

They walked the short distance to the cottage hand in hand. When they came through the back door, Rose was setting the table for dinner and Marion was pulling a small roast out of the oven. The smells in the house were mouthwatering.

Rose looked up at the couple and then her eyes locked on their joined hands. A small content smile spread across her face and her eyes lit up. "You two never specified whether or not you were staying for dinner so I set you a place anyway. I hope you will stay. We are having pot roast, baked potatoes and the salad you picked earlier. Also, your Aunt Marion baked a nice apple pie for dessert."

Janette went in to help her grandma set the table. "How'd you manage all of that?" she asked. "We haven't been gone that long."

"Almost an hour and a half," grandma said with a gleam in her eye. "Besides, Marion baked the pie last night."

Janette excused herself and went into the bathroom to clean herself up a bit. She used the toilet and washed her hands before joining Mitch in the dining room. She poured everyone a glass of iced tea and sat next to him at the table across from her grandma and aunt.

Marion noticed how unnecessarily close Mitch and Janette were sitting next to each other. "So what's going on between you two? Are you officially seeing each other now?" she asked innocently.

Janette blushed and looked over at Mitch. He nodded to her and she felt him grab her hand under the table and give it a light squeeze. "Yeah, I guess we are," she said, not taking her eyes from his and smiling from ear to ear. She reached over, sliced off a large piece of roast and placed it on Mitch's plate before taking a smaller piece for herself. "It may not be as rare as you like it," she said, giving him a light jab with her elbow.

Mitch laughed, remembering their time at his restaurant. "This will do fine." He took a bite and nodded his head in approval. "Marion, Rose, you two are excellent cooks. This is quite good."




The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 09



The twins beamed at him. "Why thank you Mitch."

"Brown-noser," Janette said under her breath but loud enough for him to hear. She smiled over at him when she heard the low chuckle come from his chest. Her stomach flipped when Mitch hooked one foot behind her ankle to drag her leg slightly closer to his.

"So, how's your family, Mitch?" grandma asked. She had never met anyone else in Mitch's family but the sexual tension in the air was getting stiflingly thick as her granddaughter and her new beau remained quiet but continued exchanging looks and giggling. Someone had to say something to break the tension.

Mitch cleared his throat and took a sip of his tea. "They are doing quite well, thank you," he said with a polite smile. "We are actually in the process of buying up another business. A much smaller one, this time."

Janette looked at him surprised. "Really? You never told me that. What kind of a business is it?"

"It's just a small cafe. It's located not far from your apartment. In fact, Jack told me he had run into you there a few days ago. I'm going to be the official owner of the place but Jack will run everything."

So that was the early morning business Jack had been referring to, Janette thought to herself. "What about the club? Who's going to do the bartending?"

Mitch smiled at Janette. "There are plenty of people in my pack who are well experienced at bartending," he said matter-of-factly. "Jack doesn't want to do it anymore. I was looking into buying the cafe anyway and I knew that he was good at management. I also knew that he was ready to get away from the bar scene so I gave him the job. I think he will be much happier there."

Mitch and Janette continued like that for the better part of an hour. Rose didn't mind being left out of the conversation. She understood what new love was like. It seemed like just yesterday when she and her late husband, Henry, had fallen in love. It was as though they were the only two people that existed. Everything else had just disappeared. Of course, he passed away many years ago but she still missed him dearly. She was so happy to see her only granddaughter finally finding that love, even if she didn't know it yet.

They had all finished their dinner along with a slice of the pie that Marion had made, which was amazing. Mitch stood to help clear the table. "That was absolutely delicious. You two have out done yourselves," he said, patting his full stomach and sighing. Rose got up to help with the clean-up and Mitch stopped her. "No. Have a seat. You two cooked, Janette and I will clean up." He grabbed several plates, stacking them neatly and headed for the kitchen. Janette followed him with platters of leftovers. She put foil over the platters and put everything away in the refrigerator while Mitch loaded the dishwasher. It didn't take long to clean up with them working together.

Mitch leaned down and placed a sweet lingering kiss on Janette's lips. "Do you want me to take you home? Remember you don't have your car here," he said as he pulled her into his arms.

Janette rested her head against Mitch's chest and sighed. "Yes, that would be nice. I don't work tomorrow but I'm exhausted. It's been a long day."

"That it has." He kissed her once more before he released her from his arms. "Go tell granny goodnight and we can take off shortly," he said, before playfully swatting her on the rear.

Janette walked to the living room, Mitch following close behind. "Grandma, I think I'm gonna head home now." She kissed her grandma and aunt Marion on the cheek and gave them both a quick hug.

"Thank you for everything," Mitch said, giving them both a hug of their own. Mitch led Janette out to his jeep and opened the door for her. He was about to help her get in but remembered that his excessive doting sometimes irritated her so he just stood there. After she got in and buckled up, he closed her door and walked to the driver's side, got in, and started the jeep.

"Seat belt," she reminded him sternly.

"Yes mommy," he said, and winked at her before strapping his belt around him. He knew that she was still thinking of what had happened earlier that morning and decided to take the back roads into town rather than the highway. They drove for a good thirty minutes before reaching her apartment. He got out of the jeep and ran around to her door, opening it for her. "M' Lady, we have arrived," he said teasingly, putting his hand out to help her. They walked side by side to her apartment, his arm wrapped around her shoulder as though he was afraid to let her go lest she disappear.

Janette stopped in the hallway of the apartment building and turned to Mitch, taking his hands in hers. "Thank you for being with me today," she said with a sigh. "Today was really messed up... well... the part before the incident in the woods, that is," she said with a deep blush rising across her cheeks. "I don't know what I would have done without you by my side."

Mitch kissed Janette softly. He couldn't seem to pass up an opportunity to kiss her. "Well, if it were up to me, I'd spend every day with you, and every night for that matter."

Janette smiled up at him, her heart skipping in her chest. She turned and unlocked her apartment door and held it open for Mitch, closing it behind them after he entered. His face was illuminated by the soft glow of the streetlight in the window and the angry look she saw there took her by surprise. She tried to follow his gaze into her apartment but it was too dark for her to see anything. "What's wrong, Mitch?" She turned and flipped the light switch by the door. She gasped when she looked into her apartment to find that it had been ransacked. Someone had broken in while she was gone. Her furniture was tossed aside as though it weighed nothing. Even her sofa was upside down. She brought her hand up to cover her mouth and her eyes went wide, filling with tears. "Oh my God. Mitch. What the hell..." She took a step forward intending to check out the rest of her apartment but Mitch held out an arm, stopping her.

"Janette don't move," he said, the fury still apparent in his now black eyes. "Stay right here." He slowly walked into the living room and into the bedroom, his stance ready to fight at any minute. He cautiously checked every closet, even behind the shower curtain, in search of the intruder but found no one. "Whoever was here is gone now."

Janette shook her head in confusion. "Why would anyone break in? I don't have anything valuable. Hell, my television is even second hand. I don't understand. I don't get it. This makes no sense. Why the hell..."

Mitch had to calm Janette down. She was obviously starting to panic and that wouldn't help the situation any. "Look at me, Jan. Take a deep breath." He watched her close her eyes and breathe deep. "Good. Now I need you to stay calm. I don't know why anyone would do this but even you have to admit that this isn't the best part of town by a long shot. It could have been anybody for any reason. We are going to call the police and let them take care of things. Try and relax but don't touch anything." Mitch pulled out his phone from his pocket and dialed a direct number to a specific officer. He was in the middle of explaining things when he saw Janette head into the bathroom. "Don't go in there!" he said too late. He closed his eyes and let out a distressed sigh. He didn't want her to see what was in there. "Just get someone here please, quickly," he said into the phone before hanging up and putting it back into his pocket.

Janette slowly stepped backwards out of the bathroom, her trembling hand covering her mouth. She wasn't expecting to see the word 'WHORE' written in big letters on her bathroom mirror. From the looks of things, whoever wrote it had used her lipstick to do it with. Why would someone do this to her, she thought. She didn't have any enemies that she knew of. She wasn't a whore or any degree of a bad person, for that matter. She felt Mitch behind her and turned to look up at him. She shook her head in confusion and wiped away the tear that was streaming down her cheek. "This wasn't random, was it?"

Mitch wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him. "Janette, you can't stay here. It's obviously not safe. I want you to come home with me. I will take care of you, I promise."

"Y, yeah, okay," she said, her eyes glassy. She reached for a dresser drawer to get some extra clothes when Mitch grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"Jan, it is imperative that you touch nothing. Don't worry about anything. I'm sure I have everything you will need at my place." He saw the tears stream freely down her face and it tore at his heart. "Come here," he said hugging her tightly.

"Mitch?"

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"What if I had been here?" she said in a shaky voice. "They would have killed me."

Mitch squeezed his eyes shut trying not to think of the what-ifs. "Don't think about it. You weren't here and that's what matters. You are safe with me, and that's all that matters."

Just then, they heard a loud knock at the door. Mitch swiftly walked into the living room and pulled open the door, letting the policeman in. "Gary." Mitch shook the officer's hand. "Thanks for coming. I didn't want anyone else to handle this situation. I'm sure you understand why."

The officer took a few steps further into the apartment and inhaled deeply, recognizing the scent of an unfamiliar were. He nodded in Mitch's direction when understanding registered in his mind. He then turned to Janette and reached his hand out to her. "I'm Officer Stafford."

"Janette Timbers," she said, shaking his hand.

"Miss Timbers, I know this might be difficult but I need to know if you have noticed anything missing here," Officer Stafford said with a no-nonsense look on his face.

Janette looked around carefully but didn't see anything missing. "No, not that I can tell. I mean I really didn't have anything that was worth stealing to begin with, officer."

Officer Stafford looked thoughtfully at her and nodded his head. "Okay. Do you have any known enemies that you can think of?"

"Goodness, no. I mean I'm not a saint or anything but I generally keep to myself. I don't think I've even had close enough contact with anyone to have had the opportunity to make an enemy."

"I understand," Stafford said, nodding towards Mitch. "We'll do the usual, photos, fingerprints and..."

"Look," Mitch interrupted, pulling him to the side. "I trust you to do a good job here. We are going to find this bastard if it's the last thing I do. In the mean time, I need to get Janette back to my place. As you can see, she's pretty shaken up over this. It hasn't been the best day for her." Mitch spoke in a low voice as to not alarm Janette more than she already was.

"I understand," the officer said. "I have your phone number and I know where I can find you. I'll let you know if I find anything as soon as I'm done here. Don't worry, Mitch. I will keep this discreet."

Mitch nodded to him. "I know you will." He patted the officer on the back. "Let me know your findings ASAP. I don't care what time of night it is."

Mitch walked back over to Janette and grabbed her hand. "Come on, let's go." He walked her quickly out the door, down the hallway, and to her car before turning to her. "I want you to take your car and follow me to my place. It's not too far of a drive. Can you do that?"

Janette nodded absently, still in a state of shock and confusion at what had happened. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I'll follow you."

Mitch kissed Janette's cheek and opened the car door for her. He walked back to his jeep and got in, buckling his seat belt before turning the key in the ignition and pulling out of the parking lot. He glanced in the rear view mirror to make sure that she was following him before turning onto the street and heading for his mansion. 

Neither of them had noticed the person silently watching them from the shadows across the street.



The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 10



Liam was sitting in the TV room watching a movie with his sister, Mariah, when he saw the flash of headlights through the window. He got up from the sofa and looked out the window to see his brother's jeep pulling up the winding driveway.

"Who is it?" Mariah asked, not taking her huge brown eyes from the big screen TV.

"Oh, it's just Mitch. I wonder where he's been? He usually doesn't stay away for so long." Liam continued gazing out the window when he saw what he recognized as Janette's car following behind Mitch's jeep. A slow smile crept across his face. "Aha! Now I know why he's been away. That dirty dog."

"What are you talking about?" Mariah asked, suddenly becoming curious. She got off the couch and walked over to join her brother at the window. She gasped out loud when she saw Mitch open the car door and a trim, long haired brunette stepped out.

"Mi-tch go-t la-id," Liam said in a sing song voice.

Mariah smacked her brother on the arm and glared at him. "Grow up, you imbecile." She peered out the window once more. "Is that her?"

It was no secret that Mitch had found his mate. Practically everyone in the pack was talking about it. "Yeah, that's her," Liam said.

"She's absolutely beautiful. Just so... I dunno... natural."

"What do you mean, natural?" Liam gave his sister a confused look.

"Well, she's nothing like the women you date, Liam. No fake boobs and botox there."

Liam looked down at his sister as though he was truly insulted. "Are you saying I date fake women?"

"Oh please, Liam. If you were to fall for a girl who didn't have a fake something or another, you wouldn't know what the hell to do with her. Fake boobs, liposuction, botox, butt lift..."

"I'll have you know..." Liam stopped talking suddenly when he heard Mitch open the front door. They both stood up straight with big smiles plastered on their faces as though they had been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. 

"Janette!" Liam called. He took several long strides over to her and wrapped his arms around her as though they were long lost friends. Janette just stood there, wide eyed and surprised by his greeting.

"Let go of her, Liam," Mitch said with an irritated look on his face. He pulled her to him and introduced her to his sister with a huge, proud grin. "Mariah, this is Janette Timbers. Jan, this is my sister, Mariah."

Janette was surprised to see the resemblance between Mitch and his sister. They looked so much alike only she had much more feminine features. She was about 5 foot 8 inches tall, had huge dark brown eyes, waist length wavy brown hair and the same blinding white perfect smile that Mitch had. "It's very nice to meet you." Janette said in a nervous voice. She extended her right arm in an effort to shake Mariah's hand but the girl completely ignored the gesture and pulled Janette into a big bear hug.

"I've heard so much about you. I'm so happy to finally meet you."

Janette quickly hugged her back before turning to Mitch and giving him a bewildered look. "Your family sure hugs a lot," she said in whisper.

Mitch laughed lightly and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her away from his brother and sister's greedy hands. "That can be explained, but at a later time."

Liam walked over to the mini bar in the corner of the room. "Janette, can I offer you a drink?" he offered while pouring himself a scotch.

"Do you have any chardonnay?"

"Sure thing. One chardonnay coming up." Liam popped the cork on a bottle from under the cabinet and poured Janette a glass and then one for his sister. "Mitch?" He raised an eyebrow at his brother.

"No thanks, I'm good." Mitch led Janette to sit on one of the many plush ivory sofas surrounding the enormous television before retrieving her glass and handing it to her. He switched the TV off and waited for Liam and Mariah to take a seat on the sofa to their right before speaking. "I hope you two don't mind but Janette is going to be staying here at least for tonight."

Liam caught the troubled look flash in Mitch's eyes. "Is there something wrong?"

Mitch shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Her apartment was broken into tonight." He wasn't going to go into details about the break in, he could fill Liam in on everything later when they were alone. "I don't feel comfortable letting her stay there. I'm sure you two understand." He noticed the look of uncertainty in Liam's face. "Don't worry. She knows about us and what we are."

"Of course. It's fine." Mariah said, reaching forward to pat her brother on the knee. She looked over at Janette. "You are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you need to. There's a guest room just down the hall. I'm sure you'll find anything you may need..."

"She'll be staying in my room." Mitch interrupted bluntly. He wanted nothing more than for his mate to be tucked safely away in his bed next to him. When he realized that he probably should have asked her first, he turned to her. "You don't mind, do you?"

Janette's eyes grew wide and a deep blush rose up her cheeks. She took a healthy swallow of her wine and shook her head. "No, not at all. That's fine by me." Is that even appropriate? She thought to herself. But then again, she had just let Mitch have his way with her in the woods. It was a bit late to worry about morals now.

"Good." Mitch stood and turned to his brother. "Liam, I need to see you for a moment if you don't mind." Mitch didn't wait for an answer but leaned down to Janette and gave her a peck on the cheek. "I'll be right back. Will you be okay with my sister for a bit?"

"I'll be just fine," she said before returning his kiss and watching him walk down the hall with his brother following close behind. Janette surprisingly didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable being alone with Mitch's sister. There was just something about her personality that instantly put people at ease.

"So what do you prefer to go by?" Mariah took a sip of her wine and looked over at Janette with a friendly smile on her face.

"I'm sorry?" Janette looked confused.

"Jan or Janette? Which do you prefer?" Mariah asked.

"Usually people call me Janette but Jan is fine, as well. I don't mind either one."

"Well, Jan, I'm glad you're finally here. My brother has been waiting for you for a very long time. When is your mating ceremony?"

Janette gave the woman sitting across from her another confused look. "What mating ceremony? I don't understand... waiting for me?"

Mariah realized too late that she might have said too much. It wasn't her place to explain these things to Janette. She had just assumed that Mitch had already had this talk with her. Men in the pack didn't usually bring their chosen mates home to the den unless they knew exactly what they were in for. But then she remembered Mitch saying that Janette's apartment had been broken into. Perhaps he hadn't brought her home under the ideal circumstances and hadn't had the chance to explain things about the pack. 

"Never mind." Mariah said with a nervous laugh. "How 'bout if I give you a tour of the house? I think you'll quite like it." she said, trying to change the subject.

Janette chose to drop the subject but made a mental note to ask Mitch about it later when they were alone. "Yeah, that would be nice. This place is huge! Mitch said that he had bought it and had to basically rebuild it. Must have been a lot of work, huh?" She stood and followed Mariah down the hallway.

"Yeah, it took a lot of work from the whole pack. Everyone had to put in their fair share of the work. That's the good thing about belonging to a pack. Things get done quickly around here. Everyone has their own talents to contribute. We have everything, electricians, gardeners, plumbers, doctors... each member of our pack is useful in one way or another. It all works out quite well." Mariah explained with obvious pride in her voice.

"Just how many people belong to your... uh... pack?" Janette asked, her eyebrows raised.

"Just about 200 I would say. Some live here but there are several families who insist on living in the city." Mariah led Janette down a long corridor and into a huge room. The walls were loaded with books from floor to ceiling. There were several plush love seats and a couple of over stuffed recliners scattered here and there around the room along with a few bean bags near the fire place for the children of the pack to sit on while they read. 

"This is our library. Aside from the dining hall, it's one of the bigger rooms of the house. You are more than welcome to come here anytime you want while you are staying here." Mariah knew it wouldn't be long before Janette's 'temporary' stay turned permanent but she wasn't going to say anything about that.

Janette followed Mariah through the house from one room to another, oohing and ahhing at the enormous kitchen, dining hall and TV room. "This place is amazing. You guys have done a wonderful job with it." She continued gaping at everything when a thought occurred to her. "I'm not trying to pry or anything, but you guys seem to be... well... rich."

Mariah nodded her head slowly and smiled. "Yeah, we do well for ourselves."

"But you would never know it by looking at Mitch. I mean he drives a regular vehicle and wears regular clothes, nothing fancy at all. I would never have guessed."

Mariah stopped at the end of the hallway and turned to Janette. "There's something you have to understand about my brother. He's not the showy type. In fact, believe it or not, he's rather modest. He doesn't like to flaunt his wealth. It makes him feel uncomfortable. He also doesn't spend money frivolously, which is part of the reason that he has so much of it. Don't get me wrong, he makes sure that every member of his pack has what they need and a bit of what they want. We are all well taken care of here. He is also an excellent business man and is good at making wise decisions when it comes to money." Mariah began walking again with Janette following close behind. "We all have jobs and have our own money but when it comes to the house and businesses, Mitch and Liam take care of that part."

Janette's heart swelled in her chest. It was obvious that Mitch's sister looked up to him and was profoundly proud of his accomplishments. The closeness that she sensed between the two siblings almost made her feel jealous. She had never had a brother or sister and had basically been alone all of her life except for her grandma and aunt. She had always dreamed of having a sibling though.

Mariah caught the slight frown covering Janette's features. "What's wrong?" she asked with a worried expression.

"Oh nothing." Janette tried to smile but wasn't feeling it.

"Come on. I can tell something's up. You can trust me."

Janette took a deep breath. "It's nothing. I don't know." She paused momentarily wondering how much of her feelings she should share with a complete stranger. "I'm an only child. I've only lived with my grandma and aunt all my life. The way you describe the pack... well, you all seem so close, like one big family. I've never had that before. It's just strange for me to see, that's all."

Mariah laughed suddenly. "Well, let me warn you. If you stay with Mitch, you will have to get use to it. Our pack is all about family." Mariah took Janette's hand leading her up the staircase. "Let me show you the study and then I will take you to Mitch's quarters where you will be staying."

They walked several feet down the hall before turning right into another large room. It wasn't near as impressive as the others but still held its own type of charm. There was a large heavy dark wood desk along the wall with a cushy leather chair behind it. The bookshelves, of course, were filled to the brim. Janette noticed, after further examination that they were all books on finance and law. Along the opposite wall was a fancy love seat in front of a large stone fireplace.

Mariah noticed Janette's less-than-impressed expression. "The only reason I'm showing you this room is because this is basically Mitch's office. If ever he goes missing, you can likely find him here with his nose in some book or another." Mariah grabbed Janette's hand again and led her out of the study and down the hall to Mitch's room. She opened the door and waited for her to enter.

Janette couldn't help the gasp that escaped her when she stepped into the large bedroom. The room was so big her entire apartment could probably fit in it. The bed was bigger than any that she had seen before. It looked so inviting with its plush pillow top mattress, thick fluffy quilt and the dozen pillows neatly arranged at the head of the bed. She found herself feeling sleepy just looking at it. 

Next to the bed was a balcony with sliding glass doors, looking out onto the gardens. She walked across the room and into the adjoining bathroom, which was about half the size of the bedroom. It had double sinks and a huge garden tub. She found herself wondering how long it would take to fill that tub up. It seemed like a swimming pool compared to the small tub in her apartment. Across the room from the tub was a separate shower stall and the wall behind the double sinks was covered in huge mirrors.

"This place is amazing!" Janette exclaimed in awe. "This huge room is just for Mitch?"

"Yes." Mariah said with a smile. "There are many rooms in the house like this. There are also walk-in closets over on that side of the room." Mariah pointed towards the far wall across from the bed. "Mitch's closet is the one on the left. You can take the one on the right. Let me know what size you wear and I can go get you some clean clothes to use until you can get back to your place."

"Um... okay. Size 8. You're not going shopping at this hour, are you?"

Mariah laughed and shook her head. "No, we have plenty of clothes of different sizes kept in a spare closet downstairs. I'm sure I can find something appropriate for you."

Janette lifted an eyebrow in mild confusion. Who keeps spare clothes like that? She thought to herself. That's just weird.

"You would be surprised how fast this pack goes through clothing." Mariah said as though she had been reading Janette's thoughts. "It's necessary to have a back up supply available. Especially when we have newly changed weres around. They don't have as much control over their shifting and tend to rip through their clothing quite often by accident." She walked over to the door and opened it. "Make yourself at home. You can take a shower if you want to. I'm going to go round up some supplies and clothing for you. I'll be right back."

Janette stood there and watched Mariah leave the room. She didn't quite know what to make of the mansion she was in. It was all very impressive and she couldn't wait to go visit the gardens and greenhouse. She walked to the bed and smoothed her hand across the fluffy quilt before sitting down on the mattress. The bed was so soft, she couldn't wait to lay down and sleep on it. It had been a long and trying day and she was starting to feel exhausted. But first she decided to take advantage of the invitation to have a shower.

Janette walked back to the bathroom and was just about to turn the shower on when she thought better of it. She turned the faucet on in the tub instead, eager to soak in it. She rummaged through the many cabinets in the bathroom and finally located the clean towels and a nice bottle of bubble bath. She couldn't figure out why Mitch would have bubble bath but she didn't care. She poured a good dollop or two under the running water and was pleased to see that the tub was filling up faster than she had expected. She quickly stripped off her clothes laying them in a pile on the floor and stepped into the tub, sinking all the way in and laying her head back and closing her eyes. She hadn't felt so relaxed in such a long time.

*

"So you think it was a were who broke into Janette's place?" Liam asked with a look of surprise.

"Yes, I could smell it. But I didn't recognize the scent as being anyone from our pack."

"But why would anyone want to rob or harm your mate? I don't get it." Liam gulped down the last of the scotch in his glass and walked over to sit on the loveseat in front of the fireplace.

"I have no idea. I've been wondering the same thing myself." Mitch sat next to his brother. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He felt so confused. He didn't even know where to start looking for the intruder but he was certain that if anyone harmed Janette he would make them pay dearly. Possibly with their own life. 

"I can't let any harm come to her, Liam. If anything were to happen to her, I don't know what I would do. This may sound strange to you but I don't think I could live without her." Mitch knew a few people who had lost their mate and he knew of the torment they had gone through. One friend of his actually took his own life as he wasn't able to cope with the loss.

"It doesn't sound strange at all. I've never felt that way about anyone but I understand what you mean. Don't worry, brother. I will help you find who it was. I'll help you protect Janette. I know you two aren't mated yet but she's already like family. We always protect family." Liam slapped his brother on the back reassuringly. "Speaking of... when are you going to tell her about the mating thing? You eventually have to explain things to her and hopefully soon."

Mitch sighed. "I know. I will tell her. Maybe I will tell her tonight. I'm just waiting for the right time, that's all. I'm kind of nervous about her reaction. I don't want her to think I'm trying to push her into anything."

"I understand that. Stop being so nervous about everything. If you two are truly mates then she will be feeling the pull as well. I mean, hell, she was fine when you told her you are a wolf so why would she take the mating news any worse? You'll be fine, she'll be fine. Just tell her already." Liam knew his brother was incredibly smart and a good decision maker but he sometimes got annoyed with Mitch's lack of spontaneity. Sometimes he just thought too much about things rather than acting on them.

Mitch suddenly found himself feeling extremely tired. He couldn't help the yawn that crept up on him. "I'm going to go find Janette and then I think I'm gonna call it a night. I'm exhausted." He stood and walked to the door, bid his brother good night and then headed towards his room. He passed Mariah in the hall and was surprised that Janette wasn't with her. "Where's Jan?"

"Oh she's in your room. I brought her up some clothes and other supplies I thought she might need."

"Thanks, sis." Mitch gave her a kiss on the forehead. "It's late. I'm going to go to bed. Thanks for all of your help. I'll see you in the morning." Mitch made his way down the hall to his room, walked in and closed the door behind him before engaging the lock. 

He looked over the items his sister had left laying on the bed and smiled his approval. Everything she chose for Janette was perfect. He hung the clothes in the closet and took the assortment of toiletries into the bathroom to put them away. He stopped suddenly when he saw Janette laying in the tub full of steaming water and bubbles. She had a wet cloth covering her eyes and seemed to be asleep.

Mitch quietly placed the items on the counter and stepped up to the tub. He smiled down at her. She looked so peaceful, as though all the stress from the day had melted away. He disrobed and put his clothes in the laundry hamper along with the ones she had laid on the floor. Janette jumped and pulled the cloth from her eyes when she felt someone slide into the tub next to her.

"Jesus! You scared me! I didn't see you come in," she said.

"Of course you didn't." Mitch laughed and slid an arm around her shoulders. "You had your eyes closed. In fact, I think you may have even been asleep. Don't you know that it's not safe to sleep in the tub? You could drown."




The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 10



"I wasn't asleep. Close, but not asleep." Janette hadn't been sleeping at all but rather she had been thinking about the things Mitch had done to her in the woods earlier that evening. She began feeling a bit nervous thinking about sleeping in the same bed with him. It would seem so awkward.

Mitch slid to the other end of the tub opposite Janette. He pulled one of her feet into his lap and began massaging it under the water. "So, what do you think of this place?" he asked before sliding a hand along her leg, gently messaging her calf.

Janette felt a rush of excitement flood into her stomach when she felt his hand kneading her lower leg. She didn't think he was meaning anything sexual by it but she couldn't help her reaction to his touch. "I absolutely love it. It's amazing. I caught a glimpse of the gardens from the balcony. I can't wait to go see them tomorrow, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all. In fact, I was expecting you would want to go visit the gardens. I had planned to take you there after breakfast in the morning." He slid his hand further up her leg to her lower thigh, continuing the massage. Reaching forward and gently grabbing her by the waist, he pulled her up onto his lap. "There's lots of things I want to show you."

Janette didn't resist but instead wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. He leaned in to kiss her when a thought came to her and she stopped him. "Mitch, I need you to explain something to me."

"What is it?" Mitch said with a confused look.

"What's all this talk about mating and mating ceremonies. I mean, I'm not an idiot, I know what mating is. But your sister asked me earlier when our mating ceremony was planned. What was she talking about?"

Mitch let out a long sigh and wiped a hand across his face. Why did his sister have to open her big mouth? He wanted to talk to Janette about this on his own. He gently pushed her off his lap and sat her next to him. "I was going to talk to you about all of this. I just was waiting for the right time." He sat up straighter and turned to her. "Each werewolf has a mate. I guess you could say it's a soul mate but it's really more than that. It's the one person they are destined to be with for the rest of their life."

Janette looked at Mitch with her eyebrows drawn together. "But what does that have to do with us?"

"I believe that you are my mate, Janette. You were meant for me and I was meant for you. I tried to tell you this in your apartment but your attention was focused elsewhere. It was when I shifted into a wolf for the first time, remember?" He smiled when she shook her head, still confused. "Don't you feel it? I know I feel it. We generally refer to it as the mating pull. That's how we find each other. It's as though we are magnets and can't seem to escape one another. Some try to fight it for one reason or another, but are seldom successful. I've felt this pull for you from the moment I saw you in the woods when you were ten years old."

Janette gasped in surprise. "What do you mean since I was ten? We only met each other less than a week ago."

"Janette, I own all the land that lies between this mansion and your grandmother's cottage." Mitch paused trying to think of how to explain things to her. "I was out running in the woods one day when I saw you on your horse. You were just a small girl but even then, I felt the pull. I'm not saying it was a sexual pull. It was more like a desperate need to protect you and keep you safe. I was there most every time you rode through my woods. When I wasn't able to be there, one of my betas was there watching over you. I noticed when we were at your grandma's that you still had all the gifts I left for you on that boulder. They were on a shelf in your room." Mitch laughed softly when he saw Janette's eyes grow big and she gasped.

"That was you?"

"Yes, it was," he said, kissing her on the top of her head. "I don't really know why I left all of those things. I just couldn't resist seeing the smile on your face."

"I always wondered where that stuff was coming from." Suddenly Janette felt slightly uncomfortable with what Mitch was telling her. "Wait a minute. You have been watching me since I was ten? And now I am to be with you for the rest of my life?" She watched him nod his head, his expression suddenly becoming nervous. 

Janette didn't know what to think of all that he was telling her. It's not that she didn't want to be with him. In fact, if she didn't know any better she'd think she was falling for him. However, the idea that she would be basically forced to mate with someone... well, that idea definitely rubbed her the wrong way. "What if I don't want to be with you? Do I even get a choice in the matter?"

Mitch's heart sank in his chest. He didn't know what he would do if Janette refused him. He averted his eyes from hers and removed his arm from around her shoulders. "Janette, I would never force you to do anything that you don't want to do. It's your life." He stood and stepped out of the tub and wrapped a towel around his waist. He took a deep breath and plastered a fake smile across his face before turning to her. "I want nothing more than for you to be happy. If you aren't feeling what I'm feeling then I understand. I would never push you into anything." He leaned over and kissed the top of her head before turning and leaving the room.

Janette just sat there not sure how to feel. It was obvious from the look in Mitch's eyes that she had hurt him deeply. That knowledge ripped at her heart. What was he expecting from her? She had already been through so much and then he laid this on her. 

She shook her head and swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat before pulling the plug in the tub and stepping out. She wrapped a towel around herself and walked into the bedroom intent on talking to Mitch and explaining the way she was feeling but he wasn't there. He had left. She walked to the closet and picked out a pair of jeans and a pastel pink knit top that Mariah had brought up for her. After dressing, she ran a brush through her hair and slipped on her shoes. She had to find Mitch and talk things out with him. She didn't want him to think her answer was no, she just needed more time to get use to the idea.

*

Mitch walked out the back door of the mansion wearing a pair of jeans and a white button down shirt. The damp grass felt cold on his bare feet but he didn't care. He needed time alone to think. He walked swiftly to the gardens and sat on a bench that had been carved out of a large log. There were solar lamps scattered strategically throughout the garden casting light on all the different plots of plants and flowers, along with a small pond in the center filled with goldfish.

Mitch sat there for a good twenty minutes trying to think of his next move. For some reason he felt sure that Janette wouldn't be willing to mate with him and the idea scared him. He wanted nothing more than to spend his life with her at his side but if she said no, he would have no choice but to let her go. He was more than willing to do that. He hadn't been lying when he told her that he wanted nothing more than for her to be happy. Every time she smiled it made his heart soar. And her laugh... her laugh was like music to his ears. 

He closed his eyes and breathed in the night air in a deep swift breath. When he caught Janette's scent on the air his body stiffened. Okay, here we go, he thought to himself. He turned to see her walking down the path towards him. She looked beautiful as ever and smelled even better. He stood and walked over to her. "Janette, I'm sorry about all of this. I can take you back to your grandma's if you want but even if you leave I don't want you to go back home. I still don't think it's safe for you to be there."

Janette put her finger to Mitch's lips, silencing him. "Don't ever do that to me again." she said sternly.

"Do what?"

"Walk away from me thinking you know what I'm feeling when you really don't." She took her finger from his mouth and looked deep into his eyes. "This 'mating pull'... you don't think I've been feeling it? I haven't been able to get you off my mind since I ran into you in the grocery store. When I said what I said in the bath, I didn't mean that I won't mate with you. I was just asking questions." Janette felt her frustration rising. 

"This is all new to me, Mitch. You have to give me time. You have to answer my questions. I don't know anything about wolves, mating, or pack life. Cut me a little slack, will you?" She took his hands in hers and stepped closer to him. She caught a whiff of his scent in front of her and felt her knees go slightly week. "I want to be with you, Mitch. But you have to understand where I'm coming from. I know nothing about mating ceremonies or anything like that. Hell, I didn't even know that werewolves existed until a few days ago. Do you understand?"

Mitch smiled down at her and let out a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry sweetheart. I wasn't thinking clearly." He pulled her into his arms and held her close. "For a moment there I thought you were going to leave me. I can't begin to describe how that made me feel. If anyone has the power to bring a man to his knees, it's you. Do you know that?" He laughed down at her and hugged her even tighter.

Janette took Mitch's hand and led him back to sit on the bench next to her. "Okay, so this mating ceremony. What does it consist of?"

"Well, generally it's done in front of the whole pack. There's a spot in the woods further away from the gardens that is reserved for ceremonies and celebrations." Mitch shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "You mate with someone during sex. We would have sex and then when I feel your orgasm near I would bite you right about here." He pointed to the side of her neck near her shoulder.

"Wait a minute. Are you saying I would have to have sex with you in front of the whole pack?" She watched him nod his head. "I'm sorry, Mitch, but I just can't do that. I'm not that type of person."

Mitch laughed loudly. "I didn't think you would. It's not a rule that you have to do it in front of the pack. It's just tradition. Sex is a normal thing in pack life. It's not looked down on at all. Quite often, you may come across couples having sex in the wide open during ceremonies and rituals or even just on a random day in the woods. That's just how it is. However, I understand if you are uncomfortable with it. You don't have to do it. We can be mated in the privacy of my room. Either way it's still an official mating."

Janette breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I can't imagine doing that in front of other people."

"Many members of my pack do it the traditional way. But don't ever think badly about them for that. That is just how they were raised. It's natural for them. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I think so." Janette suddenly had a thought come to her. "When we mate, does that mean I am a wolf too? I mean, I know it's probably going to happen. I have dreamed it. But I don't know if I am ready for that yet."

"No. There are two different bites I can give you. One is to mate with you. The other, I bite you and infect you with the wolf gene thereby turning you into a werewolf. I won't do that to you unless you are ready and fully accepting of it."

Janette lowered her eyes to the ground. "Does it hurt?"

"Does what hurt?"

"Will it hurt when you bite me?" she said nervously before looking back at him.

"I honestly don't know. I wouldn't think it would be too bad. Janette, I wouldn't do anything to hurt you. You mean too much to me." Mitch slid his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to rest her head against his chest. "We don't have to do it right away. I know you feel scared and I understand. I don't expect you to jump in without thinking about it first but there's one thing I want to tell you."

Janette saw the anxious look in Mitch's eyes. "What do you want to tell me?"

Mitch held her face in his hands and looked directly into her eyes. "I want you to live here with me. Forever. You can give up your apartment in the city. Janette, I want you to be with me and I want to take care of you. I want us to take care of each other. That's all I have ever wanted." He saw the tears forming in her eyes and leaned down to kiss her lightly on the lips. "Please say yes. I need you here by my side."

Janette couldn't stop the single tear streaming down her face. She had never felt so loved before. She could see in his eyes that he was sincere and meant every word. What surprised her most was that she felt the same way. She didn't want to go back home or even to her grandmother's cottage. She wanted to stay here. With him. Where she belonged. She nodded her head and wiped a tear from her cheek. "Yes... okay."

Mitch picked her up and twirled her around in a circle, laughing. "If you only knew how happy you have just made me." he said with a big grin on his face. He swept the hair away from Janette's face and kissed her deeply. "Let's go in. You seem to be getting cold."

Janette didn't know if the goosebumps on her arms were from the cold or from the emotions spreading within her. "Okay. Let's go."

They walked hand in hand back to the mansion where Mitch led Janette back up the stairs and into his room. They both entered the room and he locked the door behind them.

Janette walked over and gazed out the balcony window towards the gardens they had just come from. They had been beautiful but she hadn't taken the time to really enjoy them. She couldn't wait until the next day when she could go out in the daytime and get a better look. She suddenly felt her stomach flip when Mitch came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. An unexpected shiver ran down her spine when he swept her hair to the side and gently began kissing her neck.

"Mitch..." she sighed and closed her eyes.

Mitch turned Janette to face him. He quickly looked her over from head to toe and leaned down to join his lips with hers. He kissed her deeply, one hand wrapped around her waist and the other on the back of her head. 

When he felt her respond to him, he pulled back and regarded her with a playful grin. "I told you I would finish what we started once we reached your apartment, remember?" He pulled her body even closer to his. "Well, seeing as your apartment is kind of unavailable right now, I think my room will do, don't you?" He didn't wait for her response before leaning down and kissing her again.

Janette couldn't stop the fire being ignited in her lower abdomen. What's more is that she didn't want to stop it. She felt as though she would die if Mitch stopped what he was doing to her. She was tired of getting interrupted when things started getting romantic between them so she silently cast a shield of protective energy around them and the room they were in.

Mitch felt a sharp tingle run through his body momentarily and opened his eyes just in time to see an electric blue hue leave the room and sink into the walls. "What was that? Did you do that?" he asked her incredulously.

Janette smiled up to him and nodded her head. "Yes. It was just a shield to keep people from interrupting us. I don't want to stop this time, Mitch."

Mitch wasn't sure what exactly Janette had done or how, but he didn't care. He would ask her about it later. At that moment he didn't care about anything but being with her in every way that he could. He kissed her again, this time quite gently. Repeating his actions from in the woods earlier that evening, he lifted her arms above her head and slowly slid her shirt up and off her, tossing it to the floor. He pulled her to him reveling in the feel of her warm skin against him.

Janette felt the kiss grow deeper and more passionate. She slid her hands up Mitch's chest and began clumsily unbuttoning his shirt in a desperate effort to get it off him. She was a bit taken aback and laughed when he moved her hands out of the way and ripped the shirt, sending buttons popping and flying everywhere. "Mitch! Your shirt!"

"I can get another. Don't you worry about it." Mitch brought his lips back to meet Janette's before sliding his hands up her bare back and unclasping her bra. He slid the flimsy material from her shoulders, down her arms and threw it to the side to lie on the floor with her shirt. He growled low in his chest and began kissing his way down her neck and across her shoulders.

Janette closed her eyes and leaned her head to the side a bit to allow Mitch better access. She gasped loudly in surprise when she felt one nipple and then the other being engulfed by Mitch's hot mouth, his tongue swirling lazily over the taut peaks.

Mitch couldn't get enough of Janette. Her taste, her touch, her scent, the way her skin felt pressed against his bare chest; it all combined together and made him almost lightheaded. It was the most euphoric experience he had ever had. He pried his attention away from her breasts and began kissing her again with an almost desperate urge. He had never felt his wolf as strongly as he did at that moment. His wolf was whimpering and begging Mitch to take their mate right then and make her theirs.

Janette felt as though she was in exquisite agony. Never had she felt as much pleasure as she was feeling at that moment, both physical and emotional. She was just about to reach out to unbutton Mitch's jeans when he lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist.

Mitch was nearly out of breath, practically panting. He met Janette's eyes once more. "Bed?" he asked, unable to vocalize anything else. She nodded and he didn't waste any time taking her there. He quickly walked across the room and sat her gently on the edge of the bed.

Janette began scooting backward to the middle of the mattress and watched as Mitch followed her on his hands and knees. He was moving ever so slowly towards her and the predatory look in his eyes made Janette's heart leap with a tinge of fear but also with a bit of excitement. He looked as though he would change into a wolf at any moment and begin chasing her. She was finding it hard to maintain eye contact with him. Instead, she found herself looking all around her, scoping out the nearest exit.

Mitch continued slowly crawling towards Janette like a predator stalking its prey, his eyes never leaving hers. He only had one thing on his mind and that was claiming what was his. He found himself in the middle of a power struggle between what he knew to be right and what his wolf wanted. He was thankful that Janette knew what he was but he was still worried. She didn't know all the details that came with it. However, her aroused scent was tantalizing his nose and the look of her laying there beneath him, so innocent and sweet, was making him crazy with lust.

Janette moaned softly when Mitch began ravishing her mouth again. He seemed so possessive now, as though he wanted to eat her up. She lay there beneath him, he spread her jean clad legs apart with his knees and began slowly grinding his clothed erection against her mound, making her moan louder.

Mitch couldn't take much more. He let his tongue trek slowly down Janette's neck, down to her shoulders, her breasts, and down even further to her toned stomach. He licked and inched his way down to her button fly and started unbuttoning her jeans. She protested for a moment but Mitch stopped her, holding her hands to her sides, beckoning her to let him continue. He saw the look of nervousness on her face and sat up on his knees to talk to her.

"What's wrong?" he asked breathlessly. "Do you want me to stop?"

Janette could see the pained look on Mitch's face and knew that he was using every ounce of self-control that he had in an effort to be careful and gentle with her. The nervousness suddenly left her and she wanted nothing more than for Mitch to continue. 




The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 10



She sat up in front of him and reached for the button of his jeans. "I don't ever want you to stop, Mitch." She released the button and slid the zipper down. She had never been one to take control of a situation or make the first move, she was usually too shy for that sort of thing. However, the pull she was feeling towards Mitch seemed to make her want to do things she wouldn't normally do.

Mitch was literally shocked when Janette pushed him back to lay flat on the bed and crawled on top of him. That had been the last thing he had expected from her. He didn't complain when she leaned down and began kissing him, ravishing his mouth with her tongue. 

With a moan, he pulled her closer and began exploring her body once more with his hands. He brought one hand down and expertly unbuttoned her fly. He slid his hand inside her jeans and let his finger explore her slippery center, softly brushing along her folds before tracing teasing slow circles around her clit. When he gently slid his middle finger inside of her, he felt her tightness stretch around him. He began slowly moving his finger in and out of her while continuing his assault on her clit with his thumb.

Janette couldn't contain the small moans filling the room. She was aware that they were coming from her but she didn't care. She felt that now familiar tension growing in her lower abdomen and sat up. She began gently grinding her hips rhythmically, forcing Mitch's finger deeper inside her.

Mitch looked up into Janette's half closed eyes. He could tell that her orgasm was close but he didn't want her to come just yet. He had much more planned for her. When he removed his finger from her, she groaned in protest. 

"Not yet, sweetheart," he said with a wicked grin on his face. He rolled her over onto her back and sat on his knees. He could see the dark wet spot left on the crotch of her jeans and laughed. "Well, well, well. Someone's aroused." He reached forward, grabbed the waistband of Janette's jeans, slowly pulled them down her legs, and tossed them to the floor leaving her completely naked in front of him. He then stood at the end of the bed and took his own jeans off before crawling back to where she lay in the middle of the mattress.

Janette's body felt as though it was on fire. She couldn't get enough of Mitch's kisses. Her breathing became almost frantic as his hands stroked every inch of her bare flesh, all the way from her arms, down to her breasts, and then on to her abdomen and thighs. She found herself desperately trying to guide his hand to the place she really wanted it, between her thighs, but he would always stop right before reaching the most sensitive part of her body. It was obvious that he was doing it on purpose and trying to tease her. Well, two can play at that game, she thought to herself. 

She boldly began kissing him and gently slid her hand slowly down his chest and then down his abdomen stopping just short of his rigid erection. She began innocently running her hand up and down his inner thighs, 'accidentally' brushing against the base of his cock every so often. She smiled to herself when Mitch suddenly grabbed her hand and tried to wrap her fingers around his cock. His breathing was ragged and she could see his pulse pumping away in his neck. She pulled her hand away from him and looked deep into his eyes with one eyebrow raised. 

"Not yet, sweetheart." she whispered.

Mitch felt his wolf come forth with a deep growl and before he knew it, he was on top of Janette and resting himself between her legs. He leaned in and kissed her once more pulling her right knee up and around his waist.

"Do you want me, Janette?" he asked.

"Desperately," she replied breathlessly.

Mitch gently brushed his lips across hers. "Just hold on to me. I promise I'll be careful." He wrapped his arm around her back holding her to him. Reaching down with the other hand, he slid his erection up and down her slit, coating himself in her juices. He joined his mouth to hers again in another passionate kiss before giving one quick thrust.

Janette couldn't stop the short surprised scream that came when Mitch entered her. She wasn't expecting it to hurt. She hadn't had sex in such a long time that she had almost forgotten what it had felt like to have a man inside of her. Although, she was certain it had never felt like this. The discomfort quickly faded as her body adjusted to his size.

Mitch began moving slowly in and out of her, taking his time to allow her to relax and get used to him. "I'm not hurting you, am I?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

"God, no. You're not hurting me at all. I promise I would tell you if you were." Janette slid her hands down Mitch's back to rest on his ass. She could feel his muscles along the way moving and flexing in response to his exertion. She tried to urge him deeper inside of her wanting more but he seemed to be holding back. 

"I'm not a china doll, Mitch," she said in a soft voice. "You don't really have to be so careful with me. I'm not going to break."

Mitch looked down into Janette's eyes and saw that they were mirrors reflecting the same need and desire that he was feeling at that very moment. With a deep groan he roughly crushed his mouth to hers delivering a kiss that told her in no uncertain terms exactly how much he wanted her. He felt his wolf coming closer to the surface and found himself going deeper and harder with each thrust. Janette's obvious moans of pleasure were just spurring him on.

Janette lie there beneath Mitch unable to speak, unable to catch her breath, unable to even think straight. She didn't have a lot of experience as far as sex went but she had never felt anything so amazing in her life. Mitch seemed to be doing everything right, his every movement, his every thrust, his every kiss sending delightful waves of pleasure through her body. He was reaching spots within her that she hadn't even known existed. She couldn't get enough of touching him and found herself running her hands gently up his back, his biceps, his chest, reveling in the feel of his smooth warm skin covering every inch of his hard muscular body. She looked up into his now almost black eyes and was surprised to see all the love that was beaming back at her. She was even more surprised to realize that she loved him just as much. 

"Mitch, take me and make me yours," she said in a raspy breath. "I want to be yours forever."

Mitch slowed his thrusting and looked down at her in surprise. "Are you sure that's what you want, Jan?"

Janette slowly nodded her head. "That's the only thing I want right now, Mitch. For me to be yours and you to be mine."

Mitch smiled down at her, elated that she was ready to be joined with him. He kissed her deeply. "I would do anything for you, you know that?" He kissed her again. "I love you so much."

Janette felt her heart jump in her chest at the sound of those words aloud. "I love you, too," she said, joining her lips to his once more. 

Janette squealed in surprise when Mitch swiftly flipped her over onto her hands and knees. She could hear his breath coming in excited little pants as he pulled her hips to him. She felt a rush of soft hair brushing against the backs of her thighs and gasped aloud. Oh my God, it's really happening, she thought to herself. 

She tried to relax and not worry about the pain of the coming bite but found the nervousness returning. She felt Mitch place one large paw on her hip and one on her shoulder to hold her in place, being careful not to scratch her with his sharp claws. She wanted to look back and see him but she didn't dare. She squeezed her eyes shut expecting the worse but instead let out a low moan when Mitch entered her from behind. He was so much larger in his wolf form than in his human form. She could hear the panting animal behind her driving himself forcefully into her, each thrust bringer her closer to her climax. "Oh my God Mitch!" she gasped.

Mitch let his wolf have full control but made it clear that his wolf was to be gentle with Janette. After all, she was still a human and humans were much more fragile than wolves were. He continued pumping into her tight wet sheath, trying his best to keep control of himself. He could feel his release grow near but didn't want to come until Janette was ready. He gently scraped his claws down her back and then followed it with his long wet tongue.

Janette was already close to the edge when she felt Mitch's tongue trail up the length of her back and along her neck sending a shiver down her spine. "Mitch," she gasped almost inaudibly. "I'm gonna come." 

She felt his dramatically muscled furry arms wrap around her middle pulling her up to him in a sitting position in his lap. He was still thrusting into her even more desperately now as he lapped away at her neck where he intended to bite her. Janette felt his sharp teeth lightly scrape across her flesh but then he seemed to hesitate. 

"Just do it. Please Mitch, make me yours."

Mitch didn't wait a second longer. He delivered two more powerful thrusts when he felt Janette's muscles spasm around his cock and her hot juices trickle down his thighs. She cried out his name when she finally climaxed, sending him over the edge right along with her. She didn't even flinch when he sank his razor sharp teeth into her neck sending her sweet blood spraying across his tongue. Instead, she reached an arm around to hold his head to her, her muscles still pulsating and clamping around his now spent manhood. Mitch felt his wolf retreat and he slowly shifted back to his human form, with Janette still wrapped securely in his arms.

Janette sat there perched in Mitch's lap like a small child, resting her head back against his shoulder. They were both covered in sweat and still gasping for air. The bite didn't really hurt like she feared it would. It stung quite a bit but the pleasure from the orgasm he had given her far outweighed the sting of the bite. She began to feel a strong tingling sensation flow through her body. It started at the site of the bite and traveled in waves through her bloodstream down her arms, torso, and then into her legs and feet. She looked up at Mitch with her eyes drawn together in confusion. She gasped when she heard his voice in her head.

"It's okay, sweetheart. The sensations you are feeling right now are normal. I didn't hurt you too bad, did I?"

Janette sat there for several seconds not knowing what to think. Perhaps I imagined it, she thought to herself.

"No, you didn't imagine anything," Mitch said out loud with a smile. "You heard me talking to you in your mind. We won't be fully mated until you are turned and you bite me. When you are mated with someone, you can hear their thoughts and communicate telepathically. But we are only half mated so our gifts have a shorter range."

"Y... you mean I can just think things and you will hear them? We won't have to speak aloud?"

Mitch nodded his head. The bafflement on her face was making him laugh. "That's right. But like I said, we can only mentally speak to each other from a short range. Once you are turned and we are fully mated we can speak to each other from anywhere in the world. Right now as half mates, we can feel each other's feelings and emotions from anywhere in the world but we can't mentally speak to each other from great distances. Go on. You try it." He held her close to him and urged her on with a supportive smile.

"That was probably the absolute best sex I have ever had in my friggin' life," she thought to herself.

Mitch burst out laughing and kissed her on the forehead. "Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I rather enjoyed it myself."

"I love you, Mitch," Janette thought into his mind. "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

When Mitch heard Janette's thoughts he froze suddenly, taken aback by her sincerity. He gazed into her brown eyes that were slowly filling with tears. "I love you too sweetheart. I will never let any harm come to you," he said aloud as he gently brushed her hair away from her face. He leaned in and brushed his lips lightly across hers before deepening the kiss, thoroughly exploring her mouth with his tongue.

Janette turned to straddle him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. She felt him stiffen between her legs and giggled. "Looks like someone is ready for round two?"

Mitch smiled and rolled Janette onto her back. "So, maybe I am."

*

"Dammit, I'm coming. Just wait a minute," Liam said as he made his way to the phone that wouldn't stop ringing. It was Mitch's phone. He had left it in the TV room but Liam answered it anyway. If it had something to do with one of their businesses, he would need to know about it. "This is Liam," he said into the phone in an irritated voice. He listened for a few moments to the voice on the other line. "Uh huh. I'll give him the message and tell him to call you back right away... yes... thank you Officer Stafford... you have a good night... good bye."

Liam tossed the phone back on the couch and with an annoyed sigh, he made his way up the stairs and headed towards Mitch's room. "Jesus, it's almost midnight and shit like this has to happen. Don't people know that wolves need sleep too?" he muttered angrily under his breath. He finally reached Mitch's room and was just about to knock on the door when he heard a strange sound coming from within. He pressed his ear to the door to hear what was going on when he heard a muffled voice.

"Oh Mitch... please... don't stop."

Liam stood there stunned not knowing what to do next. Should he interrupt to give the message or save it until morning? Just then, Mariah came walking down the hall headed to her own room.

"What's going on? Is everything okay?" she asked with a concerned look.

"Just listen." Liam pressed his ear to the door once more. He heard the sounds of loud moaning and banging, like a headboard being driven into the wall and his jaw dropped in shock. "Oh my GOD! He's totally fucking her into the wall!"

They both jumped back when they heard something being thrown against the door and an angry growl come from within the room. "Go away!"

Mariah smacked her brother on the arm. "You idiot! Grow the hell up! What are you doing here listening in anyway?" she asked with a glare.

"I wasn't listening in. I got a call and had an important message to deliver and just happen to come across them fucking in there! Can you believe it? They are finally doing it!" he exclaimed, waiving his hands around excitedly.

"Jeez you're such a perv. Surely your 'message' isn't so time sensitive that it can't wait until morning. They have just found each other. Go away and give them space. You can deliver the message in the morning." Mariah turned on her heel and walked back to her room leaving Liam by the door.

Liam stood there for a few moments longer trying to decide what to do when one of the cute unmated omegas came walking by carrying a basket of laundry. He looked towards the door where the moaning was coming from and back to the red head that just passed him in the hall. He could have sworn that last exaggerated sway of her hips as she walked hadn't been accidental. 

He quickly walked up behind her and she squealed when Liam scooped her up into his arms, leaving the basket of clothes scattered on the floor. "Oh yeah," he growled. "You're coming with me." She giggled as he carried her down the hall in the other direction towards his room. I can give Mitch the message in the morning, he thought to himself before carrying the girl into his room and using his foot to slam the door behind them.



The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 11



Thanks again to my editors, MythOFreak and PrincessJezebel. Probably the best editors ever. This chapter is rather far out there and probably not what you were expecting but I hope you all enjoy it anyway. Have a groovy day!



Janette awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside the partially open balcony door. She felt disoriented at first... and sore. It took her a few moments to remember where she was. She lay back against the fluffy pillows with a content smile spread across her face while she remembered the events of the night before. She could still feel Mitch's hands on her and her body began to tingle. When she rolled over to cuddle up next to him she found in his place a long stem red rose along with a note. She bolted straight up in bed clutching the sheets to her naked body. She then picked up the note to read it.

'I hope you don't mind that I didn't wake you. I thought you could use the sleep after last night. Get dressed and come downstairs. I'll have a fresh pot of coffee ready for you along with breakfast.  See you soon. Mitch'

Janette couldn't stop grinning like a teenager. She put the red rose to her nose and inhaled deeply, closing her eyes before placing it on the bedside table. She practically leaped from the bed and headed to the closet where she picked out a nice pair of jeans along with a deep purple lacy blouse. She went to the dresser, grabbed a pair of lavender underwear and matching bra, and made her way to the bathroom. Janette was on her way to the shower when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and  stopped in her tracks. 

She stepped closer to the mirror and gazed at her reflection, gliding her hand gently across the bite mark on the right side of her neck. It looked awful and was slightly sore but she felt proud to bare the mark of her mate. She felt her heart swell in her chest and couldn't wait to get downstairs to Mitch.

After what had to be the quickest shower she had ever taken, Janette searched through the bag of toiletries that Mariah had brought up for her and found a new toothbrush still in the package and a tube of toothpaste. She quickly brushed her teeth, and went to the bed and got dressed. She pulled a brush through her long hair and applied a bit of lip-gloss before heading out the door towards the winding staircase. 

As she made her way to the huge kitchen the smells of bacon and eggs hit her nose and she heard her stomach start to growl. She walked around the corner to be met by a large group of people sitting around a dining table, all laughing and joking with each other. She had been under the impression that she and Mitch would have breakfast alone. She hadn't been expecting a crowd. 

Janette stopped, suddenly becoming quite nervous at meeting so many new faces. She recognized Mariah, Liam and Jack but the rest were strangers to her. She briefly considered turning around and racing back upstairs to hide but Mitch spied her before she could make a move.

"There's my girl!" Mitch stood and walked towards Janette standing timidly in the doorway. He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought his lips to hers. She tensed and he felt her nervousness at kissing him in front of a crowd.

"Don't be nervous, darling," he said into Janette's mind. "This is my family and now they are your family as well. They are going to love you, I promise." He kissed her lightly on the cheek and turned to lead her into the room to sit next to him at the table. He pulled the chair out for her and waited for her to be seated before sitting to her left. 

Mitch looked around at all the smiling proud faces in the room that had suddenly grown very quiet. "What?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders.

Janette took a deep cleansing breath and tried to relax the best she could. Mitch offered her a cup of coffee and a plate piled high with scrambled eggs, several slices of bacon, fresh fruit and whole grain toast. She gratefully accepted both and reached for her silverware, which was wrapped in a white cloth napkin. She was just about to take a bite of her eggs when she noticed all eyes were on her. She looked around the room and a blush rose up into her cheeks.

Mitch had his hand on Janette's thigh and gave her knee a light reassuring squeeze. "You guys, stop staring. You're making her feel uncomfortable." Mitch was beginning to get irritated at his pack's rude behavior.

"We're sorry, Mitch. None of us are trying to be rude or make Jan uncomfortable. We are all just really happy to see you finally happy, that's all." Liam winked and smiled at Janette before turning back to his breakfast.

Janette began eating and found everything to be quite delicious. She took a sip of her coffee and almost spit it right back out when she heard Mariah, who was seated to her right, let out an ear piercing squeal. She looked over at the crazy woman wondering what on earth had just happened and noticed Mariah looking straight at the bite mark peaking out of the top of Janette's lace top.

"Oh my goodness!" Mariah exclaimed. "I have a new sister!" She threw her arms around Janette in a tight embrace.

Janette had no idea what to do. She looked over at Mitch with a look of surprise on her face. "You mean you haven't told them yet?" she said into his mind.

"I'm sorry. I wanted you to be here when I told them." Mitch stood and cleared his throat. "Mariah, calm down please." He didn't begin speaking until his sister had released his mate from her embrace. "I didn't want to say anything until Jan was down here with us but, yes, it's true. We are not fully mated, as you all know, she would have to be turned first, which she is not. However, she has agreed to stay with me and we are as mated as we can be right now." The room burst out in a roar of cheers and congratulations. Mitch tried to keep a straight face but found himself smiling ear to ear. He grabbed Janette's hand and helped her to stand by his side before wrapping his arms around her and kissing her lips.

Everyone in the room came around to the newly mated couple and hugged them both and kissed Janette on the cheek congratulating them. After all of the commotion calmed down and everyone was seated again, the room went back to normal with casual conversation, jokes and laughter.

Janette began to feel more and more comfortable with the group of people surrounding her. They were all incredibly friendly and accepted her right away. She found herself laughing hysterically at all the stories they were telling about Mitch in his younger days. She looked over at her new mate and smiled even wider when she saw him sitting there blushing like a fool. 

"I didn't know you blushed," she said in his mind.

Mitch gave Janette a forced smile, wishing his family would leave some of his more embarrassing moments of his youth out of the conversation.

"Oh Jan, you're gonna love this." Liam couldn't stop laughing as he relayed the story to Janette. "There was this one time when we took a trip to Kansas City, Missouri. We visited this topless bar... oh my God... Mitch was crazy drunk..."

"That's quite enough, Liam." Mitch gave his brother a look of unmistakable warning and Liam quit talking immediately.

"Aww, come on," Janette whined. "You can tell me." She lightly jabbed Mitch in the side with her elbow.

Mitch rolled his eyes and let out a deep sigh. "Alright, Liam, go ahead."

"Oh my God... okay... so we're at this topless bar and Mitch is drunk as hell, right? Anyway, one of the dancers pulls him up onto the stage and he starts dancing with her. In case you don't already know, Mitch can't dance. When he dances, he kind of reminds me of... I don't know... a spastic chicken, I suppose. Anyway, so he's dancing up there and next thing you know he starts stripping and swinging around the dancer's pole." The whole group, including Janette, burst out laughing. "We ended up getting kicked out of the club, needless to say. Of course this was all in Mitch's pre-alpha days."

Janette glanced over at Mitch who sat there with his hands covering his face in embarrassment. She patted him on the shoulder, still giggling. "It's okay, baby. We all do silly stuff when we are young."

Mitch stood from his chair, dragging one hand over his face. "Thanks everyone for the utterly humiliating time. I think I'm gonna go hang myself now." He reached down and took Janette's hand pulling her up from her chair.

"Aww, come one... it's all in good fun. Don't be a cry baby," Jack said, wiping a tear away from laughing so hard.

"No, really, I'm going to give my new mate a tour of her new home. She's been eager to see the gardens anyway."

Mariah stood and gave Janette one last big hug. "Welcome to our family, Jan. I, for one, am extremely happy that you are here."

Janette hugged her new sister back and followed Mitch out of the kitchen where he led her to the back door of the mansion. She stepped out of the door and took a deep breath of fresh air. The sun was shining, it was nice and warm, the perfect spring day. 

"I'm sorry if you were embarrassed back there, Mitch.  Although you have to admit, some of that stuff was hilarious," she said still giggling.

"Well, I'm glad my humiliation brings you such joy, my love." He smiled and winked down at her.

Janette lightly smacked Mitch in the arm. "Oh I didn't mean it like that and you know it. You're just being silly."

Mitch grabbed Janette around the waist pulling her to him and kissed her. "I know you didn't. I'm just giving you a hard time."

Janette was amazed by everything Mitch began to show her on his property. The gardens in the day light were absolutely beautiful. The huge greenhouse on the edge of the property was full to the brim of thriving green plants of all varieties. Everywhere they went there was someone from the pack working away on one project or another. They were even lucky enough to witness one of the pack members assisting a mother goat giving birth in one of the barns.

"Mitch, this is all so amazing. I don't know what to say."

"Well, I'm hoping that you will be extremely happy here with me. Just so you know, your grandmother and aunt are welcome here anytime as well. You are my family now and so are they." Mitch entwined his fingers with Janette's and led her back to the house.  Mitch was just about to open the back door for Janette when Liam and Jack approached them.

"Hey Mitch, can we speak to you alone for a moment?" Liam said and walked past them into the house.

Mitch reluctantly let go of Janette's hand. "Feel free to explore the house some more or spend some time in the gardens. This shouldn't take long." Mitch hopped up the steps of the enclosed back porch and followed his brother and Jack up the stairs and down the hall towards the study. 

"What's going on, Liam?" Mitch perched himself on the edge of the desk.

"We got a call last night from Officer Stafford. It was about Jan's apartment being broken into." Liam waited for Mitch's response but got nothing but a glare from his brother's dark eyes.

"And why was I not told about this last night, might I ask?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"I came up to give you the message but you... well you and Jan... you two were a bit busy with other things." Liam couldn't keep the smirk off of his face when he saw his brother avert his eyes. "Besides, we didn't get the message until midnight or later. I mean what would you have done about anything at that hour?"

Mitch closed his eyes and sighed. "Okay, what was the message then?"

Liam stood and began pacing the floor with his arms folded across his chest. "Stafford said that the scent of the were that broke into Jan's place had been recognized by one of our doctors that work at the hospital.  Remember the newly changed were that we had gotten a call about? The one that the police were after?"

Mitch nodded remembering the call and how he had been worried when he had done some snooping and found out that the were had been placed in a room on the same unit that Janette worked. "What about him?"

"Well, we asked the doctor to come take a look around Jan's apartment and when he did, he confirmed that the scent in her place matched the scent of the were he had taken care of."

"The police haven't found him though, right?" Mitch walked over to the window and saw Janette outside kneeling down and talking to a small blond boy of his pack.

"No they haven't found him," Jack said, stepping forward towards Mitch. "We have the hunters of the pack on his trail, especially after the apartment incident. So far we have found nothing."

"What do you propose we do next?" Mitch couldn't take his eyes off his mate. She was so beautiful. 

He suddenly felt a rush of fear for her safety flood his body. His muscles tensed when he thought of what he would do to the stranger who broke into Janette's apartment. He momentarily forgot about their new connection and blocked off his emotion when he saw her tense and look directly up at him in the window with a worried look on her face. He smiled at her and turned away.

Liam stopped pacing and looked directly at his brother, his expression serious. "If necessary, I think we should call in reinforcements."

"Reinforcements?" Mitch and Jack asked together.

"I don't think it's a bad idea to ask Jude and Alexander for help. You know they would do anything for us and they have a good track record when it comes to finding people."

Mitch nodded his head slowly, considering the idea. He knew Liam was right. The two vampire brothers would help them if they asked, and there wasn't anyone better at tracking people. "Okay. I will call and set up a meeting later today. If there's anyone outside of the pack that I trust, it's them."

Liam and Jack nodded their heads in agreement. "Congratulations again, Mitch," Jack said. "I know it's only a half mating but it's a start."

"When do you think she'll let you turn her?" Liam asked.

"You guys, I don't know. I'm going to give her plenty of time and space. She'll warm up to the idea soon enough. I'm just happy that she is here with me, turned or not." Mitch walked towards the door. "Now, if you two don't mind, I'm going to join my mate again."

Mitch walked out the door leaving Liam and Jack to their own conversation. He headed down the stairs and out the back door. He stopped to watch his mate interact with the toddler in the yard.

Janette was sitting on her knees talking to the blond haired three-year-old boy.

"Do you wanna see a trick I can do, Shan?" the boy asked with a big proud smile on his face.

Janette didn't bother to correct him as he said her name wrong. He was just too cute for words. "Okay. Let's see your trick." She gasped in awe when the boy changed himself into a small wolf. 

He was so tiny and cuddly it almost brought tears to her eyes. He pounced around in front of her, showing himself off. Suddenly, two other small wolf cubs came over and started playing with him. They played together for a few minutes before sitting on their hind legs in front of Janette as though they were waiting for her reaction. "You guys are so cute. Oh my goodness and so small!" she exclaimed.

The children turned back to their human forms almost at the same time. One of them stepped forward, "Someday I will be a big wolf like my daddy!" he said excitedly.

"Oh I know you will. You will be strong and big just like daddy, huh?" Janette hugged the small child. "Thank you for showing me your trick. That was amazing."

Suddenly a woman came walking up to them. "Jason, Emily, Zach... get over here. Leave her be. You guys know better than to run off like that!" She stood and turned to Janette. "I'm sorry, Madam. They are just such curious little souls."

Madam? She thought to herself. "Actually my name is Janette, and it's fine. Your children are so adorable. It was very nice visiting with them."

"Thank you, Madam," the woman said bowing her head to Janette. "I'll try to keep a better eye on them from now on." She gathered her cubs to her side and walked them home to their cottage on the property.

Janette stood there with a confused look on her face when Mitch came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle. "What was that all about?" she asked.

"What was what about?"

"All that 'Madam' stuff?" Janette turned to Mitch.

"Oh, don't take it the wrong way. It's just a sign of respect, that's all."

"Respect?" Janette was even more confused than before.

"Janette, I am the alpha of this pack. You are now my mate. The members of this pack have to follow orders from you as though I was the one giving them. She was just being respectful of your position."

"Alpha?" Janette shook her head. "But you don't seem 'alpha-ish'."

Mitch threw his back and laughed. "I'm not like other alphas. You will find with other packs that the alpha is usually demanding, quite full of himself, actually. I have never been that way. It's just not in my nature." Mitch looked into Janette's eyes. "I saw you with that boy. You seem to have a way with kids. You are going to be a great mother to our children."

Janette had never considered having children before. "Wait a minute. Children? As in offspring? Don't I have to be turned first in order to have your babies?"

"Not necessarily. It's unlikely that you are pregnant or can get pregnant by me at this time, but it's not unheard of. There have been a few cases of humans getting impregnated by werewolves." Mitch saw the look of worry on Janette's face. "Look, if you want me to use protection from now on, I will. I don't want you to get pregnant unless you are ready for it. Don't get me wrong. I would love for you to have my babies, but if you aren't ready, I completely understand. We have our whole lives together to make a family, Jan."

Janette wrapped her arms around Mitch's neck and hugged him to her. "It's not that I don't want to have your baby. It's just that I have never given it much thought. I know most girls my age are married and have a kid or two but I have always been too busy working, or studying, or helping take care of grandma. I just never really thought that I would one day be a mother. Especially not a mother to a werewolf."

Mitch squeezed Janette tighter. "Well, don't you worry about that stuff. We have plenty of time to decide on all of that later. Right now let's just be together." Mitch took her hand in his and led her back into the house. They walked down the hall together, hand in hand, back to his bedroom. "If you want to take a nap or something, feel free to do so. I have to go make a phone call. I won't be long." Mitch kissed Janette on the lips and turned to leave the room. He walked down the hall to his study, sat behind the desk and dialed a number on his phone.

"Hey, this is Mitch. I have a favor to ask."

*

 Janette awoke from her nap when she felt Mitch's soft lips brush against hers.

"Wake up sleepy head. Did you have a good nap?" he asked, kissing her again before sitting on the bed next to her.

"Yes, I did actually." Janette pulled Mitch down to her for another intoxicating kiss. "Perhaps you should take those pesky clothes off and join me," she said with a giggle.

Mitch pulled himself up and brushed his palm against Janette's cheek. "I would absolutely love to join you right now. However, I'm sorry to say that I have a meeting in the city within the next 45 minutes. I just came to tell you that I will be out for a bit. Don't you worry though, it shouldn't take long."

"Well, I certainly hope not. I can't stand the idea of being away from you. But if you have business to do then I understand." Janette sat up on the side of the bed next to Mitch. "I wish I could go with you. There's a few things I want to get in the city."

"Well, I wish you could tag along too but this time I don't think it's a good idea." Mitch looked at Janette thoughtfully for a few moments. "Please do me a favor."




The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 11



"Yeah? What's that?"

"Jan, while I'm gone I would appreciate it if you stayed as near to the mansion as you can. Don't go wandering off anywhere unsupervised."

Janette noticed the worried look in Mitch's eyes. "What's going on? Is there something I need to know?"

"No. I just have a bad feeling, that's all. Just humor me, Jan. Stay close by and don't wander off." She nodded her head and Mitch brought her hand to his lips to kissed her knuckles lightly. "I promise I won't be long."

Janette watched Mitch walk out the door and head downstairs to his jeep. She sat there and shook her head with a small smile on her face. He's probably just being over protective, she thought to herself. She got up from the bed and slipped her shoes on. She walked over to the bathroom mirror and quickly tied her hair up into a ponytail. She slid her fingers over the bite mark on her neck and was surprised to notice it was healing quite nicely.

Janette skipped down the winding stairs and headed towards the kitchen. She turned the corner to find Mariah standing at the kitchen island fixing herself a sandwich. "You don't mind if I have a glass of juice, do you?"

Mariah laughed lightly. "Oh Janette, you don't have to ask. Just help yourself. This is as much your home as it is mine now, remember?"

Janette retrieved a glass from the cabinet and filled it with orange juice from the refrigerator. She took a sip from her glass before turning back to Mariah. "Hey, I have a great idea," she said with her eyebrows raised in excitement. "Let's you and I hop in my car and go to the city and shop. There's a few things I need to pick up from a few stores. We could make a day of it."

"What exactly do you need to pick up?" Mariah asked with a curious look.

"Um... well..." Janette blushed deeply at the thought of what she had been planning to buy. "Lingerie?"

"Aha! I see," Mariah said with a wink. "You two getting a little freaky, eh?"

Janette's blush deepened and she was kicking herself for having brought it up. "Well... no... I just..."

Mariah threw her head back and laughed loudly. "It's okay! I'm just giving you shit." She finished making her sandwich and used a knife to slice it in half down the middle. "Jan, I would love to shop with you but I'm afraid I will have to take a rain check. I have a crazy schedule today. Maybe next time?"

Janette took another sip from her glass. "It's okay. I understand. Maybe next time." She smiled and watched Mariah walk out of the kitchen, her sandwich and a glass of milk in hand. Janette finished her juice and put the glass in the sink. She walked back up the stairs to Mitch's room and grabbed her purse, digging the car keys from the bottom of it. She checked to make sure that she had her wallet with her license and credit card and headed back down the stairs and to her car in the driveway. I won't be gone but for an hour and a half or so. What harm could that do? she thought to herself.

After driving for about half an hour, Janette pulled her car into the parking lot of one of the more popular clothing stores in Seattle. She got out of the car and locked the doors. When she walked inside the store, she was amazed at how skimpy some of the everyday street clothes looked, not to mention the lingerie section.

"May I help you find anything?" asked the store clerk.

"No, thank you. I'm just looking." Janette smiled politely and turned back to the rack of lingerie she had been looking through. Most of the stuff on the rack wasn't her style. She kept rummaging through the skimpy lacy clothing until she came upon a hunter green bra and panty set with a matching sheer lace robe. It was perfect. She looked at the price tag and stood there with her jaw hanging. She had never paid that much for clothing before. What the hell, she thought. It was worth it to see the look on Mitch's face when she wore it for him. She searched around to find the outfit in her size and took it to the register. After paying with her credit card, Janette thanked the clerk and walked back out to her car smiling from ear to ear.

Janette had just pulled out onto the main road when she looked down and noticed that her gas tank was on 'E'. She pulled into the nearest gas station, pulled up alongside one of the pumps and got out of the car. She paid at the pump using her credit card and began filling her car with gas. She wasn't really paying attention and barely registered the voice calling her name from the car next to her.

"Jan? Jan, is that you?" the bouncy blonde asked.

Janette looked over to find her friend Melissa filling her car at the next pump over. She hadn't seen her since the night at the club when Mitch and Melissa had a date. "Oh my God, Melissa. How have you been? I've tried to call you several times. For a moment, I thought you may have dropped off the edge of the earth or something." She walked over to her friend and gave her a hug. "You look amazing. Have you been working out or something?"

Melissa laughed lightly. "No, there have been a lot of things going on. Jesus! What did you do to your neck?" Melissa asked with a disgusted look on her face. "That looks awful. Maybe you should go have that looked at."

Janette ran a finger across the nearly healed bite mark. "Oh I did. It's fine. Doc says everything's healing up nicely," she lied. Janette caught a glimpse into the car Melissa was filling with gas. It was full of suitcases. "You going somewhere, Melissa?"

Melissa looked back at her car and then back at Janette. "I'm leaving town. I don't think I will be coming back. Look, do me a favor. If anyone happens to ask you where I am, you haven't seen or heard from me, okay? I can't explain, Jan. Just trust me. There is some messed up shit going on in this city."

"You're telling me," Janette said, smiling as she thought of the first time she saw Mitch shift into his wolf form.

"Girl, I gotta run. Got a lot of driving ahead of me." Melissa gave Janette another hug. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

Janette nodded her head. "Yeah, I will. You do the same." She waived one last time as she watched Melissa pull away and drive down the street heading for the highway. Why was she in such a hurry to leave? she wondered. Janette shook her head, dismissing the whole incident and got back in her car after closing the gas cap.

Janette drove down the highway for a good twenty minutes before turning left onto the dirt road that would eventually bring her back to the mansion. She had briefly considered visiting her grandmother while she was out but thought better of it. She didn't want to be gone too long. She wanted to be back before Mitch returned. She turned up the car radio as loud as it would go. The song that was playing wasn't her favorite but she sang along anyway.

Janette was in mid chorus when she was violently jarred forward and almost hit her head on the steering wheel. For a moment, she thought that she had hit something in the road, perhaps a deer. She tried to maintain control of the car but the thick sand on the road made that nearly impossible. After swerving for several seconds, she finally got the car straightened out. It was then that she looked in the rear view mirror and noticed the car behind her. 

She had, in fact, not hit a deer but rather had been rammed by the car following her. Her heart leaped in her chest as a kind of fear over took her. She slammed on the gas pedal in an attempt to get away from the offending driver following her. It didn't work. She was rammed again, this time sending her car completely out of control. She felt the car spinning in circles several times before finally hitting a tree.

Janette was knocked unconscious for a moment or two. When she opened her eyes she saw that the windshield was cracked and she could smell gasoline fumes. She shook her head in an attempt to clear the fog from her mind. When she lifted a hand up to touch her forehead she looked and saw that her hand was covered in blood. She clumsily fumbled for the door handle and opened it, practically falling out of the car. 

When she finally got her feet under her and stood up, she looked back to find a blond man getting out of the car behind her. He calmly walked to the trunk and opened it. He pulled out what looked to be a length of rope and a roll of duct tape. 

The level of calm that this man displayed sent a cold shiver down Janette's spine. He closed the trunk and slowly started walking in her direction. It didn't take long for her to recognize the man as being the patient she had helped take care of in the hospital. Even though Janette was still groggy from the bump on her forehead, she felt a surge of adrenaline flood her blood stream and a voice in her head telling her to run. She turned towards the woods on the side of the road and ran as fast as she could into them.

Janette didn't recognize where she was but kept running anyway, trying to guess at which direction would take her to the mansion. She knew that if she could just make it there that there would be plenty of people who could help her and she would be safe.

Janette ran as fast as she could for as long as she could until she finally had to stop to catch her breath. She stood in the middle of the woods leaning over with her hands on her knees panting, trying to breathe normal and stay calm. She thought for a moment that she had lost her pursuer until she heard a rustling in the trees about twenty yards behind her. She bolted off into a run again, forcing herself to ignore the stabbing pain in her side. She screamed out when she tripped over a fallen tree branch and felt her ankle painfully and unnaturally twist to the side. She landed face first in the fallen leaves carpeting the ground.

Janette turned herself over to find the blond man not far behind her, slowly walking towards her, his face twisted in a violent grimace. He still held the rope twisted in his right hand and the roll of duct tape in his left hand.

Janette tried to stand but cried out in agony when she put weight on her twisted ankle. She knew it was probably broken and started crawling on her hands and knees, trying desperately to get away even though she knew she couldn't.

Janette let out a painful grunt when the blond man finally reached her and kicked her hard in the stomach. She felt the bile rise in her throat and tried not to vomit as she held her stomach and lay in a fetal position on the ground. He reached down and grabbed her by the back of her hair, forcing her to stand on her one good leg. He stood directly behind her, holding her up with his mouth close to her ear.

"You thought you could run and hide from me, didn't you, Marie?" he asked in a low guttural voice. "I know you have seen me a couple of times and I know you recognized me. You're not a very good actress, I have to say," he said as he roughly threw Janette back to the ground, her body landing with a hard thud, knocking the wind from her lungs.

Janette lay there in a state of confusion, not sure how to approach the situation. "I don't know what you're talking about. My name's not Marie," she croaked. Her throat was dry as sandpaper from the exertion of running for so long.

"Oh," the man said with a sneer on his face. "So we're playing that game now." He kicked her again in the stomach and once in the face.

Janette felt that she was about to lose consciousness and was trying desperately hard not to cry in front of her tormentor. She began screaming as loud as she could in her mind for Mitch to come find her. She knew that he said they wouldn't be able to talk to each other from long distances but she tried anyway. She prayed that he could at least pick up on her emotions and realize that she was in trouble and needed help. She suddenly found herself wishing that she had listened to Mitch and stayed in the mansion. "Who are you? What do you want from me?" she asked, her bottom lip began to quiver as she lost control of her emotions.

"Oh, don't start your crying now, you little bitch. You deserve everything you're getting and you know it. By the way, just who was that asshole you were sitting with on the bench by the river the other night? Another lover of yours? Just how many lovers does a tramp like you have anyway?"

Janette watched the man pace back and forth in front of her for several moments. She wasn't positive but it seemed that the man was talking to himself. He seemed to get more and more agitated before he finally faced her again. He squatted down in front of Janette and looked her straight in the eyes, a slow wicked smile taking over his features.

"I have just the thing for you," he said in a rough whisper. "You see, Marie, I still want you just like I always have. Yeah, you may be a little more used up than what I usually go for but I still want you. Of course, first you will have to be appropriately punished. I'm sure you understand."

Janette's eyes went wide when she saw the man stand up and throw the long length of rope over a thick tree limb. He tied one end off on a nearby tree stump and started walking back towards her. He reached for her hands and bound them with the other end of the rope. Janette began trying to fight him off but it was no use. He was so much stronger than she was. 

Once he was satisfied with the knot he made around her wrists he let her go and walked over to untie the other end from the stump. He then slowly began pulling on the rope bringing Janette painfully to her feet. She tried fighting but again it was no use. Once he had her suspended by the rope standing on her tiptoes, he retied the other end securely to the tree again.

He walked back to Janette and circled her several times as though he was considering what to do next. "I think a couple of days hanging here should do the trick, don't you?" he asked as though he expected her to happily agree with him. "I expect you not to run from me ever again, Marie. Evading me like that wasn't a very nice thing to do." He slid his forefinger down the side of Janette's bruised and bloodied face. "You always were so beautiful. The shitty thing is, you knew it. Vanity doesn't become you, Marie."

Janette shook her head utterly confused. "My name is not Marie. I think you have the wrong person," she said as one tear slid down her cheek. She closed her eyes and flinched when his fist met her cheekbone with a loud crack. It took her a moment to regain her senses and she slowly looked up at the man seeing him through only one eye as the other was slowly swelling shut.

"I'm not fucking stupid, Marie. Don't play games with me!" he shouted before walking a few feet back. He took a deep breath as though to calm his temper and closed his eyes. "Now I'm going to come back in a day or two to check on you. If you are still here and not been mauled by a wild animal then you can come home with me where I will forgive you for all that you have done. I will take care of you then. Oh, and by the way, Marie," he said with a knowing smile stretching across his face. "You have no idea what kind of animals are out here." He turned to walk back to his car and leave but stopped in his tracks when he heard Janette's voice.

"Hey!" she said with rebellion in her voice. She watched him turn to look at her. "I hope you rot in hell," she whispered. Janette gasped when she saw the man walk back towards her only his body was swiftly changing into something else. She heard the bones cracking, muscles, and tendons moving but then everything stopped. What she saw before her was not a wolf but not a man either. It was some form of hybrid or another. She wasn't entirely sure what she was looking at but she knew that it scared the hell out of her. She tried not to scream when he brought his ugly muzzle within inches of her face.

"Do you really?" he growled.

Janette let out an anguished groan as the unrecognizable creature sank the razor sharp claws on both of his hands deep into her sides. She felt the warm blood pouring from the puncture wounds down her abdomen and her body went limp. She looked down and her heart began to race in fear and panic. She had never seen so much blood before. It seemed to be pouring out like from a faucet.

The man/beast stood watching her for several moments. Janette felt her body become heavy. She was no longer able to hold her own head up and everything was becoming foggy and dark.

"Oh, no you don't," the man said when he saw Janette's eyes roll back in her head. "Bullshit! You're not going to die on me now. You are going to suffer every bit of your punishment." He knelt down in front of her dying body and in one swoop, forcefully sank his sharp teeth into the wounds on her side.

*

"Alexander, Jude, thanks for meeting us on such short notice." Mitch had just arrived at the restaurant with Liam and Jack in tow. It took them nearly an hour to arrive as they had a couple other errands to run while in the city. "I'm sorry we are running a few minutes behind."

"That's not a problem." Alexander said with a kind smile. "So, what's going on that you needed to meet with us so urgently, Mitch?"

The waitress came up to the table and Mitch, Liam and Jack all ordered a pitcher of beer along with three mugs. "We have a problem. My mate's apartment was broken into a couple days ago. So far, the evidence all points to a newly changed were that showed up at the hospital several days ago. He was wanted by the police for some crime or another but he escaped. Nobody has been able to hunt him down, not even our pack members of the police department." 

The waitress placed their pitcher of beer on the table and carefully filled all three glasses. Mitch took a long swallow from his mug and sighed heavily. "I don't mean to come to you with this, Alexander. However, we could use all the help we can get and I couldn't think of anyone better at tracking than you and your brother."

Alexander nodded his head slowly. "I understand and don't worry about it. You guys would help us if we needed it. Why exactly did this were break into your mate's apartment? Oh and congrats, by the way, on the whole mate thing," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

"Thanks. I really have no idea why anyone would want to break in. It's all quite confusing really."

"And you're sure it wasn't just a random thing, right?" Jude asked.

Liam put his mug down. "I don't think so. Janette says she doesn't have any enemies and nothing worth stealing really. Until we get the situation resolved, she is not allowed to go back to her apartment. Of course, she is living with us now, being Mitch's mate and all, but Mitch is still worried about her safety and wants this were found."

Alexander nodded his head once more. "I understand. Well, let's see what we can come up with and we will just..."

"Mitch? You okay, guy?" Jude interrupted when he noticed the distraught look on Mitch's face.

"I don't know. Hold on. I'll be right back." Mitch walked to the back of the restaurant to make a call on his cell phone. He dialed his sister's number and impatiently waited for an answer. "Where's Janette?" he asked before his sister could even say 'hello'. He stopped and listened for a few seconds. "Well, is her car in the drive?" He felt his heart jump in his chest when his sister informed him that Janette wasn't at the mansion. "Mariah, don't ask questions. Just get every adult you can to search the grounds. I'm on my way back right now." He disconnected the call and slid the phone back into his front pocket.

Liam stood when he saw the frightened look on Mitch's face. "What's going on?" he asked.

"You guys, we need to go right now. I think Janette's in trouble."

"What makes you think that?" Jack asked with concern in his voice.

"I can feel it. She's in trouble. I called and she's not at the mansion. I need to find her immediately." Mitch didn't wait for a response. He threw some money on the table and left the restaurant as quickly as his feet would carry him. Jack and Liam barely got into the jeep before Mitch peeled out of the parking lot and headed back to the mansion.




The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 11



"Come on! Get out of my damn way!" he yelled at the car ahead of him as he honked the horn and hit the gas pedal. Mitch had been driving for a good ten minutes when his heart suddenly sank in his chest. All the fear he was feeling that he was sure was coming from Janette was suddenly gone. Everything inside him went quiet. It was as though their connection had been cut off. She wasn't there anymore.

Mitch flew as fast as he could down the dirt road leading to his mansion. His mind was screaming out to Janette, begging her to give him a sign as to where he could find her. "Just hold on baby, I'm coming. Just hold on," he whispered, praying desperately that she was okay.

"Are you sure you don't want me to drive... ya know... with your state of mind and all?" Liam asked as he nervously fastened his seat belt.

"No." Mitch said flatly. "I can drive just fine."

"What is that up ahead?" Jack asked from the back seat, pointing ahead.

Mitch looked in the direction of Jack's pointing finger and noticed what looked like a car sitting in the ditch. As they drove closer, he realized it was Janette's car and he felt his anger soar. He slammed on the breaks bringing the car skidding to a stop sideways in the road. The three men jumped out of the jeep and quickly ran over to the banged up car in the ditch. Mitch searched the car but Janette wasn't there. He ran his forefinger across the red substance on the steering wheel and gazed down at his mate's blood on his hand.

Liam and Jack both jumped back away from Mitch when he suddenly shifted to his wolf form, and took off into the woods leaving his clothes shredded on the grass.  They glanced at each other and nodded their heads before both of them burst out of their clothes in their wolf forms. Breaking into a dead run, they followed Mitch's mental signal. It didn't take them long to catch up to him quickly following his mate's blood trail.

"Brother, don't worry. I think she's going to be okay. We will help you find her, okay?" Liam said trying to sound reassuring. However, he wasn't sure if she would be okay himself. He was deeply worried about his brother's mate.

Mitch started to slow his running when he finally picked up his mate's scent along with another scent. He raised his muzzle to the sky and let out a deep angry howl when he recognized the other scent as being that of the wolf they had been hunting for. He then let out another series of howls that he knew would reach the pack and they would know something was wrong. As Mitch was sniffing along following Janette's trail he felt Thor enter his mind and knew he had shifted.

"What's the problem, Sir?"

"FIND HIM! NOW! He's on pack land and he's likely injured Janette!" Mitch commanded, knowing that Thor knew exactly to whom he was referring.

"Yes sir!"

Mitch stopped suddenly and signaled for Liam and Jack to stop when he saw the figure with her arms above her head hanging from the tree several yards ahead of them. He emanated a menacing growl deep in his chest and raced over to her. The sight of his mate's bloodied and broken body made Mitch's stomach turn with nausea. "No. Please God, no," he thought to himself as he shifted back to his human form. He quickly ran up to her and held onto her body. 

"Jack, help... please," he choked out. Mitch held her up as Jack untied the rope. When the rope gave way, Janette's body dropped limply into Mitch's arms. Her eyes were half-open but unseeing, one almost completely swollen shut. She wasn't breathing. There was a large gruesome gash in her forehead and her lip was split in several places. He examined her body further and when he saw the blood covering her middle, he raised her shirt up to find numerous deep wounds along her sides. Mitch dropped to his knees and held her close to him, fighting back tears of agony and loss.

Liam knelt down next to his mourning brother. "Mitch?" He laid a hand on his shoulder carefully. "Mitch, I think we need to take her back to the house," he said in a low soft voice. "It's not far from here. Come on. I'll walk with you." Liam turned to see Jack's eyes filled with tears. "Jack, will you please go bring the jeep back to the mansion? We will meet you there." Liam watched Jack race back to the main road and turned to his brother. "God Mitch, I'm so sorry."

Mitch sniffed and wiped a tear from his cheek before setting his jaw firmly and lifting Janette in his arms. "Let's go," he said in a shaky voice. He didn't wait for Liam. He started walking in the direction of the mansion, his eyes straight ahead and black as night.

Liam could feel the anger radiating off Mitch and decided to give him space. He walked behind him several paces still keeping an eye and nose out for the intruder who had murdered his brother's mate.

Mitch walked for at least twenty minutes holding Janette carefully in his arms, trying not to jar her body anymore than was necessary. When they finally reached the mansion Mariah came running out the back door towards them, her eyes wide as saucers and her bottom lip began to quiver.

"Oh my God, Mitch. Please don't tell me..." she trailed off as he walked past her, not even sparing her a glance.

Mitch ignored all of the curious eyes watching him. Some of them were full of tears and others just shook their heads, not believing what they were seeing. The small blond boy who Janette had been playing with earlier that day came running towards Mitch. His little mouth was drawn down at the corners and he began to cry when he saw the condition of Jan's body.

"Shan? No, Shan. Please wake up." The boy's mother hurried forth to collect her child and carried him away from the scene, consoling him.

Mitch took his mate upstairs to his bathroom and carefully stripped her blood soaked clothes from her cold body. He ran warm water in the bath and gently laid her in it before he grabbed a cloth from the cabinet and began washing the dirt and blood away. Once he had her clean and dry, he slipped a white cotton nightgown over her head and slid her arms through the arm holes. He brushed her hair the best he could, only letting a single tear fall, and then carried her to his bed where he lay her down. He pulled a clean sheet over her body and folded her hands, one on top of the other, on her abdomen.

Mitch sat on the edge of the bed gazing down at her and felt his control over his emotions leave him. He leaned over Janette and rested his forehead against hers letting out the first of several anguished sobs. "I'm so sorry, Jan," he whispered. "I promised I would keep you safe. I told you that it would be safer here with me. I have failed you. Please, forgive me." After several minutes, Mitch brushed her hair away from her face with his hand and kissed her bruised and bloodied lips one last time. "I love you." He sat up straight and cleared his throat, wiping the tears from his cheeks. He slid his hand down the side of her face once more and stood up to leave the room.

All eyes were on Mitch as he slowly descended the stairs, his eyes reddened. Members of his pack approached him almost all at once to offer their condolences and he raised a hand to halt them. "I appreciate everyone's concern," he said in a bold voice. "But there's a lot to do now. If you don't mind, I need to go talk to Janette's grandmother." He paused and took a shaky breath, lowering his gaze to the floor. "And then I need to arrange a funeral." He scanned the room once more before walking out the front door to his jeep.



The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 12



Janette awoke lying in a brilliant white room in an unfamiliar bed. There were no windows, light fixtures or other pieces of furniture; just the plain twin bed covered in white cotton linens. At first, she thought that she was in a hospital; everything seemed so clean and sterile. She sat up slowly and was amazed to find that her body didn't hurt anymore as it did just minutes ago. All the bruises and cuts were mysteriously gone. 

She stood next to the bed and noticed a set of French doors on the opposite side of the room. She walked slowly to the doors and turned the shiny golden knob. She pushed the heavy doors open and squinted, holding her hand up to shield her eyes as the glaring light entered the room. When her eyes finally regained focus and adjusted to the light, she gasped at the sight of the most beautiful gardens she had ever seen on the other side. She walked through the doors and slowly headed down a winding path covered with red wood chips. The path had tons of the most colorful and fragrant flowers lining either side of it. Everything was beautiful and smelled wonderful. There wasn't one flawed flower in sight. Everything was so perfect she couldn't help but smile ear to ear at the heavenly place she found herself in.

Janette spotted a small waterfall not far ahead and stopped. There was a lady with long dark hair wearing a flowing white gown sitting there. It looked like the lady was staring right at her. Janette's heart clenched with a tinge of fear at not knowing who she was. She cautiously walked towards the waterfall when recognition finally hit. 

"Mom?" Janette whispered in disbelief. She began walking faster towards the woman who she knew was her mother. Her eyes filled with tears when she reached the waterfall. "Mom... is that really you?"

The woman stood and laughed lightly. "It's me, sweetheart." She wrapped her arms tightly around Janette. "My goodness, look at how you've grown. Oh how I've missed you."

"I don't understand what's happening. Where am I?"

"Sweety, there are a lot of changes taking place right now within you. A lot more than I can explain." Marie took her daughter's hand in hers and walked with her further down the path. "You will have to go soon but I wanted to be here at least long enough to see you again, even if just briefly."

"Go? Mom, I don't want to go. I mean, look at this place. It's amazing. And you are here. Where's dad? Do I get to see him too?"

"I'm afraid not. However, you have someone very special waiting for you back home."

"Back home?" Janette asked confused, unable to remember any place but the gardens she was standing in at that moment.

"Do you not remember what happened before you came here?" Marie paused, waiting for an answer.

Janette's eyes grew wide. "Oh no... Mitch. He must think I'm dead."

"Sweetheart," Marie narrowed her eyes on her daughter. "You are dead. Temporarily anyway."

"I'm... I'm dead? How can that be? I feel so wonderful," Janette said in amazement.

Marie laughed, "Yes, I expect that you do. That's quite common in those who die. You are free of any pain or discomfort, physically or emotionally, from the earthly world. It's quite an experience." Marie's face took on a sudden serious and sad look. "Look at me," she cradled her daughter's face in her hands, forcing her to meet her gaze. "I love you. It's time to go now."

Janette sucked in a deep painful breath. She wasn't able to open her eyes and see where she was but she hurt everywhere. Her face hurt, her arms and legs were screaming, even her blood hurt as it burned a blazing trail through her veins. She let out a painful groan when she tried to roll over but couldn't. She could do nothing but lie still on her back. If she even thought of moving, it hurt. She lay there and tried to calm her breathing. She suddenly remembered Mitch and wondered where he was and if he was okay.

*

Mitch stood at the cottage door knocking for the fifth time but nobody answered. He wasn't sure what else to do so he hurried back to his jeep and grabbed a pen and slip of paper. He quickly scribbled a note on the paper telling the sisters to call him as soon as possible and stuck it securely in the screen door. He hurried back to his jeep and got in, slamming the door behind him. There was no way he could go home just yet. He decided to take a drive for a bit instead to gather his thoughts and decide what to do next. Janette had never told him what her wishes were in the event of her death so he felt at a loss, not knowing what she would want.

Mitch pulled his jeep out onto the dirt road and went the opposite direction of Janette's mangled car. The police and wreckers hadn't gotten things completely cleaned up yet and he couldn't stand the sight of it. It was just too painful. He had been driving for a few minutes when he felt a familiar tingle in his mind. He wasn't sure what it was, at first, but it grew stronger and stronger until he began to feel emotions that he knew were not his own. Mitch recognized Janette's connection instantly and slammed on his brakes, nearly putting his jeep in the ditch. He sat there with his fingers on his temples, not believing what he was feeling. 

"Jan?" He spun the jeep around and headed full speed back to the mansion. This had better not be a joke, he thought to himself, or someone will pay.

Mitch jumped out of his jeep almost without stopping it first. He bolted up the front steps and threw the door open, his breathing ragged. He looked around wide eyed before storming up the winding staircase into his room with Liam, Jack and Mariah following close behind.

"What the hell is going on?" Liam asked, obviously confused and thinking his brother was out of his mind.

Mitch knelt down next to Janette and sighed heavily, almost sobbing his relief, when he saw her chest rise and fall in time with her breathing. Her color had come back to her cheeks and she seemed to be mumbling something incoherently. "Call the doctor right away!" Mitch ordered. He grabbed Janette's hand in his and smiled through his tears when he felt her give a small weak squeeze.

"Mitch, you're not telling me that she's... that she's..." Liam couldn't stop stuttering when he realized that Janette was, in fact, alive.

"JUST DO IT!" Mitch glared at his brother and dug his phone out of his pocket, handing it to him.

"I'm here, Janette. I'm right here with you, sweetheart," Mitch whispered into her mind. He kissed her hand when he saw a small tear trail down her face. "Don't cry, baby, everything's going to be okay,"

"Everything hurts so much," she said back to him telepathically. "I'm so thirsty."

"I know, baby. The doctor is on his way right now. We'll have you feeling better in no time," Mitch couldn't stop the tears streaming down his face. He didn't care if anyone was there to see him cry or not. He never thought he would see Janette again and here she was, breathing and talking to him in his mind. She wasn't able to speak verbally yet but this would do for now.

*

Dr. George Cole arrived at the mansion in record time. He had only one patient scheduled before his shift ended and he asked his assistant to stand in for him, claiming that he had an emergency. He was escorted up the stairs to Mitch's room and knocked twice before entering. He rushed in and one look at Janette's body told him that things weren't good. Mitch quickly explained what had happened and the doctor stood there with his chin in his hand, considering his options.

"Mitch, I would like to do a full examination and take some blood samples. Actually, with your permission, I think it's best we bring her to the hospital. There, we can do x-rays if necessary. You are more than welcome to sit in on the examination but I warn you; it's not going to be pretty."

Mitch stood there silently considering the doctor's suggestion. He didn't want to take her in but felt he had no other choice. He cared about nothing at that moment but her recovery and if the hospital was what she needed, then so be it. He nodded his head. "Let's do it. Anything to make her better,"

Dr. Cole pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed a number summoning an ambulance. He quickly gave an address and hung up.

*

Mitch waited impatiently in the waiting room of the hospital for news on his mate's condition. Along with him were Liam, Jack, Mariah, Emily and several others of his pack. He gazed around the room at his family and realized how lucky he was. Not many had family like this to support them in a time of need. He jumped up from his chair when he saw Dr. Cole finally emerge from the room.

"Mitch, I need you to sit down," Dr. Cole said with a strange look on his face. "I have taken blood and tissue samples and tested them. It seems to me that she is healing rather quickly. Much faster than normal. Her wounds are healing at an astounding rate. She has lost a lot of blood, more than I am comfortable with, yet her body is replenishing it effortlessly. She even opened her eyes during the exam and talked to me briefly. I do have some good news, though. There is no evidence of sexual assault." Dr. Cole took a deep breath and wiped an exhausted hand across his face before standing. "Come with me. I have something I want to show you."

Mitch followed the doctor into the room. Dr. Cole spread out a series of photographs on the bedside table next to Janette. "Look at these. I took photos of her wounds after thoroughly cleaning them. The punctures on her sides are quite clean. There is no tearing or scratching. It's as though whoever did this was quite careful with her."

"I don't understand," Mitch shook his head in confusion.

"Notice how the outer puncture wounds are moon shaped and there are only five on each side. Now, look at your fingernails. Think about how they look when they are claws in your wolf form."

Mitch shrugged. "So she was clawed?"

Dr. Cole shook his head. "It's not just that Mitch. I transferred this information to my computer. Look at what happens when I take away the half moon shaped puncture marks from her left side," The Dr. clicked on his computer and turned the screen so Mitch could see. "Look at the marks that are left. What do they resemble to you?"

Mitch felt his anger rise in his chest. "That's a bite mark. She was bitten," he growled.

"It is my belief that she has been infected with the wolf gene, which would explain why she's healing so fast. Now you know as well as I do that the bite doesn't have to be on the neck. It could be on the foot if I wanted it to be and the recipient would still be infected. I think this asshole -- pardon my French -- bit her here to try to disguise that she had been turned. Although, I can't figure out why someone would do that. It's just ridiculous really."

Mitch felt the red hot anger flooding his veins and couldn't stop himself from shifting. The doctor jumped back away from him and held his hands up in defense. "Now Mitch, I know you're angry. I know I would be too. But your temper isn't going to help her. Think about this logically. I know you wanted to turn her yourself but if it weren't for this bite... Janette would be dead. You know that as well as I do."

If it weren't for that son of a bitch murdering my mate, there wouldn't have been a need for a damn bite, he thought to himself.

Mitch turned his head towards Janette's bed when she spoke.

"Mitch? Is that you?"

Mitch forced his wolf back, shifted to his human form and ran over to her. "It's me, sweetheart. How are you feeling?" He moved her hospital gown aside to look at her wounds and noticed that they were nearly healed. He shook his head in astonishment.

"I'm feeling fine, Mitch," she lied. "Just a bit thirsty is all."

Mitch grabbed the water pitcher from the bedside table and held the straw to Janette's swollen lips. After she took a few sips, he put it back on the table and turned to her. "Is that better?"

"Yes, thank you. Oh, and Mitch?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you," Janette's eyes began to flutter as she slowly fell back into unconsciousness.

Mitch turned to the doctor once more. "When can I take her home?"

"Well, with the way she's progressing, I'd say perhaps tomorrow morning. She's a trooper, Mitch." The doctor looked at Mitch and then down at the shredded clothes on the floor. He turned and rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I think I have something in my locker that would fit you. I'll be right back."

A few minutes later the doctor came back in and handed Mitch a simple pair of sweat pants and white t-shirt. Mitch put the clothes on and nodded his thanks before turning back to Janette.

"You have a lot of people here rooting for you, you know that? They are all in the waiting room right now. I need to go give them an update. I'll be right back, sweetheart." Mitch placed a lingering kiss on Janette's forehead and turned to leave the room. Everyone stood with worried faces as Mitch entered the waiting room.

"What did the doctor say?" Mariah asked, rushing up to Mitch. "Can we go in and see her?"

Mitch looked down adoringly at his younger sister and wrapped his arms around her in a big hug. "Not yet. But he did say that she's healing quickly." Mitch paused and looked around the room. "Apparently she was bitten during the attack that she endured. That's the only reason she is alive right now. She has been turned." Mitch could feel the anger emanating from his fellow pack members when they learned what had happened to Janette. The room filled with shouts and angry curses.

"We have to find this asshole. He's not going to like what's coming to him," Liam said through clenched teeth.

"Calm down, Liam," Mitch said. "I have every intention of finding him, but when I do, remember this. He's mine." Mitch felt his fangs and claws begin to elongate and closed his eyes in an effort to calm himself and hold his wolf back. He had already ruined one set of clothes, he didn't intend on ruining another. After all, you can't very well just wander around a hospital naked. 

He interrupted the angry voices in the room. "Thank you guys for being here and showing so much support. I think I'm going to stay here with Jan. You all can go home and get some sleep. I'll call if anything new comes up."

As people began filing out of the room, Mitch called to Liam and Jack to stay behind. "I want you two to gather fifteen to twenty of our best. Arrange them along the borders of our land. They are to work in twelve-hour shifts. I don't want anyone on our property except pack members. I don't care how you do it, just make it happen."

"No problem, Mitch," Liam said, patting Mitch on the back. "I already know the perfect people for the job."`

*

It wasn't until early afternoon of the next day when Mitch wheeled Janette out of the hospital in a wheelchair. He helped her up into his jeep that was parked in front of the hospital, buckled her seat belt and shut the door before getting in the driver's seat. He noticed her sitting with her head back and eyes closed. "You feeling okay? Do you need me to stop and get you anything on the way home?"

Janette sighed heavily. "No, I'm fine. I'm just so tired that's all," She lifted her shirt slightly and looked at her wounds that had already healed and now were nothing more than pink scars. "I have been feeling real weird lately," she said shaking her head, and dragging her fingers through her hair.

"Well, you did just basically come back from the dead. I think that's enough to make anyone feel weird, don't you?"

"Yeah but that's not what I mean, Mitch. Things just seem louder, my vision is different. I'm so damn tired." She rubbed her eyes and raised a hand to her mouth to cover a yawn.

"Janette, there's some things I need to tell you. I was going to tell you all of this at the hospital but you spent most of your stay there unconscious." Mitch sighed nervously, unsure of how to tell her everything. "Jan, do you remember anything that happened when you were attacked?"

Janette thought carefully for a moment. "I remember a maroon car behind me. It looked like it had been wrecked and had blue colored tape around the driver's side headlight as though that was all that was holding it together. I told the police that when they talked to me in the hospital this morning. The car rammed into the back of mine twice. I remember running and being tied up. I remember being kicked and punched in the face. I don't remember much else. I guess I must have blacked out or something,"

Mitch looked over at his mate, his eyebrows drawn together in worry. "Jan, you died. You were not breathing when I found you. You had no pulse." Mitch went silent for a moment, and swallowed the lump forming in his throat, trying desperately to erase the image from his mind of her dead, limp body in his arms. "The man who attacked you... he bit you, Jan. He turned you." He stopped talking for a moment to allow time for the information to sink in. "The doctor did a bunch of blood tests and he confirmed it. You are a wolf."

Janette sat there in her seat, stunned. She didn't know what to think about what she was being told. Surely, he had to be pulling her leg. "I'm a... a wolf? That can't be." Janette suddenly felt dirty when she realized what Mitch was meaning. Her attacker had bitten her. She shook her head unable to wrap her mind around it.

"It can be and it is." Mitch said firmly. "I know it's not what you wanted; it's not what I wanted either. All I know for sure is that you are here with me now. I... I thought I had lost you, Janette. I thought I was going to have to bury you. Mitch kept his gaze focused on the roadway ahead of him and took a deep breath.

Janette looked over at Mitch and saw the storm of emotion in his eyes. She remembered seeing her mother and telling her that she didn't want to come back and immediately felt a sharp pang of guilt at the memory. How could she be so selfish to leave her loved ones here? How could she want to stay in those beautiful gardens when Mitch was here in misery? "I'm so sorry, Mitch," she said, a tear streaking its way down her cheek. "I should have stayed at the mansion. I should have never gone out. I'm so very sorry." Janette couldn't help the tears that were falling. She buried her face in her hands and tried to calm her emotions.

Mitch pulled the jeep into the drive of the mansion, put it in 'park' and got out. He opened Janette's door and helped her out. He saw the tears on her cheeks and immediately pulled her to his chest and held tightly onto her. "Don't apologize, Jan. I'm not mad at you for anything. I should have been more honest and told you the reasons why I was worried about you leaving the house. If you would have known everything, you would have stayed." He gazed down into her tear reddened brown eyes and kissed her lips gently. 

"Let's go inside. Everyone has been worried sick about you. I know you're still in a lot of pain, as much as you'd like to think you're fooling me by telling me you're not. Just walk slowly and take it easy. There's no rush. Hold on to me if you need to." Mitch knew that Janette's wounds were healed superficially but he also knew that she would need a lot of rest over the next few days in order to heal completely.

Mitch opened the door and lead Janette through, into the TV room of the mansion where several people sat watching a movie. They looked as though they hadn't slept a wink.

Mariah jumped up and ran over to Janette, giving her a gentle hug, careful not to squeeze her too tight. "Oh my God, are you okay?" Mariah wiped the tears from her eyes with the wadded up tissue in her hand. "Come, sit down. I'll get you something to drink."

Janette let Mariah lead her to one of the sofas and sat down. Why are these people so concerned about me, she thought. They have only known me less than a week.




The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 12



"Honey, they have been watching out for you since you were ten years old, remember?" Mitch sat next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "They have known you a lot longer than you have known them."

Janette accepted the glass of ice water that Mariah brought to her. "Thank you," She gazed around the room at all the people looking back at her and suddenly felt like they were all in a circus tent and she was the main act. "You guys, I'm fine. Really, I am." She sat there for a moment longer and abruptly got up and marched quickly up the stairs to Mitch's room where she threw herself on the bed.

Mitch entered the room a few seconds behind her. "What's wrong?" He sat on the bed next to her. "Janette, talk to me, please."

Janette sat up next to Mitch. "I'm so sorry. I feel like I have caused a lot of trouble for you and your family. I don't even understand what's happening. I mean, what did I do to deserve being stalked by this guy? I don't even know him."

"Sweetheart, you did nothing wrong. The guy is crazy, that's all. I don't want you to worry about it. We will take care of him, I promise you that."

"You mean like how you promised to keep me safe if I stayed here with you?" Janette's hand flew up to cover her mouth and her eyes grew wide when she realized what she had just said. She saw the pain flicker in Mitch's eyes before he turned away from her. 

Mitch sat there for several painfully silent moments. "You're right, Jan. I should have been there. But make no mistake; this won't happen again." His words were no longer loving and reassuring but rather full of anger and warning. "If you don't mind, I have some things to do." He walked out of the room leaving her sitting on the bed.

Janette didn't mean to say that. She knew that Mitch would be there for her no matter what. She knew that the whole situation was her fault. If she had just listened to Mitch and stayed home this would never have happened. She didn't know what had come over her. The stress was finally eating away at her and she found herself unintentionally hurting the ones she loved. She sat there, tears streaming down her face, hoping that Mitch could hear her apology and remorse.

Mitch stood on the other side of the bedroom door. He could feel Janette confused and hurting inside and it tore at his heart. There was nothing he could do. He didn't know if he could ever forgive himself for letting her down. He should have been there. He should have taken her to the city with him. He wiped a wearied hand over his face and leaned his head back against the wall when an idea occurred to him. He turned and walked back into the room and grabbed Janette's hand.

"Mitch, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say that. I don't know what's wrong with me. Please don't be angry."

Mitch pulled Janette to her feet and placed a light kiss on her cheek. "I don't want to hear your apologies. You've been through a lot. I understand. However, I have come to realize that I can't be at your side at every moment and you obviously have no idea how to protect yourself. Come on. There's someone I want you to meet." He led her down the stairs and through the back door.

"Mitch, where are you taking me?" Janette asked almost stumbling, trying to keep up with his long strides.

"You'll see."

Mitch led Janette down a path in the woods. They walked for several minutes before coming upon a small quaint cottage. As Janette slowly followed Mitch up the front steps, she took note of all the wind chimes hanging from the porch along with a few dream catchers. The décor was strange but at the same time, appealing.

Mitch knocked twice before a tall, slender black woman came to the door. She wore a black pair of running pants along with a black tank top. Her clothes were nearly skintight, accentuating her well-muscled, lithe body. She moved with such grace, as though she were almost floating rather than walking. Her straight ebony hair was pulled up into a high ponytail. Janette noticed with envy how the woman's chocolate brown skin was perfect. Not a blemish in sight. With her high cheek bones, heart shaped face, stunning almond shaped eyes and perfect full lips, Janette began to wonder if Mitch had ever had anything going with her. She had to have been one of the most beautiful women Janette had ever seen.

"Mitch, how nice to see you," The woman said in a smooth confident voice, her perfect smile shining brightly. She let her eyes gaze at Janette for a moment. "And this must be your new mate. Nice to meet you. I'm Sandra."

Janette took Sandra's hand in hers to shake it and was surprised at the unusually strong grip she had. "Janette. Nice to meet you too."

"Sandra is the one responsible for pack training," Mitch said with pride. He saw Janette's brow spike up in surprise. "She trains my pack members in fighting and self defense."

"She trains even the men?"

"Yes, even the men."

Janette had seen quite a few large burly men in the pack and wondered to herself how in the world this woman trained them. She was well built and muscular but very feminine as well. Surely, the men of the pack had to be careful not to accidentally injure her while training.

"Don't let her looks deceive you," Mitch said, picking up on Janette's thoughts. "Sandra is one of the fastest in our pack. She also happens to be a tenth degree black belt in Goju Karate and, believe me, that can come in handy." Mitch leaned in and kissed Janette's cheek. "Sandra, she's all yours." He flashed her a smile before skipping down the steps.

"Wait a minute!" Janette called as she ran after him. "You're just going to leave me here?"

"Yes. Your training starts now."

"What training? You never said anything about training."

Mitch turned to Janette and took her small hands in his. "I never thought you were going to die on me, either. Your training starts now."

"Mitch this is insane. I'm no fighter. I've never hit anyone in my entire life." Janette felt her heart racing with trepidation. "Please don't make me do this. I can't do this, Mitch," she whispered anxiously.

Mitch felt the rush of fear hit Janette's heart and wanted to reassure her but didn't know how. "You can do this and you will do this. You are my mate. You have to have some form of training. It is part of your job to stand at my side and help protect, not only yourself, but the pack as well. How are you to do that if you don't have any fighting skills?" He flinched when he suddenly felt a bolt of anger directed at him. "I wouldn't ask you to do this if it weren't necessary and you know that." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Please do this for me. At least give it a couple days."

Janette planted her hands on her hips in a huff. "Alright. Fine. I'll give it a shot." She looked up at him with a slight glare. "I'll probably get my rear end kicked all over the place but, oh well, anything to make you happy," she said sarcastically.

Mitch chuckled low in his chest. "Stop being so dramatic. And by the way," he brought his lips to Janette's ear, "You sure are beautiful when you're angry." With that he kissed her once more and turned on his heel to head back to the mansion.

Janette watched Mitch until he disappeared down the path they had come from. She turned to find Sandra pulling a large plastic box from the front door, down the steps and into the front yard.

"You know, I heard about what happened to you. How are you feeling today? Any pain at all?" she asked as she lit several tiki torches in the yard. It wasn't yet dark out but it would be soon enough.

Janette peeked down into the box and found it full of what looked like fighting equipment. There were boxing gloves, padded helmets, shin pads and several other things she didn't know what to make of. "I'm feeling fine, I guess. Why do you ask?"

"Well, even if you are feeling pretty good right now, I still want to start your training off lightly. I don't want to give you too much too soon. I think we'll start off with a few simple punches. You won't be hitting anything or anyone, at first. You will just practice the movements until you get use to them and get the technique right. Today is just an introduction. Starting tomorrow morning, we will start your sessions off with a jog through the woods followed by stretches."

"Oh, I'm not a runner."

"You are now." Sandra saw the nervousness in Janette's eyes. "Relax. I'm not going to hurt you. Stick with me and before you know it, you'll be kicking the shit out of anyone who messes with you."

Janette couldn't help but to laugh. She couldn't picture herself fighting anyone, let alone kicking the shit out of them. She mimicked every move as Sandra walked her through several stretching exercises. Sandra was practically doing the splits without so much as a grimace of discomfort on her face while Janette could barely touch her toes. How the hell did I get myself into this, she thought to herself, shaking her head. "You know, Sandra, I'm not really the fighting type. I never pictured myself learning karate. I don't think I could ever bring myself to actually hit another human being. It's just too weird. I would feel guilty afterward."

Sandra stood up and turned to Janette. "Really? You don't think you could bring yourself to strike that man who practically took your life?" She shook her head in disbelief. "Janette, that man had no right to hurt you the way he did. There is no reason that you should feel guilty about protecting yourself or those you love. You have every right to protect yourself and I'm going to do the best I can to teach you how."

Janette thought for a moment about what it would have felt like to have punched her attacker in the nose and smiled to herself, clearly visualizing the baffled look on his face. "I thank you for trying to help me, but karate? I just don't know. I've never thought myself to be the type."

"There isn't a specific type of person that practices karate. If you could only see some of the students I have taught over the years. Grandmothers to first graders and everything in between. Police officers, schoolteachers, doctors, lawyers. Hell, I even taught a nun once. Sweetest little lady I have ever met. She had been harassed by some crazed sicko... I don't remember the details of the situation but I do know that when I was done with her, she had no problem protecting herself. Who would go out and physically harm a nun? Who does that? That's just sick if you ask me."

"That is pretty sick." Janette continued stretching. She put her legs together, extended them out in front of her and reached forward towards her toes.

Sandra saw the pained grimace on Janette's face. "Don't push yourself too much. Just reach forward until you feel the stretch in the back of your thighs. Hold it ten seconds and then relax. You'll get better the more you do it. Anyhow, I'm not necessarily teaching you karate. I plan to teach you several different self defense techniques. After the basics, if you feel that you want to learn more, as far as martial arts go, then I am more than happy to teach you."

When Sandra was satisfied that Janette was adequately stretched and warmed up, she had her stand up and began helping her put on shin pads, fighting gloves and headgear. "Now we aren't going to be sparring today. I just want you to wear this so that you can get use to the feel of it."

Sandra stood in a fighting stance next to Janette. "Stand with your feet a bit wider than shoulder width apart and raise your fists like this. Keep your knees slightly bent, never lock your knees... there ya go. Now remember, when facing an opponent, you want to keep this set up between you and him at all times. That means if he's to your left, you move like this. To your right, follow him." Sandra demonstrated, alternating her fists from one side to the other. Now keep your fists up, protecting your face. This is a jab punch." Sandra struck the air in front of her. "Your strike should be made with the first two knuckles. Now you try it."

Janette blushed a deep crimson and sighed. I can't believe I'm doing this, she thought to herself. She clumsily struck the air in front of her, attempting to imitate her new instructor.

Sandra turned to Janette. "Your arm is not a spaghetti noodle. Put a little force behind it. Jab out like this and quickly return your fist to its original position, protecting your face at all times. You don't want to leave your arm out there. Too easy for your opponent to grab you. It's jab and then back. Quickly. Don't forget to breath. Now try again. Imagine your opponent standing right in front of you. Aim for the solar plexus which is right here." Sandra motioned to the bottom of her ribcage.

Janette took a deep breath to relax her nerves. She jabbed out just as Sandra had instructed her to do. She felt rather ridiculous wearing the fighting getup and punching at an imaginary person but she continued to do as she was told. Over the next hour and a half, she was introduced to several different punching techniques, repeating each one over and over until she got it right. Although she started out extremely clumsy and, in her opinion, quite silly looking, her nervousness slowly melted away and she began putting great effort into her punches trying her best to get them exactly right.

"Okay, I'd say you have had enough for one evening. Go ahead and take off the gear."

Janette pulled her helmet off and wiped the sweat from her brow with her forearm. Her hair was plastered to her forehead in a tangled mess. "So, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. You can ask me anything."

"What made you get into martial arts?"

Sandra laughed lightly. "Oh it's a long story."

"I've got time."

Sandra's eyes glazed over as though she was deep in thought, remembering her past. "I wasn't always a wolf, ya know. I was turned about fifty years ago, give or take a few years. Before that I had a husband who I adored. We had been together for six years before he became physically violent with me. To this day I'm not sure what happened or why. He started drinking... a lot. That probably had something to do with it." She paused and let out a long sigh. 

"The first time he hit me, I dismissed it as being my fault. If I hadn't done this or said that then it wouldn't have happened. For whatever reason, I would always justify his actions in my mind as being my fault. Or, I would tell myself that I could fix him. I mean, he hadn't always been violent. Whatever was causing it would resolve itself in time. That didn't happen."

Janette saw the well of tears in Sandra's eyes. "You don't have to talk about it. I'm sorry for prying. I didn't mean to upset you."

"No, it's okay, really. It was a long time ago. I just sometimes wonder what would have happened to us if alcohol hadn't entered the picture. I loved him so much." She wiped a tear from her cheek and smiled. "Anyway, the violence escalated until one day he came home late from the bar. I had said something to him... I don't even remember what it was now, it was so long ago. He got angry with me and started hitting me. He threw me down the stairs and I was knocked unconscious. I woke up in a hospital. He had told the doctor that I had tripped and fallen down the stairs and hit my head. That was where all the bruises and concussion came from. I just lay there in the hospital bed stunned as I watched him lie his way out of it. He did it so smoothly, as though the fact that he put me in the hospital didn't even phase him. It was then that I made the decision to leave. He wasn't going to get better and I realized that it wasn't my fault. Not one bit of it was. I didn't deserve to be treated that way."

Janette sat there quietly listening. Her heart saddened when she thought of the pain and torture this woman must have gone through.

"After I healed from my injuries, I searched for an instructor. Someone to teach me self-defense. I found someone who taught privately but he turned me down at first. I don't know, maybe he thought women shouldn't be taught martial arts. Especially not black women. God only knows what his reasons were. Anyway, one day I was walking home from work and my soon to be ex husband came out of nowhere. He dragged me into an alley and beat the crap out of me... again." Sandra sat on the porch steps next to Janette and laughed in disbelief. 

"I called the instructor a week later, practically begging him to teach me. Again, he turned me down. I finally went to his house and asked him to reconsider. He saw the bruises, busted lip and gash on my forehead and agreed to teach me right away. My first lesson was that day and it was the beginning of a new life. I had only been practicing for about two months. It was quite grueling, believe me. I practiced for several hours a day and the guy didn't take it easy on me. He was rather strict. Sometimes I wanted to give up. 

"After those couple of months I ran into the ex again. This time was different. My self-confidence was a hundred times what it had ever been, not to mention I was much stronger. He started fighting with me again, but this time I avoided getting hit by him. I wasn't even really trying. Everything seemed to be second nature. If you could have only seen the look on his face when I knocked him on his ass. It was priceless."

They both sat there on the steps giggling. "He never bothered me after that. That's when I started putting everything I had into learning as much as I could. It was a lot of work and it wasn't easy but it was definitely worth it."

"What are you two girls sitting around yapping for? I thought you were training," Mitch said jokingly as he strode towards them from the wooded path. He took Janette's hand in his and helped her to stand. "How did your first session go?"

"Actually, I think I kind of liked it," Janette said with a smile. "It was weird at first but I can see myself getting the hang of things."

Sandra stood from the steps. "Mitch, she did a great job. A bit awkward at first but we will get her there."

Mitch leaned in and placed a proud kiss on Janette's lips. "Your hair's a mess, do you know that?" He laughed when she rolled her eyes at him.

"Well you try doing the things I have been doing for the past hour while wearing that crazy helmet thingy. It's hot as heck, not to mention it gives you a bad case of hat hair." Janette ran her fingers through her hair in an effort to make herself look presentable again.

Mitch pulled Janette close to him. "I love you even if you do have hat hair and are all gross and sweaty. Are you ready to go?"

"Janette, your next session begins at seven in the morning. We will practice about two hours a day. I'm giving you two days off per week. Just let me know what those days will be so I can put it in my schedule. One other thing. Wear something more suitable next time." Sandra smiled at Janette, motioning to her Jeans and top. "Believe me, you'll be more comfortable."

"Okay. I'll see you in the morning then." Janette grasped Mitch's large hand and followed him back through the woods to the mansion, practically skipping. "I feel like I have so much energy but at the same time, I'm exhausted. My arms are shaking even. They almost feel like jello."

"Sandra can have that effect on you. She doesn't know the meaning of the word 'quit'. One time she had me doing pushups for so long that I could barely raise my arms the next day. I should have told her that I needed a break but I wasn't about to let a woman outdo me." Mitch laughed. "Needless to say, she did anyway. She wasn't a bit sore the next day. That showoff."

"She seems like an incredibly strong woman, both mentally and physically."

"Oh, she is. That's why she holds the position that she does. There isn't anyone else that can better train our pack members than her. She's very talented at teaching even the most unteachable person."




The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 12



"Well, I think I like her. I still think she's going to kick my butt all over the place, though. I have to admit, I'm kind of nervous about everything."

Mitch stopped and gazed down at Janette. "Don't be nervous. You will do just fine. I know you will. Have more confidence in yourself. Now I'm not saying that you won't come home with a bruise or two during your training but you never know; you just might like it. It can be quite the adrenaline rush."

"Can I ask you something without you getting angry or offended, Mitch?" Janette asked timidly.

"Go ahead. There's no way you could offend me." He caressed her cheek with his thumb.

"Well, did you... well I mean, did you and her ever have anything... ya know... sexual between you two?"

Mitch was startled by Janette's unexpected question. "No. We've never had that kind of relationship. What in the world would make you ask such a thing?"

"Well, I just thought... ya know, I thought... it just seems like she would have made a much better mate to an alpha than I would. I don't know why I thought that. I'm sorry. That was a stupid thing to ask. Forget that I said that." Janette quickly looked away with a blush of embarrassment covering her cheeks.

Mitch cupped his hand under Janette's chin and lifted her face to look into her eyes. "Janette, don't think things like that. You are perfectly suited to me. Fate didn't want Sandra and I to be together. Fate wanted you and me to be together and there isn't a thing in the world I would do to change that. I love you and you are the perfect mate for me. Never doubt that." He slowly brought his head down to hers claiming her lips with his, gently removing any doubt that she may have had about his feelings for her.

Janette's lips parted and her tongue darted out to explore Mitch's mouth. His spicy masculine scent was stronger now than it had been before and he tasted divine. A delightful jolt of electricity sparked in her lower abdomen when she felt his large warm hand slide under her shirt and up to her breast, kneading it greedily. She grabbed his hand when she felt it wander down to the button on her jeans. "Mitch, wait. Not here. I'm all gross and sweaty. I need a shower."

"It's a waste of time and water to shower when I'm just going to make you hot and sweaty again." He popped the button on her jeans and pulled the zipper down. He slipped his hand inside and made his way down to her slippery folds. "Besides, I know you want it," he growled in her ear. "If you didn't, you wouldn't be soaking wet right now." He grinned wickedly down at her when he saw the heated flush in her face. He heard her small gasp when he gently slid two fingers inside of her.

Janette felt the fire building in her loins as Mitch fervently moved his fingers in and out of her, occasionally letting his thumb make slow torturous circles around her clit. It didn't take her long to find that coveted peak of pleasure. She was almost there, grasping desperately to his shirt, when Mitch unexpectedly removed his hand from her jeans. She closed her eyes and breathed out a frustrated sigh. Why the hell was he such a tease, she thought.

Mitch stared down at Janette with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Because I can be," he answered, reading her thoughts. He slowly licked the sweetness from his fingers before leaning in and reuniting his lips with hers, aggressively probing her mouth with his tongue. He could feel Janette quiver beneath his hands and heard her moan into his mouth. He couldn't stop himself from yanking her jeans down and off her legs. His cock was throbbing almost painfully against the restraint of his jeans. He could think of nothing more than thrusting himself deep inside of her until she screamed his name in his ear.

Janette's arms were still shaky from the workout earlier but she managed to quickly pull Mitch's shirt up and off him and found herself lightly scraping her nails down his bare chest. She was a bit startled when she felt as though there was another presence sharing her body with her. The feeling hit her so suddenly that she gasped in surprise and looked up at Mitch with frightened eyes.

Mitch felt the newcomer within his mate. He saw the look of fear and shock cover her face and reassuringly kissed her lips softly. "Don't worry. You're not going crazy. What you're feeling is your wolf inside of you." He let out an amused chuckle. "I was wandering when she would make herself known to you. Don't be afraid of her. She is a part of you now. Just let her come forth a bit at a time until you get to know each other."

Janette felt what Mitch claimed to be her wolf slowly and impatiently pacing back and forth in her mind, salivating at the sight of the man standing before them. She relaxed a bit, allowing the golden wolf to step forward. She wasn't sure exactly what had come over her but she felt a burning desperate need coursing through her body like a forest fire that was out of control. Without thinking, she pulled her shirt and bra over her head and carelessly threw them to the side. Every inch of her exposed flesh began to tingle in the cool night air, her ultra sensitive nipples hardened instantly, and a strange liquid heat pooled between her thighs. She let her heated gaze settle on the generous bulge protruding proudly from the front of Mitch's tight jeans and couldn't stop the tip of her tongue from sliding slowly across her bottom lip in anticipation of her mate's taste. 

A devilish smile spread across Mitch's face when he saw Janette's eyes darken a shade. This was a side of her he had never seen before and he was loving it. Her expression changed from fearful to lustful in a matter of seconds and he found himself being backed into the trunk of a tree by his newly changed mate. Her boldness surprised him yet made his cock ache for her at the same time. She looked as though she wanted to eat him alive. Long gone was the timid little brunette. In her place stood a woman who knew exactly what she wanted and was about to take it. 

A shiver ran through him when Janette covered his lips with hers and seductively slid her tongue across his bottom lip. She unbuttoned his jeans and slid her hand inside, wrapping his throbbing shaft in her fist. He leaned his head back against the tree trunk and closed his eyes. "Oh, fuck yes," he moaned when he felt her small hand gently massaging his balls before coming up to stroke him.

Janette couldn't resist tasting him any longer. She hooked her fingers in the belt loops of his jeans and pulled them down slowly. She sat there on her knees in front of him, never taking her eyes from his. She grazed her fingernails lightly up and down his inner thighs before firmly grasping his cock in her hand. She saw a drop of precum glistening atop his engorged tip, beckoning to her.

Mitch growled approvingly when he saw Janette's small pink tongue snake out and slowly drag its way from the base of his aching cock all the way to the tip where she stopped to sample the glistening salty drop that threatened to spill over. She licked her lips once more before taking the entire head into her mouth, sucking at it hungrily. He tilted his head to the side and pulled her long hair away from her face, bunching it in his fist behind her head. He stood there, hissing out a slow breath, as he watched her take his entire length, inch by aching inch, into her hot mouth. The light suction that she produced on her way up almost had him on his knees. She let go of his manhood with an audible 'pop' and he felt his balls tighten in response. He gasped loudly, his breathing ragged. "Are you sure you've never done this before?" he asked incredulously.

Janette didn't answer him. Instead, she slid her mouth around him again only this time quickening her pace. Each time she came back to the top she stopped to circle her tongue teasingly around the head before going back down again, moaning her delight.

Mitch found himself unable to resist the urge to 'assist' Janette by using the hair grasped in his hand to pull her up and down faster on his cock. His hips began gently bucking rhythmically. He pulled her away from him when he felt the imminent explosion growing near. He stood there, weak kneed and panting, gazing down at her with heavy eyes. "We're definitely going to have to do that again soon."

Janette gasped when Mitch knelt in front of her and quickly invaded her mouth with his eager tongue, pushing her to lay on her back on the ground. The earth beneath her was quite cool but all she could feel at that moment was Mitch's hot mouth leaving her lips and making its way down her neck and shoulders leaving a blazing trail of kisses. A groan escaped her lips when she felt Mitch latch onto one nipple, his suckling sending a delicious ache straight down between her legs.

Mitch gazed up at Janette and grinned when he saw her laying there in obvious bliss, her eyes closed, her mouth moving, mumbling incoherent words, begging him for more. He trailed his wet tongue slowly down her flat stomach, circled around her belly button and then down to her pubic bone. He felt Janette's hand on the back of his head trying to direct him to a more specific spot. He just chuckled and placed her hand firmly at her side. He let his tongue continue its trail down the length of her thigh to her knee and then back again before moving on to the other thigh. He placed a hand on both knees and slowly spread her legs as far apart as they would go without causing her discomfort. 

Mitch heard his wolf's howl when he caught sight of her glistening pink lips just begging to be licked. He used his forefinger to trace slow circles over her clit before sliding that same finger deep inside of her. He began moving his finger in and out of her and watched as her hips began gyrating, urging him in deeper.

Janette jumped when she felt Mitch's tongue move slowly along her inner lips before sucking gently on her clit. He began moving his finger in a 'come hither' motion inside her. She moaned loudly and pulled his head closer to her. She could take no more. She had to have more than just his finger. She was desperate to be joined with him. She felt her inner wolf urging her on. She pulled Mitch's head from between her thighs and sat up. She not-so-gently pushed him onto his back and straddled his hips. His rock hard length between her legs did nothing to quash the indescribable desire that was surging through her body. She began sliding her hips back and forth, gasping at the fantastic feel of him.

Mitch quickly sat up and wrapped his arms around his mate protectively when he heard something rustling the leaves. One of the male omegas of the pack had apparently been wandering through the woods and stumbled upon them. Mitch heard the deep growl of warning directed at the unwelcome intruder and glanced at Janette in surprise when he realized it had come from her. "Go away, please," Mitch said.

The omega bowed his head in submission and walked back out the way he had come. "My apologies, Alphas."

Janette behaved as though they hadn't been interrupted at all. She kissed Mitch passionately before urging him back down. "I'm sorry, Mitch, but I need you. I can't wait any longer." She rose up on her knees and grasped his cock in her hand, aiming it towards her opening. She groaned and lay her head back as she slowly impaled herself upon him. After savoring the full feeling for a moment, she felt his hands encompass both breasts and she began bouncing up and down, driving him even deeper inside her.

Mitch grabbed Janette's hips with both hands and began sliding her up and down, watching as his cock pistoned in and out of her tight sheath. He heard Janette's little moans and gasps fill the air around them. "You just wait. I'm going to make you scream so loud they'll be able to hear you clear back at the house." 

He continued bouncing her harder and faster and took one of her jiggling nipples into his mouth, sucking and nibbling at it. He felt her convulse and throw her head back, screaming his name as her orgasm crashed through her body wave after wave. "Told you so." Mitch continued pounding into her, feeling her muscles contract and squeeze him.

Janette gazed down at Mitch, her breath coming in pants. Another part of Mitch's body caught her gaze and she felt a new but different desire and need overcome her. She started grinding her hips fervently. She could see Mitch was close to his release and wanted to help him achieve it quickly before she lost her nerve. Her wolf was still anxiously pacing in her mind, telling her that they weren't done yet. She closed her eyes a moment when she heard Mitch's voice.

"God... I'm gonna come... God keep going... don't stop," he begged through clenched teeth.

Janette tasted a hint of copper in her mouth and realized that her fangs had protruded; she had accidentally pricked her bottom lip with one of them. She looked down and saw light golden hairs sprouting up all over her arms and legs. She didn't change fully but she knew her wolf was trying to send her a message... a message that came across loud and clear. The second she felt Mitch's seed shoot up inside of her and saw his face twist in that weird orgasmic way, she pulled his head to the side and sank her teeth in as far as they would go. She wasn't sure what to do next. It was as though her wolf was running the show without being completely on the forefront. She was just along for the ride.

Mitch knew what she was going to do. In fact, he wanted her to do it. He felt their bond take hold along with an immediate sense of relief and completion when Janette sunk her delicate new teeth into the side of his neck. He held her as close as he could and rubbed a hand lightly up and down her bare back reassuringly. He felt her body go limp once the mating was complete. He wasn't worried about it. He knew that extreme weakness was common after a newbie's first major encounter with their wolf occurred. He didn't, however expect her to fall asleep. 

Once he got his breathing under control, he picked Janette up and gazed lovingly down into her serene face. He laughed to himself when she started lightly snoring. Poor thing's exhausted, he thought. Mitch kissed Janette's lips for the first time as full mates and carried her back to the mansion, being careful not to wake her.



The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 13



Again, Thanks MythOFreak for editing. Hope you all enjoy this chapter even though it's shorter than the others. 

*

"Janette, you gotta get up, baby." Mitch brushed the messy strands of hair from Janette's face as her eyes fluttered open. He smiled down at her and kissed her lips. "I know you're tired but it's already six in the morning and you told Sandra you would be at her place by seven, remember?"

"No, it's too early," Janette whined as she snuggled even closer to Mitch's body and tucked her face into his neck. "I'm so sleepy and my body aches from head to toe. Can't I just reschedule or something?"

Mitch chuckled in her ear. "I'm afraid not, love. Don't worry. Sandra knows what you have been through and I've instructed her to take it easy on you until you are fully recovered. Come on. Get up. I'll get you some breakfast and coffee. Meet me downstairs in ten minutes." Mitch stood up from the bed to get dressed and smiled when he looked down and noticed Janette's sleepy eyes gazing lustfully at his naked form. "Not now. Maybe later when you are done training. I promise it will be worth the wait. Now get dressed."

Janette forced her exhausted body out of the ridiculously comfortable bed and trudged over to her closet. She tugged on a pair of light gray sweat pants and a white t-shirt followed by a clean pair of socks and running shoes. She walked to the bathroom where she quickly brushed her teeth and ran a comb through her hair before twisting it into a sloppy bun on the top of her head. She frowned when she leaned in to examine herself in the mirror. "Well, don't you look like hell," she said, rubbing her eyes with her fists. She splashed some water on her face to wake herself up before turning and heading out of the bedroom and downstairs to the kitchen.

"Well now, don't you look cute," Mitch said adoringly. "I've never seen you with your hair in a bun. It's almost librarian-ish. Very sexy." He pulled Janette into a deep kiss, letting his tongue tease hers before pulling away. "Half a whole wheat bagel with cream cheese and a side of strawberries. Eat up, you're gonna need it." He motioned for her to sit at the table and placed the plate in front of her along with a mug of steaming coffee.

"Only half a bagel? Am I on a diet?" she asked, winking at him teasingly.

"I can tell you from personal experience that you don't want to eat too much before a session with Sandra. You will only wind up with a stomachache or vomiting. Either way it's not a good idea." Mitch took a sip of his coffee while intently watching Janette bite into a plump strawberry. He wasn't sure why but he found it quite arousing. "When you get back, I will have a huge feast awaiting you. Don't you worry."

Janette noticed Mitch staring at her. "Jesus, Mitch, it's just a strawberry. It's not like I'm sitting here seductively eating a banana or something," She laughed and rolled her eyes at him before taking another bite of her bagel.

Mitch chuckled to himself but stopped when he remembered Janette on her knees in front of him in the woods the night before. He cleared his throat and sucked down the rest of his coffee, trying to get the image out of his head.

"Ya liked that, did ya?" Janette asked, wiggling her eyebrows at Mitch.

Mitch smiled and shook his head. He made a mental note to try to guard his thoughts a little better from now on. He placed Janette's dishes in the sink when she finished eating. "Come on. You ready?"

"Not really."

"Too bad. I'll walk you over there."

They headed out the back door arm in arm into the dark woods. The sun hadn't even come up yet but Janette noticed that she could see perfectly clear. Almost as though it were midday. "I don't think I will ever get used to these changes, Mitch. It's just too weird."

"Nah, you'll get used to things soon enough. It won't take long. Pretty soon, you'll experience your first shift. I'll be right here with you every step of the way. Don't be scared. I bet your wolf is absolutely beautiful, just like you."

"It's not so much that I'm scared, Mitch. It's just that I really don't know what to expect. I still don't know what to think about everything that has happened to me. To us. Everything seems to be happening so fast, it's dizzying, really." She grasped his hand in hers. "Before I met you, I never thought my life would be going in this direction. I've always thought my life would remain quite boring, as usual. I never thought I would find anyone who means as much to me as you do."

Mitch leaned down and kissed Janette softly. "Neither did I. We're here."

Janette looked ahead to see Sandra waiting patiently in her front yard, tiki torches lit and the box of gear sitting next to her on the ground. "Good morning!" she said in a chipper voice.

Janette groaned to herself. It's too early for this, she thought.

"I'll see you in two hours." Mitch kissed her once more before turning to head back down the wooded path.

"Did you sleep well?" Sandra asked, motioning for Janette to sit on the ground to start stretching.

"Yeah, I did actually. Jeez how long have you been up, anyway?"

"I'm usually up by five every morning. I've always been a morning person. If I sleep in too late, even just until 6:30 in the morning, I feel sluggish for the rest of the day."

Janette silently followed Sandra's lead and stretched the best she could without injuring herself.

"Okay, I hope you're ready for this," Sandra said as she stood and stretched her arms above her head. "Just do the best you can and try to keep up." With that, Sandra took off in a light jog heading straight into the woods with Janette following her. They ran for about half an hour, stopping several times so Janette could catch her breath.

"I don't know how you do this every day." Janette leaned over and tried to catch her breath. She accepted the bottle of water that Sandra offered her and began gulping it down.

"Not so fast," Sandra warned. "Only take small sips. You're going to make yourself sick."

After a brief rest, Sandra walked Janette through the punches she had taught her the night before and then added in a few kicks, being sure that she got each one down before moving on to the next.

Janette did as she was told, kicking repeatedly until her legs felt as though they would give out. "I feel so clumsy sometimes." Janette kicked the air in front of her again just as Sandra had instructed her.

"Stop being so negative. Everyone is clumsy when they first start out. You'll get the hang of it in no time." Sandra walked around Janette and stood directly in front of her with her arms folded across her chest. "Here's another assignment I want you to do. Consider it a part of your training in self-defense. Stop being so down on yourself. You have the self-confidence of a peanut. Seriously. You cannot protect yourself when you don't think you are worthy of being protected." Sandra motioned to the steps of the front porch. "Sit down. Take a load off. Your two hours are just about up anyway."

Janette took off the fighting gear and placed it back in the box by the porch before grabbing her water and sitting next to Sandra. "I don't know what it is with my self-confidence. I guess I have never really had much of it. I've never really been that outgoing." She shrugged her shoulders and took another sip from her bottle.

"Well, self-confidence is a big part of self-defense. When you are attacked by someone, you need to believe that you can handle yourself. You don't want to stand there and hesitate, wondering whether or not you can do it. You just have to know that you can do it and then act upon it. You won't always be practicing by yourself like this. Eventually, I will have you sparring with other pack members." Sandra laughed loudly when she saw the horrified look on Janette's face.

"You mean I will be actually fighting other people in the pack?"

"Yes. You have to know what it's like to hit an actual person. Not only that, but you will learn how to anticipate their next move. It's not good enough to just come to my house and kick at nothing for a couple hours a day. There is so much more to self-defense than you realize." Sandra drank the last of her water and stood in front of Janette. 

"Yes, you will probably get a bruise or two. Yes, you will most likely get knocked on your ass a few times. Don't worry about it. You'll get used to it. If you're anything like me, you will love it. You don't think you will but I can tell you from personal experience that being able to defend yourself is one of the biggest highs you will ever get. Not to mention what it does to your self-confidence."

"This is just all so new to me," Janette said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I imagine it is. Another thing to think about is the amount of respect you will gain from the other pack members. They won't hurt you intentionally when sparring. They understand that you are not only doing this to protect yourself but to protect them and their families as well. I can guarantee you that they will do everything in their power to help you learn and grow."

"Sitting on the job again, ladies?" Mitch came strolling up to Janette and took her hand to help her stand. He wrapped his arms around her waist and planted a firm kiss to her forehead. "I have that feast I promised you waiting at the house. How are you feeling?"

"Actually, not bad. I had trouble with the running but I think I could get used to it."

Sandra began loading the equipment into the box and pulled it onto the porch. "Same time tomorrow morning. We will start learning blocks. Until then." Sandra went into her house and closed the door.

"Shall we?" Mitch led Janette down the wooded path and back to the mansion, where he led her to the dining area.

Janette wasn't surprised this time by the table filled to the brim with all kinds of food and the table being surrounded by numerous other pack members. What she was surprised by was the sight of her grandma and aunt sitting, waiting for her.

"Jan," Her grandmother quickly came to hug her. "I was so worried about you. Mitch told us everything that had happened. Are you okay?"

Janette saw the tears in her grandmother's eyes and hugged her back. "Don't cry, grandma. I'm just fine. Everything is just fine. Mitch told you everything? Even the part about..."

"Yes, he told us about you being turned." Rose hugged her granddaughter tightly once more. "I'm just glad that you are okay. I was so scared for you when Mitch told us what happened."

"I'm surprised you didn't see it ahead of time." Janette took the seat between her grandmother and Mitch. She felt ravenously hungry and started loading a plate with food.

"We don't see everything, Jan. Nobody does. We take what information we are given and learn to deal with the rest." Her grandma watched with her brow raised in surprise when she saw Janette practically wolfing down an enormous amount of food. She had never known her granddaughter to eat like that. She had always had such a small appetite. When she saw Janette pick up a piece of rare, bloody steak with her hands and bite into it, she glared over at Mitch with a disgusted look on her face. "When was the last time you gave her something to eat?" she asked, accusingly.

Mitch couldn't help but to chuckle at Rose's concerned, accusing look. "She ate this morning. I made sure of it." He folded his hands under his chin before continuing. "Rose, there's something you have to understand about your granddaughter. She's not the same as she was. Her body is healing at an astronomical rate, not to mention her being turned and the training she is undergoing, she's bound to have one hell of an appetite. It's quite normal for newly turned wolves. She is burning a lot more calories than she used to."

Rose turned to her granddaughter again. "You just ate a bloody steak. You don't like steak."

"Yes, and it was delicious." Janette noisily licked her fingers and reached across the table to help herself to another slab of rare meat.

The other pack members surrounding them just sat with silly smiles on their faces as they watched the scene unfold before them, some unable to keep their laughter to themselves.

After several minutes, Janette wiped her mouth with her cloth napkin and leaned back in her chair, placing her hand on her distended belly. "Whew, I'm stuffed."

"Well, I would hope so," Rose said, taking a dainty sip of her tea, looking quite unamused. "You could have at least used utensils. Really, Jan, I thought I raised you better than that."

Jack noticed the shamed look take over Janette's features. He placed his napkin on the plate in front of him and laughed. "It's okay, Rose. Really, it is. I remember when I was first turned--"

"When he was first turned I thought he was going to eat us out of house and home. My God did he ever have an appetite," Mariah interrupted with a giggle.

"No, but seriously. Right now, she's running on instincts that she didn't have before. Once her metabolism evens out and the change is complete, she will be back to normal, manners and all." Jack smiled politely at Rose and Marion.

Janette smiled her thanks to Jack and got up to start clearing the table. She piled several dishes neatly on top of each other and headed to the kitchen. She braced both hands on the cold metal of the sink and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Jan. I wasn't trying to embarrass you in there," her grandma said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You just surprised me, that's all. Honestly, everything that's happened is a surprise to me. My granddaughter... a werewolf. I know you told me that you had a dream about it but I wasn't expecting it to happen so soon. I most certainly wasn't expecting it to happen this way, that's for sure."

"Nobody was, grandma." She pivoted on one foot to face her grandmother. Janette was surprised when she felt the sting of tears forming in her eyes and the ache in her chest.

"Dear, what's wrong?" Rose pulled Janette into an embrace. "Don't cry. Talk to me. What's bothering you?"

Janette sniffled and wiped a tear from her cheek. "I don't know what's wrong, grandma. I feel all out of sorts. There are so many changes. I didn't want this. I didn't want to be turned by someone who wishes me dead." She shook her head in confusion. "This guy who did this to me is obviously crazy. What if he transferred some of that crazy to me when he bit me? What if I'm crazy now?"

"Shhh... now don't talk like that. You don't have a bone in your body that's capable of being crazy or injuring someone else. You know that as well as I do."

"I saw mom."

"What?" her grandma asked, confused.

"When I died... I saw mom. She was sitting next to a waterfall waiting for me. She was so beautiful. I didn't get to see dad though. I don't understand why. I wanted to stay there with her but she told me I had to go. I forgot all about Mitch and you and aunt Marion." Janette lost it just then and burst out in tears, placing her head on her grandma's shoulder.

"Shhh... don't cry. I'm here. Grandma's here." Rose embraced her granddaughter, fighting back her own tears.

"How could I forget about you guys? How selfish can I get? I feel so guilty."

"Don't torture yourself. I have met several people who have 'come back from the dead' so to speak. They have all said the same thing. They didn't remember their human life right away. It was as though their brains were in shock or something and it took awhile for their memory to come back. It's quite common. There's nothing for you to ever feel guilty about."

"Jan? What's going on? Are you alright?" Mitch set the dishes he'd been carrying in the sink before pulling his mate into his arms. "Why are you crying?" He gave Rose a stern look, demanding an explanation.

"We were just having a little talk about what happened to her while she was... while she was dead." Rose looked away with those last words, unable to meet Mitch's gaze. "I have to ask... do we have any idea of who it was that attacked my granddaughter?"

"Yes, we do. From what we can gather, he is a newly changed wolf. The only reason we know who he is is because he spent some time in the hospital not long ago. He was wanted by the police and escaped."

Rose narrowed her gaze on Mitch. "Do you have a name?"

"Leonard. Leonard Marshall." Mitch stood there and watched as Rose's eyes grew wide and she stepped back as if in disbelief. "Rose? What's wrong?"

Rose felt her heart sink in her chest and a panic spread through her body. "Are you sure? You have to be sure. How do you know who he is?" Rose's face turned pale as she clumsily backed into the kitchen sink.

"While he was in the hospital, the doctor went through his wallet to find his driver's license. That's the name that was on his ID. Why do you ask?"

"Describe him to me."

"I didn't see him, Rose. I couldn't tell you."

"I saw him." Janette pulled herself out of Mitch's embrace. "I helped take care of him. He was tallish, I guess. I don't know. It's hard to tell, he was laying in a hospital bed. He had short blond hair and dark brown eyes." Janette gave her grandmother a confused look. "Grandma, what's the matter? You look pale. Do you need to sit down? Do you want a glass of water or something?"

Rose took a deep, shaky breath. "No. I think it's you who should sit down, dear. I have some things to tell you. I should have told you a long time ago but I didn't think he would ever find us here."

Janette's heart thudded heavily in her chest. "What do you mean, 'find us here'? Grandma, you're scaring me."

"You should be scared. Janette, I don't ever want you to leave the safety of this mansion again. Not even to come visit me. Not until this man is found and taken care of."

"Grandma, what are you talking about?"

"Sit down." Rose motioned to a nearby chair and watched her granddaughter nervously take a seat. Rose took a deep breath and closed her eyes to calm her nerves. "You weren't born Janette Timbers. Janette is the name I gave you when we moved here. You were only five years old at the time."

Janette shook her head, confused. "Wait, why would you need to give me a new name? I don't understand."

"You were born in Minneapolis St. Paul, Minnesota. Your given name was Cynthia Leanne Spencer." Rose turned to gaze out the kitchen window, unsure of how to tell her granddaughter what needed to be said. "I don't know how to tell you this. I--"

"Just say it grandma. I'm tired of people keeping things from me. I'm a grown woman. I think I can handle it."

"We moved to Minnesota after your mother was attacked. There was a man. His name was Leonard Marshall. The same man that attacked you."

Janette shook her head as understanding sank in. "So that's why he kept calling me Marie. He thought I was my mother."

"Well, you do look exactly like your mother. All except the eyes." Rose turned to face her granddaughter with silent tears streaming down her face. "Luckily, you didn't inherit a thing from your father. You got all your great attributes from your mother. My Marie. Oh how I miss her."

"Luckily?? My father was a great man. I won't have you--"

"Your DAD was a great man. I will love and respect him until the day I die. Janette, William-- Bill... he wasn't your father."

Janette jumped to her feet, her chair falling to the floor behind her. "What the hell are you saying?"

Rose couldn't contain her sorrow any longer. "I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I never wanted to tell you. Not like this. Leonard violently raped your mother. He almost killed her. That's why we ran. It was as though he was untouchable. The police couldn't find him. Nobody could find him. It didn't matter how many restraining orders we took out on him, he still got to her." Rose grabbed a Kleenex from a box on the counter and dabbed the tears from her eyes. "Your mother, Marie, was already several months pregnant when she met Bill. He knew it. He didn't care. He still married her and he loved both you and her more than his own life. To him, you were his daughter and he would have done anything for you."




The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 13



Janette felt an unfamiliar anger growing within her. "Why didn't you tell me this?"

"How would that have made you feel, Jan? How would that have affected you emotionally, to know that you were the product of a violent rape? I couldn't tell you. Your aunt couldn't tell you. There was no reason to. You were a well-adjusted, brilliant little girl. There was absolutely no reason to mar your emotional state by telling you this."

Janette couldn't control the fury that was building in her. She slowly backed towards the back door of the house.

"Jan, sweetheart, calm down. Let's talk about this. I need you to stay calm," Mitch tried to reassure his mate but he knew it was useless when he saw the gold glow in her eyes.

"You stay calm about it. You weren't born from a fucking maniac. How the hell would you even know what you're talking about?" Janette growled through clenched teeth. She glared once more at both Mitch and Rose before turning and bolting through the back door. She ran as fast as she could to the tree line. She wanted nothing more than to run until she passed out. Until her hurt and anger subsided. She tried to calm her anger but was unsuccessful. 

She made it to the trees when suddenly she felt a burning pain in her lower leg as the bone seemed to break. She fell to the ground with a loud thud and an anguished cry. When she looked down she was shocked to see that her leg wasn't broken but was changing. Her bones and muscles in her body began twisting and turning, cracking and stretching. She had no control of the shifting. She could do nothing more than lay there on the ground howling out her misery as her body slowly, painfully transformed into the monster that she now was.

"Liam! Jack! Get out here NOW!" Mitch swiftly shifted into his wolf form, leaving grandma in the kitchen. He ran as fast as he could to help his mate but when he got to her she had already turned. Before him stood a beautiful golden wolf. He was surprised at how much smaller she was compared to him. He reached out to her but she just snapped her newly formed jaws at him. He knew she was terrified. He could see it in her glowing eyes. "Jan, please, I need you to calm down. I need you to relax." Mitch looked around and found several pack members in their wolf form surrounding his mate in an effort to protect their Alpha. 

"BACK DOWN! If any of you hurt her, it will be your throats. Understood?!" He watched as the group slowly backed away and waited for further orders. "Jan, baby, I'm here. I told you I'd help you through your first shift and I am sticking by my word. I need you to calm down. Please."

Janette looked around at all the other wolves standing ready to attack her if she made the wrong move. She felt a low growl emanate from her chest and knew it wasn't her, it was her wolf who was in full control. She felt the anger rush through her body but also knew that her wolf didn't understand what was happening. Her wolf took the anger as a threat and was ready to act on anyone who approached her.

'He's going to defend them before he defends me,' she thought and took off at lightning speed through the trees. She could feel Mitch's wolf on her heels but she didn't care. "Get away from me!" she cried out. "Just leave me be!" She kept running as fast as her new legs would carry her.

"I will not!" Mitch bolted forward and jumped on Janette's back, knocking her to the ground. They both rolled a few times before coming to a stop with Mitch on top of his mate. "Now you listen to me. I can protect you and help you through this but not when you are acting like a fucking child. BACK DOWN!"

Janette felt her wolf recede and she changed slowly into herself again. She couldn't stop the tormented cries that were shaking her body. "What's happening to me?" she sobbed. "It's not supposed to be like this!"

Mitch held his mate tightly, letting her cry into his shoulder. "It's unfair. I know." His breathing was ragged. "I know what it is like to lose parents. I don't know what you're going through but I am here for you. Please let me be here for you." He held her tightly against his body until her sobbing stopped. "Jan, you have to understand, I love you. I don't care if your father was a psychopath or not. You are mine. Forever. Don't ever doubt that."

Janette slowly stood and wiped the tears from her eyes. Her strides towards the mansion were long and determined, her now black eyes focused straight ahead.

"Where are you going? Please, I am asking you to calm down," Mitch said when he saw the determined look in his mate's eyes.

"I am going to find my father," Janette growled.



The Werewolf's Sabbat Ch. 14



Mitch lay in bed on his side with his head propped up on one hand. It was already three o'clock in the morning and he hadn't slept. He couldn't sleep. He was exhausted but knew that if he allowed himself the pleasure of drifting off that he might awake to her being gone, having left in the middle of the night. It had taken him a lot of talking to convince Janette to stay home and not go looking for the man she now knew was her father. He didn't blame her for being angry and confused. He knew he could physically restrain her if she tried to leave but he didn't want it to come to that. He reached a hand out and brushed his fingers lightly down her forearm.

"Stop worrying so much, Mitch. I'm not going anywhere," Janette groaned in a sleepy voice.

"I thought you were asleep."

"I was. You think too loud, you know that? It's enough to wake up the entire pack." Janette rolled from her side to face him.

Mitch moved closer to Janette and pulled her into his arms. "I don't mean to worry. You can't really blame me though, can you? You were something else last night. I thought for a moment that I was going to have to put you in a straight jacket and lock you up," he said teasingly, and kissed the tip of her nose.

"I'm sorry about that. I really don't know what has come over me. No wonder grandma and Aunt Marion have kept so much from me. They probably know I freak out at every little thing."

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure they understand. They just want what's best for you, that's all. What's done is done. Knowing who your father is now doesn't change things. It doesn't define you or make you someone different. You're still the same old you. Well, except that you're a wolf. That's different, of course." Mitch pulled slightly away from Janette and gazed down into her sleepy face. "Speaking of, everything else aside, how was your first shift?"

Janette smiled and shook her head. "If shifting is going to be that painful then I don't ever want to do it again. I felt like my entire body was on fire, I could have sworn every bone was breaking. It's not something I ever want to relive."

"I don't think it will be that way from now on. Remember what I told you? Your first time may be a bit uncomfortable but after that, it's a breeze. In fact, sometimes it even feels good to let your wolf out."

"Uncomfortable, huh? That's the understatement of the year." Janette slid an arm around Mitch's waist. "How do you learn to control it? I mean, is it going to be unexpected like that every time? I don't want to be in the market or the mall and suddenly shift into a hairy wolf."

"A lot of times newly turned wolves find their shifting uncontrollable when they are angry or feel threatened, which would explain last night. However, I don't think you should have much trouble with that since you're not an angry person by nature."

"Up until now, that is."

"Do you want me to teach you?"

Janette met Mitch's gaze with a look of fear. "Teach me to shift? Are you kidding? I can't. I mean--"

"Stop. I promise it won't hurt this time. I'll teach you how to control it." Mitch stood from the bed and held his hand out to Janette. "Come on. We can go for a run through the woods or something."

"Mitch it's three o'clock in the morning. Do we have to do this now?"

"Well, we're not sleeping. Might as well do it now."

Janette stood from the bed and reached for her clothes.

"No need for that. You'll just be taking them back off once we are outside anyway."

"You mean you want me to walk through the mansion naked? Are you serious, Mitch?"

Mitch teasingly mocked Janette's shocked expression. "Yes, I'm serious. Everyone's asleep anyway and anyone who is awake won't care that you are naked. Besides, you look pretty darn good in your birthday suit," he said with a wink.

Janette tried to think of another excuse, any excuse, not to go but came up with nothing. She let out a defeated sigh and grabbed Mitch's hand. She followed him out of the bedroom, down the stairs and into the back yard. The full moon was shining brightly down upon them from a cloudless sky accompanied by a dense speckling of stars. She instinctively wrapped her arms around herself when she felt the cool night air against her skin.

"Now I want you to try and relax. Do you feel your wolf inside you?"

Janette nodded and swallowed nervously.

"All you have to do is call her forth. Close your eyes if it helps. Let her know that it's okay and give control over to her."

Janette took a deep breath and blew it out. She relaxed the best she could and closed her eyes, immediately seeing her wolf's image behind her lids. She spoke to her in her mind, assuring her that it was okay for her to come out. The golden wolf hesitated. Janette tried again, mentally sending her wolf all the love and trust that she was feeling and asking her once more to come forth. She gasped in surprise when she felt a tingling sensation starting at her toes and working its way through her body up to her scalp. She opened her eyes and looked down to see golden fur sprouting from her arms, legs and chest. Her body was transforming right before her eyes and it didn't hurt at all like it had the first time. She looked over at Mitch with a half smile on her face and saw the pleased look of approval in his eyes. She then fell forward onto all four legs while her face elongated into a muzzle. Everything felt so amazing in her wolf form, as though this is what she was meant to be. She raised her muzzle to the sky and let out a joyous howl.

Mitch knelt down on one knee in front of his mate. "I told you your wolf would be beautiful. That wasn't so bad, was it?" He ran his hand lovingly through her fur.

A shiver ran the length of Janette's body and she licked Mitch's cheek affectionately. "What was it you were saying about a run through the woods?" she laughed into his mind before sprinting past him. She was surprised at how agile she felt and it didn't take her long to get the hang of running on all fours. It wasn't nearly as difficult as running in her human form, that was for sure.

Mitch watched his mate dart past him heading to the tree line and laughed. He was glad to see that she was taking it so well. He shifted into his wolf form and chased after her, intentionally keeping a slight distance between them. He didn't want to catch her too soon. That would just take all of the fun out of the chase. "And where do you think you're going, young lady?"

"Bet you can't catch me!" she laughed back at him. Janette heard Mitch approaching her from behind and sped up, running as fast as she could through the thick trees. She stumbled when she heard several wolves howling. The sound was coming from the direction of the mansion. Mitch caught her off guard and bowled right into her knocking them both down to the ground.

"You thought I couldn't catch you, huh?"

"Not fair! I was distracted. Where is that howling coming from? I thought we were the only ones awake."

"Most likely, your howling woke the pack. One of their favorite past times is running through the woods in the middle of the night." Mitch said as he watched several pack members sprint past them.

"That's a strange past time."

"Not to a wolf." Mitch let Janette up and, as he expected, she ran from him again.

"TAG! You're it!" She laughed as she sped away from him.

"Oh, you're gonna get it, you just wait!"

"Promises, promises." Janette continued running, unable to control the giggling bubbling up from her. She was soon joined by five other pack members running alongside her. She heard them laughing in her head at her and Mitch's bantering back and forth. She had forgotten what Mitch had said about the other pack members being able to hear each other when they were in their wolf form. She let a low growl escape her when Mitch sailed past them as though they were all standing still.

"Oh come on, Jan. Are you gonna put up with his crap?" Jack said from beside her. "You can out run him. I know you can."

Janette burst forth, running at what seemed to be lightning speed. It didn't take long for her to catch up to Mitch and soon she was nipping at his heels. "Ya think you're pretty tough, huh?" She pushed herself and used the rush of adrenaline that was screaming through her body to race past him, laughing into his mind. "See? Told ya you weren't that tough." She saw the clearing ahead of them and had a strange sense of déjà vu overcome her when she remembered her dream about chasing the black wolf through the woods. She ran as fast as she could towards the clearing where there stood an enormous bonfire in the center. She yelped in surprise when she felt Mitch run into her and they tumbled several times into the center of what seemed to be a large circle.

"I caught you," Mitch said into her mind while pinning her down.

"Mitch, I remember this. I dreamed this." Janette looked around to see the circle lined with wolves howling into the night sky. They seemed to be cheering them on.

"Oh really? And what happens next?" Mitch asked with a knowing look in his eyes. He let Janette up but knew that she wouldn't run from him again.

Janette stood there in the middle of the circle and watched as Mitch slowly circled her several times as though he was trying to decide what to do with her next. She felt a slight confusion as to what was happening. The surrounding wolves continued to howl and cheer Mitch on as he continued to walk slow deliberate circles around her. The lustful look in his eye brought her wolf's own lust to the forefront. 

She shivered in anticipation when she felt Mitch slowly slide his tongue teasingly between her back legs. She wasn't surprised when she felt him place his front paws on her back and mount her. She did the only thing she knew to do and lay her chest on the ground, offering herself to him. When she felt his shaft enter her, she couldn't help the loud groan that escaped her, coming out as a whimper. Everything seemed to happen so quickly it all was a blur. Before she knew what had happened she was laying on her side, covered in sweat and cradled in Mitch's human arms with the entire pack surrounding them and cheering.

"Are you okay?" Mitch whispered into her ear.

"What just happened? Everything seems so foggy."

"You just went through an official mating. A traditional mating. You are now formally the pack's female alpha."

"Wait. Don't you have to bite me first? And I thought we were already mated."

"We were. Nobody else knew that we were completely mated. They thought we were only half mated, remember? Oh, and I did bite you. And you bit me."

Janette looked back to see a trickle of blood flowing down Mitch's shoulder. She reached her hand up to her own shoulder to find a warm liquid dripping down her neck. "Mitch, something's wrong. I don't remember biting you or being bitten."

"Baby, nothing's wrong. It's quite normal. You just got caught up in the moment. Your wolf was in full control. We have been laying here for about ten minutes now."    

Janette sat up and looked around with a confused expression when she heard several men and women playing tribal drums off to one side of the circle. "Where the hell did the drums come from and why was there a bonfire lit at three in the morning? This is all too strange, Mitch."

"We keep the drums over there in that shed just outside the circle by the trees. There is always a bonfire built and ready to go. You have to understand, Janette, this pack will use any excuse they can come up with to have a party. I know this wasn't planned but we don't do everything planned. Sometimes things just happen, but there's always a reason. Even though we were already fully mated, you acting out the mating ceremony in front of the whole pack just increased their respect for you. It's kind of hard to explain. It's a sign from you that you trust them."

"No, I think I understand." Janette looked down and saw that she was still naked. For some reason it didn't bother her at all. It felt completely natural to be naked with the rest of her pack. After all, they were all naked, aside from the very few who remained in their wolf form guarding the circle.

Mitch stood and helped his mate to her feet. He noticed the disturbed look on her face and followed her gaze down to between her legs where his semen was trailing it's way to her knee. "Don't worry about it. It's natural. It's just another reminder to everyone that you are mine." He lifted her chin and pressed his lips to hers in a passionately deep kiss only to hear several whistles and catcalls coming from other male pack members. He whipped his head around and tried to glare at them but only ended up smiling from ear to ear. "You guys, seriously, stop it. You're going to embarrass my mate." He walked Janette to a bench that was crafted from a large oak tree and sat her down next to him. They sat together and watched as people began to enter the circle and dance to the beat of the drums. Some of the pack members were stopping to congratulate the mated pair, hugging and kissing Janette and welcoming her to the family. Others were passing around bottles of wine and flasks full of this and that.

"This is all so amazing Mitch. I have never felt this way before. It's indescribable."

Mitch stood in front of Janette and held his hand out to her. "Dance with me, milady?"

"Oh, Mitch, I don't dance. I haven't danced a day in my life."

"You've never done karate before either, but you're doing that. Come on. Just give it a try. There are no moves. You just move to the beat, that's all. No one will judge you."

Janette hesitantly took Mitch's offered hand and followed him to the inner circle with the rest of the dancers. She wasn't sure what to do so she just tried to follow along the best she could. She burst out laughing when Mitch started dancing and several pack members whistled and shouted 'Go Mitch!' She noticed that he did indeed resemble a chicken just as Jack had said.

Mitch noticed Janette's uncontrollable laughter and the tears in her eyes. "Are you making fun of me?" he said, lifting her up and spinning her in circles.

"Oh, I would never do that," she said, still giggling.

Just then, Jack danced past them with another female pack member. "See? I told ya. Chicken all the way."

This just made Janette laugh harder, if that was even possible. Once her laughter subsided, she met his gaze. "I would never make fun of you, Mitch. You really are cute as hell though."

"You sure do swear a lot these days," he said with a wink.

"Perhaps it's the wolf in me," she said, raising her chin defiantly and placing her hands on her hips.

"Well, I don't care how much you swear. Swear like a sailor if you want. Just don't stop dancing with me." Mitch stopped and looked deep into Janette's eyes, the lust he had for her rearing its ugly head once again.

"Mitch, it must be five in the morning by now. I have to meet with Sandra at seven. Shouldn't we get back?"

"Sandra's sitting over there with Thor. I do believe she may be slightly intoxicated. Besides, she gave you tomorrow off, remember?"

Janette looked over in the direction of Mitch's gaze and saw Sandra, naked as the day she was born, in what seemed to be a very intimate conversation with the blonde haired brute. She couldn't help the smile of contentment that spread across her lips. "Well, how about that. Good for her."

"Yeah, she needs to get laid. Maybe she won't be so tough in her training."

Janette smacked Mitch on the arm.

Mitch looked at her with a mock expression of shock. "What! I'm just saying."

"She's not so tough. She has been extremely kind to me. Even if I do whine a lot. She's been through one hell of a life."

Mitch gazed down at his mate. "So you two are getting to be somewhat friends?"

"Yeah, I think so. I have a lot of respect for her and she makes sense out of things that I don't understand. She has opened my eyes to some things I never thought about."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. It's hard to explain. It just seems to me that things are falling into place right now. I can't describe it to you. It's a feeling I have. As though I belong here and always have."  

"You have always belonged to me, Jan. You are mine forever. I plan to make you the happiest woman on the face of this earth." Mitch pressed his lips to hers.

Janette kissed him back, letting her lips linger on his for a moment longer than necessary. "You already have."

*

"Are you fucking kidding me right now? You left her to suffer and now she's gone? I gave you specific orders, you fucking retard! There is no room for game playing here. You already fucked up the first task I gave you and now you have to go do it again!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't think it would be a big deal. I had her securely tied up! I came back the next day and she was gone. I couldn't even follow her scent. If she had crawled away or something, I could have followed it, I think."

"You think? Thinking is not what I asked you to do. Obviously, you're no good at it. Leo, you can't keep doing this shit. You are ruining everything and you have been for the last 20 years!"

"I'm sorry, don't be angry with me. I have no one else to learn from."

"Soon you won't even have me to learn from."

"Don't say that. Please? I will fix this. I promise."

"I turned you for a reason, Leonard. I thought it would make you a better hunter. You weren't supposed to fall in love with your prey, you fucking idiot. Who does that?"

Leonard paced the room nervously. "I didn't just fall in love with her. I have been in love with her for 20 years now. She's all I can think about."

"Well, you failed. You're an idiot. Now I have a huge mess to clean up, thanks to you... again."

"Wait! Just give me one more chance. I can fix this. You'll see. I will fix this."

"You'd better. You have until the next full moon to correct your mistakes. I care about you, Leonard, but I can't tolerate this type of conduct from you. Fix it by the next full moon or you will suffer greatly. 



The Werewolf's Sabbat



* Bill Spencer pulled his keys from the ignition and sighed, happy to be home. He hadn't been expecting a half day at work, but who was he to argue. He opened the door to the three bedroom bungalow he shared with his wife and daughter. Shrugging his jacket off, he hung it on a hanger in the closet when he spotted his wife sitting on the sofa in the living room. "Hey there, babe. How'd your morning go?" He said closing the closet door.

Marie was surprised as she wasn't expecting him so early. "What are you doing home?" she asked nervously.

"They let us off early due to meetings in management, or some nonsense like that." Bill stepped up to his wife, wrapping her in his embrace and giving her a small peck on the lips. He noticed the timid look in her eyes and wondered if something had happened while he was gone. His brow drew together in worry. "Are you okay, baby?"

Marie took a deep breath and swallowed, trying to stop her hands from shaking. Here goes nothing she thought, looking down at the floor. "I went to the doctor this morning after taking Cindy to school." She looked up into his eyes to find them flicker with worry. 

"Baby, are you okay? You didn't tell me you were feeling ill." He said, cupping her face in his hands. 

"It's ok Billie; it was just a check-up."

He let out a relieved sigh, "Thank goodness. From the look on your face I thought you were going to tell me you had to have a leg amputated, or something." He leaned in and kissed her once more. 

Marie took a step back, "There was one piece of bad news." She said trying to calm her now racing heart. "You see, you're going to have to relocate your home office. I know how much you like your own space when you're working, but I was thinking we could arrange it in a corner of the bedroom or something."

Bill cocked an eyebrow at her, "I'm confused. What does my office have to do with your visit to the doctor?"

"Well," she started slowly, blinking nervously, "when the doctor examined me, he found the strangest little growth right about here." She took his hand and placed it on her lower abdomen. She instinctively held her breath, waiting for the worse. 

When he realized what his wife was implying, his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open as he looked down to where his hand was. "You mean... we... we're..."

Marie slowly nodded her head in conformation. She wasn't expecting him to pick her up and she let out a yelp of surprise as he swung her around in circles, laughing. 

"Oh my God Marie, we're having a baby!" He continued twirling her around until she was dizzy and then pressed his lips to hers in a passionate kiss. He wrapped his arms around her tightly. "You're going to have my baby. I can't believe it!"

Marie looked up at him, her eyes gleaming. "I was worried that you'd be upset." She said with tears in her eyes as relief washed over her. 

He took her face in his hands again, wiping away a tear with his thumb. "Are you kidding me? How could I ever be upset with you, especially over something like this?" The look of pure adoration in his eyes was almost enough to make Marie's heart melt. "I love you so goddamn much, Marie. Nothing would make me happier than having another child with you. We have to find a way to celebrate."

Marie's sudden deep kiss took him by surprise. She smiled flirtatiously and brought her lips to his ear. "I know of a way we can celebrate." She whispered. 

Cocking his eyebrow at her with a gleam in his eye he leaned in and growled his response in her ear knowing it sent shivers down her body. He breathed in her amazing sent. She was wearing the perfume he'd bought for her on her birthday. He didn't remember the name of it but the essence of jasmine did amazing things on her skin. He felt his erection begin to harden instantly, as she slowly trailed her hand down his chest and over his trim abdomen to the hardening bulge in his jeans. When she smiled and squeezed just a bit his breath caught in his throat for just a second. She let her tongue slide seductively along his earlobe. "We aren't due to pick Cindy up from school for another hour." She whispered. His voice suddenly husky with need, he sighed with mock resignation "Oh well, I guess if that's all the time we have right now then I will just have to make the most of it" 

He knelt down and scooped her up in his arms the way he had the night of their wedding to carry her across the threshold. Marie smiled and giggled wrapping her arms around his neck. He carried her through the door and across the bedroom, sitting her gently on the edge of the bed. He pulled her shirt up along her arms and over her head before discarding it to the floor. The fact that she didn't have a bra on drove him wild and he leaned over to tenderly suck one of those perfect nipples into his mouth. She arched into him and ran her fingers through the back of his hair, silently begging for more. He finally released her nipple from his mouth, sliding his wet tongue slowly up her neck and finding her lips with his. She let out a tortured moan as he assaulted her mouth while his hand had its way with her other breast. 

Bill stood up and started to take off his shirt and Marie reached out and swiftly unbuckled his belt. Once the button and zipper of his pants were unfastened, she slowly pulled them down to his knees, letting his erection spring free. She looked up at him to see his face flushed and his eyes filled with that look that turned her on so much; a look of pure animalistic lust. 

Bill tilted his head to the side watching as Marie's little pink tongue darted out and traced small hot circles around the head of his manhood. He couldn't stop the groan that escaped him when she gently grabbed the base of his shaft, sliding her small hand slowly up and down its length, before sucking the entire tip into her hot little mouth. He swept the hair back from Marie's face and watched as his hard thick cock disappear into her mouth over and over again, he could feel his control shattering. This was just teasing, he had to have her. 

Bill impatiently picked his wife up and lay her down in the center of the bed. His breathing growing ragged, he tugged at the button and zipper of her jeans before finally removing them and tossing them haphazardly behind him to the floor. He stood admiring his goddess of a wife, who was lying before him wearing nothing but a pair of barely there, pink lace panties. He had every intention of ripping the small piece of material from her but smiled as he thought better of it.

Marie wasn't sure that she had ever seen her husband this lustful before. That wild look in his eye both intimidated her and turned her on at the same time. She let out a squeak of surprise when he abruptly reached over, grabbed her by the hips and drug her to the very edge of the bed. She looked down at him to see a wicked grin cross his face before he lowered himself to his knees beside the bed. He raised her legs up and out beside her, opening her up as wide as he could. Keeping his gaze focused on hers, he slowly slid his hot tongue over her lace clad clit, forcing a moan from deep within her. She couldn't help but to lay her head back and close her eyes relishing the fire he was stoking within her. He continued lapping away at the cloth covering her little bud, teasing her relentlessly. She felt that familiar, knowing tension start to build in her belly and couldn't help the throaty moans escaping her. "God, Bill, please don't stop." She begged, bucking her hips against his mouth.

Bill loved the tangy taste of his wife. He wanted desperately to remove her panties that were presenting a barrier to heaven but wanted just as badly to watch her come. God, he loved watching her come. He continued his slow torture of her covered clit until he recognized the tell-tale signs of her impending climax. Only then did he carefully slide a finger under the lace, pulling it to the side, revealing his prize. His tongue met the bare flesh of her swollen clit and he gently sucked it into his mouth, hearing her cry out with her sudden climax. He thrust one thick finger into her center, feeling her muscles contract around his now soaked digit, slowly sliding it in and out imitating what he had every intention of doing to her just moments from now. Her body shuttered, unable to speak or move as the after shocks of her climax rippled through her body. 

He stood between her still spread legs at the edge of the bed. Taking his erection in his hand he began sliding it teasingly up and down her wet hot slit. Just as he was getting ready to enter her he remembered Marie's news to him earlier. "Marie, are you sure about this? Are you sure it won't hurt anything?" He asked, his breathing ragged. 

Marie looked up at him with half lidded eyes, still breathless. "God yes, I'm sure. I'm also sure that if you don't take me and fuck me right now, I'm going to lose my mind." 

They groaned in unison as his thick cock drove deep into her tight wet sheath. Bill had waited too long and was too worked up to make it last. He hadn't intended to be so rough with her but he couldn't help it as he pounded every inch of himself into her ruthlessly. He tensed suddenly when he heard her scream out her second orgasm. The clenching of her muscles around his cock finally sent him over the edge and he growled his release, shooting his seed inside of her.

They both laid there wrapped in each others arms, chests heaving, and beads of sweat covering them, completely spent. Bill glanced over at Marie trying to read her expression. "Are you ok? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Still unable to fully calm her breathing, she kissed him lightly. "I'm fine." She said smiling up at him. "I don't think you have ever been that rough with me before. Usually you handle me so gently, as though you think I'm a china doll and might break."

"I'm sorry, Marie. I don't know what came over me. I didn't mean to get so rough." He said, guilt washing over him. 

"For goodness sakes don't apologize. I'm almost embarrassed to say this, but I really liked it. I haven't been that aroused in a very long time. Why haven't you done that before?"

"I didn't want to hurt you." He paused, considering what he would say next. His face took on a serious expression when his eyes met hers. "Marie, I know something happened to you before we met and got married."

Marie stiffened in his arms. "What do you mean?" Oh shit, he knew. Who would have told him? Perhaps it was her mother. Damn her, she thought. She was always meddling in other people's business.

"Baby, I'm not as ignorant or blind as you might think. I knew something bad had happened to you from the start." 

Marie got up off of the bed and put on a bathrobe hanging on a hook in the closet. She couldn't bring herself to face him, feeling the guilt of having lied to him for the past five years. He had known all that time and hadn't said anything. She found herself wanting to be angry at him for not having told her but then realized she was the one in the wrong for having kept secrets from her husband for so long. She struggled to find her voice past the lump forming in her throat. "How did you know?" 

"There were plenty of clues. For one, I couldn't so much as touch you without you jumping for the first couple of months after we met. It was as though you were afraid I would hit you, or something." Bill sat up moving to the edge of the bed and put his pants back on. He walked over to her and gently turned her to face him. Seeing the shame in her face, he lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. "I remember the first night we spent together in this house. You had a terrible nightmare and were struggling in your sleep as though someone was attacking you. You've had many nightmares like that over the years. I didn't know what to do to help you so I just held you until you calmed down."

Marie felt her bottom lip quiver uncontrollably, as she tried to contain the tears threatening to fall. She didn't like to cry, especially in front of her husband. She felt that it made her seem weak. "Why didn't you say anything? You have never asked about it. Why?"

"I don't really know." Bill sighed, looking at his wife with worry. "I have always thought that you would tell me when you are ready. I still do." He pulled Marie into his embrace and kissed the top of her head. "I don't know what happened to you before we met and I don't expect any answers right now." He tightened his embrace when he felt her shudder. "I love you more than anything. I always have. No matter what has happened in your past, I will always be here for you. I promise." He released her from his grasp with one more kiss and turned to finish dressing. He glanced at the clock before slipping on his shoes. "Why don't you take a quick shower and get dressed. I'll go get Cindy from school and we can talk some more later." He turned and walked to the door stopping suddenly when he heard his wife's shaky voice.

"His name was Leonard G. Marshall." Marie stood, looking out the window unable to contain the tears streaming down her face. She couldn't keep this secret from her husband any longer. She felt that if she didn't come clean and tell him everything, she would explode. "I met him six years ago at a bookstore I use to work at. I don't even know how it all started. He came in one day to buy a book and he started talking to me. It seemed innocent enough, at the time until I noticed that he started coming in everyday and would stay there for at least an hour, roaming the isles, watching me. He seemed like an okay guy, but something just didn't feel right about him. After a week, he approached me and asked me out. I wasn't looking to date anyone at the time and politely declined." Marie stopped to take a deep breath in an effort to calm her nerves, wrapping her arms around her middle. "I didn't realize he had been following me around town until one day I was on my way home from work and seen him slip behind a building as though he was hiding. That same night, I was walking to my mother's house three blocks from my apartment when I was attacked. He came out of nowhere. He tackled me to the ground and was lying on top of me, holding me down, grinding himself between my legs in the most disgusting way. He just held me there telling me how I was to be his and there was nothing I could do about it. I somehow managed to knee him in the groin and ran as fast as I could to my mother's house where I called the police."

Bill walked up quickly behind his wife and wrapped his arms gently around her, not saying anything for fear that she might not continue. He felt relieved that she finally trusted him enough to confide in him yet he was afraid of what she might tell him next. He squeezed her gently, urging her on.

Marie cleared her throat roughly before taking another breath and closing her eyes, seeing Leonard's face in her mind's eye. "I told the police everything that had happened. They advised me to take out a restraining order against him, and I did, right away. Nothing helped though. Nothing stopped him from harassing me. There were threatening phone calls; he would drive by my apartment constantly. I did everything I legally could but it seemed the police couldn't even help me. Hell, they couldn't even find him." Marie stopped to wipe the tears from her face. She hadn't even realized that she had been crying and suddenly felt embarrassed by it. "Anyway, about two weeks after the initial attack, I was sitting in my apartment alone, watching TV before bed. I didn't even know he was there. I still have no idea how he got in. I went into the kitchen to get a glass of water when he grabbed me from behind." Her voice cracked just then and she felt her knees give out remembering the horror that she had gone through. 

Bill held on to her as she sank to the floor, suddenly sobbing. "It's okay, baby, I've got you. Nobody's going to hurt you again." He promised as he held her, her body shaking with misery. 

She took a few more deep breaths trying to calm herself before continuing. "After he grabbed me, he held me down on the kitchen floor and ripped my clothes off." She said trying to stop her sobs. "He raped me. It seemed like it lasted hours. I wasn't able to get away from him. After the rape, he just kept hitting and kicking me. He was screaming at me about how I belonged to no one else but him. He just kept going and going." She could no longer stop the tremors racking through her body. "After about an hour of him raping and beating me, he suddenly got up and left as though nothing had happened. I just lay there on the kitchen floor covered in blood. I don't know how long I was unconscious. When I looked at the kitchen clock, it was one o'clock in the morning so it must have been a couple hours. It hurt to move, hurt to breathe but I somehow dragged my body to the living room where the phone was. I called the police and they sent an ambulance." She sat on the floor wrapped in her husband's arms. Her tears finally stopped and her sorrow turned to anger as she remembered what Leonard had done to her. "I spent two weeks in the hospital recovering from my injuries. The doctor said I was lucky to be alive after what that man did to me. Of course, even after this, the police still couldn't locate that son of a bitch." She said through clenched teeth. "When I was finally released from the hospital, my mother and aunt showed up at my apartment. I don't know how they knew what happened but they put me in their car claiming that we had to relocate to get away from this man. It was strange; they had new identification for all three of us. It was as though they had planned it, knowing it was going to happen. Mamma was crying and holding me, apologizing profusely for not having protected me from him. That's when we moved here."

Marie looked up at her husband's face, surprised to see tears running down his cheeks. She had never seen him cry before. Reaching up to wipe the tears away she kissed him gently. Bill looked down at her before clearing his throat. He took her face lovingly in his hands. "I wish this man was here right now. He would pay dearly for all that he's put you through, I promise you that." Bill had never been a violent man and was taken aback by the hate that filled him for someone he had never even met. "I won't let anyone hurt you ever again. Do you understand me? I would die before letting anyone hurt you." He wrapped her once more in his arms, both comforting one another. They sat there on the floor holding each other for a good ten minutes before the phone rang. Bill reluctantly parted from his wife's embrace and answered the phone. He spoke briefly with whoever was on the other end before hanging up and turning to his wife. "It's the school. We are late picking Cindy up. He walked back to Marie and kissed her deeply. "Thank you." He whispered.

Marie looked at him in confusion. "Thank you for what?"

"For finally trusting me." He gave her a small smile before hugging her once more, and smacking her on the bottom. "Go get ready and I will pick Cindy up." She tried to walk away but he grabbed her, pulling her back into his arms. "I love you, so much."

She smiled at him with her tear stained face. "I love you too."