16 comments/ 115331 views/ 201 favorites Wolf's Pet By: lilgirlsix He almost sprained his neck as his head whipped around. He took a deep breath just to be sure. There it was, lavender with an undercurrent of licorice. It was the most amazing scent in the world. He turned and started to follow her from a distance. He could just make out her long brown hair as it seemed to float with each step. She sped up a bit as she noticed the stranger following her. She took a quick peek back over her shoulder and made a turn. Instead of turning right at the next corner she would cross the street. If he crossed as well she'd know he was really following her and not just going in the same direction by coincidence . When he turned right she breathed a sigh of relief. How silly to think such a good looking man was following her. He was much younger than her and way too good looking to be interested in someone like her. He had seen her glancing back. It wouldn't do to scare her this early on. He turned right as she crossed the street. Cole Baxter had never followed a woman before, especially a human. He'd never had the need, females usually came to him. As a Beta in the local pack he could find a woman whenever he felt the need, and he usually felt the need quite often. But if he knew his wolf, that was going to change. He could feel his wolf in his mind pacing, wanting to follow his mate closely in case any other males got too close. Cole had to remind him that they couldn't just jump her on the street. His wolf would have to learn patience. He'd been waiting for her for close to 200 years, no reason to over react now. He caught sight of her from two blocks down and continued to follow until she turned into the front door of a medical clinic. He stood outside the door and glanced inside. He couldn't see her so he waited around the corner. After what seemed like an eternity, she came walking out with a male who stared straight at him with bright blue eyes. Cole realized immediately this wasn't a human, he was a Were, one of his kind. The male was holding his mate by the waist, and Cole automatically growled, ready to tear the wolf's throat out to get him away from her. Wait, his mate? Maybe he was too late. Maybe she was already mated. His heart was pounding as he watched them walking down the street. He couldn't believe he had waited this long to find his mate only to lose her to another. Cole struggled to keep his wolf from taking over and challenging the blue eyed Were. That male had the nerve to walk arm in arm with the woman he thought was meant for him, the one he had been waiting almost two centuries for. Could the fates be this cruel? He continued to watch them walk away, the werewolf turning back to glance at him until they were out of sight. Cole knew he couldn't just let her leave. He had to know for sure if she was meant to be his. If so, he would make the challenge and fight to the death for his mate. Cole was the best tracker in the pack, and he was able to follow the faint odor of lavender and licorice without a problem. The time alone gave him a chance to calm his wolf. Trying to explain to a wolf not to scare his human mate was a difficult thing. That thought made him stop for a second. She's still human, so she hadn't mated with the Were. Did she know she was consorting with a werewolf? The idea made his wolf push to hurry up and catch up to her, claim her, and take her home. Cole chuckled to himself over his wolf's rash thoughts. He didn't even know who this lone Were was. Cole hadn't recognized him, and he knew every Were within 100 miles of his pack's territory. A rogue? He would have to do some research when he got home. Maybe check with the surrounding packs for any possible information. Cole watched from afar as the woman and the blue eyed man walked into a small house at the outskirts of town. He noted the license plate of the car in the driveway and walked away whistling to himself. He told his wolf not to worry, they would be back. She would be theirs. No rogue wolf was getting in their way. He couldn't stop thinking about her body, much fuller than the pack females. He wanted to feel her reddish-brown hair running through his fingers. He couldn't wait to have her on her hands and knees in front of him, begging him to take her. The thought of holding her hips as he pounded into her welcoming pussy made his cock hard instantly and set his wolf pacing again. His wolf was so close to the surface thinking of their mate that his green eyes were almost glowing. Karen couldn't get the tall hunk of a man out of her head. She had only caught a glimpse of him when she was on her way to meet Gary, but was he ever gorgeous! Just thinking about him was making her panties wet. Gary noticed she was day dreaming and walked over to put his arm around her. Karen immediately walked over to the couch and sat down. She liked Gary a lot. He had been a great roommate. But he was really too familiar at times. She liked him as a friend, and she'd told him that several times. But she wasn't interested in any more of a relationship with him. Every once in a while he got really touchy and made her uncomfortable, like right now. She had to find an excuse to leave the room. She needed to be alone with her thoughts about those green eyes. "Gary, I'm bushed, I'm taking a nap." She gave him a friendly smile and walked into her bedroom. She really hoped she wasn't hurting his feelings. Someday he would understand you can't force emotions. As Karen walked away, Gary watched her with a possessive look, sighed, and walked outside. He immediately shifted into his wolf form, still with the same bright blue eyes. He took every opportunity when he was alone to let his wolf free. He was going stir crazy being in a house with his mate and not being able to touch her, to make her his. At night he would sit outside her bedroom door. His wolf was just sure someone would come to her in the middle of the night and take her from them. When she heard him close the back door, she decided it was as good a time as any for a nice leisurely relaxing bath. She turned out the lights and lit an aromatherapy candle. As she undressed, her thoughts were drawn again to the nameless man who she thought was following her earlier. In a way she was sad he wasn't. She couldn't stop thinking about his hot body, wondering what he looked like without his shirt on. She stepped into the tub of hot water, letting out a sigh as she sank down into the calming bath. She closed her eyes and pictured his face with those big green eyes. She imagined what his smile would look like as he touched her body. She could almost feel his fingers tickling her skin, gliding down her chest to her tits, holding them, weighing them. She moaned as her hands moved over her body and across her chest. She pretended they were his hands descending from her belly to her pussy, swollen just from thinking about his hard body covering hers. Her fingers slid into her ready flesh, her clit already hard. She could feel her breathing deepening, her heart pounding, the blood rushing in her veins as she pretended he was here with her. She couldn't see the blue eyes watching through the window. She didn't hear the thoughts of the werewolf watching her intently, thinking of how once they were mated, no other Were would dare touch her. He would never let that male near her. Karen would be his for eternity or no one's. He would do what was necessary to protect her from that male! He watched intently as she started moving her hips, fucking her pussy with one, two, and then three fingers. Even through the closed window he could hear her moans and see the look on her face. She was in ecstasy, and he knew she was thinking about the male that followed them home, not him! Someday, she would be thinking of him and no other. He would make sure of that. Wolf's Pet Ch. 02 She looked around at the grove of trees, the hills, meadows, and wolves. Everywhere she looked were wolves. Where was she? How did she get here? She tried to hold still as the wolves walked up to her one at a time to sniff her and walk away. She felt rooted in place, her body shivering in fear, her mind in a jumble, not understanding what was happening. Then she saw him, a large dark brown wolf with the most beautiful green eyes. They almost looked human. He sauntered up and stood in front of her, seeming to warn the other wolves away. She stared in awe at the gorgeous animal. This was all so surreal. The wolf looked up into her eyes and then morphed into the naked form of the tall man she had seen yesterday. She fainted in front of him. Karen jumped up in bed and looked around, her heart pounding in her chest. She was at home in her own room. It had been a dream. Maybe it had been the howling she heard last night as she fell asleep. That must have started the dream. And she was thinking about the green eyed stud she wished had been following her yesterday. As her thoughts went to him, her hand strayed to her pussy. She slowly dipped a finger and gasped when she realized how wet and ready she was. Her clit was hard as a rock and so sensitive! She couldn't resist. She closed her eyes and thought of him again, his wide muscled chest, his stunning eyes, and the bulge she imagined she had glimpsed in his pants. She smiled as she gently rubbed her clit and then slid her finger so easily into her swollen cunt. That dream had been enough to get her this hot? What would happen if she ever met him again? Would she just drop to her knees at his feet and offer herself to him? She giggled at the image and then gasped when she started to feel the warmth flow through her body. And quickly she was soaring over the edge, cumming hard and long, her finger being joined by a second as she thought of him standing over her. Her fingers fucked her pussy hard until her body stopped it's spasming. She lay there panting, her heart pounding. Blue eyes watched from the window. He always watched over her as she slept. It was the only way to be sure that no one would touch her. She never knew that he stayed in his wolf form at night and slept outside her door, on the alert for anything. The slightest sounds from her would wake him, and he would walk outside and look through the window. He saw her jump up and then start to play with her pussy. She had never done this in the six months he had lived here, and now twice in less than 24 hours! All because of that damn pack dog! He'd have to find a way to protect her from him. Gary knew he'd be back. He'd seen the look on his face. He wanted her! Well she belonged to him and no other. As second to the Pack Alpha, Cole had access to all security records for the pack, including lists of any Weres in the area who were not pack affiliated. No one was on the list that fit the description of the male with his mate. He had slipped through the cracks. Pack law forbade a lone Were to be in another pack's territory without permission. In some territories that could mean death. Lucky for this male that Cole's older brother, and Alpha, didn't believe in killing over a breach in etiquette. "Cole Did you sleep at all last night?" Cole looked up at Carr as he walked into the room and sat down at his desk. His mate, Lee, walked in behind him. Carr looked so much like his younger brother that some of the pack females had to explain their behavior to the Alpha bitch, Carr's mate. There had been several incidents of mistaken identity that were a bit embarrassing for Carr, but infuriating for Lee. She hated having to discipline the little bitches, but who did they think they were? They knew they should be careful of whose lap they sat on! "Not much, but I could hear you two last night. So guess you didn't get much either huh? How long does a heat cycle take? I think I'll move my room farther away from yours." Cole gave them a leering look. Carr laughed and grabbed Lee around the waist, pulling her into his lap and nuzzling her neck. "Well if we want pups, we have to strike while the iron is hot dude. You'll know what it's like someday, maybe". Lee was giggling as Carr nipped her neck, just at the mating bite mark he had left a year before. She looked up at Cole in time to see the change in expression after that remark. "Um, Cole, is there something you want to tell us?" Lee slid off Carr's lap and walked over to her brother, noticing the papers scattered all over the desk top. "What are you looking for?" She picked up a list and showed it to her mate. Carr stood behind his brother, best friend, and second in command. "What's going on? Why do you need to know what non pack Weres are living in our territory? What happened yesterday? When you got back to the compound you didn't say a word to anyone, just came in here and started doing whatever it is you're doing. Want to explain?" Cole put down the papers in his hand, sighed, and ran his hand through his hair. "I've found her, my mate I mean. I walked by her yesterday and almost gave myself whiplash. I followed her to her home. I didn't want to scare her. She's human." He looked up at his brother who still had a questioning look on his face. "She was with a Were, one I've never met before, or even recognize. I was hoping to find out who he was, thought maybe I had just missed a report somewhere along the way. But there is no report. I have no idea who he is, or why he's with her. He was obviously possessive of her, but they haven't mated. I guess this gives me an excuse to go find out what he's doing in our pack territory, huh?" "If you're sure she's your mate, then yes, you need to do that. Are you sure bro? I seem to recall a few times in the past that you were just sure some female was THE ONE. Are you absolutely sure?" Carr was holding his brother's shoulders, looking into his eyes for the truth. "Carr, did you know the second you caught Lee's scent that she was meant for you? I know you did 'cuz you told me. And that's what i felt, what i KNOW. She is mine. This was an overpowering feeling Carr, one I've never felt before. My wolf never cared about any of those other females, but he knows this is our mate! I knew with the others that it was just lust and wanting to get them in my bed. This is different. All I can think of is her face, her body, her smell. It's the most amazing scent, lavender and licorice and..." He looked up in time to see his Alphas grinning ear to ear. "I guess I don't have to tell you not to go alone. Because I'm sure you wouldn't be so reckless as to try to contact a lone Were alone. Right?" Carr stared authoritatively at his second in command. "Yes dad, I promise." The brothers laughed and Cole left to find some back up. Lee was like a high school girl, clapping her hands and giggling. "I can't wait to meet her. If Cole has a mate I can be sure none of those little bitches will be sitting on your lap anymore and begging forgiveness because they thought it was Cole." Carr grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into his lap. He gently pushed her hair out of her face and traced a finger down her face and across her jaw. "This lap belongs to you and you alone my love." He pulled her close and breathed deep, catching her scent of cedar and lilac, still the most amazing scent ever as far as he was concerned. He also caught a whiff of the proof of her heat. She snuggled in closer to him, her arms around his neck, her body pressed into his. Carr's leg reached out and caught the door, slamming it shut. "I think we have some unfinished business." She giggled while he started unbuttoning her pants, and she took the opportunity to undo his belt. They fumbled around in the chair before he stood and easily picked her up by the waist and sat her on the desk. He pulled off her shoes and pants, pulled her top over her head and then just looked at her in bra and panties. He still couldn't believe this beautiful woman was his. He quickly shed his clothing and stood between her legs, his hands sliding across her soft shoulders. In seconds the bra was off and tossed over a chair. The panties followed closely behind. They stared lovingly into each other's eyes, but lust and the mating drive overtook them quickly. He had to be inside her, now! She knew the look on his face and immediately turned to lean over the desk. She looked over her shoulder at her mate, wanting to feel him take her hard. This was her second heat since they had mated, and she so badly wanted to be pregnant with his children. She braced herself and felt him behind her, his hard cock sliding easily into her soaking wet pussy. She couldn't believe how wet and ready she was at all times right now. Carr wanted to take his time and make love to her but the instinct to mate was too strong and he started pounding into her, his cock hitting her cervix and causing her to gasp with each powerful thrust. A few of the younger pack females were passing by the Alpha's office and could hear the unmistakable sounds of sex. They started giggling until one of the Betas shooed them away from the door. He smiled as he walked away, hoping his Alpha was successful this cycle. Lee heard the young voices outside the door and smiled, thinking back to when she was their age. When a mated female is in heat, passersby beware. She moaned loudly when she felt his knot seating itself inside her. She loved the feel of it stretching her, and she immediately began shuddering, her internal muscles clamping onto his cock. His thrusts were shorter now, constrained by the knot locked inside his mate. Carr was leaning over her and felt his wolf take complete control and shift quickly. The thrusts became more urgent as he felt his cock close to bursting. His claws raked at her sides, and he leaned forward, grasping her neck with his mouth, biting down as he began shooting jets of sperm into his love, his mate, and hopefully the mother of his children. His cock continued thrusting, spending every bit of his seed deep inside her womb. He let out a loud howl as her body spasmed beneath him. He shifted back to his human form and gently took his mate in his arms, pulling her to his chest and sitting back into his chair. Their hearts pounded in unison, their breathing deep. He loved this time, holding his mate in his arms, his cock buried in her hot, tight, wet pussy. His wolf was happy. He knew his mate was pregnant. She leaned back into his chest and reveled in the feel of him tied to her. Her wolf knew she was pregnant. Wolf's Pet Ch. 03 The three men watched from a distance when the woman left the house. One watched her every move as she got into her car and drove off. The back of the car was long out of sight before he heard his companions chuckling. "Earth to Cole, Earth to Cole, come in Cole." Cole turned to face his friends and smiled sheepishly. "What? If that were your mate you'd be doing the same!" Trey and James couldn't stop laughing as Cole tried to defend himself. They had to give him a hard time since he was always the first to make fun of any besotted male who couldn't take his eyes off his future mate. They just couldn't let this go by without getting in a few digs. "Hey guys, time to get serious. There he is." Trey and James stopped their joking and looked in the direction Cole was pointing. The male was walking the opposite direction of the woman which immediately made Cole relax. The further that lone Were was from his mate, the better. Cole's wolf was close to the surface, and both Trey and James did not want to set him off. Gary didn't notice the black Suburban shadowing him. They were doing their best to stay out of his line of sight. Trying to follow a Werewolf without being detected was not the easiest task, but the threesome was the best surveillance team the pack had. And since this was personal for Cole, they had to be even better. They continued to follow until they reached the edge of the wildlife preserve. They watched him climb the fence and walk towards a stand of trees. A few minutes later they heard the howling of a lone wolf on the hunt. The three looked at each other, all realizing at once that this answered a problem they had been wrestling with for months. There had been recent reports of wild animal attacks on protected lands. Half eaten carcasses of deer and elk had been found throughout the preserve. The pack knew this was off limits for hunting. They hunted on their own lands and were sure to stay off any federal and state owned property. The last thing they wanted was for someone to push to start hunting wolves in the area. "Cole, what now? Do we follow him or..." Trey could hear Cole grinding his teeth. He could tell the wolf wanted to run after this loner and tear him to shreds, but the good of the pack came before any personal grudge. "No, lets watch him for a few days and make sure he's the only one that's been coming out here. James, assign a detail to watch the preserve 24/7. I want to know if they spot any other wolf out here. There've been way too many dead animals for one wolf to have killed on his own. I want to be notified if there are any more kills here." James immediately pulled out his cell phone and started setting up the lookouts. "Trey, I want this one watched at all times, and I want to know EVERY move he makes, everyone he sees and talks to." Cole's brain was in overdrive. He wanted so badly to take this wolf down, tear him limb from limb, and listen to his last breaths. But his pack was his life, as much as his mate would become. He had to think of their interests before his own. If he reacted too quickly he could let a bigger danger loose on the pack, and no matter how much his wolf was calling for blood, he had to wait. Within minutes two more black Suburbans were pulling up and four large men got out, ready to set to work on their assigned tasks. While Trey and James made the assignments and coordinated schedules, Cole took off alone to look for his mate. He already knew where to look. When he'd seen her name on her mail he had started checking into her work history and found that she worked for the local Police Department. She answered 9-1-1 calls. This would work to his advantage because one of his top security men was also a local police officer. He'd be able to find a way to meet her without any difficulty at all. A half hour later Cole was having coffee with Brett Hall, decorated Police Officer, and loyal pack Beta. And even better for Cole, Brett knew Karen and had told her he had a friend that wanted to do a "sit along" on 9-1-1. "Are you ready? Just be sure to keep your wolf at bay Cole, can't tear her clothes off or anything in the communications center you know." Brett snickered to himself as he glanced sideways at Cole. "Yea yea, everyone thinks I can't control my wolf. I'm a big boy, I'll make it through sitting at a desk next to her for an hour." Cole was hoping he could get through an hour. He really had to assure his wolf that she would be theirs soon enough, and he would HAVE to be patient. Soon enough they were walking into the control room where the calltakers and dispatchers worked. Brett walked Cole over to Karen's desk, grabbed the back of her chair and rattled it to get her attention. "Hey kiddo, I've got my friend here I was telling you about." Brett raised an eyebrow at Cole when he heard the growling coming from deep in his friend's chest. Yeah right, he was going to control his wolf. Karen turned around with a smile, and then a look of shock came across her face when she looked at Cole. Oh my God, it was the guy from yesterday! She had to remember to close her mouth that was gaping open at the sight of this Adonis standing next to her. This was the guy that was supposed to listen to her take calls for an hour? She could already feel her pussy starting to leak. How was she going to make it an hour without him smelling it? How was she going to even talk to him or her callers when she could already tell she was tongue tied? "Nice to meet you Karen, have we met before?" Cole flashed his best smile as his wolf was running circles in his head, so excited to be this close to his mate AND to smell her obvious arousal! He shook her hand and lingered, enjoying the feel of her skin against his. She didn't pull away and just stood, staring at him. He loved looking into her dark brown eyes. "Ahem, so I'll leave you two to take some emergency, calls and I'll be back for you later Cole. Have a good time you two." Brett was shaking his head as he walked away. "We'll see if they make it an hour. Bet I get a message either from Karen saying to get him out of the building or Cole saying to get his wolf out of the building." Brett chuckled on the way to his cruiser. Karen tried to be nonchalant while she explained the 9-1-1 phone system, but every time she looked at him she got lost in his green eyes. She'd never seen eyes quite that color before. She could feel the change in her heart beat and breathing and tried to will herself to calm down. Her pussy seemed to have a mind of her own and was swelling and pulsing without a touch. She could feel the wetness in her panties, and the odor was wafting up to her nose. She was mortified. This gorgeous hunk of male was sitting next to her and she was embarrassing herself! She tried not to look at his face but just couldn't help herself. Once his hand bumped into hers and she almost hung up on her caller she was so flustered. Here she's known for her calm demeanor with hysterical callers and she can't sit next to a good looking man for an hour! Cole was overwhelmed by the sweet smell of her pussy on top of her natural lavender and licorice. His wolf was in heaven sitting next to her but in hell because he couldn't touch her. The briefest brush of their hands had his wolf ready to mate with her on top of her computer terminal. Cole had to use every ounce of mental strength to calm him enough to sit there placidly and pretend he was just listening to the calls. In some ways the hour passed by so quickly it seemed like minutes, and at times it seemed like hours. But eventually Brett returned to pick up Cole and surprised them both by inviting Karen to go out for a late dinner with the two of them. At first Cole's hackles went up thinking that Brett was trying to come between he and his mate, but he quickly realized from the sly grin on Brett's face that he was only trying to help. Karen packed up her work station and met Cole and Brett at the local diner. When they arrived at the restaurant Brett let Karen slide into the booth first and motioned for Cole to slide in next. "Cops always have to sit facing the door. Sorry, hope you two don't mind sitting next to each other, but I never have my back facing a door." Karen looked down shyly but glanced up in time to see Cole flashing a happy grin at Brett. They'd barely ordered when Brett got a text. "Uh oh, the wife is calling, gotta run. Have a good dinner you guys, sorry I have to rush out but duty calls. I forgot I promised to bring home milk." Brett waved and was quickly back on the road, on his way home to his mate who he'd let in on the scenario. Perfect timing. He'd have to find a way to thank her for her help tonight. He leered with the thoughts of how he'd thank his mate. Her heat would be starting any day now. Oh he was going to thank her really really well. After a very quiet several minutes, they finally started to talk about something other than Karen's work. Karen asked Cole about his family and what he did for a living. He was head of security in the family business and lived with his extended family not too far out of town. The chit chat can only go on for so long, and after they finished eating and had run out of superficial subjects, Cole asked Karen if she wanted to leave. "Let's go for a walk. There's a really nice park across the street. It's beautiful at night. We can walk off dinner and maybe talk about something other than our work." Cole was looking at her with those amazing green eyes, and Karen quickly agreed to go. This was ending up to be like a blind date. She'd always been kind of leery of strangers, but he was a friend of Brett's, and Brett seemed to trust him. She didn't think he would have left her alone with a maniac or anything. For the first time in a long time she felt pretty good about being alone with a man she hardly knew. They walked and talked for what she thought was minutes but soon enough she realized it had been hours. They had talked about so many subjects she couldn't even remember them all, from family, to school, to old romances. A quick glance at her watch shocked her, and she sadly looked up at Cole. "I have to go. I've got to get up early and have to get some sleep tonight." She really didn't want to leave. She could easily have stayed and talked to him all night long. He reached down and gently took her hand, forcing himself not to rip off her clothes and take her right there on the park bench. His wolf was practically howling in his head to stop wasting time and claim their mate! He pulled her hand to his lips and pressed them to her skin, looking in her eyes. She gave a quiet sigh, and her whole body seemed to relax. What was it about this man that made her feel this way? Her pussy again started to pulsate, and her heart sped up. If he had tried to fuck her here on the park bench she probably would have given in to him. She felt this need to be with him, to touch him. She was leaning towards him, breathing deeply, waiting. For what? She wasn't sure, but she would wait for whatever he wanted from her. She had this overwhelming need to belong to him. God, she'd never felt this way before. She was way too old for puppy love. What was wrong with her? And he was so much younger than her. What was she thinking? He had to be fifteen years younger at least. This was just ridiculous. He couldn't take his eyes off hers. She was meant for him and he for her. There was no doubt in his mind, and he could tell that she felt it too. He slowly moved towards her and kissed her lightly on the lips, just a touch, and felt his cock harden in a moment. He could hear her heart pounding, heck so was his. He could smell her pussy which made it harder not to just let his wolf have his way. But he had to go slow, he had to make sure the other male was out of the picture before he told her what he was, what she would become. They continued kissing, small, gentle kisses, tentative. He could feel her pushing her body into him. She wanted more. His wolf was ecstatic. She wanted them as much as they wanted her. Cole obliged his wolf by kissing more forcefully, his lips pressing harder, his mouth opening, and they were both pleased when she opened her mouth and accepted his tongue. It was a perfect dance, his tongue darted in and hers retreated and then reversed. The kisses melted from one to another until he left her mouth long enough to explore her neck. His wolf was inhaling her scent and howling into Cole's mind. Softly, Cole whispered, "Mine." Wolf's Pet Ch. 04 Karen wanted to stay just like this, in his arms, feeling his hand stroking her hair, his heart pounding in his chest, breathing in the same rhythm. She wondered what the people walking by must think, ah hell, she didn't care. She was just enjoying the feeling of his strong arms around her, their bodies pressed close. She let out a contented sigh and heard his deep laugh. God she loved that sound already. She had this sense that this was where she belonged. She'd never felt this way before. Never. "I really have to leave now, as much as I don't want to." Karen pulled herself away slowly, not wanting to lose contact with him. She looked up into his face and smiled at the way his green eyes crinkled when he smiled down at her. "OK, I'll let you go, but you have to make me a promise." Cole couldn't help but smile whenever he looked at her. She was everything he had ever hoped for. She had the most beautiful dark brown eyes, long thick auburn hair, and a full lush body that he couldn't wait to have underneath him. He knew she would make a spectacular wolf! She looked up at him expectantly wondering what the promise would be. She'd already made a promise to herself that she would not screw this up. She promised to let down her guard and let this amazing man into her life. "Promise me that you will meet me tomorrow for lunch before you go to work." She nodded her head with a wide grin on her face. "OK, then as much as I hate to do it, I"ll let you leave." Cole's wolf was pacing, and Cole could feel his wolf's apprehension about letting her go home alone. He agreed, but there wasn't much he could do about it. He had to figure out a way to get that damn lone wolf away from her. He sure hoped Trey and James had some info for him later tonight. At least he felt better that someone was tailing him, and if he went back to Karen's house, his men would be nearby. Karen was on automatic pilot during the drive home. All she could think about was Cole, his lips, his hands, his eyes. Those green eyes were imprinted on her brain and in her soul. She couldn't stop thinking about him, and the last thing she had wanted was to drag herself away from him to come home. But she was a little afraid of how far she would have gone if she hadn't left when she did. She had never been impulsive, and certainly not an exhibitionist, but she was ready to fuck him right there in the open! What was he doing to her? Her lips were still tingling from his kisses. She could still smell him, she loved his scent. There was just something about it that made her hornier than hell! She was on cloud nine as she walked in the front door, a dreamy look on her face that ended when she saw the scowl on Gary's face. "What? What's wrong?" She walked slowly towards the couch, almost afraid of her roommate. The last two days he'd been acting stranger than usual. She stopped in the middle of the room, not willing to move any closer. Gary was seething. She had that dog's smell all over her. The only thing that calmed him a little was that he could tell she hadn't fucked him yet. He had taken his time this past six months and now he was having to rush. He didn't like it, and he didn't like that pack dog all over his woman. "I've been worried sick about you! You're never home late from work. I've been going crazy thinking something happened to you and then you walk in smelling like..." He stopped himself before he said what he was thinking, that she smelled like a typical pack whore. There was a reason he and his friends didn't live in a pack. The women were all sluts, rutting with anything with a dick. It sickened him and his newly formed family. They were of like mind, that a woman needed to be of a pure heart to be their mates. That meant either a virgin or at least a woman who didn't sleep around. He had thought Karen was that type of woman. She had been divorced for two years and as far as he knew, she hadn't been with a man since. In the six months he'd been here she had never had the scent of another man on her. And he had never smelled her arousal like he had in the last two days. He stood in the middle of the room staring at her, his hands clenching and unclenching. Karen had never seen the look in his eyes, and she didn't want to see it now. She slowly started backing away from the living room and Gary, trying to make her way to her bedroom. Unfortunately, he was between her and the front door, so she couldn't get out of the house. "I'm going to bed Gary. I appreciate your concern, and I'm sorry I upset you, but it really isn't any of your business." She turned and headed for her room, hoping to just lock the door and forget Gary was even here. Before she could make it to her room, Gary was on her, his hands grabbing her from behind squeezing so tightly she thought her bones were going to break. "Gary, Gary, stop it, let go, you're hurting me!". She didn't realize it, but she was screaming. His face was a mask of fury. His blue eyes looked strange, like the colors were swirling. She was struggling with him, trying to escape. She wished Cole was here! "Gary, stop it! Let me go, let me go!" She felt like she was fighting for her life as she tried to pull free from his vice grip. She was pretty strong but his strength seemed inhuman. "Do you want to be fucked like a common whore Karen? Is that what you want? To be taken and used? I can do that for you too, if that's what you want!" He pulled her out to the open floor of the room and threw her face first onto the floor. His hands morphed into huge paws with long claws. If she was going to whore herself to a pack dog then he would mark her as his, and then no one else would want her! He would mate with her right now. His wolf was ready, he'd been waiting way too long. Well the time for waiting was over. He had to keep her for himself. He tore her shirt off her leaving huge gouges in her back. She screamed in pain and confusion and fear, trying to escape, praying whatever he was using as a weapon wasn't sharp enough to kill her. Gary's wolf was fighting with his human half for control. He was going to take his mate and he wasn't going to be gentle. She deserved what she got for making him wait and for letting that dog touch her! She kept fighting him, she had to stop. He picked her up and threw her across the room. She hit the wall head first and crumpled in a heap on the floor, unconscious. Gary took the opportunity to pull off her shoes and pants. He didn't care if she was awake or not. He had to have her, now. Gary's own clothes had shredded as he shifted into his wolf form. His cock was standing up hard and throbbing, waiting to sheath itself inside his mate. he used his claws to spread her legs, leaving more deep red slash marks on the inside of her thighs. He would fuck her hard, and turn her, consent or not. His cock was probing at her dry entrance. He could hear her moans as she was beginning to wake, feeling the pain and disorientation, and he imagined in his own insane mind that she was moaning in pleasure. He was so intent in his lust he didn't hear the crash as the front door was torn off it's hinges. He was poised to thrust his cock into her pussy and closed his jaws around her neck just as the two black wolves jumped on him and tore him away from the bloody woman laying on the floor. The sounds of growling and howling filled the house, blood and fur everywhere. The two wolves worked in concert, each lunging from different directions at the same time. They managed to get him away from the woman, now if they could only disable him at the very least. Trey and his twin brother Troy were planning their strategy, poised on either side of the brown wolf. All three were gasping for breath after the brief struggle. But Gary knew the house, they didn't. Gary launched himself through the window they didn't notice and was out of the house before they could stop him. Trey shifted first, running to Karen's side to assess the damage done by the brown wolf. Troy, still in wolf form, ran out to the car to call Cole and tell him what happened. He came back into the house a minute later throwing some sweats at Trey as he talked on the phone. "Yea, he jumped through a window and took off north on Mayberry Street. We figured we should stay and take care of her instead of chasing him. We'll track him, we'll get him Cole, I promise!" "Karen, can you hear me? I'm a friend of Cole's. We're going to help you, just try to relax, we're going to take care of you." Trey gently turned her onto her side so the gashes on her back wouldn't hurt any more than they had to. He pulled a throw off the couch and draped it over her battered nude body. Karen didn't know if she was dreaming or just insane. It seemed like forever since she had walked into the house. She thought she had seen a brown wolf and two black wolves fighting inside her house. She could swear she saw tufts of fur and pools of blood everywhere she looked. When she first came to, the man hovering over her had chunks of flesh torn off his face but now his face was just as smooth as if nothing had happened. This must be a nightmare. It can't be happening. The closer to full consciousness she got, the more pain she felt. Her head hurt, her back was on fire, she felt like she had pulled every muscle in her body and she thought she might have some broken bones. There were strangers in her house, she could hear them whispering, about her she thought. Where was Gary? Did she really want to know? She wished Cole was here. She needed to feel him near her. She was so out of it she thought she even saw Brett walk in. Brett had gotten the mental message from his Alpha to get to Karen's house as soon as possible. He knew it was bad. But he didn't realize how bad until he walked through the broken front door. The only thing that saved her was Cole had told Trey to follow Gary. Trey and his brother had been parked down the street and saw Karen come home. They had been on the phone with Cole when they heard her screams. He surveyed the room, noting the broken furniture and window, and blood, everywhere. "Hey kiddo, we're going to take good care of you, OK? He'll never come near you again!" Brett brushed the hair out of her eyes and tried to sound calm. As a cop he was used to seeing women abused by boyfriends and husbands, but this was his friend, and she had been hurt by one of his kind! His wolf paced, ready to track that bastard and bring him to justice, Werewolf justice. He knelt down next to her head, talking in what he hoped was a calming voice. He knew if she could hear she would be confused, if she could even think straight. "Karen, if you can hear me, Cole is on his way. You're going to be alright, I promise." Brett got up to greet the pack doctor when he arrived. "She's got some deep lacerations and he bit her! Trey swears he didn't have a chance to mate with her though. He thinks they stopped him in time. But I'm not a doctor so I'll leave the rest up to you. I need to get a search party together." He turned back to his battered friend, hoping he didn't look as concerned and scared as he felt. "Karen, this is Jeff, he's a doctor and he's going to make you feel better." Karen was looking at him, but he didn't really think she was comprehending anything he said. Jeff and his nurse dressed Karen's open wounds and quickly assessed the major injuries. They needed to get her back to the compound as fast as possible. They worked efficiently and were just loading her onto the gurney as Cole and Carr arrived. Jeff was glad Carr was with his younger brother. The Alpha was a calming influence on any pack wolf, but especially Cole. "Oh geez, I knew I shouldn't have let her come home. I had a bad feeling, I should have gone with it. Karen, Karen, it's Cole, can you hear me?" Cole was beating himself up for allowing this to happen. It was his fault. She was living with some rogue Were, he should have known. He was holding her hand and stroking her face, what parts of her face that weren't bruised or bleeding. It looked like every bit of her body was injured. He was whispering to her, maybe more to calm himself since he knew she couldn't hear him in her unconscious state. And then he saw the bite mark, at the point where her neck and shoulder joined. His whole body stiffened. Carr gently laid a hand on his shoulder. "Trey thinks its just a bite, he said he thought they got here in time, they hadn't mated Cole." Carr could feel his brother relax just a bit. "Cole, I need to get her to the medical facility. We really need to go. You can come with us if you want. You can ride in the back of the ambulance with her." Cole slowly looked up at Jeff and nodded his head. He held Karen's hand as they got into the ambulance. Cole's full attention was on his mate, but his brain was still working. "Brett, track that son of a bitch down, but don't kill him. I'll do that! But you find him and bring him back to the compound." Brett looked at Cole and merely nodded. He motioned to the twins and they began planning their search. Brett wouldn't give up til he had him! He owed Karen AND Cole that. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Karen was standing in a meadow, her hair flying around her head in the wind. She looked down when she felt something brush against her fingers and saw the most beautiful dark brown wolf she had ever seen in her life. He had gorgeous green eyes. And he was friendly. She started gently petting his nose, stroking over his head. The wolf rubbed against her naked legs. His fur was so soft. She had expected it to be course. She sat down in the grass, the wolf curling up next to her, keeping her warm. She threw an arm over his chest and fell asleep, feeling safe with her guardian near her. She woke laying next to a man. When she looked, she realized it was Cole. Her head was on his chest, his arm around her shoulder, holding her tight. They lay there still in the meadow, skin to skin. Although startled at first, she felt at home and snuggled into his body. She felt him tighten his arm around her. How did she get to this meadow? Was it a dream? She heard him talking quietly in his sleep and strained to understand what he was saying. "Mine" was all she could make out. For some reason, she felt she was where she belonged and dropped off to sleep again. When she next awoke it was to the feel of his fingers skating along her skin. She moaned and moved closer to his hand. He bent down and brushed his lips against hers and brought his hands to her face, so gently. Her arms were around his neck, pushing her lips harder to his, pushing her hips up to meet his body. Cole stopped the kiss. "Do you want something pet?" She giggled and nodded her head. Her hands strayed down his body, feeling his hard muscles under taut skin. She wanted to touch every bit of him. She couldn't stop her hands from moving, learning every inch of his amazing body. Her lips followed where her hands had been, down his neck, across his shoulders. She flicked her tongue across his nipples and loved hearing his appreciative deep growl. She moved farther down, kissing past his stomach, to his hard cock, standing straight up from his body. She looked up at him with a hunger on her face and started licking his cock head, tasting him. She felt his hands stroking her hair. Cole struggled to speak through the pleasure she was giving him. "You're mine pet, I'm not ever going to let you go." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cole looked down at Karen, her face so pale. He felt the need to touch her, to let her know he was there, that he wouldn't leave her. He gently trailed his fingers over any undamaged skin he could find. Whenever he lost contact with her skin, even for a second, her features would tighten, like she was feeling more pain. Then, when he touched her again, her face would soften. He wondered if she could hear through the drug induced coma she was in. He leaned down closely so no one could hear but her. "You're mine pet, I'm not ever going to let you go." Wolf's Pet Ch. 05 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She looked down at the chocolate brown wolf curled up at her feet. She stroked his soft fur. Why was it whenever she saw him she felt safe and loved? He never seemed to leave her side. Where did he come from? And where was she? She looked around at the vast meadow, the slight wind rippling across the tall grass. It was so quiet and serene here. Sometimes she caught a glimpse of a wolf nearby, but none came close. If they dared, a low growl would rumble through her guardian's chest and they would quickly leave. She was so sleepy all the time, but there was no better place to sleep than next to her wolf. He kept her warm, and she knew no one would touch her with him near. No one would hurt her ever again. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jeff was scanning through her medical chart and looked up at his patient, still in a drug induced coma. She was slowly improving, but now he was starting to worry about Cole. He hadn't left her side for more than a few minutes at a time, and he looked like hell. And his wolf was so close that none of his assistants even dared to come close to her when he was there. Jeff shook his head, thinking back to yesterday when Trina had tried to change Karen's dressings. Karen had stirred a little and moaned, and Cole had grabbed Trina's arm and threw her across the room. Good thing that werewolves were strong in their human forms or she would have had some broken bones. But now she refused to come into the room unless Cole was gone. It was understandable that he'd want to protect his mate, but he had to let them take care of her medical needs. He'd have to talk to Carr. He looked up to see Carr walking into the room. Carr always seemed to know when Jeff needed to talk to him. "Just the person I wanted to speak with. Carr, I can't get any of my nurses to walk in the room anymore. He has to leave at least for 15 minutes four times a day so we can treat all of her wounds." Carr let out a long weary sigh as he looked at his brother, so intent on his injured mate. "I know Jeff, I'm sorry, I heard about Trina. Glad to hear she's OK but I know it could have been worse. That's why I'm here." Carr walked slowly towards his brother, not wanting to startle him or his wolf. He stopped a few feet away from the bed and quietly spoke. "Cole, I need to talk to you." Cole's head whipped around, his green eyes swirling with amber flecks. His wolf was always near. He wouldn't let anyone hurt his mate, not even his brother and Alpha. if he took a step closer, he'd tear his throat out. Carr continued to speak calmly and quietly. "Cole, I know you're worried about Karen. She's here now, she's safe. No one will hurt her. Gary can't get near her. And you have to let Jeff and his people take care of her." Carr stared into his brother's wild eyes. He had never seen Cole's wolf so in control of his brother. As Alpha, Carr could exert his influence on Cole's wolf. He'd never had to in the past, but he had no choice now. He gave Cole a gentle mental push and felt Cole's wolf push back. If this was any other pack member, Carr would have taken that as a challenge to his authority, and the fight would have been on. But this was his brother, his second, and he knew it was the mating instinct at work. He gave more of a mental shove now and saw Cole's eyes flicker for a moment and go back to their normal green hue. Cole seemed to just now notice his brother standing there. He looked back at Karen and smoothed her hair, his finger brushing across her cheek. "She's so strong Carr. She won't give up. I think she knows I'm here. She needs me here with her." "Cole, it won't do her any good if you terrorize her nurses. You have to let them get close to her. If not, I'm going to have to order you to leave every few hours so they can get their work done without you tearing anyone's arm off." Cole approached slowly and and grasped his brother's shoulder. Cole looked up and gave a weak smile. He seemed to draw strength from his brother's touch and stood up. "You're right, I know you're right. But my wolf would disagree. Guess I need to have a talk with him, huh?" Cole smiled at his brother, but he kind of agreed with his wolf too. He didn't want to leave her alone for a second. But his pack would take care of her. They would never let Gary near her and would protect her with their lives. He had to get a grip on himself AND his wolf. Jeff wouldn't be able to take care of Karen if Cole was giving him more patients to take care of. "Why don't you go clean up? You look like hell and no offense bro, but you smell like it too. Take a shower, get something to eat, and let Jeff do his job. You know you can trust everyone here. This is your family. And her family now. At least give them 30 minutes. If she needs you, Jeff will send for you. Right?" Carr looked over to the doctor who emphatically nodded his head. "Then it's settled. Go. Now!" Cole reluctantly turned to leave, his hand gently resting on Karen's. He lingered for another minute but felt his brother's stare and slowly walked away. Carr was right. He needed a shower. What if Karen woke up and couldn't stand the stench of him? That wouldn't be good if his mate thought he was disgusting. Guess he should make it a daily thing to leave long enough every day to clean up just in case she came to. He wanted her to smile when she saw him, not wrinkle up her nose cuz he smelled. Cole had to admit, it felt good to get out of those clothes. He'd been in them for three days, and even he wrinkled his nose as he threw them in the hamper. He really hated being away from Karen even for a few minutes, but he forced himself to take his time. He scanned the room and realized that he'd need a bigger one for when he brought his mate home. Maybe he should build his own private home nearby like some of the other pack members had. Or maybe reopen the other wing of the house where their parents used to live. Carr hadn't wanted to move out of his rooms after they'd died, and the rooms had just been closed up. Maybe it was time to forget the past and move on. He'd talk to Carr later, after Karen was farther along in her recovery. Of course, he thought to himself, that was if Karen agreed to be his mate. For all he knew, she could reject him and run away as soon as she was physically able. Whether she wanted to mate with him or not, he would make sure she was safe until that fucking lone wolf was taken care of. Then if she wanted to run from him, like it or not, he would have to let her go. The thought of that stopped him in his tracks. Would she run from him? Would she blame his whole kind for what one rogue Were did? He shook his head to clear his thoughts. He couldn't let himself think about that now. He'd think positively that she would love him for who he was and want him regardless of what happened to her. He had to think that or go crazy with the "what ifs". He scrubbed himself raw in the hot shower. His mind was totally on Karen, and he didn't notice the door opening or the figure who slipped into the bathroom. His eyes were closed as he pictured that night in the park, his arms around her tightly, his lips pressing to hers, their tongues dancing in unison. At first when he felt the light touch of a hand on his back he moaned, thinking it was her. And then he whirled around to see Lila, nude, in his shower with him. "What the fuck are you doing in here Lila? Get out!" The look of rage on his face was a shock to Lila. She hadn't seen Cole since she left on a business trip two week prior. They had been on great terms up til then. The last time she saw him they'd fucked for hours, and he had begged her to stay longer. He'd told her to hurry back from her trip. She thought they would pick up where they had left off. "Cole, what's wrong? What happened?" Lila grabbed a towel on her exit from the shower. She didn't understand what was going on. What had made him change his attitude towards her so much in just two short weeks? They had been friends for ages, had been lovers on and off for years. Even when they were off they were still friends. He'd just tell her he wasn't interested. She was fine with that, she never asked for reasons. That's the way it was in the pack. Lila grabbed her clothing and ran out of his bedroom just as Carr and Lee walked down the hall. They could hear Cole's voice loud and clear, "Get the fuck out of here Lila!" They glanced at each other as Carr went into Cole's room and quickly shut the door. Lee followed Lila and caught up to her as she was slamming her own bedroom door. "Lila, we need to talk." Lila let her Alpha Bitch in her room and sank down on the bed, tears streaming down her face. She was still soaking wet but she didn't care. She and Cole had grown up together. They had done everything together. Why did he look at her like he hated her? Why was he being so cruel? Lee sat there and looked at her good friend. Lila was her Beta and second. She took care of a lot of the business dealings out of town for the pack. Lee and Carr depended on her astute business sense and keen mind. And they were like sisters. Lee had hoped for years that Cole and Lila would realize they were mates, but obviously, it never happened. Lee took the towel out of Lila's hands and started drying her long blond hair for her, like they used to do for each other years ago. "Cole found his mate Lila. Things are kind of a mess at the moment. You literally walked in at the wrong time." Lila stopped crying and stared at Lee. "Is that all? Why didn't he just tell me?" Lila sniffed and used the corner of the towel to wipe her eyes. "What's the big deal? We both knew this could happen anytime. Why'd he have to be such a prick about it?" Lee gave her the quick version of what had been going on and then waited for Lila to say something. Lila just stared at her for several minutes. It was starting to make Lee uneasy. She was about to ask her what she was thinking when Lila finally said what was on her mind. "I was planning on asking for a meeting with Carr and Cole about some things I heard while i was away. There were grumblings from some of the northern packs that some rogue Weres had banded together and were planning on forming their own pack. Their plan was to take human females, by force if necessary, if they decided they met their requirements to be their mates. They were looking for virgins or older women that they felt were pure enough for them. Lee, it sounded like they were ready to turn these women without their consent! But I had heard they were still in the northern areas. They didn't mention them coming here." Lila had calmed down and was back to Beta mode, filling in her Alpha on all she had heard. While they talked she got herself dried off and dressed, and made herself presentable. If her best friend was stressed out because of what had happened to his mate, she would never hold it against him. As soon as she got a chance she'd let him know. But for now, her pack was number one and she waited for Lee to tell her what she wanted her to do next. A soft knock on the door interrupted them. Lila answered the door and opened it wide for her Alpha to enter. "Is Cole OK?" After all that had happened, Lee and Carr wouldn't have been angry if Lila had held a small grudge. But they knew how much she cared about him and how happy she'd be that he found his mate. Carr smiled at Lila fondly. She was like a little sister to him. "He feels like an ass. He's calmed down for now. He's having a really rough time with his wolf and his emotions right now Lila. I knew you'd understand. He's pretty embarrassed at his reaction. But just to be on the safe side, it'd probably be best if you stayed away from him for a while." Lila nodded in agreement. Carr's smile turned to a frown as Lee filled him in on Lila's information through their bond. "Lila, did you hear any names mentioned of rogues that were joining this pack?" "Only one, the leader. His name is Gary Saunders." Lee and Carr exchanged meaningful looks. "You know that name? Is he the one that attacked Cole's mate?" Lila looked from one to the other, seeing the confirmation on their faces. "What do we do now?" She looked expectantly to her Alphas for instructions. Carr leaned into Lee, putting his arms around her, his hands clasped over her stomach. Lee laid her hands over his, gaining strength from his touch. She knew they were going to need all the strength they could get in the coming days. She had a feeling that this rogue pack was going to take all of their attention for a while. And she wanted them as far away from her pack as possible! "Well I better talk to Brett and Trey and see what they've been able to find out so far. Lee, fill in the gaps for Lila so she's up to speed. Then I better start calling the northern pack Alphas and see what else they know about this so called pack." Carr wasn't happy to hear there was more than one rogue wolf to worry about in his territory, but he had a hell of a lot more information to go on now thanks to Lila. After grabbing some food from the kitchen, Cole made his way back to the hospital. Karen had fresh bandages but looked uncomfortable. Her brow was furrowed, like she was worried about something or in some kind of pain. He immediately took his seat next to her bed and leaned down to brush his lips against her forehead and whispered so only she could hear. "I'm sorry pet, I had to get cleaned up. I didn't mean to leave for so long." He could swear her face relaxed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She looked around and her wolf was gone! She spun around and around, looking all over the meadow but he was no where to be found! What would she do without him? And then she saw him, bounding across the meadow towards her. She ran to meet him half way and fell to the ground, hugging him fiercely around the neck. "Where have you been? I was so scared while you were gone. Don't leave me, please don't leave me ever again." She rubbed her face in his furry neck, loving his musky smell. Could someone love a wolf? Why not. His wide tongue lapped at her face. She giggled as it tickled a little but she didn't care. She stroked his velvety muzzle as he flicked his tongue down her neck. She shivered and closed her eyes. When she looked down again, it was Cole kissing her skin, moving from her neck to her heavy breasts, lingering on her hard nipples. She gasped when he latched onto one and started to suck, gently at first and then taking more and more of her breast into his mouth, almost feasting on her. Her breathing deepened and she sighed in contentment, knowing this is where she belonged, with Cole and her wolf. His hand moved to her other breast, weighing it, grasping it tightly, pulling on the nipple, making it just as hard as the other. And then he stopped sucking, just for a second, so he could exchange one breast for the other. She moaned and pushed herself up into him, pushing her breast into his mouth. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Her breathing deepened and she was moaning. Was she in pain? Cole jumped up and leaned over her, trying to figure out if she was OK. He was about to call Jeff over when he smelled it, the unmistakable scent of her arousal. Was she dreaming? What was she dreaming about? Or maybe more important, who? Wolf's Pet Ch. 06 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She felt so cold! Even her wolf couldn't keep her warm. She huddled next to him but couldn't stop shivering. And every part of her body ached. There wasn't a muscle or joint that didn't feel like she had just run a marathon. And why all of a sudden did her vision seem so blurred? And the numbness, where did it come from? There were times when she had her face buried in her wolf's fur but could barely feel him there with her. It was like she wasn't really there. What was happening to her? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "What's wrong? She's in pain! Give her something Jeff, don't just stand there! What kind of a Doctor are you?" Cole stood there with Karen's hand in his, watching her body shake as the drugs wore off that were keeping her in the coma. He glared at Jeff. He should be making her feel better, not letting her suffer like this. His eyes were swirling green and amber. His wolf paced in his mind, ready to take over if need be. He'd do whatever he had to do to protect his mate! Jeff ran a hand through his hair and hoped he could explain this without setting Cole's wolf off. God he wished Carr was here, but he had left the compound an hour ago. He'd sent someone to look for Brett but he hadn't shown up yet. "Cole, I induced coma so her brain could heal from the injury she sustained hitting the wall. The CT scan showed the swelling is down, it's time to let her come out of it. Once she's awake I can assess her condition and treat her for the pain, but I can't just keep her drugged til she's healed. It doesn't work that way. All I'm thinking about is what's best for her condition, and I know you are too. So let's work together on this and not against each other, OK?" Jeff hoped Cole was in control enough to think things through, otherwise he might have a wolf at his throat any minute. Cole stared at the doctor, the color in his eyes swirling faster. His wolf was going to act soon. Jeff was glad he had sent most of his staff out of the room. If anyone was going to get hurt, he wanted it to be as few as possible. If it was going to be him, so be it. He could see every muscle in Cole's body was tense, ready to fight, ready to protect his mate. "Ohhhhhh, it hurts, it hurts." Karen started to cry, the pain in her back unbearable as she awoke from her long sleep. She was having a hard time comprehending where she was. She felt like a child, just wanting to cry and have someone hold her and make her feel better. "Wh-wh-what happened? Where am I? Who are you people?" Karen was wide eyed and frightened, looking at unfamiliar faces in this strange room that looked like a hospital, but didn't. Someone was holding her hand. She looked up and saw green eyes with flecks of amber swirling in them. The strangest green eyes, but familiar to her. Looking at them seemed to calm her down a little, but she couldn't figure out why. Her head was swimming and she felt nauseous. "What's happening to me?" She started hyperventilating and gasping to try to breath. Cole was immediately bending over her, whispering to her, stroking her hair, trying to calm her. She looked up at him and was startled to see her wolf, but he wasn't her wolf. But she knew in her heart he was, he was who she had been dreaming about. Cole, that was his name, Cole. He made her feel safe. She stared into his beautiful green eyes and concentrated on breathing. "That's it, just relax Karen. I'm sorry, we didn't mean to scare you. Breath!" She leaned into him, needing to feel close to him, somehow knowing he would keep her safe. He was her anchor. She needed him. She couldn't take her eyes off him. Her breathing was becoming more regular. She saw the doctor cautiously approaching, syringe in hand. She wondered why he looked so apprehensive. Then she heard the growl coming from deep in Cole's chest. Her wolf was still here. She smiled at him, resting her head on his arm. He smiled down at her and his wolf calmed. The doctor breathed a sigh of relief and attended to his patient, giving her some Morphine for the pain. When the Morphine hit her bloodstream she felt immediately drunk. She looked up at Cole and smiled. She didn't know what had happened to her or where she was, but she was glad he was here with her. She remembered the night in the park and wondered how long ago that had been. She wondered why in her dreams he was a wolf? He did kind of remind her of a wolf, especially when he growled. It was kind of cute. She giggled to herself and then winced when she realized that made her broken ribs hurt. She wondered what else was hurt. Felt like it was everything. The door opened and Brett walked in, in full uniform. He'd been at work when the doctor sent for him. Luckily for him, his beat included the pack lands. 'Hey kiddo, you're awake! About time." Brett was grinning ear to ear, glad to see his friend conscious, finally. And things must have calmed down since Jeff seemed relaxed and Cole's wolf was at bay for the moment. "People at work are asking about ya, I told them you had an accident but you were getting better." "I had an accident? What kind of accident?" Everyone in the room stared at her, then all eyes turned to Jeff. Karen looked confused. She had wondered what had happened to her. She thought maybe a car accident on her way home from the park. That must have been it. "We'll talk about it later, it isn't important now. What's important now is that you rest." Jeff patted her hand, checked her vital signs, and walked away, motioning Cole and Brett to come with him. "I'll be right back pet, I promise." Cole smiled at Karen who had an anxious expression on her face as he stood. "I'll just be a minute." She gave him a weak smile and tried to relax. The three men walked out the door into the hallway, Karen's eyes on Cole's back the entire time. "She doesn't remember. Maybe that's a good thing." Cole wasn't sure if he should be upset she couldn't remember, or glad. "Just because she doesn't remember now doesn't mean she won't remember later. We won't know til it happens. It could be a few days, weeks, even years. And there's no way to know if it's from the shock of what happened, or the head injury. For now, it'd probably be best not to talk about it. Brett, what did you tell her supervisor?" "I said she'd had a car accident out of town and that she was recovering with family. Said she didn't want calls or visits, the usual for the Police Department. People tend to stay out of other people's business there. And to be honest, most of Karen's friends are pack even though she doesn't know it. So there isn't anyone pressing for more info." Cole had only been half listening. He kept looking through the window, locking eyes with Karen and trying to reassure her through a glass barrier and 25 feet. But that last remark got his attention. It got Jeff's attention too. "Most of her friends are pack? You hadn't mentioned that before. Doesn't that seem kind of strange?" Jeff looked to Cole and Brett with his last question. "She's definitely not Were, but why would she have such an affinity for our kind?" "Does it matter?" Cole glared at Jeff and went back to his mate. Brett looked at Jeff. "Does it?" Jeff shrugged his shoulders and walked to his office down the hall. Brett wondered. It did seem kind of weird. Out of 163 employees at the Police Department, Karen had five good friends. They were all pack. He'd have to think on that. Maybe when Carr got back he'd talk to him about it. "Sleep pet, I'll be here when you wake up. You need your rest." Cole smiled down at his mate. She smiled weakly back at him and drifted off to sleep. He glimpsed Lee out of the corner of his eye. "Hi Lee, guess I've been kind of anti-social lately huh?" He gazed lovingly at Karen as he stroked her cheek. "That's kind of an understatement. Luckily, everyone here loves you and understands your wolf is on the edge. If not, I know there would be complaints coming in left and right, headed up by Trina and Lila." Cole winced at the mention of his two friends and former lovers. He had physically attacked Trina and came close to it with Lila. He hadn't had a chance yet to apologize and really wasn't sure what to say. "I know, I screwed up." He felt Lee's arms close around him and sighed with relief. His family would always understand. "They love you Cole, we all do. But please try to be a little more careful in the future, OK? Your wolf needs to understand she's safe here." Cole nodded, his eyes never leaving Karen's sleeping face. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Karen snuggled close to her wolf. He was always there for her, always making her feel good. He was laying on his side breathing in an even rhythm with hers. Her head was on his chest. She reached a hand to stroke his soft fur. She could hear a pleasurable grumble from him and grinned to herself. She kept petting him slowly, and turned over, facing his stomach now. She could see the pink tip of his cock poking out as it hardened. She wondered. She leaned forward and flicked out her tongue at the tip. Her wolf gave a short growl. She gently took his prepuce in her hand and pulled it back, showing more of his cock, hard, throbbing in her hand. She lowered her mouth to it and sucked it slowly into her mouth. It was slippery and so hard. She moved her tongue all around it, hearing the growls from her beautiful green eyed wolf. Unexpectedly he jumped up and moved a way from her. "What's wrong? I want to make you feel good like you make me." He looked at her and cocked his head. And before her eyes he morphed into his human self. She gasped as she saw him standing there, his cock hard and throbbing. "You do make me feel good Karen, every time I look at you." He walked to her and knelt down at her side, taking her face in his hands. He kissed her gently and laid her on the ground and laid next to her. "Are you sure you want this Karen? Are you sure you want to be what I am?" He stroked his hand down her side as they laid there looking at each other. "Cole I want to be with you forever. I want to be a wolf like you." She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his neck, feeling his pulse. She opened her mouth and bit down hard, drawing blood. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cole wished he knew what she was dreaming. Again, he smelled her wet pussy. He hoped she was dreaming about him. That thought made him smile. "Cole? Can I pull you away for a bit?" Cole turned to look at his brother standing a few feet away. Boy, he really must have been an asshole lately. No one was coming too near. "Sure, news on Gary? Guess I need to get caught up on a lot, huh?" Cole followed Carr into the office and saw Brett, Trey, Troy, and James sitting around the room waiting for them. Carr sat behind his desk and Cole took his usual position on Carr's right. "So, obviously a lot has been going on lately. First let me just say I appreciate all the extra time you've put in trying to sort all this out. I know Cole appreciates it too. Brett, is there any fallout with the Police Department, or are we OK on that end?" "They all accept the story I put out about an accident while visiting family. Karen doesn't really have any family, but they don't know that. I've told everyone I'll be the contact person for any messages and that I was watching her house for her. So we're OK there. I had a crew out to the house to clean up the mess in the living room and replace the window. We'll make sure lawn gets mowed, mail gets picked up. No one will suspect anything weird going on there." Carr nodded and looked to James. "Any reports on the preserve? Any more hunting going on? And obviously you haven't spotted Gary there or we would have heard." James was a little nervous. He'd always been a second on a detail, never a primary. He cleared his throat before starting his report. "We've seen three other wolves hunting in the preserve. They each came and went separately. When each one left I sent a two man team to tail him. The three of them are each renting rooms from single human females. They're working in town and don't seem to associate with each other at all, at least not in the last four days. We also made sure to clean up the kills." James looked at Carr. "That's it." Carr smiled at the new Beta. "Good job James." James looked relieved. He'd thought sure he left something out or forgot to do something. He looked around the room at the others who all gave him a grin. They'd all been there. "OK, let me fill you in on what I learned from the northern pack Alphas. As you know, Lila had information about a rogue pack. Gary is the leader. I talked to the Alphas of the Crane and Torrance packs. They confirmed everything Lila had heard, and gave me possible ID's on Gary's other followers. Apparently, Gary was a Beta in the Crane pack. He had a relationship with the Alpha's sister. But then she found her mate. He didn't accept that. He insisted they were meant to be mates. He didn't take no for an answer. He was finally given an ultimatum. Leave the pack, or die. After that, there were reports of Gary finding others who were unhappy with pack life and joined him. Carr looked around the room. "So for now, all we can do is continue the surveillance on the preserve and the three males, keep an eye out for Gary, and try to amass as much information as we can. James, is there any evidence they've mated with these women yet?" "No Alpha, they're still human. They seem to have just platonic relationships wtih the males so far as we can tell." "OK, as always, keep me apprised of any changes. Cole, I know you will continue to monitor Karen's progress." Carr gave Cole a leering grin. The others in the room laughed. "Brett, I assume you and the twins are doing all you can to look for Gary." Brett nodded. It came in handy to have so many pack Betas also working as local Police Officers. The three of them had put out the word to the other Were in the Police Department to keep an eye open and contact them with any sightings. And by mentioning they were looking for a confidential informant they had lost track of, they had the human officers watching for him too. "Then this meeting is over." Carr got up and walked out of the room, on his way to find Lee. He'd been so busy the last few days, he'd ignored her, He really needed to spend some quality time with her. He had his own leering grin right now. Cole couldn't get back to Karen's room fast enough but when he walked through the door he stopped dead in his tracks. He looked at the women smiling at him. "Lila, uh, sorry about yesterday. Trina, I'm really sorry about two days ago." Cole really didn't know what to say and wanted to disappear but there was nowhere to hide. He couldn't believe how uncomfortable he felt right now. Lila and Trina were standing next to Karen's bed. What had they been telling her? Crap, who knows what kind of trouble he was in now. "Oh stop it. We're not mad. We've just been getting to know Karen. Trina and I were filling her in on all of your bad habits, right T?" Both women giggled and Karen just grinned. "Seriously Cole, I was visiting with Trina and Karen woke up and you weren't here so we were keeping her company. We told her all the good things about you too, honest. Karen, I'm sure we'll get more of a chance to talk later. I'm really glad I got to meet you but sorry it had to be this way." Lila walked up to Cole, gave him a brief hug and whispered in his ear. "I like her, take good care of her or I'll kick your ass." Trina walked out with Lila, leaving Cole alone with Karen. "So, anything I need to beg forgiveness for?" Karen laughed. God he loved her laugh. He loved everything about her. Course he hardly knew her, but it didn't matter. They were mates, they were meant for each other. She couldn't be more perfect as far as he was concerned. "Your friends are great. I woke up and kind of freaked out being alone. They came to my rescue, and we were just doing the usual girl talk thing. They loved telling me about all the stupid things you've done in your life. At first I thought I'd feel kind of weird with the whole age difference thing. They must think I'm a cougar or something. But they seemed to not care." Cole cleared his throat. "Don't worry about the whole age thing. Trust me, soon enough, you'll see it doesn't matter at all." He gazed down into her dark brown eyes. It was so nice to see her sitting up and feeling a little better than earlier today. Her wounds were healing pretty quickly for a human. It was too bad this happened before they mated. She'd be completely healed by now if she was a Were. He couldn't keep his hands off her and started gently stroking her face. She smiled, closed her eyes and gave a contented sigh. Her wolf was here and that was all she needed. She giggled, her wolf. "What's so funny?" Cole couldn't figure out what had happened to make her laugh. "Oh nothing, just my weird drug induced dreams is all. I'm not very good company though, I'm really sleepy." She could barely keep her eyes open. She'd rather just look at him. Well, maybe he would show up in more dreams. At least she got a good look at him then. She had the silliest grin on her face after that thought. "Sleep pet, I'll watch over you. All I care about is that you get well. We have forever to talk and get to know each other." She loved when he called her pet. She'd heard him call her that in her dreams too. She felt his hand stroking her face and wasn't sure if she was awake or asleep when she looked up into his eyes. "Am I still awake?" He leaned down close, his lips so close to hers she could feel him breathing. "Yes, go to sleep." He whispered just before pressing his lips to hers. She moaned into his mouth, and he and his wolf had to force themselves to back away. He held her hand. He would never let go if he had the choice. He watched her close her eyes and stroked her hand until the cadence of her breathing changed and he could tell she was really sleeping this time. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He looked around the meadow for her but didn't see her right away. Had she left without him? And then he spotted her, running through the tall grass. She was spectacular! Her red fur was shining in the sun. Her eyes were bright as she ran to him, tail up, tongue lolling out of her mouth. She almost looked like she was smiling, if a wolf could smile. She ran up to him within a few feet and had her head and elbows to the ground, her tail in the air, wanting to play. She ran around him nipping at his haunches, barking at him. She would run a few feet, stop, and look over her shoulder at him. She wanted to play did she? He would play alright. If a wolf could leer, he was. They ran for miles through the meadow and the nearby woods. She was fast, but he was much faster. He let her think she could get away from him, but every time she thought she had lost him, he was close on her heels. He could see she was tiring. He didn't want to wear her out. Not this way anyway. He decided it was time to end this and caught up with her quickly. They ran side by side for a few strides and then he started bumping her body, to slow her down. She finally slowed to a walk and he walked to her side and nipped her neck. She gave a yip and jumped away. He walked up to her again, this time grabbing her neck and growling. She rolled over onto her back and submitted to him. He sniffed her, head to tail, stopping at her vulva. He flicked his tongue and tasted her. She laid there for a moment, as he licked her a few more times, but then instinct took over. She stood and pushed her hips into his body, her tail flagged behind her. His large body dwarfed hers as he mounted, his front legs grabbing her by the hips, his mouth closing over her neck, his cock probing, finding its mark, and plunging into his beautiful mate. He thrust into her hard and deep, holding her tight with his front legs. He felt his knot push into her flesh and heard her howl as it seated itself inside her. His thrusts became shallower and faster as he followed the mating instinct, filling her with his seed. He pulled her to the ground, still holding her in his grasp, panting, his cock continuing to pump his cum into her womb. He could feel her body clamping onto his cock, milking it. Wolf's Pet Ch. 06 They lay there catching their breath, their hearts pounding together. They would lay together until his knot receded. It could be up to an hour. The meaning of "wolfish grin" was made clear to him now. If a wolf could grin, he was. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cole woke up and realized he was in his human form, he was still wearing clothes and in the hospital. He blinked a few times and looked at Karen, watching him intently. "What were you dreaming about Cole?" Wolf's Pet Ch. 07 The blue eyed wolf skulked through the preserve. He hadn't been out to hunt in almost a week and needed to run, needed to kill something. He wanted to feel the bones breaking and the blood flowing in his mouth. He hadn't been able to find Karen and he was seething. That damn pack dog must have her. He'd never be able to get into their compound. And since he hadn't been able to mate her yet, that mutt probably had. Gary was sure she was covered in his scent by now. Saliva dripped from his mouth as he pictured tearing out his throat. His blue eyes gleamed with hatred. She deserved to die too if she was no more than a pack whore like the rest. He'd have to find another woman who was worthy of him. The black SUV had been parked across the street all week. The tinted windows hid the occupants who were alert, watching their prey. James was on the phone with Brett letting him know that Gary had been spotted. He hung up the phone and waited. As soon as the wolf disappeared into the woods, they left the car and quickly shifted to follow him. James and Trey were excellent trackers and would trail him as long as possible. But they'd wait for back up before they tried to take him into custody. Wolves or not, they still thought like cops. The ground felt good under his feet. He always hated wearing shoes and clothing. He preferred being a wolf anyway. When he found his true mate, they would live the way they were meant to, as wolves. He stopped to lap water out of the stream and looked at his reflection. His light brown fur was tousled by the wind. This was the only time he felt free. He heard a twig break and turned his head to see the four point buck up wind of him. It hadn't smelled or seen him yet. He lowered himself, his belly almost scraping the ground. Slowly he crept along the ground, closer. He could smell it. He licked his lips. He could almost taste it. Each step was carefully placed so as not to disturb a thing. He barely made a noise as he stalked the unsuspecting deer. He could hear the buck chewing grass. Stupid animal didn't know this was his last meal. The deer sensed danger and stopped chewing, picking up his head and turning in time to see the brown wolf launching towards his throat. He had no time to run or defend himself. The wolf's teeth sank into the tender flesh and tore open the buck's throat in one bite. His mind pictured Cole's face as he savaged the deer. James and Trey exchanged glances as they watched the wolf devour his kill. They stayed upwind and out of sight. The last thing they wanted to do was get his attention. Rogue wolves were known for their fearlessness when fighting. This made them more dangerous because one thing they did not fear was death. They had lost their minds and the bonds with others that gave them their humanity. While those in the pack would battle to the death to protect their families, a rogue would kill for the enjoyment of it. And if they themselves were going to die, then they would kill as many before that as possible. The brown wolf lifted his head, blood dripping from his mouth, red covering his muzzle. Did he hear something? The blue eyes scanned the horizon, not seeing anything moving. Sated for the moment, he trotted away from the carcass. The two black wolves followed from a distance, never losing sight of their quarry. He exited the preserve into a nearby warehouse. The hunters watched and waited but saw no further movement. Trey checked the perimeter of the building and found a padlocked rear door. No way out but the front. When he returned to James' hiding place, Troy and Brett were there as well as three other Betas. Trey shifted and joined the group, his brother throwing him some sweats. Brett stood for a moment, staring, deep in thought. He wanted to capture Gary with the least number of injuries possible. Tasers worked on normal humans and wolves. But a rogue was more like a human on drugs. The electricity may or may not effect him. He didn't want to take a chance. "Tranquilizer darts." The men retrieved the tranquilizer guns from Brett's car and took up their positions around the building. Brett, James, Troy and Trey entered the building and began an organized search, leaving three outside to watch for anyone trying to leave or enter. The old warehouse was drafty and sounds reverberated throughout the open space. They could hear the movement to the rear and slowly moved that way as a unit. They saw Gary just as he saw them. For a fraction of a second they all froze. The four Were Police Officers raised their weapons and fired as Gary shifted and leaped onto the nearest, not feeling the darts hitting his body. His only thoughts were to kill any pack dog that came near him and this would only be the first of many. //////////////////////////////////////////////// Karen was giggling at Cole's bright red face while Lila and Trina were telling her tales of his youthful forays into the cave system underneath the compound. He really didn't appreciate their telling her how he cried when he got lost in the labyrinth below them. "Hey, I was eight years old, OK? I think I deserve a little sympathy. Besides, if you remember correctly, Carr picked up every bread crumb I dropped behind me." "Ah, poor baby. You were irreparably damaged by that I'm sure." Trina ruffled his hair but was distracted by the commotion coming down the corridor. They all heard yelling and the word "STAT" coming from Jeff. Trina ran into the treatment room next door as Trey was carried in by Troy and James. Brett held a bloody hand over the open wound. Troy kept talking to him, not sure if Trey could hear him, but he didn't care. They had a unique connection as identical twins and he wasn't going to let his brother think he was alone, even for a second. "Trey, you're gonna be OK bro. Jeff's gonna fix you up. You'll be good as new." Trina touched his arm, needing him to move so she could get close enough to start an IV. He looked at her, and she saw tears forming in his eyes. "Troy, I'm sorry, I need you to move. You know we'll take good care of him." Troy stared at her for a minute not sure of what she was saying. "Troy, you have to move." She said it quietly, and he finally understood and backed away, moving near James and Brett. Cole stopped behind Brett, seeing the blood covering all three men. "What the hell happened? Is all that blood Trey's?" He said the last in a hushed voice, almost embarrassed he had said it in front of Troy. Brett looked at him and slowly nodded his head. "We shot him with tranquilizers, but he jumped Trey before he passed out. That rogue needs to be put down. He did all that damage in seconds. God only knows what he could have done if he hadn't been tranquilized. We had to pry his jaws off even after he was out. I thought Trey was going to bleed out before we got here." Lila was standing at the window looking in, not able to hear the conversation going on. She was intent on watching Jeff and his assistants working to save Trey's life. She suddenly realized Karen was standing next to her, holding the wall to keep standing. "You shouldn't be out of bed Karen." She said it quietly, not wanting Cole to hear. "You don't want to see this. I'll take you back to your room." Karen was watching wide eyed. "What happened? Was he shot?" She was shaking and suddenly realized she was about to fall. Lila held her up with one arm. Karen thought to herself that Lila must work out for her to be strong enough to hold her up with one hand. They both stood by as Carr ran into the treatment room and stopped next to his Betas. He spoke quietly to the men. "We need to let them work. James, stay here with Troy and keep him out of the way." James nodded. "Cole, Brett, with me." The three walked into the hallway as Lila was helping Karen back to her room. Lila made a motion for her to stay put and walked into the hall. "Brett, what in hell happened?" Carr had a feeling he already knew but waited for the answer from the trusted Beta. "We found Gary. He did that after being hit with four darts! I told Steve to get him into the holding cell." "He's here?" Cole turned and ran. "He's fucking dead! Dead!" Karen couldn't hear the conversation but she watched as Cole took off running out of the hospital with Carr, Brett, and Lila running after yelling for him to stop and think. She didn't need to think, she needed to be with him. She took a couple of deep breaths before getting herself out of bed for the second time today. She stayed close to the wall to keep herself upright and stopped frequently to catch her breath. She was able to follow the yelling to find her way. She ignored the pain. She had to be with Cole, she just somehow knew it was important. She heard Cole yelling at someone, calling him every swear word she had ever heard in her life, and a few she didn't know. He was threatening to kill him with his bare hands. Karen was scared as she walked slowly up to the doorway. Who was in here that he could be so mad at? He had seemed so gentle when she was around him. She'd never seen, or heard, him acting this way. Of course she hadn't known him long, but she had a good feeling about him. She was sure she wasn't wrong. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the man chained in the cell. Cole was in front of the plexiglass wall arguing with Carr. Lila was pleading with Cole to calm down. It looked like Brett was on Cole's side, and Carr was trying to calm everyone down. They were so intent on their own argument, they didn't notice her walking up to the plexiglass. They didn't notice until they heard her. "Gary I trusted you! I helped you! And you tried to rape me, you tried to kill me!" She was screaming as loud as she could. She started beating on the wall with her fists. "I want you dead Gary! Dead!" She was hysterically crying as she pounded her hands on the see-thru wall. For a few seconds, the whole group was shocked into silence and inaction. But then Cole moved to her. "Karen, pet, please, its not good for you to get this upset, you'll hurt yourself. Please baby, please, let's go back to your room." He gently placed his hands on her shoulders, tugging her away from the cell. Her body was shaking, and he was afraid she would collapse as she turned in his arms. She looked up at him with tears streaming down her face. "Do you know what he did to me? Do you know what he tried to do?" She was looking into his anguished face. He knew. She couldn't stop crying and leaned into his chest. He put his arms around her and pulled her close. He felt her body start to sag as she lost what was left of her strength. He easily scooped her up into his arms and held her close as she sobbed into his shoulder. "He hurt me." The last was whispered into his ear. She remembered everything now. "I know baby, I know. I'm sorry you had to remember. I'd hoped you never would." He turned to his brother. "I'll be back later." He walked out of his room, carrying his distraught mate as carefully and gently as he could. Karen cried into Cole's shoulder as he walked up the stairs. This wasn't the way to the hospital. Where were they going? She didn't care, as long as it was with him. She held tight around his neck. He didn't want Karen to be in the room next to where they were working on Trey. She didn't need to see any more of what Gary had done. He wanted her to forget Gary, forget the past. He knew that was impossible, but he'd do what he could to help her through it. He pushed the door open to his room and gently deposited her on the bed. Looking around he was grateful the Omegas had kept up their cleaning schedule despite his erratic behavior. "Is this your room Cole?" She spoke quietly as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and looked around. She liked this room. It reminded her of him. In fact, she loved this room. A leather chair in the corner, a bronze sculpture of a wolf on the dresser, and a portrait of a chocolate brown wolf on the wall. She stared at it. It looked familiar some how. And then it dawned on her. It looked exactly like the wolf in her dreams. It even had green eyes. It had Cole's eyes! He watched her staring at the portrait. And then saw the look on her face as she turned to him. He swallowed hard, fearing the questions she'd ask. "The wolves I saw in my house. That was no hallucination, they were real, weren't they?" She said it calmly, almost matter-of-factly. He felt his heart pounding in his chest. She would find out everything now. He prayed to God she would understand. They had such a close bond in so short a time. He couldn't imagine her leaving him, but she was human. They could be unpredictable when it came to learning something they thought was a fairy tale was true. "Yes pet, they were real." They never lost eye contact. He was waiting for her to back away from him but she moved closer to where he stood at the end of the bed. "I dreamt of that wolf in your painting, that very wolf. I know it was the same one. How is that? I've never seem that painting before, have I?" Cole slowly sat next to Karen on the bed and took her hands in his. "Karen, have you felt the bond that we have? Did you feel a pull to be close to me from the first moment we passed each other on the street? All I could think about from that moment on was you." "Yes, I felt the same way." She lowered her head, looking down at the bed covers, her face blushing bright pink. "We were meant to be together baby. We are supposed to be together, forever. This is how my people find their mates. There is one person in this world that we are drawn to as soon as we catch their scent. It's like an aphrodisiac but even more powerful. It's overwhelming. Until a week ago, I thought I would never find my mate. I figured I was one of those whose true mate was half way across the world where our paths would never cross, and I'd be doomed to spend eternity, or at least my entire life, alone." "Cole, I could never leave. I agree, we are meant for each other. But what do you mean when you talk about your people? What people? You mean your family? And what does this have to do with the wolves in my house? And the wolf I dreamt of? And what scent? What do I smell like that could do that to you?" She looked at him, waiting. He looked at her trusting face. She was asking like it was the most normal thing in the world to talk to someone about wolves in your house. "You've heard of Werewolves before, right?" He watched as she slowly nodded. He imagined he saw fear in her eyes but when he blinked, there was none. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "That picture is a portrait of me, in my wolf form. I'm what people call a Werewolf. Everyone here is a Werewolf." He waited for her to scream or cry or run. He waited. "And your scent is lavender and licorice. And it's the most amazing scent ever." "I believe you Cole. Things have just been too strange lately for any normal explanations to suffice. And these dreams, it's not the first time I've dreamed of wolves, but the first time I dreamed of being in love with one." She smiled at him and blushed. He realized they were still holding hands, and he brought hers to his lips and kissed them softly. "I was so worried about how to tell you, and that you would run screaming out of the room. Or at least that you would run as soon as you were feeling better." His relieved smile lit up the room. He couldn't believe she was still here, letting him touch her. "Well, Actually, I'm feeling much better. I'll bet I could run, if I wanted to. I'll bet I can do a lot of things that you think I'm not ready for." She giggled when he gave her a curious look. "Think about it, you'll understand. So will you show me? Show me my wolf?" "Your wolf? Since when is he your wolf?" Cole was laughing at the thought of his wolf being "hers". But he had to admit, his wolf was as smitten as he was. They both belonged to her, forever. "Do you want to watch me shift?" "Is that what you call it when you change? Yes, I want to see you shift, if it's OK." She watched him intently, having no idea what to expect. When she saw him take off his shirt she held her breath. His body looked exactly the same as the dream! His abs were the proverbial six-pack, his chest wide and his shoulders broad. Every muscle stood out, perfectly chiseled was the term she was searching for. "Um, why are you taking off your clothes?" She managed to squeak it out as he was unzipping his pants. He gave her a leering grin. "You think I should shred my clothes when I change? If you want, I will, but it does get expensive. If you want you can turn your back. If you're scared or something." He stood still, his hands still on the zipper, waiting for her to make up her mind to turn around or tell him to continue. "Well? Do you want to see my wolf or not?" "Yes, go ahead, I'll watch." She pulled her legs underneath her and got comfortable on the bed. "I'm ready, go ahead." She hoped she didn't embarrass herself when he got his pants off, much less when he changed into a wolf. Cole quickly removed his jeans and watched the blush move up Karen's face when she realized he didn't have anything on underneath his jeans. He chuckled when he saw the appreciate look she was giving his crotch. And then her blush turned crimson when she realized he saw her looking. His voice cleared her mind. "Are you ready? You're sure you want to meet him now?" She couldn't take her eyes off his cock. It was long and thick and hard. Her mouth started to water. She tried to clear her head and not make a fool of herself. She cleared her throat. "I'm as ready as I'm every gonna be Cole." She tried to keep her gaze above his belly button but it was difficult to do. And even that view was making her pussy pulsate with need. She couldn't believe she was thinking this way after everything that had happened today. But looking at his body made her think of everything she'd been dreaming of, everything she'd been thinking of since she met him. Her mouth was open wide as she watched his body morph into the form of a wolf. She saw the ears form on his head, his snout elongate and his teeth grow. She saw the hair sprout and grow over his entire body which now had reformed into the huge chocolate wolf she knew so well from her dreams. She was amazed it had all happened so fast. He stood in front of the bed, a few feet away, afraid to approach her. She crawled to the edge, looking down at him in awe. "Oh Cole, you're just as beautiful as I remember from my dreams." Her voice was quiet, a little shaky, but didn't sound scared to him. He moved forward slowly, laying his head down on the bed, next to her hand. He watched her with the most expressive green eyes she had ever seen. She slowly reached out her hand and touched his nose. He sneezed, and she laughed. She tentatively started to stroke his head, the fur was amazingly soft! This was so unreal, but she knew it was real. This was no dream. He put a large paw on the bed and she stroked it. She put her arms around his neck, smelling his musky scent. She buried her face in his ruff and started to cry. Immediately he shifted back and put his arms around her. "Karen I shouldn't have shown you so quick. I should have given you more time to get used to the idea." She pulled her head back and wiped her eyes. "No silly, I'm not crying because of anything wrong. I'm crying because everything is finally right. For the first time I feel like I'm where I belong. I belong here, with you! Will I become a wolf?" She leaned into his body, enjoying the feel of his skin against her, and she was wishing she didn't have on all these stupid clothes and bandages. She would love to feel all of him. "Yes, if you want to be. When we mate, that is, if you consent to be my mate, I'll bite you when we make love. Then you'll bite me, and we'll bond, and you will become a wolf, a beautiful wolf!" Wolf's Pet Ch. 07 "Can we do that now?" Cole laughed and pulled her closer. "No pet, you're not strong enough. You have to be healed so you can go through the stress of your first change. It can be painful the first time in the best of circumstances. I'd be worried it'd be too much for you right now. But of course, that doesn't mean we can't have fun until then." Cole looked down at her smiling face. He leaned down and kissed her softly. She had been through so much, he wanted to go slow, take his time. Let her learn as much about him as possible before he let his wolf take over. He really didn't know if he'd be able to keep him under control once he got started. "Cole, the things I've been dreaming, well, it's had me on edge. The last few days since I've been on less drugs, i wake up and..." Her voice faded off. But he could see the need in her face. And it made him smile. "I'm afraid you aren't ready for any aerobic exercise pet." She looked disappointed. "You must think I'm some sort of slut to be talking this way. But to tell the truth, I've never felt like this before. I never felt so in tune with anyone before. It's like we're two halves of the same person. Does that make sense?" "Yes baby, it does. I feel the same way. Maybe we can take care of both our frustrations then. But we can't go too far or I won't be able to control my wolf. He wants you as badly as I do, and it's getting harder and harder to hold him back even while we're just sitting here talking." She started to move away. "Then maybe we shouldn't be this close while you're naked." "I didn't say that." He smiled and pulled her back to him. His fingers brushed the hair out of her face. He leaned in closer and brushed her lips with his. "I want to show you that I can be gentle. And so can my wolf. Excuse me, YOUR wolf." He kissed down the side of her neck that Gary hadn't bitten and found the point where her neck and shoulder met. He flicked his tongue and felt her shiver. "Like that pet?" "Y-y-y-yes." She managed a stammer. She was breathing heavier, and her hands started to travel over his body. His skin was so smooth. She loved tracing his muscles. But she was having a difficult time concentrating on his body when his mouth was kissing and licking her. She shivered again when he kissed the back of her neck. He was doing his best to stay away from her wounds. There were so many. Her hand found its way to his hard cock. She stroked it, loving the velvety feel of the skin. He was so thick she could barely get her hand around him. She wondered how he would feel. She had only had sex with her husband, and he hadn't been anywhere near this size. His cock jumped when she touched him, and she giggled. She stroked again and felt every vein, trailing her fingers up to the flared head. He groaned, and it made her giggle again. He murmured into her neck. "Glad you are amused pet. I'm sure you can imagine what my wolf and I want to do now. Good thing I have enough self control for both of us." He sucked in a breath when he felt her hand close around his cock and start to stroke. "Don't start something you don't want to finish baby." He said the last through gritted teeth as she squeezed a little tighter as she stroked. She smiled up at him with a gleam in her eyes and licked her lips. She kissed his neck and licked the same spot on him he had licked on her. Little did she know this was where she was to bite him. She kissed down his chest, loving the feel of his skin beneath her lips. She flicked her tongue across his nipples and he groaned again. She couldn't help but giggle again. "Something funny?" His voice was different. She could tell he was trying to keep control. She loved making him work so hard at it. "This is very serious stuff." She looked up at him and saw the lust in his eyes. She thought he would probably see the same when he looked at hers. They both smiled, knowing they were right where they needed to be. She went back to her exploring and kissed across his chest and down his stomach, across his amazingly muscular abdomen and down to his lovely cock. It was standing up right and she got her first close up view. It was as beautiful as he was and exactly as she remembered it from her dreams. She used the tip of her tongue and barely touched the head. He let out a loud moan and pushed his pelvis up towards her. She started licking his cock head, all around, tasting his pre-cum that was already leaking. "Mmmm, you taste so good Cole." Her tongue moved faster now, lapping at his cock head, then sliding down the shaft to his large balls. She wanted to feel his whole cock under her tongue. She knew she would never be able to take him all the way in her mouth. But she wanted to give attention to all of it. She loved hearing Cole's moans. It made even hotter than she already was. Hearing his moans made her want him even more, if that was possible. He sat up on his elbows to look down and saw her auburn hair surrounding her face as she licked his cock. He had to force himself to just lay there. He wanted to pull her off, flip her over, and bury his whole length in her pussy and bite her neck to complete their bond. But he knew that wasn't possible yet. He let his head drop back and groaned loudly as she tortured his cock. He could feel himself throbbing, the blood pounding in his cock. She had glanced at him and saw him looking down at her. She had him right where she wanted him. She sucked his balls into her mouth, one at a time, and his moans took on a new tone. His cock was hard as a rock and the pre-cum was flowing out faster. Her hand continue stroking, knowing she was driving him crazy. She licked back up and lapped up all the pre-cum and then opened her mouth and sucked him in. Cole couldn't believe how hot her mouth was. He stroked her head. "That's it baby, oh yeah, that feels so good." His hips started bucking against her mouth. Instinct made him thrust into her mouth, and his cock pushed as deep as it could go. She felt his cock head at the back of her throat and she struggled to breath while she sucked him. She used one hand to grasp his balls and gently squeezed them as she used her other on his shaft to stroke what she couldn't take into her mouth. And then she felt it. His body stiffened and she heard his groaning change. She felt the spurts filling her mouth with his semen. She started to gulp to try to keep up but he was filling her mouth so fast and with so much she felt some escape her lips and dribble down her chin. The jets of cum finally ended. She gave a few more loving licks to his spent member and then looked up and grinned at him. She crawled up his body as she licked her lips. She was laying on top of him and looked down at his gorgeous face. He looked up, brought his hands to her face, and pulled her to him for a deep kiss, tasting himself on her tongue. When the kiss ended, she laid her head on his chest and quickly fell asleep. He held her close, stroking her hair. "I thought it was my turn to fall asleep." He laughed to himself. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There was a slight breeze in the meadow. She looked down and saw his chocolate colored fur. She snuggled into him but something was different. She looked and saw the auburn fur on her paws. She was a wolf! She closed her eyes and relaxed. She was where she belonged, and all was right with the world, for the moment. Wolf's Pet Ch. 08 Karen opened her eyes and for just a moment didn't know where she was. She felt strong arms around her and rhythmic breathing. She glanced around the room and saw the wolf statue and smiled. She was with her wolf, she was safe. She burrowed her face into his shoulder and felt his arm move a little. "Welcome back pet, I was wondering when you'd wake up. Trying to cheat me out of my fun?" His green eyes looked down at her smiling face. Having her here in his bed was exactly where she belonged. He pictured her on hands and knees with his wolf taking her hard from behind. His arms around her tightened. She would be his for eternity, no doubts about that. And for the moment, he would help her forget Gary and the horrors he had brought to her. "I'm sorry I fell asleep. I just felt so snug and warm, that was the best sleep I've had lately." He stroked her soft hair and gazed into her beautiful dark brown eyes. He started to undo her hospital gown and helped her take off the gown and pajama bottoms she had been wearing. His eyes traveled over her body, noting the many bandaged areas and bruises. He growled, thinking of how she had gotten them. He couldn't wait to mate with her so she would heal completely and not have the scars to remind her of Gary. "Well now it's my turn to explore." Cole gently rolled her to her back and laid over her, careful not to hurt her. He looked down into his mate's face and held his breath for a moment. He still couldn't believe she was here. Finally, after all these years, she was here. He leaned down and gently kissed her on the forehead, the cheeks, on the nose. She giggled. He loved hearing her laugh. He moved her hair off her shoulder and brought his nose down to take in her scent, always the strongest at the neck, lavender and licorice. Amazing. He inhaled deeply, and his wolf howled in his head. He felt his wolf so close, needing to have her for himself. "Karen, I don't know how long I can keep my wolf from touching you. He understands he can't mate with you yet. But would you let him touch you?" He looked down at her, his eyes green mixed with amber. His face looked almost feral. "I want him to." Karen looked into his eyes and knew she would trust him and his wolf with her life. She already had. He smiled and seconds later, the wolf Cole was standing over her, watching her with the same eyes. Her hand stroked his muzzle. He leaned down and brought his nose to her neck. She tilted her head back, allowing him to do as he pleased. His tongue flicked out and lapped at her neck. The wolf wanted to bite his mate, take her, and keep her forever, but he understood. She needed to heal first. He would just taste her today. There would be time in the future. He dropped his head and continued licking her neck, and down her chest to her breasts. He lapped at her nipples which immediately hardened. He heard Karen moan and looked up and saw her mouth open, breathing deeply. She was letting herself enjoy this and wasn't scared of him. He was pleased. He loved her large breasts. He licked all around them, moving them with his nose and licking underneath. She lifted her chest up to him. He gently closed his teeth over a hard nipple and pulled back, her nipple popping back as it slipped out of his grasp. Karen let out a loud gasp and he looked up, afraid he had hurt her. "Don't stop Cole, please, don't stop, it feels wonderful." She spoke in a breathy voice. Her heart was pounding in her chest. He could hear it. He could see her pulse jumping in her throat and saw the lust in her eyes. He dropped his head and went back to learning his mate's body. The scent from her pussy was getting stronger, but he forced himself to take his time. Wolf instinct told him to take his mate now, but he would not hurt her. He would protect her, and to do that, he knew he had to wait. He continued investigating his mate's body. But he couldn't get to all of her. He kept running into bandages. A low growl started as he looked at them and gently licked her skin around the bandage on her stomach. She heard the growl and looked down at him. She could tell he was upset about the bandages and stroked the top of his head. "Cole, I'll heal. The bandages will be gone soon. I heal really fast." His green and amber eyes looked up at her. He seemed to nod, but there was still a very quiet rumble coming from the wolf. Gary would be punished. For a second, Cole's wolf thought about going to the holding cell and taking care of it now, but his mate was here. She was here for him. She wanted him, and he wanted her. Her scent permeated the room. He needed to taste her now! He went back to his licking below her belly and found her slit. His nose pushed inside, and he inhaled deeply. He felt his cock hardening. She jumped a little when his nose bumped against her engorged clit. He looked up for a second to be sure she was OK. "Keep going, please." Karen was almost begging. She didn't want the big wolf to stop. She gasped and lifted her hips as his tongue started lapping at her pussy. He had never tasted anything so wonderful before. He couldn't get his fill, and he would take all of the juices she could give him. His tongue entered her swollen pussy and pushed as deeply as he could. Her moans increased as well as the pitch of her voice. Her juices flowed freely into his mouth, and he couldn't stop himself from drinking from her. He would never get his fill of her nectar, as long as they lived. His tongue felt amazing plunging into her depths. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't stop herself from lifting her hips and bucking against his tongue. She wanted to feel his tongue as deep as it could go. She was on fire, and only his tongue could put it out. She felt his tongue hitting her cervix and she started to cum. Some of her injuries still hurt but she didn't care. She didn't feel them anymore, only his tongue and the pleasure. Oh God, the pleasure. He could hear her voice changing. She was moaning and her whole body was jerking and spasming. Her fluids ran freely into his mouth and he gulped them down. He felt her starting to relax, and he took a few slow, long licks from her ass to her clit and then laid down next to her, resting his large head on her chest. His green and amber eyes looking into her brown ones. She looked at him and smiled lovingly at him, stroking his face slowly. "Thank you Cole, that was the most amazing orgasm of my life. I can't wait to be your mate." She saw his tail thumping on the bed. And then he was gone, replaced by the human Cole in just a few moments. He stroked her breasts slowly, still resting his head on her chest and looking at her. They stayed like that for several minutes, stroking each other's skin. The knock at the door interrupted them, and Cole turned to the door and growled loudly. "Cole, I need you downstairs." Carr's voice came through loud and clear. It wasn't a request, it was an order. "Stay here, I'll send up one of the Omegas with some food for you." Cole kissed her on the forehead and gave her face one last loving stroke, and got up to dress. "What's an Omega?" Karen had a confused look on her face as she watched his gorgeous body disappearing from view as he covered himself. "Sorry bout that. Omegas are just a lower rank. They do all the menial type of labor around here, cleaning, cooking. I'll explain later pet, OK? As much as I hate it, I have to go though. And believe me, if I had my way, I would never leave." Karen smiled and waved as he walked out the door. She looked around and realized all she had to wear was the hospital gown and pajama pants. She really needed something else. She put them back on and waited for the Omega to come with food. She'd ask them about a way to get some clothes. Maybe she could get Cole to take her to her house to pick up some of her things. She hadn't seen anyone here so far that was her size. The women she'd seen were like Lila and Trina, statuesque was a good term. They were tall with muscular builds but still lean. She was short, and by no means lean. She had lost some weight in the last week though. Well, she'd been wanting to go on a diet. //////////////////////////////// "So we need to talk about Gary and his followers." Carr sat calmly in his chair as he gazed around the room at his Betas. Trey was missing of course, and so was Troy who understandably didn't want to leave his brother. "Jeff, first can we get a report on Trey's condition?" He looked over to the doctor sitting across from him. "Trey had serious lacerations to his throat. His trachea was punctured, he lost a lot of blood. But luckily, his healing is coming along nicely. We got him stabilized, and now he just needs to lay quietly and let his body do it's work. Troy's job for now his keeping his brother in bed. Trey wants to get up and go kick Gary's ass." Some of the Betas chuckled at the remark. They all knew Trey, and he was not one to lay around. The nurses were going to have their hands full trying to keep him in line. Carr nodded to Jeff and turned to his brother. "And what does Karen know so far?" Cole cleared his throat. "She knows what we are now. She's met my wolf. He doesn't scare her. She's actually pretty accepting of everything so far. We didn't talk about Gary, so I don't know if she knows he's a wolf too." "I think before we do anything with Gary, we need to bring in his followers. We need to find out what they know about him, and how much they agree with him. Are they actual rogues? Or just dumb kids that got suckered into leaving their packs? Brett, are we close to being able to coordinate picking them all up at once? I don't want any of them to be able to alert the others." Brett sat in his usual chair in a fresh set of clothes. He'd had a chance to clean up and calm down. He hated when one of his men was injured and was feeling some guilt about what happened to Trey. But he had to let it go to get his job done. "We have teams at each house. When they've all returned home for the evening, the teams will go in at the same time. They have tranquilizer guns and they'll dart them. They were all told about what happened to Trey and are aware of how long the tranquilizers could take if they're like Gary. If they aren't actual rogues, the darts could take effect almost immediately. And all three women work nights, so we're hopeful they won't even be there." "Great, let me know when they're in the holding cells. Anyone have anything else?" Carr scanned the room but didn't see anyone that looked like they had anything to add. "OK then, thanks. Hopefully we can get this all under control quickly without any more casualties. Cole, I do need to talk with you though so stick around." Cole nodded his head and remained in his chair as everyone left the room. He had a feeling he knew what was coming. He sat quietly, waiting for his brother to return alone. "So, Karen knows what we are, what you are. Does she know what you want from her? What it'll mean for her?" "She knows. She's fine with it Carr." Cole felt a little nervous as his brother looked at him as they talked. "What? What's on your mind? I can tell that isn't all. She's not the first human to be taken as a mate in this pack you know. So what else do you have to say?" Cole was getting upset, and his wolf was at the fore, ready to defend his mate if need be if his brother had objections. "I heard about the fact of her friends at the Police Department all being pack. Don't you find that odd? Has she said anything else that might answer the question of why that is? I'm not saying anything about you not taking her as your mate Cole, just wondering what's up with her. That's all. The pack deserves to know all about her if she's going to join us." Cole ran a hand through his hair, a little unsure of what he was going to tell his brother next, or rather what it meant. "She made a comment that she'd been dreaming about me, but that it wasn't the first time she'd dreamt of wolves. At the time I didn't think about it. I guess I need to ask her about it." He let out a long sigh. Carr walked over and grasped his brother's shoulder. "I know you'll let me know what you find out. She seems like a wonderful woman Cole, we just need to know, OK?" Cole nodded and got up to walk out. "I'm going to talk to her, I promise. But let me do this in my own time, OK? I don't want to just walk in the door and start hammering her with questions." "I trust your judgement Bro. Take it as slow as you need." He watched his brother go out the door. Damn it! Why couldn't he have found someone from another pack to take as his mate instead of a human? They were always such a pain. Of course their grandmother had been human, so guess he'd have to rethink that thought. ////////////////////////////// The Omega knocked on the door ten minutes after Cole had left. Karen slowly opened the door, not sure what she would find. What did an Omega look like. She looked down at a shy girl, maybe 20 years old. She was probably an inch shorter than Karen, by far the smallest person she had seen since she'd been here. She had thought all the people, or rather Werewolves, here were tall and muscular. But this girl definitely was not. The girl was holding a tray and stood at the open door for a minute before she quietly asked if she could come in. "I'm sorry I was so long Ma'am. We had to find some appropriate food for you. We checked with your nurse to be sure of what you could eat." Karen opened the door wider and stepped aside. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to leave you in the hallway. Please, come in. And don't call me Ma'am. My name's Karen, and yours is?" Karen smiled at the girl and held out her hand. The girl stared at her hand for a few seconds, then took it in hers and shook it. "My name is Gina Ma'am, um, I mean Karen." She smiled back. She set the tray down and started setting the table so she could eat. "Gina, do you know if there's anyone close to my size that I could borrow some clothes from? I don't have any here." The shy girl looked Karen up and down. She was almost her height, but curvy. When Cole mated with her would her wolf be an Omega? The Betas were all tall and muscular, made for battle. Omegas were smaller, bred more to be laborers. But Karen was different. She shook her head. "I'm sorry Ma--- I mean Karen. I don't think anyone here is your size. You could ask the Alpha Bitch to help you find some clothes. Maybe one of the Omegas could make you some. I can let her know for you if you like." Karen smiled warmly at her. "That would be wonderful Gina, thank you so much. Is the Alpha Bitch Lee?" Gina nodded. "I think I met Lee once, but I was still pretty drugged up." "I'll do that then. It was nice to meet you Karen." Gina slipped out the door quickly. Karen had the feeling Gina wasn't very comfortable around strangers, or maybe it was humans. But she was nice enough. The aroma of the food got Karen's attention, especially when she heard her stomach growling. She sat down and looked at the mouth watering food. She savored every bit of the sandwich. She loved tuna fish with lettuce. Did they read her mind or something? She stopped eating for a moment. Could they do that? She wondered. She and Cole were so much on the same page sometimes. She'd have to remember to ask him. She put all the empty plates back on the tray, all ready for Gina to pick up, or whoever came for it. She heard a knock on the door and got up, tray in hand. When she opened the door, she was startled to see Carr's wife, Lee, the Alpha Bitch. "Oh, I'm sorry, I just assumed it was Gina coming back for the tray. I'm sorry. Please, come in. Lee, right?" Karen opened the door wide to let her in and placed the tray on the dresser. Lee walked in carrying a suitcase and smiled at Karen. She looked so much better than she had just a few days ago. For a human she healed quickly. She had color in her face and was so much more animated. Of course she wasn't being medicated so much anymore. Jeff had said she was on oral pain medications now. She looked good. "Hi Karen. I'm sorry I've neglected you so much during your recovery. But Cole was selfish and keeping you to himself." Lee smiled warmly and Karen immediately felt like she belonged here. She'd been worried she wouldn't feel accepted by the other women here. She was so different from all of them. Lee was so young. And it suddenly struck her that she hadn't seen anyone here so far that was much older than mid 30's. She had glimpsed a few children, teens, young adults, but not anyone any older looking than Carr. Not anyone her age! "I hear you need some clothes. Guess you can't walk around in a hospital gown can you?" She smiled again, and Karen felt totally at ease. Age difference or not, she liked the people here, Werewolves, whatever. "Brett was at your house cleaning up earlier this week and had someone pack some clothes for you. Don't worry, it wasn't one of the men." She winked. Karen laughed and took the suitcase. "Thanks Lee, I'll have to thank Brett later." She set the suitcase on the bed and opened it, finding her clothing neatly folded, definitely the work of a woman. "I haven't asked, but where am I going to stay if I'm not going back to the hospital? I mean, I haven't talked to Cole about it. He brought me here, but I don't want to make any assumptions." Now it was Lee's turn to laugh. "So you don't want to stay with Cole?" "Oh no, that's not what I meant." Karen looked flustered. "If you would like a room of your own there's one right next door. You and Cole talk it over and just let me know, OK?" She patted Karen on the hand in a motherly gesture. It seemed strange coming from someone a good 15 to 20 years younger than her. "We originally thought you would have to be hospitalized longer, but you've healed much faster than anyone thought possible." "She doesn't need another room, she's fine in this one." Cole walked through the door and put his arm possessively around Karen's waist. Karen blushed, and Lee laughed again. "If you change your mind, let me know." Lee walked out and closed the door behind her. "Do you want your own room?" Cole stroked her cheek and then held her face making her look up at him. "No Cole, I want to stay here with you, I belong here with you." She hugged him as tight as she could. She never wanted to be apart from him. He hugged her back, resting his chin on the top of her head as he stroked her hair. "Good, I would have hated to put a guard on your door so no other male could go near you." She backed away from him and looked up at his face. "You're joking right?" "No, my wolf, excuse me, YOUR wolf is very protective right now. He's tasted you, he wants you as much as I do, and we haven't mated yet. That makes for a very paranoid wolf. Until we've mated, he won't want any other males near you." She looked at him for a moment and then returned to his arms. "I want the both of you too. I can't wait until we can mate." /////////////////////////////// Lee walked into Trey's room and quietly touched Troy's arm. "How is he doing?" Troy looked over to his Alpha Bitch and smiled. "He's doing great. He should be out of here in a few days. Thanks for coming by Lee, Carr was just here and left with Jeff." She moved to the side of the bed and looked down at Trey. "You sure scared all of us Trey. Don't do that again, OK? I don't want gray hair til I'm at least 300. OK?" He couldn't talk yet but looked up and smiled. She squeezed his hand and smiled back. "I'll be back to check on you tomorrow. Don't give the nurses any trouble now. In your condition they can kick your butt." The twins watched her walk out of the room. Carr had done well in choosing a mate. They both hoped they would find a mate someday. Troy sat down next to Trey's bed and brought out a deck of cards. Trey smiled and waited to whip his brother at poker. Wolf's Pet Ch. 08 Lee found Carr and Jeff in the kitchen. "I've been looking all over for the two of you. Figures I'd find you in the kitchen." They looked like little boys with their hands in the cookie jar, only it was the ice cream tub. Lee sat next to her mate and leaned into him. She loved the feel of his hard body next to her. She couldn't get enough of it. "Trey looks good. He's healing really well." "He's doing great. It helps that he's young and strong, not even 100 years old yet." Jeff was so glad to be able to relax after having two critical patients in the last week. He liked delivering babies and taking care of a broken bone here and there or a simple laceration. Just the thought that his patient could die on his watch made him shiver. "So, just a question, don't you think that Karen has healed awfully fast for a human? I mean, She was almost dead when she was brought in. And now, six days later she's up and around. I think if she hadn't been on Morphine all this time she would have been up sooner." Carr and Jeff both stared at her, spoons in mid air. Carr looked at the Omegas cleaning the kitchen and getting ready for the next meal. They saw him glance their way and immediately walked out of the room, closing the doors behind them. "Actually, I was thinking the same thing. Jeff, what do you think?" Jeff pursed his lips, thinking about how to say what he'd been thinking for the last few days. "I agree, I think she heals way too fast for a human, but not fast enough for a Were. I thought it was strange that all of her close friends at work were pack. So two questions." Carr interrupted. "Three. She told Cole she's dreamt of wolves before they met. So she dreams of wolves, has Were's as close friends, and heals faster than a normal human. Could she be a hybrid? I mean there are lots of us out there. I have human ancestors. If the Were genes were diluted enough could that account for everything?" "That's a possibility. We'll have to do a little research on her family to figure that out. I wonder how much she knows about her family history." Jeff would look back over her records and track her healing progress. "I'll have Becky start working on Karen's family tree. You know, it could be quite a few generations back. But it just seems like too many coincidences for her to be 100 percent human." Lee leaned over and gave Carr a quick peck on the cheek and started to walk out of the kitchen. She stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Oh, and don't ruin dinner with too much ice cream boys." She walked out the door and let the Omegas back in to finish their work. //////////////////////////////// Brett closed his phone and put it in his pocket. All three teams were in place, all three of Gary's followers were in their homes, and none of the women were there. It was time. He gave the order to move at exactly ten pm. Each team was made up of eight men, two who would watch the outside of the houses, two would be in wolf form, and four would be carrying tranquilizer guns. He didn't want a repeat of the last apprehension. They had doubled the doses on the tranquilizers just to be safe. he was sitting in his car, about equidistant from the three houses, ready to respond to any of the locations at a moment's notice. His phone rang and team one reported they were done and the subject was in custody, no injuries. They were on their way to the compound. He breathed a sigh of relief, one down, two to go. Five minutes later he got the same response from team three. Now he was just waiting on team two. He kept an eye on the time and thought maybe he should make his way towards team two, just in case. He half expected the last call on his way to team two, but it never came. He was around the corner from his destination when a gray wolf darted in front of his car. He slammed on the brakes but couldn't stop in time and hit it. He saw the black and brown wolves running towards the street and slam to a halt in front of him. He could see James had a torn ear and Steve had a gash in his shoulder, but other than that, they were in good shape. The gray wolf though, was badly hurt. "Get him into the van and to the hospital. We'll talk about what happened later at the compound. James, do we need to have a clean up team at the house?" James nodded, still in his wolf form. Two of the wolves had run back to the house and gotten the cars. By the time they got back, everyone had shifted. James' ear didn't look as bad in his human form. Steve, however, would need some immediate first aid. Brett took care of calling the Omegas to clean things up at the house before the female returned home. He walked in the door and surveyed the damage. Damn. He didn't know if three clean up teams could get this place in order before she came home, but they'd give it their best. She didn't get home til seven in the morning. It was almost midnight. Seven hours, piece of cake. Yea right. He left Craig in charge of the clean up teams and returned to the compound. Brett walked into the holding cell area and saw Gary's followers in the cells to his right. They both looked young, and like they didn't want to be here. They were looking at the ground, fidgeting. Gary, in the cell to the left, had a smirk on his face, like he was the one in the driver's seat. He really was crazy. Brett shook his head on his way to the hospital to look in on the gray wolf. He heard the wolf before he saw him. "Let me go, you have no right, no right! Gary will take you down." He walked into the hospital room and saw the male in his human form, handcuffed to the bed. His eyes were wild, and Brett had the feeling he was as crazy as Gary. He watched Jeff give him a tranquilizer and everyone gave a sigh of relief when he fell asleep. He walked to Trey's room and saw Steve laying in the bed next to his. He was sedated but looked like he was going to be OK. Jeff was talking to Carr and he joined the conversation. "Steve will be fine, just needs a day in bed. The gray wolf has a punctured lung and a broken leg. I want him out of the hospital as soon as his lung is healed, maybe two days. I'm going to keep him sedated as much as possible. He's definitely a rogue, no doubts in my mind. I also took a look at James' ear. Just a nick, he'll be fine." "Thanks Jeff, sorry to be keeping you so busy lately. Brett, guess we have some guests to talk to huh? I want to talk to them before talking to Gary. Let him stew." Brett nodded and they walked towards the holding cells. James and Bryant had the first one in a room away from the holding cells. He looked scared as they interrogated him. James got up when he saw Carr and Brett and walked out to fill them in on what they knew so far. "His name is Ben, he was from the Torrance Pack. He sounds like a good kid who was caught up in the wrong thing. He met Gary a few months ago and says Gary told him he'd never find a mate if he stayed in the pack. That his only chance was to look for a human female. He found him the room to rent and told him to take the female who owned the house as his mate. Ben said he and his wolf weren't interested in her. Gary was asking him for progress reports and he kept telling him she was dating other men, which wasn't true. I believe him. He's been cooperative, so I promised him we'd get him some food. He hadn't had dinner yet." Gina walked in with a tray from the kitchen for the captive. She stopped when she walked in the door and stared at the man sitting in the room. He slowly lifted his head and looked in her direction. They couldn't take their eyes off each other, and they both walked slowly toward the window. They stopped on either side of the glass. He lifted his hand and put it flat on the window, she did the same. Carr and Brett stared. James was ready to pull her away from the window, but Carr put out an arm to stop him. "But Carr, she could get hurt." Carr shook his head. Gina and Ben couldn't take their eyes off each other. Carr walked slowly to the window and heard Ben growl. Gina looked to see what he was growling at. "That's my Alpha, he'll be your Alpha if you let him." Carr spoke softly. "That's right Ben. If you and Gina mate, you are welcome in this pack. I'd hope you wouldn't take Gina from her family without her consent. We'll welcome you with open arms. But I expect loyalty." He watched Ben's face for any signs of deceit. Seeing none, he told James to open the door and let Gina in. Gina walked in slowly and went to Ben, reaching for his face she touched him slowly. He bent down to get closer to her scent and buried his head in her neck. He looked like he was in heaven. Carr watched them for a few minutes and then walked to the doorway. "Ben, do you want to join us? Do you trust us?" Ben looked up at Carr, indescribable joy in his eyes. "Yes Alpha, I'd like to join this pack and take her as my mate. May I?" Gina was beaming at his side. "Please Alpha, please, I never thought I'd find a mate." Gina looked up at Carr, almost begging him to let Ben join the pack and mate with her. He smiled down at her. "Let me call the Torrance Alpha first, and then I'll let you know, OK? But until then, he stays here. You can visit with one of my Betas watching over you. And Ben, no one here wants your mate so don't pick any fights, got it?" "Yes, Alpha, thank you." Ben couldn't take his eyes off Gina. His head was swimming and his wolf was elated. They had finally found their mate. His mate was from a pack and wasn't human. He would have missed out on his one chance if he'd done what Gary wanted. "Oh thank you Alpha, thank you." Gina turned back to Ben, their hands entwined. Carr walked away shaking his head in disbelief. They bring in a possible rogue and he's mate to one of his Omegas. This was getting better by the moment. He made his way to his office and sat down. He picked up the phone and dialed, waiting for the Torrance Alpha to answer. Lee walked in and sat in a chair, waiting for his call to be done. He smiled at her. What a week. Good thing her heat cycle had ended a week ago. Lee listened to the one sided conversation. "Torrance, how are you? It's Baxter. I have one of yours here, Ben, took off with the rogue Gary. He seems like a good kid, is he? Uh huh, OK. He's been cooperative, gave himself up when confronted by my Betas. He's answered all questions. No, he never mated with the human female. But he has found his mate, one of my Omegas. Yeah, fate steps in. Are you OK with him starting over here in my pack? Uh huh. That's great. Thanks, I owe you one. Oh really? Well, tell her he's fine, and his mate is a good girl. She'll make him happy. Have a good night. Sorry to have woken you up." Carr hung up the phone and looked at his mate. "I guess you figured out what that is all about." "Are you kidding? It's all over the compound already. I take it he was OK with Ben staying here with Gina?" "He was fine with it. Turns out Ben is his mate's nephew. She's been after him to bring Ben back to the pack. They never thought he'd gone rogue. They said he's an Omega and a hard worker, and it shocked them when he left. He can't wait to tell his mate that Ben found a mate and is staying with us now. He gave his blessing. Guess I should give them the good news. Think we'll wait on the interrogation of the second one. I don't want anymore surprises tonight. Besides, if Ben doesn't come back to the holding cells, it will throw them off. Gary might lose that smirk." Lee moved to behind Carr and started massaging his shoulders. His muscles were tight. Too much stress. She didn't like to see him so tight. She kept up the massage and felt a few of the knots working loose. His head fell forward. "Oh thank you baby, that feels so good. I didn't even realize how tight I was." Lee leaned down and licked his neck, over the scar from her mating bite. His body shuddered. She loved when she did that to him. She slid her hands under his shirt and skated her fingers across his skin. "Now how am I supposed to get any work done when you do that?" He leered at her and pulled her around in front of him and into his lap. His hands found their way underneath her blouse and bra and started teasing her nipples. She gasped and pushed into his hands. He pulled up the blouse and bra and leaned forward to latch onto a nipple. He sucked gently at first and then harder and harder, pulling her breast into his mouth as well. Her moans were driving him on. His cock was pushing against his jeans, and he needed to fill her. He picked her up by the waist and stood her up in front of him. He unbuttoned his jeans and slid them to the floor. She smiled and did the same. He sat down on the chair and pulled her into his lap, his cock standing straight up. She straddled him and slowly impaled herself on his staff. He pulled her towards him and thrusted up into her pussy as he groped her breasts, kneading them. She kissed him hard, their tongues fighting for control. His hands were working her breasts, practically mauling them. God he loved to touch her, any part of her. She rode him, matching his thrusts and leading him on to fuck her harder and deeper. They were both rutting like animals, mindless in their need for each other's bodies. Carr held her under her ass and stood up with her still impaled on him. He moved to the desk and sat her on the edge. He pulled himself from her, his cock rock hard and dripping with a combination of his pre-cum and her fluids. Lee slid off the desk and onto the floor on her knees at his feet. She opened her mouth and sucked him in with one movement. She loved tasting herself on him. She took him as far as she could down her throat, wanting to please him and hearing the grumbling coming from his chest. She knew she was succeeding. But now she needed to feel him cum inside her. Lee let go of his cock and quickly turned her back and went to all fours on the ground. She shifted and a blond wolf stood in front of him, her tail standing to the side, looking over her shoulder at him. She wiggled her ass at him, inviting him to mount her. He shifted immediately and was on her in moments. His cock slid into her wet swollen pussy and thrusted with all his might. He needed to fuck her hard, he needed her. His large paws gripped her in front of the hips. If she had wanted to pull away she wouldn't have been able to. But she would never pull away from him. She needed him as much as he needed her. Cole was showing Karen around the large house, giving her the tour and walked past Carr's office. Carr had forgotten to close the door. It wasn't until Karen gasped that Cole realized what was going on. She stood mesmerized by the huge brown wolf fucking the smaller blond one. At first Cole thought she was horrified but then looked at her and saw she was excited by it. He held her from behind, his chin on her neck, watching his brother and his mate fucking. Her breathing was faster, and she was holding his hands tight as he wrapped them around her. She couldn't look away. Carr thrusted deeper and harder when he realized Cole and Karen were watching. The Alpha couldn't be perceived as weak and had to show anyone watching he was the most virile of the pack. It was wolf instinct working now. He felt his knot forming and pushed it into his mates pussy, stretching her more. She howled with pleasure as his knot seated in her. His jaws closed over her neck as he felt himself close to exploding inside her. He bit down and she howled again, her orgasm on her and her pussy spasming around his pounding cock. His cock erupted and jets of cum shot into her womb. He howled as he came with short thrusts of his cock. He pulled his mate to the floor to wait for his knot to recede. When he laid them down, they both saw the couple watching from the hallway. Karen blushed when she saw them watching. "They know we're here. I'm so embarrassed that we just stood here." Cole whispered to her. "This is life in the pack pet. You might walk in on someone at any time. It's natural and normal. We aren't repressed sexually like humans. And they are the Alphas. A strong Alpha pair means a strong pack. It's OK to watch. But we can leave now." He took her hand and gently led her to their room. He couldn't wait til he was tied to her. He couldn't wait. Wolf's Pet Ch. 09 Craig wasn't sure this was going to go so well. He watched the Omegas scurrying around the house trying to clean and fix up the mess that the gray wolf caused when he tried to escape from the Betas last night. He could only hope the woman who lived here was running late after work. There was just no way they were going to be done. He'd been trying to think of a good cover story for the last seven hours. He had two hours left to concoct something believable. He wasn't holding out much hope. He scanned the front yard, at least it was in good shape and the living room window had been replaced. Maybe he should think of a way to delay her getting home in the first place. It would probably take a full day to make all the repairs. He laughed when his phone started ringing. James had programmed it to ring "Werewolves of London" whenever he called. "Hey Craig, how's it going out there?" "Where's your British accent? You don't sound like you're from London to me." Craig laughed but now it was time for business. "It's going slow. I don't know, do you know anything about this woman? Is she gonna scream bloody murder when she sees a bunch of strangers inside her house? We don't even know the name of the rogue she was living with to even say he let us in." "Ah, yes we do. Turns out one of the rogue pack is Gina's mate. He's been filling us in on everything. The gray wolf's name is Paul. And last Ben, that's Gina's mate, the last he heard, Paul was about to get evicted. The woman was sick of him following her around. She had threatened to call the police. Too bad she didn't. She lives in Steve's beat and he would have been able to alert the pack sooner. Oh well. Ben had heard her name was Sarah, and he thinks she knows Karen." Craig's mind was reeling. Maybe there was a way out of this. If he could persuade Cole to let Karen help him keep Sarah from home for a while, they could get the house finished and she might never figure it out. "Thanks James. That's a huge help. Hey so Gina found her mate huh? Wow, and you didn't rip his throat out. I'm impressed. You're a big wolf now James." He had a wide grin on his face. He loved to tease James about his protectiveness over his sister. But in reality, every one of James' friends were like her big brothers. Guess now they'd have to find someone else to over protect. "Thanks for the info. Talk to ya later." Craig immediately started dialing Cole. "Hey, sorry to wake you up. Actually, I need to speak with Karen." He heard the growl and realized he'd made a dumb move and better explain quickly. "The woman who the gray wolf was living with is possibly a friend of hers. We need to figure out a way to keep her from coming home til we're done repairing the house. I was wondering if she could help us out." Craig heard the difference in Cole's tone after the explanation and breathed a sigh of relief. He heard Cole whispering and movement and then a female voice. "Hello?" Karen was sleepy and trying to focus. Why would one of the Betas want to talk to her? Cole said had something about knowing someone but she was so confused. Craig winced when he heard the exhausted voice. She'd only been up and around a day and was probably still pretty weak. She was a human after all. "Hi Karen, sorry to wake you and Cole up. Do you know a woman named Sarah who lives on Burgundy Drive? She was the woman living with that gray rogue wolf. Guess his name is Paul?" "Oh, yea, I remember her. Gary and I had dinner with Paul and her a few times. It was really weird. She was great, Paul gave me the heebie jeebies. In fact, now that I think of it, she seemed just as uncomfortable with him as I did with Gary. What do you need?" Karen was awake now. She remembered some very stilted conversations with Paul but feeling totally at ease with Sarah. Of course it was hard to concentrate with Cole sliding his fingertips down her arms. Even that small gesture gave her goose bumps and made her pussy start to leak. Cole's wolf noticed that right away and his nose was pushing the covers away from her thighs and settling himself between her legs to lap at her folds. Craig leered when he heard her gasps and moans. He could tell she was trying to remain quiet but his ears were good enough to pick it up. He could just imagine what Cole was doing right now. "We need to stop Sarah from coming home for a few more hours so we hopefully can get that house finished. I called over some more Omegas to help out, but we are not going to make it by seven am. No way!" "OK, that gives me almost two hours to figure something out. She works at the hospital pharmacy and gets off at seven. OK, leave it to me." Karen hung up on Craig and moaned loudly. She'd been trying to hold it in but she just couldn't. The wolf Cole's long tongue was exploring every crevice of her pussy and oh my God did it feel good. "Oh fuck! Cole, that feels amazing. Ohhhhhh, yes." Her hips were moving, pushing his tongue towards where it felt best. Cole's green eyes were watching every move, remembering where his tongue was when he got the best responses. He watched her biting her lip and trying to stay quiet. He would make sure she didn't worry about that anymore. He moved forward just enough so his nose brushed against her hard clit. She jumped and gasped. His tongue swiped from her tight ass up to the bottom of her clit and she gushed fluid as her pussy clamped shut on his tongue and her body jerked and spasmed around him. "Ohhhhh fuck fuck." Karen's lower body was lifting off the bed. She was fighting to remember to breath and her heart was pounding in her chest. Her thighs were tickled by his thick silky coat and it seemed to translate straight to her pulsing pussy. His tongue never stopped moving inside her until she was completely exhausted and her body couldn't cum any more. She lay there panting, looking down into Cole's beautiful green eyes, his muzzle covered in her juices. He looked silly, and she started to giggle. He shifted and the human Cole was now laying between her legs, his chin resting just above her pussy. "What's so funny pet?" He slowly moved himself up her body, holding himself off of her so he didn't put pressure on any of her wounds. He was looking down into her beautiful face, still giggling, her dark brown eyes were twinkling. She had the longest lashes. He just couldn't stop staring at her. She was his. He bent down to give her a soft kiss and her tongue reached out and swiped across his nose. "Hey, what was that?" He pulled back quickly, surprised by the tongue lashing. "I'm practicing being a wolf. I was tasting my pussy juice on your nose." She was smiling up at him and he started to laugh. "OK, little wolf, practice away." He bent down and didn't give her a chance to play but took her mouth forcefully, his tongue pushing into her mouth and keeping hers at bay. She lost herself in his kiss, until a wrong move made her wince in pain. Her ribs were going to hurt for some time. "Are you OK? I should have been more careful." Cole got off the bed and turned on a light. God she looked beautiful laying there in his bed, her auburn hair fanned out across his pillows. But he saw the pain on her face and came back to kneel at her side. He took her hand in his, bringing it to his lips. His other hand was stroking her face as she tried to hold in the pain. "It's OK pet, it's OK to show me you're in pain. I'll take care of you. Please, cry if you have to. It just makes it worse to try and hide it." She looked up into his face and couldn't hold back anymore. The tears started to pour out. It wasn't just the pain, it was the fear of all the memories that had come back from the last night spent at her house with Gary. She'd tried to be strong. She didn't want to upset people, especially Cole. She never wanted to upset Cole. Cole climbed back onto the bed and pulled her into his arms, holding her gently and stroking her back as she cried out all the fear and pain of the last week. He whispered his undying love of and devotion to her. He wanted her to know that she had nothing to fear anymore. He would take care of her, he would always be there for her. "It's alright pet. Everything is going to be alright." He heard her breathing become more regular and smiled when he realized she had fallen asleep. Good, she needed the rest. He'd let her sleep as long as possible. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Her favorite place, the meadow. She was in her wolf form and looked around to see two cubs, snuggled against her. Whose were they? They were adorable. One was the same chocolate brown as Cole, the other auburn like her. Was she babysitting? She was afraid to wake them and stayed as still as possible. She saw Cole running towards her. He stopped next to her and slid his body along her side, pushing into her. She looked at the cubs trying to give him the idea to be careful not to wake them. He laid down on the other side of the cubs and intentionally woke them by pushing them with his nose. She wondered what he was doing. As they woke, he pushed them towards her. She had a questioning look on her wolf face. Then she felt them, they were grabbing hold of her nipples and suckling. She was shocked, they were getting milk. How could she have milk? Were these her cubs? His cubs? Cole had a satisfied look on his face and licked her nose as the cubs sated their hunger. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gary was seething. These pack dogs thought they were in control. They had no idea who they were dealing with. He wasn't going to be held here. He had a plan, and they had brought the instrument to him. He smiled as he felt the presence of Paul in the hospital. His Alpha bond with him was strong. Not so much with the other two. They were weak. He never should have chosen them to join his pack. They didn't really believe the way he and Paul did. In fact, he couldn't feel Ben's presence at all. There had been a tenuous connection earlier tonight and it seemed to be broken. Maybe they killed him when they interrogated the little Omega. He smiled to himself. No loss. Nathan was in the cell next to Gary. Why did he ever agree to join Gary in his little pack. What a mistake this had turned out to be. He had been a respected Beta in the Torrance pack. But he was so lonely. Being without a mate for 300 years could be nerve wracking. He wanted to have his own woman to take care of, to raise cubs with. What a disaster this was. It had seemed like such a good idea at the time, get away from loneliness, start over elsewhere. Gary had made it sound like it would be easy to find a mate in the human world. What an idiot. His litter mates had begged him not to go, but per Gary's orders he'd cut all ties with them and now he had no one. He put his head in his hands and closed his eyes. What would happen to him? What had happened to Ben? They had taken him out of here hours ago. David was keeping a close eye on the prisoners. Gary acted like he was in the driver's seat. David had to wonder if he was planning something. The other guy was a big question mark in David's mind. It was obvious he was a Beta. He was six and a half feet tall with a burly build. He had been polite and compliant since they confronted him at his home. When they approached him he sighed, grabbed his jacket, and said "I'm ready." It was like he was being walked to the gallows. Carr was going to have a lot of hard decisions to make about this bunch, and David didn't' envy him that. "How are things going David?" Carr walked in and clapped him on the shoulder. David smiled at his Alpha. He really enjoyed being a Beta in this pack. He'd joined them when he met his mate at an inter-pack gathering. They had decided it was best if David came to join the Baxter pack since there was a lot of infighting in his old pack. And besides that, his mate didn't want to leave her parents and siblings. David had immediately felt like he'd been here his whole life. Everyone got along so well, and he really felt it was because of Carr's easy going management style. He wasn't a micro-manager and let his Betas have a lot of responsibility. "Quiet here Alpha. But I think Gary is planning something. Don't know what, but there's something going on in that crazy mind of his." David tried not to look Gary's way. He didn't want him to know he was talking about him. "The other guy seems like he's pretty level headed. Has the Omega had anything to say about him?" "Ben said his name is Nathan and he's from the Torrance pack. I think we'll speak with him now." Carr walked out without another word. David motioned for the two other Betas to follow him and they stopped in front of the door to Nathan's cell. "Get up, you're coming with us." Nathan sighed, wondering if he would meet his death now. If he did, his only regret was he hadn't spoken with his family in almost a year. His head was down as he walked out of the door flanked by the three Betas, all with tranquilizer guns. He walked passed Gary's cell but purposely didn't glance at him. "Weakling." All four men heard the word come out of Gary's mouth, and all four ignored him as they walked by. "Have a seat Nathan." Carr was pointing to a chair facing him across the table in the small room. Nathan had been surprised to hear his name. He cautiously sat down and waited for the Alpha's judgement. He was sure it would be death. He deserved it. "Alpha, I have a request before you pronounce judgement." Carr nodded at him to continue. "I'd very much like to call my family at the Torrance pack and say good-bye." He dropped his eyes and waited in silence. "I think that can be arranged, but I think you're jumping the gun a little here Nathan. Why don't we talk for a bit and then we'll decide if you have any good-byes to make, OK?" Carr looked at the big man and realized he thought he was going to die. If he had been caught by some of the neighboring pack he would have died immediately. But Carr was a believer in seeing what was in the hearts of someone who erred, not ripping it out without looking first. Nathan looked up in disbelief. If they weren't going to kill him, then what had happened to Ben. Last night Gary had pronounced their bond gone and that Ben must have been put to death. "Then may I ask Sir, what happened to Ben? Is he dead?" Nathan was waiting for the inevitable answer. He watched the smile come up on the Alpha's face. Nathan was so confused. Why was the Alpha smiling like that? "Come with me." Carr stood up and walked out of the room. Nathan looked at his guards and they motioned for him to follow. He stood up slowly and walked several feet behind the Baxter Alpha. Was this some kind of trick? The Alpha stopped ahead of him and motioned towards a window. Nathan slowly moved to look through the glass and saw Ben, perfectly healthy. He was smiling and talking to a little female who was glued to his side. They kept leaning into each other and couldn't stop touching. Nathan looked on in awe and then at those around him. "His mate?" Everyone standing in the room nodded. Nathan was dumbfounded. All this time with Gary's crazy ideas and Ben found his mate here. Nathan was happy for his friend. He looked happy, he looked giddy. Nathan couldn't help but smile. James and Carr exchanged glances. "Nathan, why did you join Gary's pack?" Carr figured he'd come right to the point. If Nathan was really a rogue, he'd do what must be done. But he had a feeling Nathan was just lost. Nathan turned to face the Alpha, not wanting to show disrespect by not looking at him as they spoke. "I had nothing Alpha. I was lonely. I wanted a mate so badly, and Gary made promises that were outlandish, but I was so desperate I believed them." Nathan looked the Alpha in the eye, unafraid, and willing to face his fate head on, whatever it may be. Carr stood there for a several moment, looking at the hulking Were standing in front of him so dejected, so sure of what was going to happen to him. Carr's bond with his Betas was strong and he knew they all felt the same way. Nathan was a good man. "I need a good work out. You look like you might be able to hold out for awhile. Let's go to the gym." All the Betas grinned. Nathan just looked shocked. The gym? He followed the Alpha with his ever present guard at his heels. They still held their tranquilizer guns but didn't seem to have them trained on him every second any more. Gary sat upright in his bed in his little cell. The fragile bond with Nathan was gone. They must have killed him too. Paul's bond was still strong. And that was the only one that mattered. He and Paul would escape soon and these stupid mutts would pay. He laid down, closed his eyes, and slept. ////////////////////////////// They laid there together for another hour until Cole realized if they were going to stop Sarah from coming home they had to get moving. He gently shook her awake. "Its time to find Sarah baby. We have to go." He heard her mumbling "Where did these cubs come from?" He smiled down at his mate. He wondered if she could see the future. She seemed to dream of things that were meant to be, like becoming a wolf, mating with him, and cubs? He kissed her forehead and shook her fully awake. "Time to go baby." Thirty minutes later Cole and Karen were arriving at the hospital parking lot. It was the first time Karen had been away from the compound in a week. It seemed so much noisier out here. She already missed the comfort of Cole's home. She pointed out Sarah's car and was glad she hadn't made them late by falling asleep. She was still a little unnerved by her latest dream. Cubs? She really doubted anything like that would be possible. It wasn't like she was a spring chicken. During the drive over, Karen had been trying to come up with a good story to tell Sarah about why they were here. And maybe something to help explain why her house was in an uproar. She hoped she was a good liar. She'd never been before, but then again, it had never been so important. She spotted her walking through the parking lot and waited for her to get closer to the cars. She smiled at Cole and got out of the SUV. "Sarah, hey Sarah. How are you?" Karen walked up to Sarah, startling her for a second. At first she looked suspiciously at Karen and glanced over at the SUV she'd gotten out of, expecting to see Gary but surprised to see a stranger. "Hi Karen, what are you doing here?" Then she saw the bruises on Karen's neck and the bandage peaking out from her collar. "Oh my God, what happened to you? A car accident or something?" She was surveying her head to toe, looking for more injuries. She certainly seemed pretty chipper for having so many bruises. She had been wondering if something had happened to her. Paul had made some bizarre comments about her in the last few days. In fact he'd been calling her a "fucking bitch" and saying she had betrayed Gary somehow. Personally, she thought Gary was as much of a freak as Paul and hoped Karen would follow her lead when she evicted Paul. "Yea, something like that. I just had to fill a prescription. More pain meds. It's great to see you again. I have to tell you, I always thought you were a nice person. Just sorry we met through those assholes. Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't say that." She smiled to herself when she saw Sarah relax and grin at her. She had thought if she made it clear that she wasn't any friend of Gary or Paul that Sarah would relax a bit. "Ben and Nathan seemed like nice boys, but Gary and Paul, they are two peas in a pod. In fact, I had to get away from Gary. I tried to tell him to leave and he went kind of crazy. I had to find my own bodyguard." She looked toward the SUV and smiled Cole's way. She knew she was gaining Sarah's confidence. "Wow, that is one handsome hunk! Boy toy Karen?" Sarah gave her a leering look. Sarah had always been somewhat of a cougar herself, but she had pegged Karen as too shy to ever go for a younger guy. Maybe she'd been wrong about her. She noticed the red flush creeping up Karen's face and knew, they weren't just friends. Good for her! "But seriously Karen, what happened? I see finger marks on your neck and wrist." A look of real concern came across Sarah's face as she looked Karen in the eyes. Wolf's Pet Ch. 09 Karen took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "It's a long story Sarah, but I think it's important you know what happened considering Gary and Paul are so close. Would you be willing to come with us to breakfast and I can fill you in on the whole sordid story?" Sarah was so tired after a full shift at the hospital, but curiosity got the better of her. And beside that, she really hated going home when she thought Paul was going to be there. Lately she'd even been looking for excuses not to go home til he was at work. "Sure, let's go to the diner around the corner. They have decent food and it's quiet." She jumped into her little truck and took off out of the parking lot with the SUV following closely behind. /////////////////////////////// Lee was walking down the hallway toward the gym for an early morning work-out with Lila and Trina. They all heard the yells and cat calls from the men at the same time. "Get him! Ohhhhhh, he's a fast one. C'mon James, you can take him." The women looked at each other. Sparring? At seven in the morning? Lee looked in and saw Carr sitting on a stool, sweat soaked towel around his neck. He was breathing hard, recovering from a bout. She looked up and saw James facing off with a huge blond male she didn't recognize. One of the prisoners? She glanced at Trina and Lila who were both mesmerized by the sight of the giant Were. His body was glistening with sweat and his muscular body was hard to look away from. Even Lee had to admit that if she wasn't mated, she'd want to coax him to her bed. She wondered which of her friends would get to him first. James made a lunge and had the male on his back. He was immediately bowled over by a snarling blond wolf who then stood between the male and the rest of the Betas in the room, teeth bared and hackles up. James was stunned as he laid on the ground. The unexpected attack had caught him totally off guard and the gashes left in his back by her were painful, but he wasn't going to make matters worse by confronting the female. He'd let the Alpha Bitch sort it out. He was no dummy. "Lila, shift and explain yourself, now!" Lee was furious. Her Betas should have better control than that. She couldn't believe Lila would do something like that just because she wanted to fuck some new male. The blond wolf lingered near the male, sniffing his body and licking the sweat off his chest. He stared into her eyes. "Lila, now." The wolf slowly backed away and shifted, her long blond hair billowing around her as she came back into her human form. One of the male Betas threw her some sweats from the nearby cabinet. They started to slip out of the room one at a time. None of them wanted to be around to hear Lila's punishment. Nathan's guards waited outside the door, but the others left. They didn't even want to be close enough to hear. Lila stood in front of Lee with her head down. She kept glancing towards the male and then back to Lee. "I'm so sorry Ma'am. I - I - There's no excuse Ma'am. I'm sorry." Lila couldn't even look at Lee's face. She felt humiliated. But she couldn't stop from looking at the male. He had never stopped looking at her. In fact, he looked at her like she was the only person in the room. Lee looked at her Beta, at the man on the floor, and then at Carr. He smiled back and shrugged his shoulders. "Lila, tell me the truth." Lila looked up and smiled at the Alpha Bitch. "He's my mate!" Lila looked at the male who was looking back at her like a love sick puppy. James started laughing, still laying on the mats. First Cole, then his little sister, now one of his favorite bed mates. Everyone was finding their mates. It was like the dating game around here lately. "James, why don't you and Trina go to the hospital and she can get you fixed up." Trina nodded and pulled James out of the room. He was still laughing hysterically. Maybe he had a head injury too. "So, Nathan, is Lila your mate?" Carr looked at the blond giant, still staring at Lila. "Yes, Sir, I believe so." He seemed like he could barely believe it himself. She was the most beautiful wolf he'd ever seen. Her blond coloring was exactly the same as his. Their cubs would be spectacular. And her scent, eucalyptus and sage, made his mouth water and his cock hard as a rock! He just couldn't take his eyes off of her. Lila had a feral look in her eyes. Her wolf was not going to be complacent or compliant anymore . Her mate was here! She had been waiting for him forever. She had laid low while Lila went from bed to bed. Not anymore. She was going to be with him forever and would make her needs known to her human half. Lila looked like she was stalking Nathan now. Her eyes never left him. "Well Lila, I'd like to introduce you to Nathan. Maybe we should leave the two of you alone. Somehow I think we couldn't keep the two of you apart if we tried. However, you will have guards at the door." Neither of them spoke or even looked at the Alphas. Carr took Lee's hand and walked out the door, leaving the enamored Were's alone in the gym. "Don't let anyone in and no matter what you hear, don't you go in there either." The two guards grinned at each other and the Alphas and nodded. "Well, I think we're going to have a new Beta. Nathan seems a likeable man. Wonder how long before they come out of there?" Lee squeezed Carr's hand. "I think we should close down this entire hallway until they leave the gym." He leered at his mate as they walked arm and arm to their quarters. He had worked up a sweat sparring. Now he had another type of sparring in mind. The two guards pulled up some chairs. Luckily Jason always carried a deck of cards. They both had a feeling they were going to be a while. The two stood on the wrestling mats, they couldn't take their eyes off each other. Nathan moved first and folded his arms around Lila pulling her close, bending down to take her mouth in a forceful kiss. They both had been waiting far too long and there was to be no foreplay or sweetness in this mating. They needed each other too badly. That would come later. Her hands moved across his broad shoulders as their tongues fought for dominance. Nathan's hands pulled at her sweatshirt. He had a brief glance at her body when she she had first shifted back to her human form, and now he wanted to see it, touch it. They were almost frenzied as they tore the clothes off each other. Nathan buried his nose in Lila's neck and inhaled deeply. He licked her neck to taste her. Just like her scent. He leaned down and took a firm nipple into his mouth and sucked hungrily. Lila moaned loudly and pushed herself closer to him. She had never felt this much need for a male before. She needed to feel him inside her. Now! She dropped to hands and knees on the mats and he followed closely, kissing and biting her back and down to her ass as his hands followed where his teeth had been. He wanted to learn her body, every bit of her. But right now, his wolf was pushing for what he needed. He needed to fill his mate, to claim her as his. He held her hips with his huge hands and pulled her into position in front of him and pushed into her, impaling her on his long thick cock. Her cunt fit around him like a tight glove, and he groaned as he sunk into her to the hilt. He heard her moans through the haze of lust surrounding them. Wolf instinct took over and he started pounding his mate's pussy, needing to fill her with his seed. Lila had never been felt so full and never felt this much lust for anyone before. Of course her wolf had never participated in the past. She had always curled up in the back of Lila's mind, waiting for her mate to claim her. And now he had come and she would be his forever. His cock was deeper than she had felt in the past. He fit her depths so perfectly. She moaned and growled, her wolf begging the big blond man to take her hard. She suddenly felt his cock changing and the fur touching her back as he shifted behind her into a gigantic blond wolf. He dwarfed her while in his wolf form. Nathan felt his knot forming and pushed it into Lila's pussy, hearing her grunt with the added pressure and stretching of her tight hole. His strokes and thrusts shortened but were no less forceful. He pumped into her quickly. He leaned father across her body and locked his jaws around her neck and bit down hard, tasting her. He heard his mate howl with her first of many orgasms. The taste of her blood in his mouth sent his mind whirling, and he let go of her neck and howled his triumph as his cum let loose into her tight cunt. The thrusting continued for several minutes as his jets of sperm shot deep inside her. His big paws held her hips tight to his body as he pulled her to her side to lay with him until his knot subsided. The only sounds in the room were their gasping breaths and pounding heartbeats. She felt his tongue lapping at the blood running down from her neck and shoulder. She couldn't wait until it was her turn. She would show him a thing or two. She had a satisfied smile on her face. Nathan was the perfect mate. Outside the door, the guards couldn't find a way to stay comfortable in the chairs. They were both hoping the next shift would get here soon. Isaac looked at Jason . "Dude, I don't know bout you, but soon as we are off duty, I need to find a female, bad." Jason laughed. "I was just thinking the same thing. Damn they're loud." Jason groaned as he changed positions. He pulled out his cell phone. "Maybe I can ask them to start their guard duty early." He hoped he could find that little red head he'd been spending time with. But if not, then anyone would do. //////////////////////////// Wolf's Pet Ch. 10 Thank you to everyone who has made comments on this group of stories. I've really appreciated the feedback. Some of you are reading my mind, and some are giving me great ideas. Either way, I'm enjoying your reactions. I'll keep trying to give updates quickly. If I try to write longer chapters I'm afraid it will become too cumbersome for me and I'll just take forever. This is working so far. We'll see how long I last. Just to warn you, no sex at all in this chapter. But don't worry, it will return in the next one, I promise. lilgirlsix ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Wow, Lila really got you good there." Jeff winked at Trina behind James' back as he disinfected the wounds that had already started healing. "Maybe you should stop trying to get between mates." Jeff acted nonchalant as James glared at him. "I'm not going to get between Gina and her mate if that's what you're implying. Besides, I was told in no uncertain terms to leave and give them time to get to know each other." James winced as Trina cleaned out a particularly deep gash. Or was it the thought of his little sister acting like Lila? Would she have if he'd tried to come between them? Well, she was a Werewolf, she probably would have. "I heard Craig is having a hell of a time getting that house cleaned up in town. Maybe you should get out of here for a while and give him a hand." Jeff thought it'd probably be best to get James away from all these newly mated pairs. He knew how much James had been hoping to find his mate at the last inter-pack gathering. But it didn't happen. It had to be hard to watch his sister and two of his friends find their mates within a week. Getting out of here for a bit would do him good. "OK OK I'm out of here." James hopped off the table, his back already feeling much better. By tomorrow he'd be good as new, but for now, he was a little slowed. Guess he owed it to Craig to give him a hand since he helped make the mess. He smiled, that was one hell of a fight. The driver of the black SUV saw a flurry of activity. Geez, looked like someone was doing a remodel. There were trucks and ladders and wheelbarrows. James looked up as Craig walked out of the house with a clip board in hand and looking very official. "How's it going? Need a hand?" Craig looked up and laughed. "Sure, now you're here. Where were you five hours ago when I thought sure we'd never get done. Luckily the damage to the walls wasn't as bad as I'd thought. The hardest part was matching the paint." Craig looked at his watch, 8:30 am. "Not bad time at all. Cole and Karen have the woman at a diner a few miles from here. I think we're done, and you got out of a real day's work." "Oh yea, cops don't work. We just risk our lives every day." James pretended to be annoyed. "Whatever dude. So let's go over to that diner and get something to eat. I told Cole the signal we were done was when I walked in and ordered breakfast. Thank God it isn't lunch. I don't think they could have kept her there that long." He turned to the Omega's picking up their tools and equipment and loading the trucks. "Great job everyone. The Alpha will be pleased. See you all back at the compound. Let's go eat James." Craig hopped into his truck and took off without even waiting for James. That was just like him, James thought, and shook his head. Craig was single minded when it came to food. And women. He managed to keep Craig in sight and followed him to the diner. James was wondering if she'd be anything like Karen. He knew Gary had found all these women and had specifically put each male with one. Was there something special about them? Maybe that was something to look into later. Sarah was wiping the tears from her eyes as Karen finished the story, somewhat altered, of what had happened. Of course the details about the Werewolves were left out, but the gist of the story was there. "Oh Karen, I'm so sorry that happened to you. I hope the police find that bastard soon. He needs to go to jail. He needs to have someone beat the shit out of him!" She reached across the table and took Karen's hands in hers. "At least you're safe now." She looked over to Cole who sat close to Karen, almost touching her. Sarah could see the protectiveness. He would never let Gary near her again. Good. "Thank you Sarah. I should have kicked his ass out a long time ago. I put up with him for six months. I just felt bad for him. But I should learn to trust my own instincts. They're usually right." She looked over at Cole and smiled brightly. She knew she was right about him. He looked back at her and winked. He understood what she meant. So did Sarah. Cole looked up at the two men who walked in the door. Hallelujah, the house must be finished. James and Craig walked to a booth, sat down, and started looking at menus. That is until James started looking around the room. What the heck is he looking for? Cole watched his eyes darting. And then saw it, he was scenting the air. Cole took a whiff of the diner. He smelled bacon, coffee, and lavender and licorice, which of course was Karen's scent. No other Were's were in the diner. No way. James' mate must be in this diner somewhere. That had to be it. He scanned the room looking at all the women. There were quite a few scattered about. The waitress stopped at their table, but James didn't seem interested in her. When he heard Craig ordering breakfast he squeezed Karen's hand. She looked at him for a second and then understood. From this point on, as soon as Sarah said she was ready to go they wouldn't try to stall her. "Karen, I'm worried the same could happen to me. I was going to have Paul evicted, but now I'm scared he could go crazy and hurt me the way Gary hurt you. To tell the truth, I always thought Gary was a little more sane than Paul." Karen saw the frightened look on Sarah's face. "Maybe I can get some of my friends from work to scare him off Sarah. People like Gary and Paul are afraid of real men. They're only big men when they're beating up on someone defenseless. I'll talk to my friend Brett about what he might be able to do. OK?" Sarah seemed to relax. Karen knew Paul was at the compound and Sarah wasn't in any danger at the moment, but she couldn't tell her that. "When does he usually get home from work? I'll see if he can find a way to sort of run into him before he gets home. I'll give you a call and let you know." Sarah sighed with relief. "That'd be great, thank you so much. He gets off work at six and is usually home about 15 minutes later. I'm really glad we ran into each other at the hospital this morning. Although I'm sorry it was under these circumstances.". Sarah yawned and looked like she was trying to make herself stay awake. "I think it's time I get home. I'm about to fall asleep. Let's keep in touch?" The two women got up and hugged as Cole paid the bill. The three of them walked past Craig and James on their way to the door. Cole saw the hungry look on James' face as Sarah walked by. You gotta be kidding me, he thought. "Karen I'll catch up in a minute, Sarah it was really nice meeting you." Cole smiled as they walked out the door, and he blocked James from leaving the booth. "Get the fuck out of my way Cole. She's mine!" James made an attempt to push Cole out of his way, but he wasn't budging. Craig rolled his eyes. "James, Cole has a mate, remember? Think for a second. She's been living with a psychopath stalker. Do you think she wants another one? You can't jump her like she's a bitch in heat. She's human. You're going to have to court her, get to know her. You have to go slow!" James looked impatient, he'd waited for years. She was his! If he didn't claim her someone else could. Paul. But she was safe as long as they had him at the compound. "I get it, I get it." He watched through the window as his mate said good-bye to Karen and got in her truck. It took everything in him not to chase after her and take her now. But Craig was right. "I promise not to hunt her down and mate with her OK? But I can't sit here and eat bacon and eggs." James stood up and stormed out of the diner, walking past a startled Karen and leaving, driving the opposite direction from Sarah. He had to admit, the best decision he ever made was not to go after Sarah. Cole and Craig were right. He'd scare her away and then she'd never be his. Of course he hadn't come to that conclusion until after the ten mile run in the woods. And it helped when he found a nice juicy wild boar. Much better than bacon any day. Now he understood why his mated friends were lost when their mate wasn't with them. He felt like his heart had been torn out of his chest, and he'd never even talked to her! He couldn't imagine what it would be like to be separated from Sarah after they had physically mated. The only thing that helped, according to his friends, was the mental bond. He wondered what that would be like. Kind of like the Alpha bond with Carr? He'd make a point to talk to Karen and find out all he could about Sarah. Maybe she would have some ideas about how to handle this. After all, her situation was eerily like that of Sarah. Was Gary able to tell that these human females were meant to be Were mates? Did he know their unique scents? Only the mate was supposed to sense it. Was he able to? Is that how he knew? Another thing to look into. Just the thought that Gary knew she smelled of almonds and eucalyptus made his blood boil. If those two rogues weren't already in custody, he'd be ready to hunt them down right now. His calm demeanor was slowly disintegrating. Maybe it'd be a good idea to think of something else. Gina! He hadn't even thought of her in hours. That was what he'd do, check on Gina and Ben. He made his way to the security wing. James watched from outside the room while Gina and Ben stared into each other's eyes. His little sister had always been so shy she'd barely speak to a male. He really had thought she'd never get close enough to one to even find out if he was her mate. Even though he had his doubts at first, in fact he'd been ready to rip her away from Ben, he realized now that she deserved to be happy like anyone else. They'd spent the whole night like this. Carr was probably right when he'd sent James away and had Bryant stay instead. But at the time, James was almost ready to argue with his Alpha. He should have known to trust Carr's instincts. Why let an overprotective brother get in the way of the mating instinct. He shuddered to think of what he could have done if his wolf had taken offense at the male Omega. And besides that, he never would have met Sarah. Ben saw James watching him through the glass. "Why is he staring at me Gina?" He smiled when he said her name. Everything about her made him smile. He'd been a fool to leave with Gary, but then again, if he hadn't, he never would have met Gina. Just the sound of her name brought on feelings he'd never had before. His wolf had been none too happy with him when he'd left the pack. In fact, he had been thinking about returning, especially when he'd heard that Gary was on the run after the debacle at his woman's house. But now his wolf was ready to mate with the most wonderful woman he had ever seen, with the most beautiful black hair that fell past her waist, and black eyes to match. And her scent, his wolf was doing back flips over her scent, sandalwood and honey. "James is just protective. He'll be OK. He'll just have to get used to me not being at his beck and call anymore. Time for him to find a mate of his own instead of relying on his little sister to pick up after him." She smiled towards her brother who couldn't help smiling back. Gina knew James would accept her new mate. He just had to accept that she was 87 years old and it was way past time for her to mate and have cubs. At the thought of having children she looked at Ben and melted at the sight. Although he wasn't anywhere near as tall and muscular as the Betas he was perfect for her. He was just under six feet tall, a good half foot shorter than James, with unruly strawberry blond hair and sea blue eyes. Her wolf couldn't wait to run with him in the forest and mate and be his for eternity. The Alphas came into the room and Ben and Gina immediately stood up. Carr was impressed with how Ben had reacted since being taken into custody. He had been respectful at all times of Carr, the Betas, and especially Gina of course. He definitely had a good upbringing. And he thought Gina would bring out the best in him. He could see James out of the corner of his eye and chuckled to himself, remembering when one of his sisters had found her mate. Cole had been ready to kill the male that came to claim her. Their father had to order him to stand down or go to his room. Carr had laughed so hard he couldn't breath, and Cole turned beet red and said nothing more . Course he was just a cub then. "Ben, how are you this morning?" Carr walked into the room slowly, not wanting to startle the Omega. Omegas were skittish to begin with, but add into that everything that had happened in the last day, and he didn't want to scare him away. What would that do to Gina?" Ben took Gina's hand in his and looked at the Alpha. "We're fine Sir, I think we'll be very happy here." Gina was glowing as she looked up at him. "I was thinking Sir, I know you have no reason to trust me, but I want to contribute to the pack. I want to earn my place here. I'm a computer programmer and IT specialist. Gina said you've been having some networking issues, and I'd really like to see if I can fix it for you." Ben was so nervous speaking with the Alphas that he hadn't taken a breath. Carr looked at Lee. She arched an eyebrow at him and smiled. He turned back to the new pair. "Ben, I think that's a great idea." The Alpha towered over the new pack Omega, but Carr had a way of making his pack members feel like they belonged to a family. Ben immediately knew he was going to like it here. "Gina, why don't you show Ben around the compound and introduce him to the other Omegas. I'm sure you can make him feel at home." Carr knew Gina couldn't wait to get out from under the watchful eye of her brother and his friends. The other Betas thought of her as a little sister too, and she needed time with her new mate without feeling like she was surrounded by babysitters. "Thank you Sir, thank you." Ben was all smiles as Gina took him by the hand and pulled him out of the claustrophobic interrogation room. "James." Carr saw how he was watching them as they left. "Let them go. They'll be fine. Lee and I both have nothing but trust in him. Really. We know his heart. It's with Gina and only Gina." James looked to his Alpha and knew he and his mate could sense deception or guile. He let out a long sigh and nodded. As always, Carr was right. He had to learn that his little sister had grown up. It was time to let her live her life. And it was time for him to live his, with Sarah. He just hoped he would be able to convince her. Carr and Lee walked away hand in hand. Carr had phone calls to make, and Lee figured she could be moral support. The walk to the main house always seemed so short when she wanted to spend time with him. Jeff had his hands full at the hospital. If this kept up he'd need a few more nurses. He'd talk to Lee about it later. Right now, he had to deal with getting Paul out of here. "Be sure to double that dose of sedation. It seems to wear off pretty fast with him, and I don't want him waking up during the transfer to the holding cell." Jeff was worried about moving the rogue out of the hospital. Not that he wanted him to stay. Disruptive was an understatement. He leered at all the females, making obscene comments and gestures. He yelled at the males that they would all die. He looked down at the sleeping prisoner, took his vital signs, noted them on the chart, and nodded to the orderlies and guards to take him. He watched the gurney wheeled away and prayed he'd never see that crazy Were again. There was something "off" about him. It hadn't even been 24 hours since his injuries. He was healing fast even for a Were. In a way he wished he could study him. Some biological difference he guessed. Jeff turned away and went back to his other patients. He looked at the two boys brought in earlier today with broken legs. Stupid cubs, always falling out of trees. Wolves don't belong in trees. Luckily they healed fast. They'd be out of here by tomorrow. And then maybe he and his staff could get some rest. Steve would be out of the hospital by late tonight and Trey maybe the end of the week. That throat wound was taking it's time. Carr had stalled all he could. He had no choice but to call the Crane Alpha. He wasn't looking forward to it. They had never gotten along well. In fact, he had the distinct impression that Crane thought he was unfit to be Alpha of the Baxter pack. He sighed loudly and Lee laughed. She knew he didn't want to make this call. She'd probably call him a big baby. He picked up the phone. "Crane, this is Baxter. I have the rogues from your pack. We'll deal with Gary, he attacked the mate of my second and one of my Betas. But the other one is all yours. Paul is his name." Lee watched as Carr started grinding his teeth. She knew that could only mean something bad, very bad. "Kill him Baxter, now! Don't waste any time. If you have him under your control kill him. I made the mistake of banishing him. I couldn't believe how evil one of my own kinsman could be. But he is beyond evil, and meeting up with Gary made him even worse. He has no redeeming qualities. Hurry, before its too late!" "What the hell are you talking about? I thought nothing scared you. What's different about this Were Crane?" "There was always something odd about him, even as a cub. He has incredible strength Baxter. More than any Alpha. The only thing that stopped him from trying to take my place as Alpha is that he isn't very strong mentally. He needs to be led. I was able to control him until he decided I wasn't worthy of his abilities. He latched onto Gary and became his lackey. He is brutal with females and males alike. He killed several of my Betas in training bouts, supposedly accidents, and one female who didn't want to go to his bed. That was the last straw. But I just couldn't make myself do it. He was my sister's cub. So I banished him. I'm sorry Baxter, this is my fault. If I had done my duty to the pack to begin with, this wouldn't be in your lap now. I hope someday you can forgive me." "Let's hope there's nothing to forgive you for Crane. I'll call you later." Carr put down the phone slowly and looked to his mate to regain his composure. Just the sight of her helped him to calm down. "We may have a problem." He dialed the hospital. "Jeff, have you moved Paul yet? Was he sedated enough? Do you think there's any chance he could wake up? No? OK, thanks. I'll go check on him in the holding cell." He glanced over at Lee who was standing and ready to leave with him. "Stay here Love, I don't want you anywhere near the prisoners." She nodded and sat back down. She didn't want to let him go alone, but she also knew if he felt this strongly that she was in danger she'd only be a distraction. /////////////////////////////// Paul could feel the movement of the gurney. Fools thought he was sedated. They would find out soon enough he was smarter than all of them. He couldn't wait for them to find out. And they would pay for their treatment of his Alpha and himself. When Gary took over this pack they would all pay. They were so easy to fool. He was able to feign unconsciousness so easily. They never guessed their drugs had no effect on him. "Isaac, un-cuff him so we can move him into the cell." David had pulled back the straps on his legs and was ready. Isaac nodded and they both picked up an end of the rogue and lifted him off the gurney. Wolf's Pet Ch. 10 In the blink of an eye Paul reached up and tore out Isaac's throat. Poor Isaac wasn't even aware of what had happened. His lifeless body crumpled to the ground. The orderlies were horrified. They were just Omegas and could never hope to overpower this insane Were. They ran, but not fast enough. Paul grabbed the arm of one and slammed him into a wall and then used his motionless body to throw at the escaping orderly who fell quickly. He was able to do all of this with David still holding tightly to his legs. David was afraid if he let go, he'd be dead. He desperately held onto his ankles, trying to flip him over so he could jump onto his back. But Paul was too strong. Paul looked at him with a ferocious smile on his face and shifted into a snarling gray wolf. The shift had allowed him to slip out of David's grasp, and he lunged at his throat. David morphed into a black wolf that was dwarfed by the gray. He hoped and prayed his smaller size and greater agility would be in his favor. Carr contacted Brett and told him to meet him at the holding cell. He had walked a few feet and then he felt it. Fear. Pain. Death. "Damn it!" He yelled out at no one in particular, but the pack members who saw him running across the compound knew their Alpha needed help. The Betas took off running after him. the Omegas gathered the cubs and made their way to the school to keep them away from any trouble. The distance from the main house to the security area never seemed so far. Jason was ready for his next guard duty shift. After the last one at the gym he was glad to be back to guarding the holding cells. He couldn't get out of the gym fast enough to find a female to sate his lusts. But he did still have a smile on his face. Good thing she liked things a little rough, because he just couldn't be gentle after listening to Lila and Nathan's first mating. Just as he opened the door to the security area he heard growling and snarling coming from the holding cells at the end of the hall. "What the hell?" He took off running and stopped when he saw the body of the orderly outside the door. It looked like his neck had been broken. He shifted into his wolf form and ran in to join the fight. He saw David, blood all over his body from multiple wounds. The gray wolf was easily besting him, and David wouldn't have much longer without help. Jason jumped onto Paul's back and started biting at his neck. His teeth bit down as deep as he could, trying to sever the muscles, hoping to cripple him. Paul was single minded in his hatred for these inferior wolves. He would kill them and release Gary. But they wouldn't give up. The one on his back was biting his neck over and over. He could feel the teeth grating on bone. And then one more gnawing bite, and he felt and heard a "snap" in his shoulder. His right front leg was worthless. Gary was watching from his cell, feeling he was in the fight through his bond with Paul. But Paul was losing ground. He was on three legs now and the two black wolves were making headway. Gary sent an order through their bond. "Paul, lure them into the cell." He could see the understanding on Paul's face. Paul moved into the open cell. The cell they had waiting for him. The two black wolves were biting and fighting for their lives and not paying attention to where they were moving. Once they were all in the cell, he went totally limp. The two wolves held on for a good minute, but the rogue didn't move. Was he dead? They both let go and backed away. They were gasping for breath, try to regain their strength after the life or death fight. They were surprised and unable to move fast enough when the gray wolf leaped into the air and ran out of the cell, slamming the door behind him. It automatically locked. The two black wolves let out blood curdling howls. But no one would hear. The security area was sound proof. The gray wolf shifted back to his human form and found the controls to the cell doors, opening Gary's. His right arm hung limply from his body. The arm and hand were twitching. He didn't notice the pain. He had freed Gary. He knew he'd done well for his Alpha. That was all that mattered. Gary walked over and clapped him on his good shoulder. "Paul, you did well. You'll have your pick of any bitch you want after this. I think I'll give Karen one more chance. And I do have a second choice. So you may have any of the bitches but her and the Alpha Bitch. Maybe I'll keep them both." Gary smiled wickedly at his second. "We need to get out of here now and make our plans." He smiled to himself. The stupid Baxter Alpha had no idea who he was dealing with. Gary had done his homework. He had studied the plans for the compounds of all the surrounding packs. At the time he hadn't decided which he would take over. But the decision was made now, and he would take advantage of his knowledge and their lack. They made their way to the entrance to the labyrinths below the compound. He had it all planned out. It would just be a matter of time. Carr saw the door to the security hallway standing wide open. He and the Betas behind him cautiously entered. There was no scent of the rogues. Only blood and death. He could hear ragged breathing and painful moans. He saw the orderlies in the hallway, one dead with an obvious broken neck, the other alive but unconscious. His arm was laying at an impossible angle. He moved slowly towards the holding cells and saw Isaac. He moved to his Beta, knelt next to him and gently closed his eyes. He spotted David and Jason in the one cell and the other that used to hold Gary, empty. The room was covered in pools of blood. He hoped a fair portion of it belonged to Gary and Paul. Bryant freed the guards from the cell and helped them into the main room. David was barely able to walk. He had a deep gash that ran from his hip to his knee. There was a gaping wound just below his rib cage on the same side. And he had bite marks on his neck. He and Jason held their heads down, ashamed at the way they had failed their Alpha and their pack. David sat carefully, trying to stay conscious long enough to give his report. He owed his Alpha that! "We were careless Sir, I was careless. We thought he was sedated, but he fooled us. Isaac didn't know what hit him." David's eyes dropped to the floor and tears fell down his cheeks at the thought of his friend's violent death at the hands of one of their own kind. How could he ever face Isaac's family? He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into the Alpha's understanding gaze. "He had us all fooled David. It wasn't your fault. Do you have any idea where they went?" David and Jason both shook their heads. David hesitated a moment, unsure if he should tell Carr everything he heard. He looked to Jason who nodded. "Alpha, Gary said he was going to take the Alpha Bitch and Cole's mate as his." Carr's head whipped back around to glare at David. His eyes were on fire, his wolf close to the surface. "I'll kill him before he gets the chance." Carr's wolf was pacing in his head. How dare those rogues attack his pack. How dare Gary threaten to take his mate. There was no question now. He would kill him on sight. Wolf's Pet Ch. 11 Every member of the pack felt their Alpha's anger and grief. They didn't know what had happened but they all received the command to respond to the compound and meet at the dining hall. Those that worked jobs outside the compound immediately started calling in, explaining why they couldn't attend but giving the time they would arrive. The dining hall was crowded with almost every pack member, adults and cubs alike. Jeff and his staff were attending to the injured and the families of the fallen in the hospital. There were small groups talking about what they knew, what they'd heard, and what they thought the Alpha was going to say to them. They noticed the missing families, but no one made any guesses about what had happened. They knew it must be bad. It had been at least a century since a Baxter Alpha had sent a mental command for a meeting of this magnitude. The older pack members knew it meant this was something that would impact all of their lives. Every member entering the hall was greeted by those already in attendance. There were even a few that had been miles away at college that managed to make it back in time. There were two empty chairs at the head table. The last to arrive would be the Alpha Pair. Cole sat in his usual spot on Carr's right, his eyes never leaving Karen seated in the front row next to Lila. Lila and Nathan couldn't be sitting any closer, their hands never leaving each other. Even if their mating bites weren't on display for all to see there would be no doubt they were newly mated. Gina sat on Karen's other side with Ben holding tightly to her hand. Those straining to see were disappointed not to see any bite marks displayed. But they were Omegas. They had a tendency to be shy and slower to mate than the Betas. Brett sat on Carr's left, his jaw clenched. Luckily it was his night off from the Police Department. He was grateful he could be here. His pack and his family were his life. He smiled at his wife sitting in the second row. Depending on what decisions Carr had made he might have to move back to the compound. He would not leave his wife vulnerable in their house which was closer to town on the outskirts of pack lands. He scanned the crowd and spotted the other Betas. None of them looked comfortable with what was going on. Troy was helping Trey into the room. It'd be a while before he'd be one hundred percent, but he was healing fast. Steve looked pretty good. James looked like he wanted out of the room as soon as possible. Brett frowned and wondered what the hell his problem was. It looked like the only thing holding him there was Craig who had a hand on his shoulder and a voice in his ear. The room was as loud as Cole had ever heard. He couldn't remember this many pack members being here at one time. Not in close to two hundred years. He wished it could have been for a happy occasion. The buzz in the room got louder when they felt Carr's presence. His emotions were raw and affecting every member of the pack. He walked into the room with Lee next to him and glanced around the room, nodding to the elders and his Betas as he met their gazes. He pulled back Lee's chair and waited for her to be seated before he was ready to speak. The room fell silent immediately. Carr looked around at his pack. HIS PACK. Gary would never take it. Carr would be sure of that, and sure of the safety of his people. "I know you've all heard bits and pieces of what's happened. The pack is in danger from two rogues that escaped from us earlier today. We don't know where they went, but they are not inside the compound. We found their trail to the labyrinths, and they used them to escape to the outside. How they knew about them, I don't know. But there will be multiple layers of heightened security inside and outside the compound from here on out." Shocked faces watched him from the hall. He could hear little bits of conversations all at once. "How did they find the labyrinths? If they come near my family I'll kill them myself." The last comment he heard made him cringe inwardly. "Why didn't the Alpha kill them when they first took them? They're rogues. Rogues should be killed." Carr waited for the noise to quiet down and all attention on him again. "We lost two good men, Isaac and Raymond. David and Charles were badly injured, and Jason and David fought valiantly to save their lives." Carr noticed the horrified looks. He could hear the muttering. "For the safety and future of the pack I'm sending mothers and cubs to the old winter quarters in the mountains. The injured will be going with them. Troy, you will be in command." He looked at Troy who nodded his head grimly. "Of course all pregnant females will be going," and as he finished the sentence he looked at Lee, "as well as all mated females who have recently finished their heats." She didn't know it was coming. She had expected to stay with him and fight at his side. She tried to control her emotions as she looked at her mate and nodded. She understood why. It was too soon to know if she was pregnant. She understood, but she didn't have to like it. "Some of you may think this is overkill. There are only two rogues. What can they do alone? The problem is there are other packs who have had defections, and the thought is they are also followers of Gary. We don't have a clear picture of how many, so I would rather err on the side of caution. And now that we don't have the safety of the labyrinths, the most prudent action in my mind is to send our most vulnerable to a safe place while we deal with this." The sound of crying females filled the air. There was going to be a battle. Lives would be lost, and mothers and mates would not be here to comfort the dying or tend to the dead. They would hear later, after it was finished. The younger cubs didn't understand, but the older ones wanted to stay and fight for their pack. He could see hands in the air. He had more to say before he started answering questions. He was about to open his mouth to speak when he heard a loud voice. "Is the human who is the cause for this going to stay? She's not going with our females and cubs is she? She'll just put them in danger. That rogue wants her, I say just give her to him. Maybe he'll leave us alone." Thomas was shaking as he spoke, but he had to get it off his chest. He may just be an Omega, but his son Raymond had died, and he wasn't going to put the rest of his family in danger because of some human. She hadn't mated with Cole yet. He was young, he'd get over her. Cole was ready to leap over the table and rip out Thomas' throat. Carr glared at him, and he forced himself to remain seated. Karen looked at him lovingly and just her gaze was enough to calm him. He felt himself relax and smiled at his mate. She would stay with him he knew. Even if he tried to make her leave with the other females, he knew she'd refuse. She wouldn't want to put them in any danger. "Thomas, I'm sorry for your loss, we all are. But Karen is Cole's mate, human or not. Her safety is as important as any other member of the pack. Whatever decision is made is mine, not yours. The safety of the whole pack is my responsibility, and I will carry out that responsibility without your further input.". He watched the Omega sit slowly down, his neighbors moving a little bit away from him, not wanting the Alpha to think they agreed with his outburst. Others throughout the room were nodding their heads. Carr was a strong Alpha. They'd trusted him with their lives for the last fifty years. That wasn't going to change now. He had the loyalty of everyone in the room, even Thomas. "The Betas will report to Cole and Brett for assignments. The Omegas will start packing all provisions that will be needed in the mountains. Direct any questions to the Alpha Bitch. And Troy will take care of coordination for the move to the mountains. NOW, are there any questions?" He saw heads turning, looking around for anyone jumping up to speak. There were none. "Then lets get started, we have a lot to do. I'd like to get the females and cubs on the road by morning." Carr stood up, put his hand out for Lee, and then the two of them walked out of the room. They had almost made it to the staircase before they heard the commotion from James and Craig. "Are you crazy? She doesn't know what we are. You can't do it!" Craig was pulling on James' arm, trying to stop him from walking out the front door. James had a set look on his face. "I can't leave her out there with Paul on the loose. I can't believe I let you talk me into sitting in that room instead of getting her now. It could be too late!" Brett strode over to the two Betas. "Bryant is on duty tonight. I had him stake out her house in case Gary and Paul went there. There's no sign so far. He'll call if he spots anything or anyone." Before they realized it the Alpha was standing behind them glowering. "Is there something I should know?" Craig and Brett dropped their heads in submission. James didn't care. He needed to find his mate. "In my office, now!" Carr was pissed. There was so much to do and his Betas were preoccupied with who knows what. They walked into the office, and Carr slammed the door. "Now, care to tell me what the hell is going on? James, what is more important than being at a pack meeting?" "I found my mate, this morning. The human female that Paul was living with. She's mine, I won't leave her behind for him to take!" James was trying to control himself but all could see it was a strain. He wished he had something to put his fist through, like Paul's face. Or better yet, sink his teeth into. Carr let out a loud sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "Great timing James." He looked away for a moment to gather his thoughts and turned around with a forced smile on his face. "Congratulations James, bad timing, but good for you. OK, guess you'd better go get her then. Karen knows her right? Take Cole and Karen with you. Brett, that leaves you alone to prep the Betas. Craig, give him a hand." Carr walked out of the room. Crap, another wrench in the works. Well, they'd just have to deal with it. What was one more mating this week. What was it now, four? Maybe Lee put something in the water. She kept lamenting how many in the pack hadn't been able to find mates. Karen looked at James in the back seat in the rear view mirror. He looked nervous enough to jump out of the moving vehicle. She was running scenarios through her head trying to think of every possible contingency. Sarah could call the cops, but James is a cop. She could scream and run away, ute he could certainly catch her, better him than Paul. She could faint. She could say "Sure I believe in Werewolves." She doubted that one. They were all silent during the drive. The SUV pulled up behind the unmarked police car. Bryant walked over to Cole's open window. "She's up and around, alone. Nothing suspicious. I haven't gotten a whiff of the rogues. She's all yours." He smiled at James in the backseat, walked back to his car and drove away. He was done with his shift and wanted to get back to the compound. James was ready to jump out of the car and bring her back to the compound by force if needed. Karen turned around in her seat and looked at him. "Um James, maybe I should go alone to talk with her." She hoped he'd understand. "She's my mate, I'll bring her home." Cole hit the door locks. "James, don't be stupid. Let Karen talk to her first. What are you going to do? Throw her over your shoulder and carry her out kicking and screaming? Do you want her to be as afraid of you as she is Paul?" James sat in the back seat, silent. He looked at Cole, then at Karen. "Fine, you're both right. I'll wait." Karen smiled warmly at the big man. "I'll see you both in a little bit." She got out of the car and walked up to the door. She stopped before knocking and took a moment to gather herself together. She took a big breath, let it out slowly, and knocked on the door. Sarah answered the door and was shocked to see Karen standing there. She certainly wasn't expecting to see her so soon after their surprise meeting this morning. "Hi Karen, to what do I owe this surprise?" She opened the door and invited her inside. "Sarah, I need to talk to you about something. I didn't tell you the whole truth this morning because at the time, Paul was being held by Cole's people. But he escaped, so now it's imperative that I tell you everything, before it's too late." Karen figured she needed to be blunt and just put it out there. "Cole's people? What are you talking about? Paul was being held but he got away? Tell me everything." Sarah glared at Karen, waiting for the answers to questions she wasn't even sure of yet. She had a feeling they were gonna be doozies though. "Here goes. Please don't think I'm crazy. It's going to sound fantastic, but every bit is true." Sarah nodded at her to continue. "Cole and his people are not human. They're a type of shape shifter." Sarah raised an eyebrow incredulously. "Paul and Gary are the same, but from a different group. They're Werewolves." She stopped for a second waiting for Sarah to make some comment or scream or something. "Go on. I'm listening." Sarah was leaning forward, not wanting to miss a single word. But she was also watching Karen's face to see if she could tell if she was telling the truth, or at least thought she was telling the truth. Sarah's instincts were usually pretty good. Karen couldn't believe she was taking it this well. "Apparently Gary wanted to a start a new group, or pack as they call it. He picked out the women that Paul, Nathan, and Ben moved in with. He expected the four of them to make us their mates, and make us into Werewolves too." Karen was a little off put by how calmly Sarah was talking all of this. "I met Cole and there was an immediate attraction. Gary didn't like that and was going to force things. That's when he attacked me. What saved me was that Cole had sent some of the members of his pack to keep an eye on me. They stopped Gary just before he was able to rape me. If he had bitten me while we were having sex I would have become his mate and never been able to be with Cole. That's what Paul expects from you." Sarah was stunned. This wasn't quite what she had expected to hear. Oh let's face it, she hadn't known what to expect, but this wasn't it. She could tell Karen believe everything she was saying. "Go on, tell me more." "Gary and Paul are insane Sarah. They killed two of Cole's people earlier today. They're running around loose, and I'm sure Paul will come for you. We need to keep you safe. The only place you'll be safe is with the pack. Ben and Nathan both joined Cole's pack. They happened to find their mates among Cole's pack. And I am Cole's mate. We were meant for each other. And soon we'll make it official. I'm kind of nervous about becoming a Werewolf, but I've never felt so at home." Karen waited for a reaction. But Sarah just stared at her. "Then I guess I'd better pack some clothes. This certainly explains the weird dreams I've been having." Sarah got up and went to the closet to grab a suitcase. "Dreams? You've been having dreams?" Karen was dumbstruck. She was having dreams too? "What kind of dreams?" Sarah blushed. "Well, some of them have just been about wolves running around in a meadow. But the last few days they've been about one black wolf in particular." She blushed even more now. "I guess that's why I'm not really that surprised to hear about Werewolves. In one of the dreams I was a black wolf too." A black wolf? Paul was gray. Karen had noticed most of the wolves in the pack were black, a few blond, and just Carr and Cole were the Chocolate brown. Could she be dreaming about James? Karen turned when she heard voices outside the door. "We can't wait around all day. I'm not going to lose her to that rogue. Let me in there Cole." Karen stood up and glanced out the window, seeing Cole blocking the door. "Sarah I'm going to let Cole know you're coming. We'll wait outside." Karen joined the men on the porch. "She's packing. She doesn't know about you James. Try to keep it under control." The drive back to the compound was uncomfortable for James. He wanted to claim his mate. He didn't understand how Cole could wait a week and still not take his mate. He would never wait a week. He watched and listened to Sarah having an animated conversation with Karen. He couldn't concentrate enough to even be able to tell what they were talking about. All he could think about was sinking his cock into her pussy and biting down on her neck to claim her as his. Her scent was thick in the car, and his erection was throbbing. He focused on her and the scent of almonds and eucalyptus. As they drove into the compound they could see the flurry of activity. There were SUV's, trucks, and trailers scattered about being loaded. Cole held the car door for Karen, James did the same for Sarah. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. She had thought Cole was good looking, but this one was drop dead gorgeous. He seemed to be watching her closely. But that was impossible. He looked younger than Cole and she was Karen's age. No way would he be interested in her. Bet he would be in a few dreams in the near future. She could feel her panties getting wet. She sure hoped these Werewolves didn't have a good sense of smell. James tried not to be obvious when he scented the air and smelled her arousal. He smiled at her as he helped her out of the SUV. She was his, she just didn't know it yet. He grabbed her suitcase and brought it inside. He wanted so badly to take her to stay in his quarters, but he knew he shouldn't push things. "James, maybe you should show Sarah around." Cole thought that would give them a chance to get to know each other a bit. He knew James would keep control. He didn't think James thought so, but he knew his friend better than he knew himself. Karen surprised Cole by reaching for his hand. He looked at her small hand in his and squeezed it firmly. She smiled and pulled him towards the staircase that led to Cole's room. What did she have on her mind. Well he couldn't wait to find out. Pretty soon there wouldn't be any time to talk so they better talk about whatever it is now. They walked into the room, and he barely turned around before Karen flung herself into his arms. "What are you doing?" He held her gently, trying not to hurt her still healing wounds. She was hugging him tight around the waist. "Are you sure we are meant to be mates Cole?" She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "What the hell are you talking about? Of course we are. I've never wanted anyone as much as I want you. I've never had the scent of a female bored into my brain. Lavender and licorice, your scent and no one else's. If you weren't meant to be my mate, I wouldn't smell that. Now what is really on your mind?" "I'm older than you Cole. I'm sure you want", she hesitated for a second before ending the sentence, "cubs. I'm too old to get pregnant Cole. I'm 52 years old. Even if I could still get pregnant it wouldn't be safe for a baby." She waited for Cole to agree with her. She was afraid he was going to agree with her. She waited. He was silent and staring at her. And then he burst out laughing. "Is that what this is about? You think you're too old for me? He pulled her closer and held her tight, forgetting for the moment about her injuries. "Karen, I told you Werewolves live long lives. We live hundreds of years. I'm close to 200 years old pet, so if anything, you may be too young for me. And if you couldn't have cubs, my wolf wouldn't have wanted to mate with you. A wolf always takes a breeding mate. It's only older ones that have lost a first mate that have ever chosen someone too old to breed. My wolf knows. You will be able to have cubs pet. Don't worry about that. Now, do you think I'm too old for you?" He looked down into her face, reaching down to wipe away her tears. He bent down and licked one from her cheek. Wolf's Pet Ch. 11 "Then we need to mate, now. We may not get the chance later." She looked at him hopefully. She couldn't stand the waiting, and she didn't have a wolf prowling around inside her. She couldn't believe Cole had been able to hold back the last few days. "If Gary finds a way in here, if we aren't mated, he could take me away from you. Right?" She knew that would get a reaction from him. Cole's face turned to stone. "He will never have you Karen. Never. You belong to me." She could see the change in his eyes. His wolf was close. She raised her hand to his face and stroked his cheek. "Please Cole, I know I belong to you, and I want to belong to you forever. Please, let your wolf out to claim me. You won't hurt me." Cole gazed into her dark brown eyes and knew he'd never be able to hold back his wolf with her begging to be taken. "I don't want to hurt you pet. My wolf won't be gentle. Your wounds..." "Just tell me what to expect Cole. Will I turn into a wolf right away? Do I do anything special?" She had dropped her hand to gently stroke the bulge forming in his pants. This was going to happen one way or another, even if she had to push his wolf to take her. "After I bite you, the infection will start. But you won't change for the first time until the next full moon. You'll feel the presence of your wolf in your mind though. When the time is right, she'll make herself known, and she'll know what to do to complete the mating. Are you sure Pet? There is no turning back once we start. My wolf won't back down like he has the last few days. He'll take over." "I'm sure Cole, please, I don't want to lose you, I don't want to take the chance that Gary will find me somehow. I'd rather be dead than be his mate." She pulled his belt off and was unbuttoning his jeans as his mouth swooped down to take hers in a bruising kiss. He took her breath away. Their tongues played, his darting into her mouth and hers following obediently. The last few days had been excruciating for his wolf. He had tasted her but that was all. Now he would have her! Up until now his wolf had been trying to keep his scent on her as much as possible. Even though she didn't carry his bite, he wanted any male wolf to know she was his. Now it would be obvious to all and even if Gary showed up, he couldn't mate with her. Karen was right, this was the time. He pulled her shirt over her head, her reddish brown hair falling over her shoulders. He pulled a soft strand to his nose. The same scent, licorice and lavender. He wanted to savor every moment but the wolf wouldn't allow that. He needed her, now! He had waited too long. He roughly pulled off her bra and leaned down to take a hard nipple into his mouth. He sucked hard, thinking that soon they may have cubs that would suckle from her. It made him pull harder and bite down until he heard a gasp from her. He grinned up at her face and bit her again. Her hands tangled in his hair, pulling him closer to her. His wolf knew she was a fit mate. She was not afraid of him. She wasn't afraid to feel his lust. His human half was too cautious. Karen could see the difference in his face, especially his eyes. The wolf was out. And he wouldn't leave until he was finished. She was ready for him. She wanted him. She pulled his shirt off his shoulders, her hands trailing over his well defined muscles. He took her breath away. She moaned as his lips and teeth pulled at her nipple. His hand was pulling on the other. She gasped in pain when he squeezed or bit little too hard but didn't ask him to lighten up. He let go of her nipples for just a second and she dropped to her knees in front of him, tugging his pants over his hips. His hard cock sprung free. She grasped it in her hand and heard him let out a throaty growl. God that was a sexy sound. Her mouth closed over the large head of his cock and tried to take as much down as possible, but he was just too big. She fisted his shaft below her hand hoping she could give him enough pleasure. She looked up to see his head thrown back, his growls getting louder. He looked down at his mate on her knees with his cock filling her mouth. There was time for that later. He needed to claim her now. He took her by the arms and pulled her up and kissed her again. He moved her to the bed and pushed her back so she landed spread eagled. He started fumbling with her jeans. She wriggled her way out of them, eager to feel him inside her. When she looked up it was at the shaggy head of his wolf, her wolf. He looked at her with his tongue hanging out. She stroked his face feeling his soft fur. She gazed into his green and amber eyes and spread her legs. She could swear she saw a grin on his wolfish face. She jumped a little when his cold nose bumped her clit but then felt his warm tongue, rasping across it, delving deep into her wet hole. He wanted to drink her fluids. She could hear him lapping at her pussy, flicking his big tongue across her clit. His tongue had learned her well in the last couple of days, and he drove her towards an orgasm but held off enough so that she couldn't cum. She was becoming frustrated and lifted her hips to try to place his tongue and nose where she needed them, but he wouldn't allow it. He kept her on the edge. "Please Cole, please, make me cum." She begged between moans. Her hands were gripping the covers as she reached for her orgasm. She was single minded in her effort to cum while he was in his effort to not allow it. It was a game that he would win. He looked up at her, his muzzle coated with her juices. He was wild with the scent of her. He needed her now. He pushed his nose at her hip. She figured out what he wanted and got on her hands and knees. This was it. No turning back. She had never wanted anyone as badly in her life. She felt his nose again pushing into her pussy, then it was gone. She could feel the probing end of his cock and when she felt it start to enter her slit, he slammed it home in one motion. She had the breath knocked out of her as she felt so much pleasure deep inside her body. It felt so different than a human cock. Oh my God, it was amazing! His thrusts were powerful and she felt his front paws lock around the front of her hips to keep her in place. With every thrust she felt him bottom out inside her and felt his body pressed hard against her ass. He stroked his cock fully in and out of her with each thrust. She could hear him growling and she thought again how fucking sexy that sounded to her. She could feel his breath close to her ear and his tongue licking the side of her neck as he continued to fuck her. This wasn't making love, this was fucking. This was mating instinct at it's best, and she was enjoying every second of it. She was so close to cumming, so close. She needed to cum with him inside her. She felt his teeth closing around her neck and just for a moment, she remembered when Gary bit her. But this wasn't Gary, this was Cole, he loved her. She was his. He bit down where her neck and shoulder joined and thrust deep inside her, his fully formed knot stretching her and seated itself tightly. There was something missing that wouldn't allow her to cum. She was going crazy with the pleasure of this fucking but why wouldn't she orgasm? When she felt his teeth sink into the flesh of her neck and his knot force it's way into her tender pussy, she exploded with the most amazing orgasm of her life. Her body was no longer her own as she spasmed underneath her wolf, her tight pussy stroking his cock, milking it. She screamed with the intense pleasure. She didn't think it could feel any better but when his hot cum started shooting out of his thrusting cock, she came again. He howled his pleasure and his triumph. She was his mate. No one would touch her, no one else could claim her. He continued short thrusts as his cum continued to flood his mate's womb. He pulled her to the side so they could relax while his knot receded. He would remain in his wolf form. He loved the feel of her naked skin but couldn't wait until she was covered in auburn fur. The next full moon would be in 3 weeks. The wait would be awful but well worth it. At least she had his mark as well as his scent now. Karen lay there in his strong grip. Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest. She struggled to control her breathing. She felt light headed and tried to concentrate on feeling him behind her. Her mate. She loved the feel of his big paws holding her. He was so gentle he hadn't even caused a scratch. She suddenly felt so tired. She felt his breathing against her back, his tongue reaching out to taste her skin. She smiled and snuggled in tighter to him. This was where she belonged. Her pussy was still intermittently spasming around his cock. She had never felt so safe. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She watched him sleeping in the meadow. He was hers. She would never let any other female near him. She circled him, studying his body. His wolf form was so beautiful. She couldn't wait until they would mate as wolves. His body shifted to the human Cole. He was laying on his back, and she couldn't resist. She was drawn to his cock, covered in her fluid. She dropped down into the grass next to him and leaned forward to lap their mixed cum off his cock. She tasted it, the lavender and licorice. That's what she smelled like. She licked her lips. She could see why he enjoyed it. She smirked with that thought. His cock was growing under her ministrations. Soon it stood straight up from his body. He had stirred and was stroking her hair as she sucked him. His cock was throbbing. She looked up at him, her face feral looking, the brown eyes with swirling flecks of amber. She let go of his cock, and he growled in response. She locked eyes with his and crawled up his body until her pussy was hovering over his hard cock. Her hands rested on his chest. He looked at her and noticed the bandages were gone, and he didn't even see any scars. He watched her lower herself onto his cock. He growled with the pleasure. She sank down until she was fully impaled on him. She started moving on him, riding him. She could hear herself growling and smiled. She felt her wolf inside her. Her wolf wanted to claim her mate. He was a fit mate for her. He was big and strong and would father strong cubs. He would keep her safe from Gary, and she would belong to him forever. He was thrusting up into her wet cunt and she leaned down and licked his neck, tasting him really for the first time. He tasted like a mix of leather and hickory. It was amazing. She couldn't get enough of it. His thrusts were long and hard, pushing up into her depths, filling her completely. She had to taste him, had to taste his blood. She felt fangs in her mouth and bit down into his neck. He bellowed and started shooting semen into her. She tilted back her head and howled. He was hers for eternity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wolf's Pet Ch. 12 The front door was wide open, and the sound of glass breaking rang out across the neighborhood. Paul was furious. The house reeked of those pack dogs. He could tell they'd just left. And Sarah went with them. Bitch! She was his, and he wasn't going to give her up. Paul ripped the walls apart, tore down the bannister, broke every piece of furniture. Gary stood in the middle of the living room and let Paul take out his anger on the house. It was pretty much gutted, the same as those mutts would be when they met in battle. Gary smirked, picturing the bloody scene they would leave behind. And once the males were dead, it didn't matter if a female had been mated or not. He and his pack would have them. In ancient times one Alpha male would have several mates, not just one. He would sire cubs with as many females as possible. That was the way it should be. He had read the history of his kind when he'd studied in the Crane Alpha's library. The idiot didn't know he had found the secret entrance and had access to everything, including all of the information about the individual packs. That had certainly come in handy recently. Paul stood at the destroyed doorway, catching his breath. There really wasn't much more to damage. He felt better. A little. He'd feel even better when he held the bloody entrails of the male who thought Sarah was his. She'd beg him to take her when he was through with her and her supposed mate. She'd beg. The sirens in the distance caught their attention. Gary motioned it was time to leave. The Police cars pulled up to the house just as the two wolves made it to the nearby woods. Luckily for them, all the pack members in the Police Department had taken time off to help at the compound. ------------------ Karen awoke to the feeling of Cole's bare skin against her back, his arm thrown across her breasts and his lips trailing kisses down her shoulders. She moaned and then shivered with lust as his tongue lapped at the fresh bite. She tried to turn to face him but he growled his displeasure and she immediately complied. His growl was the sexiest sound she had ever heard in her life. He loved the feel of her against him, as a human or a wolf. It didn't matter. And he couldn't get enough of her taste, whether it was the nectar he drank from between her legs, or her blood, or even her skin. For so many years he'd just been playing with women. It was sating physical needs and that was all. There was no emotion involved, just the rutting instinct and hormones. But this was the first time his wolf had actually been interested and participated, in fact his wolf had completely taken over. And it was incredible! So far beyond anything he had experienced before. He couldn't imagine life without Karen, and just the thought of it made his chest tighten. At the next full moon when she turned they'd complete the mating ritual and their bond would be in place. It couldn't happen soon enough for him. At least then they'd always be in contact. He would always sense when she needed him. He knew he'd be extremely over protective until then. Three weeks felt like an eternity. Her moans brought him back to the present. He hadn't realized he'd been stroking her breasts, and he could smell her wet pussy already. Fuck! They didn't have the time. "I hate to break this up, but we need to get moving. I let you sleep cuz you looked so damned cute, but there's a lot to get done before the females and cubs leave tomorrow. We need to at least make an appearance downstairs." He jumped off the bed and began pulling his clothes on. Karen looked up at him with the saddest puppy dog eyes and a slight pout. She was fucking adorable, but he had to be strong for both of them. He struggled to pull his pants up over his growing erection. "C'mon sleepy head, get a move on." Karen rolled off the bed, and when her feet hit the floor she realized it didn't feel the same. She looked down, slightly confused. Her feet looked normal, but the floor. It looked normal too, but something was off. She stood up and her eyes drifted across the room. She noticed how bright the colors were today. Was there more light coming in through the windows? Did someone clean them this morning? She took in a deep breath and could smell the leather and hickory scent from Cole. Now that made her smile. She could even smell the flowers outside. She hadn't noticed that earlier today. As he was talking to her, she realized his voice sounded, richer? That was it. She walked across the floor with a grace she didn't remember having. Cole was watching her carefully. He loved her curves. She wasn't lean like the pack females, he liked that. But he noticed she did look more muscular than he remembered. God she was gorgeous. The way she walked...the way she walked? She'd never walked quite like that before. He studied her movement across the floor and blinked. She had a fluid, almost cat like grace. Cat? He had seen humans who had been turned, and their movement always seemed more, what was the word he wanted to use, stealthy, that was it. She turned and saw the frown on his face. "What? Did I do something wrong?" She was standing in front of the closet in jeans and a bra, reaching for a top. "You are perfect as always Karen, perfect for me. But that won't do today." He snatched the turtleneck out of her hand and threw it on the bed. He reached into the closet and pulled out a V-neck sweater that would display her bite beautifully. He handed it to her. "This will show things off nicely." She reached out to take the sweater and felt a very hot blush creeping up her neck as the meaning became clear. Sarah watched the Red Tailed Hawk soar high above the trees and then laughed when the tiny little black birds swarmed it to chase it away from their nest. It was so wild here. Like a wilderness preserve. But that was on the other side of town. This was privately owned, by the pack. She looked out over the ridge and could see for miles. Deer dotted the hillsides. She wondered just how far out the pack owned. "Does it all belong to the pack? As far as I can see?" James stood behind her, leaning against a tree, arms crossed. He loved to just look at her. Her long hair was black as night, in contrast to her alabaster skin. The big blue eyes finished the picture of the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen in his life. "Most of it. What doesn't belong to the pack belongs to the Bureau of Land Management, so we won't have to ever worry about encroachment from civilization. Other than the compound, it's all pretty much the same as it was when the Alpha's grandfather brought the pack here four hundred years ago. It's the outside world that's changed." "Four hundred years ago?" She spun around to look at him incredulously. "Seriously? They've been here since the 1600's? My family didn't come to this country until the 1870's." She studied him for a moment to see if he was joking. He didn't seem to be. She wanted to pinch herself to see if she truly was standing out here in the wilderness with a drop dead gorgeous man who was a Werewolf. "Where did they come from? Did you come here with them?" James had made an off hand comment about the long lives of the pack members and she wondered just how long. His rich laughter flowed through the wind to her. "No silly, my grandfather came here from Scotland with the pack. There is still a Baxter pack in Scotland. I'd thought of traveling there to find my mate, but now I guess it was a good thing I didn't. I might have missed you. As for me, I was born here one hundred sixty eight years ago." Sarah had to admit she'd been quite a cock tease in the last few years. She loved to toy with a man, have some fun, and then move on. She didn't want to be hurt again. She'd had her share of bad relationships in the past and had decided the best way to avoid that again was not to bother with relationships. But she had no reservations when it came to James, none! She'd known him for what, all of two hours? She was ready to fuck him right now, become his mate, and live however long she could with him. She didn't realize she was staring at him until he walked up and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight to his body. He whispered as he stroked her hair, "Sarah, I'm going to take care of you for the rest of our lives. I know it's hard to believe this, but I love you. My wolf and I have to have you. We wouldn't be able to live without you now. Do you understand?" He gently put a finger under her chin to tilt her head up so he could look into those beautiful blue eyes. He couldn't resist her lips and leaned down to kiss her. He had thought he would be gentle but his wolf was close and wanted to taste his mate. His lips crushed hers in a bruising kiss that took her breath away. She opened her mouth to accept his questing tongue, and he took it with a force and need that was unknown to him before this. His hands closed over her arms and pulled her as close as was possible as he explored her mouth. He was so afraid he and his wolf would scare her, but she was fully participating. He could hear her moans and could smell her arousal. His wolf wanted to take her now. She was his, he needed to mark her. Wolf instinct was strong and hard to resist, and the only thing stopping him was Carr's command. He had forbidden the mating for now. He had told James to get to know her a little bit first and let her learn about the pack and get used to the idea of becoming a wolf. His wolf was ready to disobey their Alpha but knew he would not. His hands were traveling down her shoulders, over her breasts, feeling them through her thin blouse. He could feel the nipples erect through her bra. He stopped for a moment to let her put a halt to it if she must. He pulled away and saw her staring back at him, breathing hard, nostrils flaring. She stood her ground and didn't appear afraid. "Sarah, my wolf and I both want you, want to mark you so no other male tries to take you from us. We aren't allowed to for now, but..." Sarah brought a finger to his lips to stop him from talking. "I want you too James. I've never wanted anything so badly in my life." She got on her tip toes and held his face to bring his lips back to hers for another searching kiss. She whispered into his ear, "I'm yours James, whether I'm marked or not." She couldn't explain why she knew that was true, but she did. "Just because we can't mate doesn't mean we can't get to know each other better." She looked up into his eyes, his beautiful black eyes, and gave him a devilish grin. He lifted an eyebrow. "What'd you have in mind?" His voice was deeper, thick with lust. He hoped he was right about what she was thinking. If not, he and his wolf were going to have a very frustrating day. Their eyes locked as she trailed her hand slowly down his chest. She could feel his heart pounding inside, the same as hers. His breathing was deep, like he had to concentrate just to remember to breath in and breath out. Her hand stopped at his belt and fumbled to get it undone. The corners of his lips turned up when he realized where this was going. She was doing a good job so he wouldn't help, for now. He felt her tugging his jeans down his hips and soon they pooled at his feet. He looked down and she had dropped to her knees. Her hands were so soft as they stroked his hard cock. He'd been hard for hours, since scenting her that morning at the diner as a matter of fact. She marveled at how long and thick and hard his cock was. Her mouth was watering. She'd never seen one quite this beautiful before. Of course, she'd already figured out that everything about him was more beautiful than she'd seen before. She looked into his face as she snaked out her tongue to take her first taste of him and smiled when she heard him groan. She giggled a bit when she heard him growl. She was going to like that sound. Precum was oozing out of the tip and she just had to taste it! She flicked her tongue and caught some and savored it for a moment before moving it around in her mouth a bit. She didn't want to miss any part of the flavor. She tasted him like a fine wine, noting everything. She lapped at his shaft, sliding all the way down to the base before coming back to the tip to taste a bit more. "Mmmm, you taste yummy James." And with that, she opened wide to take him into her mouth. He gasped when he felt his cock head hitting the back of her throat and then let out a loud growl when he felt it being drawn down into her throat. My God, she could suck a cock better than any pack female he had ever been with. He looked down at the top of her head, stroking her hair as she bobbed up and down on him. "Fuck" he moaned when she took him deeper and just held herself in place while she swallowed, squeezing his cock head in a way he'd never had the pleasure of feeling in the past. He knew he would have plenty of pleasure from here on out. Her mouth and throat worked his cock better than the most experienced bitch that had ever touched him. His cock filled her mouth and she struggled to breath around it as she stuffed it as deep as she could down her throat. She wanted nothing more than to please him, wanted to show him that she would show him pleasure like he'd never had before. His growls pushed her on even more. She couldn't wait to feel him cumming in her mouth. She had a feeling he would have a huge load for her. His balls were full, and he must have been so uncomfortable all day from the looks of things. She wanted to make him feel much much better. She reached out and gently squeezed his testicles which erupted with a corresponding roar from him. She felt jets of cum squirting into her mouth, huge amounts. She swallowed again and again as he grabbed handfuls of her hair and pulled her to his body, impaling her on his still spurting cock. She was amazed at how much there was. She struggled to keep up but there was just too much. She could feel some of his cum escaping through her lips, dribbling down her chin and dropping onto her blouse. He held her tight to his body until the last measure had been drawn from him. He let out a long satisfied sigh and released his tight grip on her head. She slowly backed away, flicking her tongue to clean up any remnants as she went. She looked up at him with a sinful smile and licked her lips. "Do you feel any better James?" She spoke so sweetly that no one overhearing would ever suspect she had just given him the most wickedly delicious blow job of his entire life. Cole and his mate walked hand in hand down the staircase and into the dining room where supplies were being packaged for those making the trip to the mountains. It was a flurry of activity until the first catcall from one of the Betas, then all heads twisted to look at the cause. There were wolf whistles from the males and gasps from some of the females. Hands reached out to clap Cole on the shoulder as they walked by. He was beaming. Karen looked like she wanted to hide. Her face was crimson. She glanced out of the corner of her eye and remembered the old saying, "if looks could kill." "I have to see where I'm needed pet, so why don't you help out here." He bent down to kiss her on the forehead and walked out with some of the other Betas. They were laughing and cracking jokes. This was a banner day for them. Cole was finally mated and off the market. Now a few more of them had a chance with some of the females. A sea of faces watched her silently. She hadn't met many of the females in the pack, in fact, only a handful. She was regretting that now. A friendly voice cut through the silence. "Karen, you look great! Love the sweater." Lila ran over and gave Karen a bone crushing hug. For a woman she was strong, of course she was a Werewolf. "Now we have even more in common." She gave Karen a sly wink as she pointed to her own fresh mating bite. "C'mon over this way, and we'll get you started on boxing supplies. There's so much to do and so little time before the group leaves." "You're not going Lila?" Karen thought mated females were all going. "Oh no, our females only get pregnant during our heat cycles and that can't happen until after mating is complete, which means after the next full moon. So no way for me to be pregnant yet, but I can't wait for it to happen. Although I have a feeling Nathan's cubs are going to be gigantic. It's rare for a Were to need a C-Section but stranger things have happened. But I'll tell you one thing, Jeff better not be planning any vacations when I get pregnant." She started to laugh and Karen was drawn in with her. For a second Karen forgot the unfriendly faces surrounding her. Were these all Cole's former lovers? She knew he'd been around the block, but she was thinking a small town block. This looked like a New York City block. Some of the women just seemed curious, but some were downright hostile. Especially the one she overheard talking, or rather who wanted to be overheard. "I was told that human females make terrible mates. They just lay there during sex. How could any Werewolf male want to fuck that? Like a limp rag I heard. Bet any cubs would be undersized even for an Omega. Cole deserves to have strong cubs that will grow up to be Betas, not puny little Omegas. If she had any feelings for him she'd step aside and let him choose a true Beta as a mate." The red headed female was flipping her hair this way and that, trying to be noticed by anyone who cared to look. Someone called her Cheryl. Karen started thinking of every way to rip Cheryl to shreds. She thought about evisceration. That would be nice and painful. A second later she blinked. What the hell am I thinking? I'm a grown-up. I shouldn't be reacting this way to some petty little bitch. Lila cleared her throat to get her attention. She saw the look in her eyes and could tell her wolf was asserting herself already. She had three weeks to get used to sharing her mind and body with another. She had a lot to learn and adjust to. She had a feeling Karen had never had a violent nature. That would change soon. But she hoped Cheryl wouldn't press things too far before Karen made her first change. She'd be at a huge disadvantage if she tried to challenge Cheryl before. Human versus Werewolf did not bode well for Karen. Lila would make sure THAT didn't happen if she had to kill Cheryl herself. Cole had returned to the dining room and was speaking to James and Sarah who had walked in with him. Cheryl managed to slip in next to him and put a possessive arm around his waist and said in her most seductive voice "Have you missed me baby?" The trio had shocked looks on their faces as did the rest of the room. Cole extricated himself from her embrace and backed away quickly. "I'm mated Cheryl, it's over, done, finished. We had fun. Move on." Karen watched as Cole backed away and pointedly told her they were through. Cheryl looked like she was trying to plead with him to reconsider. All Karen could think was "I don't think so!" She quietly strode to the group, a low growl heard as she grabbed Cheryl by the elbow, pulled her away from her mate and punched her square in the face. The power behind the punch was what surprised them the most. Cheryl's body went skittering across the slick floor and slammed into a wall. Cheryl was stunned for a moment and then got up screaming, "You Bitch!" Her nose was spurting blood, and she was trying to staunch the flow as she yelled for anyone to hear how she had been disrespected by a human. She quickly shifted into a red wolf, snarling with teeth bared. Karen stood her ground, growling back. Lee watched for a moment from Carr's office and then came forward to stand between the two growling females. "I'd say that you were the one who was disrespectful Cheryl. How dare you even insinuate that you would have a sexual relationship with a mated wolf! And I have the distinct impression that once Karen has made the change, she will out rank you as a Beta. Think of what damage she could have done after the full moon. Watch your step Cheryl. I don't tolerate this kind of behavior in my Betas." Lee turned on her heel and walked back outside. She had more important things to do than babysit a crybaby. If Cheryl made one more misstep she'd lose her status as a Beta entirely and have to try to work her way up from an Omega again. Wolf's Pet Ch. 12 Cheryl had quietly shifted back to her human form as her friends tried to console her without incuring the wrath of the Alpha Bitch themselves. They'd never seen her that angry before. Lee was right. Mated males didn't have sex with females other than their mate. It was wrong to even suggest. Within minutes, Cheryl was standing alone, still sniffling trying to stop the flow of blood. The red head was fuming. How dare that human make her look bad in front of the Alpha Bitch. She'd make her pay. And someday Cheryl would get Cole back. She knew it. They were meant to be together. "Karen, Sarah, would the two of you join us in the office please?" Lee nodded to Cole and James when they gave a questioning look. They walked over and joined the women, each taking his mate by the hand. Cole proudly squeezed Karen's hand, letting her know he had seen the altercation and loved how she handled Cheryl. They walked into the office and saw Nathan and Ben standing with Carr. Karen and Sarah immediately ran forward to comfort the two crying women seated in the chairs nearby. Cole and James had no idea who these women were but Karen and Sarah seemed very familiar with them, calling them by name as they attempted to calm them down. Ben and Nathan both seemed concerned and somewhat protective of the women. Cole realized it. "These are the women Gary wanted you to mate aren't they?" Both men nodded solemnly. He could tell they had feelings for the women, just not sexual, more brotherly. What was it about these women that Gary was choosing? What did they have in common? ----------------------------- The caves outside town were filled with bats and cobwebs. Not much else was out this far, except the wolves that had made this their home in the last few months. Blue eyes watched the interactions of the pack with amusement. That Beta really thought he could challenge Paul? The black wolf tried to pull the dead buck out of the gray's jaws. That was a mistake he would pay for. Paul leapt forward and the sickening sounds of the black wolf's vertebrae being crushed between his massive jaws brought the other wolves to the ground. They backed away from the giant wolf who had killed their friend with one swift bite. Gary watched impassively. The loss of a weakling was no loss at all. He cast his net wide looking for new pack members. There were several who fell far short of his expectations. But he and Paul would weed them out until only the strong remained. They would be worthy to be a part of his pack, and to have the women he had found for them. He swiveled his head to the right and peered deep into the dark depths of the cave. Even with his excellent night vision the caves were too dark to see into. But he could hear the whimpers of the females in their cages. The Baxter Alpha may have taken Karen and Sarah, but he hadn't even thought of the others. His mistake. And it was only a matter of time before they were able to track the two females that had gone missing. They couldn't hide from them forever. After all, he had their scents. In three weeks, at the next full moon, the Baxter pack would find out what Gary had been planning. And no one but Gary knew why these women were special, how and why he had chosen them, and why the timing was crucial. He would get Karen and Sarah back. And if they'd already mated, it wouldn't matter. If he didn't deem them worthy anymore he would just whore them out to his Betas. Wolf's Pet Ch. 13 "Alpha, we didn't know what to do. With Gary and Paul loose, we were afraid for their safety. Ben and I hope you understand why we brought them here." Nathan faced his new Alpha, knowing he may have gone too far by bringing outsiders to his new home, but they really had no choice. When he had discussed it with Lila, it'd seemed so logical at the time. But now, looking at Carr's face, maybe they should have asked for permission first. Carr took a deep breath before saying a word. What Nathan and Ben had done would have been unheard of for one of his pack, but he did understand. But Lila knew about it and certainly knew better. Lee would be having a talk with her later. "I do understand. You were right to bring them here Nathan. Ladies," Carr was addressing the two human females seated in front of him, "I hope we can make you feel at home here. Karen and Sarah will see to your needs while you're with us. Along with Nathan and Ben and their mates." The two women nodded, their tear streaked faces red from crying. One looked at Nathan before clearing her throat to speak. She stood to address Carr, realizing that his position, whatever it was, demanded respect. They were expecting these people to protect them, and they would do whatever was necessary to keep it that way. "Thank you sir, we appreciate your kindness and willingness to help us. We understand that Gary and Paul are causing you as much trouble as they've caused us, and we're grateful for any help you can give us." She sat down, still shaking. Today had been so strange and now she was sitting in front of the leader of a pack of Werewolves and feeling safer than she had in months. Nathan smiled down at her, a proud look on his face that she was able to speak so clearly. He and Rebecca had really become good friends in the past six months. He and his wolf had known immediately that was all they'd ever be even though Gary had continued to insist she would be his mate. Lila had agreed with him that she and Katy should be kept safe from Gary. If he felt he could force matings what would stop him from just finding others to mate them to? Lee noted that Katy was definitely the quieter of the two and could see why she would have been matched with the Omega. Both women seemed friendly, even though they were scared to death. "So tell me, just out of curiosity, how did you come to house Nathan and Ben in your homes?" They looked at each other and dropped their heads, a bright red flush on their faces. Rebecca, as would tend to be the case from now on, spoke for both of them. "We both signed up for the same online dating service. Gary contacted us and met with us separately, acting like he was interested in dating. He seemed to be sizing us up for something, asked a lot of personal questions, asked about our families, and then introduced us to Nathan and Ben. He said they needed rooms to rent and would we be so kind. After Katy and I met we got be good friends and started comparing notes. We had met Karen and Sarah several times, but the two of us saw each other a lot since Nathan and Ben were close. Of course, at the time we had no idea they were..." she looked around the room at the assembled pack members, swallowed hard and finished her sentence, "Werewolves." "A dating service? He was able to screen women quickly using their data bases. Interesting. I wonder what parameters he was looking for? And asking about family histories? Ladies," and with that Carr was addressing the two new women as well as Karen and Sarah, "do you have something in common in your family histories? Are you related?" He looked from woman to woman. They all looked very different. Karen was short, had auburn hair and brown eyes. Sarah was tall with black hair and blue eyes. Rebecca was a medium height with blond hair and hazel eyes, and Katy was a little shorter with red hair and green eyes. He didn't see any obvious similarities. "I don't think we're related. Are we?" Karen had spoken first. "I'm Polish, Austrian, and Hungarian." Sarah piped up, "I'm Italian, Russian, and Hungarian." She looked at Rebecca. Rebecca answered, "My family is Hungarian and Polish, and Katy's is French, English, Irish, and Hungarian." Everyone in the room looked puzzled. "Is there something we should know about Hungarians?" Lee looked questioningly at Carr. "Let me get Becky in here." She picked up a phone and called the pack genealogist to join them. She was an expert on Werewolf history. Maybe this was something significant. Becky walked in the door and saw all four of the newly mated and yet to be mated pairs. She knew she would be doing research on Karen's family and just an hour ago had been notified she would be working on Sarah's, but there were two other human women here too. "Yes Ma'am, did you need something?" "Becky, what do you know about Hungarian Werewolves?" Carr asked hoping she'd say there was no such thing. "Well, the Verfarkas were said to roam most of Hungary, not to be confused with the Vlkolak of the Tatra Mountains in Slovakia or the Vârcolac of Romania. It depends on which boundaries and what years you're speaking of." Becky looked around the room at the shocked faces. She smiled smugly. No one knew Werewolf lore from around the world like she did. Carr stroked his chin, pondering the possibilities. "Do you think we can trace their Hungarian lines to see if there's any links to these Were packs?" "Of course Alpha. Actually, many of the Eastern European packs were decimated by wolf hunters in the 1800's and those that survived had another rough time during the two world wars. Those few that survived have thrived since, but for a while there were very few Weres in those regions. I did hear about some small groups who migrated to the United States from a time just after the Civil War through about the turn of the century. I know the Council of Elders has been trying to consolidate all pack histories and genealogies and to that end, have been sending archivists to Europe to search out and catalog whatever records that still exist." When Becky stopped speaking the room was silent. They just stared. She beamed with pride that her knowledge would be of use to the Alpha. She very rarely had a chance to interact with the Alphas so she particularly wanted to make them proud she was a member of their pack. "See what you can do. I'd like you to meet with all four women and trace all their lines as far back as possible, not just the Hungarian. We don't want to miss an important connection because we're so fixated on one group." Becky nodded her agreement. Even though he wasn't a genealogist, the Alpha had a good grasp of the ideas associated with family research. Whenever an Alpha found a mate, the pack genealogist was to trace the family history of the prospective bitch. Though it was just a formality now, in ancient times it had been important to prove that the lines were not too closely related. At one point, because of "Founder's Effect" the gene pool was so small there had been matings that had not been allowed. It hadn't happened in over a thousand years, but the idea that it could led the packs to continue the old ways. "I'll contact the Council's Chief Archivist about accessing whatever Eastern European records that are available." This was the most excitement Becky had since the last hunt. Of course she was usually the only one that cared about these sorts of things. She scanned the room noticing that everyone seemed interested in what she had to say today. "Becky, I've researched my family for years and have about five generations on every line. I'll give you everything I have. I've found one of my families in Hungary in an 1869 Census. Maybe that can help get things started. And I'm really good at internet genealogy sites if you need a hand with the initial research. I can't help with the Werewolf research though." Karen was excited too. She loved genealogy. It was one of her favorite activities. Well, after being with Cole anyway. "May I make one more suggestion Sir?" Becky was so excited she almost forgot the most important thing. Carr nodded her way. "What about DNA testing? We can map the entire mitochondrial sequence for each female, and there are autosomal tests now that can link people through all of their family lines. There's a company owned by one of the packs that can facilitate this for us. They've been trying to test as many pack AND non pack associated Weres as possible to help bring together lost families. They have quite a database." "Good idea Becky. Why don't you follow through with that. I think I'm going to send these women to stay in the un-mated female Omega quarters since so many are going to the mountains. I very much want to keep them segregated from the males. No offense, but I don't want anymore matings in the foreseeable future. I hope you all understand." His eyes stopped on every person present who nodded their understanding. "Good. Nathan, you're in charge of getting Rebecca and Katy safely to their quarters. I don't care how you do it, but don't let any un-mated male anywhere near enough to scent them, understood?" Nathan nodded. "Ben, I have a job for you." Ben stood tall as the Alpha addressed him. "I need to know what Gary was looking for on the dating website. Can you work on that? I don't care how you do it." "Karen, did Gary every use your laptop?" When she nodded Ben's smile lit up the room. "Then I just may be able to get everything you need Alpha, fairly easily. Let's hope he signed on to the site from the laptop. If so, shouldn't be hard to find it and go from there. I'll let you know when I have information for you." Ben's chest was puffed up like a peacock. He was eager to prove his worth to the pack and this was his first chance. Of course having a chance to show off his skills in front of Gina didn't hurt either. He wanted to prove himself to her and to James before he followed through with the mating. He didn't want anyone to doubt his loyalty to the pack or his love for Gina. ----------------------------- Brett stared up at the tree, spotting the camera nestled between branches. "Damn it, why didn't anyone report this sooner?" He watched one of his security detail climbing a ladder to reposition the camera so that it pointed to the exit of the labyrinths like it was supposed to. Didn't do much good to have security cameras that were misdirected. Not that it would have mattered for Gary and Paul's escape. But it would now. "Brett." His name crackled over the radio. "Go." Brett answered quickly, his head cocked to the side as he listened through his earpiece. "We spotted someone watching the exit road from the compound. We've taken him into custody and brought him in. Cole's on his way to the office. He wants you there too." "On my way." He spun around to head back to the compound, yelling over his shoulder at Bryant, "Make sure every single camera is checked to be sure it's working at top efficiency and pointed at the correct angle. I don't want any holes in our visual of the perimeters." "Got it boss." Bryant threw the ladder into the back of the truck and headed off with the rest of the detail. This was going to take a while. He radioed in to the monitoring crew which camera he was going to next so they could begin testing and start diagnosing any problem before they got there. If he let them stay one camera ahead of them at all times maybe they could get this done quickly and efficiently. Craig had another crew out installing more cameras on a larger outer perimeter. That would make three separate security zones. Carr wanted to make it as hard as possible for anyone to sneak up on them. As soon as Brett entered the Security wing he heard snarling and crashing sounds. "Fuck! Not again!" He sprinted down the hallway and almost ran into one of the Betas when he turned the last corner. "What the hell's going on?" He glanced around the room at the relaxed figures standing around. Cole and James were leaning against the wall, watching a huge wolf in a straightjacket launching himself at the walls of the security cell. "Welcome to the show. It took a ten times dose of tranquilizers for the scouts to knock him out. We figured the safest thing was the straightjacket. At least that way if he tries to shift he'll be too constrained to move at all." Brett joined the group and stood in awe of the giant creature trying to force his way through concrete and unbreakable plexiglass. He was bigger than any Were he'd ever seen, even bigger than Paul. What the hell was going on? "If that thing gets loose we're in big fuckin' trouble." Everyone turned to face Carr as he walked into the room and made his quick and astute observation. "Cole, no less than five guards with this thing at all times. And everyone carries a twenty times dose of tranquilizer. If ten times didn't kill him, I have no problem with going to twenty. I'm not taking any more chances. And if we don't get any information out of him pretty quickly..." He sighed, hating to make decisions like this. It just wasn't his style to give death sentences. But he saw his Betas all nodding their heads in agreement. They understood how deadly this Were could be. No one would make a mistake like that again. Everyone was mesmerized by the salivating beast who never stopped his quest to escape. The walls were built to withstand explosives. They'd hold just about anything. Carr sure as hell hoped they'd hold him. "Did you get the sample for the DNA test while he was out?" "Yea, we sent it off to Jeff. Think this is all going to tie in with the women?" Cole couldn't take his eyes off it. It just never gave up. "I don't know. And I'm not sure if I hope it does, or doesn't." Carr ran a hand through his hair, what else could happen. He hoped Jeff's idea of how to get this thing to shift to it's human form would work. Then at least we could communicate with it, or try anyway. And with that thought he turned towards the door and saw Jeff walking in with a vial in his hand. "OK, if this doesn't work, nothing will." He held a vial away from his body, like he didn't want to touch it. He slid the vial into the tranquilizer dart gun and handed it to Brett. "What is it?" Brett was staring at the opening in the cartridge that allowed him to see the liquid. "Extremely concentrated curare." Brett set the gun on the table and took a step backwards. "Are you crazy? What if it gets on one of us? I've heard that stuff is deadly. Doesn't it cause paralysis?" "To humans, yes. But with Werewolves it causes them to shift back to their human forms. Or at least, so I've been told. Guess we'll find out for sure, won't we? If it works, I'll write it up for the Were Medical Journals. It'll be good information for other packs to have if this kind of situation arises elsewhere." He didn't notice the scathing looks from the Betas. They didn't want to think of this situation coming up again. "It's also supposed to make them more amenable to cooperating." Cole and James moved to the front of the cell and used their fists on the plexiglass to lure the Wolf to their side of the cell. Brett cautiously picked up the gun and walked to the opening in the wall, just big enough for the dart gun on the opposite side of the wall. He took careful aim and fired. The dart hit it's target in the neck. They all stood still as they waited to see if it worked. The wolf appeared startled and struggled in the straightjacket to get to the dart. He threw his body against the wall but couldn't seem to direct himself in a way to remove it. His legs were shaking, and he staggered around the cell, howling and biting at the air. Saliva dripped from his mouth as his body lost all control. He was fighting the drug, but finally, he just laid there, chest heaving. The men stared at the still form of the wolf. No one moved. Every one of them had seen the carnage Paul had caused when they thought he was sedated. They watched as he began the shift to his human form. The straightjacket was made to contain him in either form. They'd never had a chance to try it out on a hostile Were, only on themselves. They hoped it worked. The shift was slower than normal but soon enough the sandy haired male was laying there, struggling to breath. His guards cautiously entered the cell and pulled him up into a chair, securing him to it. They doubled their normal protocol for restraints even with the straightjacket on. The male blinked his eyes, focusing on the guard nearest him, and spit, hitting him in the face. The guard leaped back and the male laughed hysterically. The voice was low and menacing, "You are all fools. At the Wolf Moon you'll learn how strong Gary is, and you'll follow him or die." He curled his lips into a sneer and then refused to say another word. He'd said all he would say. "The full moon in three weeks is the Wolf Moon. Somehow, I'm sure this all has to do with the females. We have three weeks to figure this out. Jeff, how fast are those DNA tests going to come back?" Carr knew Jeff and Becky had been talking about the DNA so he was aware of the tests done on the four females as well. "I sent all the samples next day air and let them know we needed them expedited. They said it might take two to three weeks." Carr snapped back at Jeff, "Well let them know we may not have three weeks." No one noticed Jeff muttering to himself, "Well it worked, can't wait to submit this for publication. They were sure wrong about the cooperative part though." Carr was pacing. Never a good sign. "Let me know if he has anything else to say. And I want word for word." Carr didn't listen to the acknowledgement from the guards as he walked out of the room. He knew that Cole, James, and Brett were following closely behind. "Brett, how is the security system looking?" They talked as they walked across the compound. They all knew there was so much to do and so little time left. Every minute counted. "The inner perimeter is secure. The perimeter just outside the compound is almost finished, and Craig was making good progress with the outermost perimeter. It should be finished by tomorrow. The labyrinths have been fortified, all entrances and exits checked, locks changed, doors reinforced, and supplies stocked." Brett was checking items off in his head as he talked. He hated to leave anything out. "I also added some Omegas to the monitoring crew. We usually only had one person monitoring the two perimeters on camera, but I've increased it to two for each perimeter so they can watch the screens continuously. Carr nodded. He liked Betas with initiative. No reason for him to make every single decision like some of the Alphas did. "James, do you know if Nathan got the women to the Omega quarters OK?" "Yea, it was pretty fun to watch. Lila and Gina took the point and cleared the area first. Any male that walked close to their path to the Omegas quarters was told to get lost. Then Sarah and Karen walked in front of Nathan carrying some disgusting smelling concoction. To tell the truth, when I smelled it, I couldn't scent Sarah at all through it. I guess that was their point, but it was really disconcerting to not be able to have her scent when she was so close. My wolf started to freak out." Carr was smiling. At least there was still some humor in this God awful situation. "Then Ben had the women dressed in these shroud things that covered them head to toe. They made it safe and sound, and the female Betas have set up guards so no males get near their rooms. And they left some of that foul smelling stuff outside the door and windows. So no unauthorized matings for today anyway." James smirked. He knew Cole and Brett had a bet about whether or not he'd be able to follow the Alpha's orders to hold off on mating with Sarah. "Great. One less thing to worry about. Cole, how are the preparations for the move to the mountains?" Wolf's Pet Ch. 13 "Trucks are packed and ready to go. Teams have been clearing the road, we have them set up all along the route to watch for Gary's followers. And I sent a team of Betas and Omegas to get the buildings ready to be occupied. It's been a long time since anyone's been up there other than for quick hunting trips. But they should have it ready by tomorrow night when they arrive." They spotted Troy walking towards them. It was so strange to see him without Trey right next to him. He immediately started walking in step with the group as he gave his report to Carr. "The only hiccup I have is Trey and David don't want to go. They want to stay and fight." "Well tell them it's more important to keep the females and cubs safe. They're the future of the pack and I need my best fighting Betas with them. Think that'll work?" He winked at Trey who started to laugh. "Yes, but they won't like it." Trey was smiling now, thinking of the fight he was going to have with Trey about going to the mountains. The harder Trey fought, the more Troy knew he was healthy. Carr was proud of all of his Betas. But he was also worried they were working too hard and neglecting their families. Brett in particular. "Brett, isn't your wife leaving for the mountains tomorrow?" Brett hesitated a moment before answering in the affirmative. He tried not to think about it. They hadn't been separated since their mating and they had barely had any time together since her heat cycle started a week ago. His wolf had been going crazy. The only thing that kept him sane was staying busy. "Go, use what time you have left together before she leaves. That's an order." Carr gave him a stern look, about ready to laugh if he had to hold it much longer. "Now!" Brett grinned and sprinted off to the cabin they'd been using since he'd moved Jessica closer to the compound. He knew she'd be there packing. She didn't want to leave but even though they hadn't had a chance to breed more than once, they couldn't take the chance of her staying if she was pregnant. When he walked in the door the odor of her heat mixed with her natural scent of jasmine and roses permeated the room. He stood for just a moment at the entrance and took a deep breath and held it. He closed his eyes and felt his wolf leaping forward. He'd bided his time while Brett served the pack. Now it was his turn. He shifted into a big black wolf, sleek, shiny, with a lean but well muscled body. Jessica was busy putting things in order before the move. She wanted Brett to be able to find whatever he needed while she was gone. Otherwise, the place would be a disaster when she got back. She didn't notice the black wolf stalking her quietly until she turned around and almost ran him over on her way to the bedroom. "Brett, I hate when you sneak up on me like that!" She had her hands on her hips and tried to act like she was mad. He shifted quickly and scooped her up into his arms, holding her close as he kissed her, loving the taste of her mouth. "I have the rest of the day off. Can you think of something to do before you leave tomorrow?" She giggled as she held his shoulders tightly while he carried her into the bedroom. He gently placed her on the bed. They might start there, but she knew where this would end. She'd been in heat for almost a week and they'd only taken advantage of it once. They both wanted cubs so badly, and as horrible as it was to think about, this could be their last chance. She couldn't take her eyes off him. He took her breath away whether he was in his human or wolf form. They were both beautiful. She struggled to get his shirt off and gave up, ripping the buttons as she pulled it open. She scraped her nails down his chest, her wolf making herself known. She needed to be bred, she'd been patient, she'd be patient no longer. Her eyes were swirling blue and amber as she licked her lips and licked his neck and down his chest. He growled, his hands tangled in his mate's hair as she attacked him. This was her first heat cycle since they had mated, and they had both been so frustrated. He would let her have her way, this time. She was almost frantic as she tasted his body, her tongue lapping at his skin. His nipples were hard pebbles, almost as hard as his cock still trapped by his pants. She ripped at the zipper, trying to get it open as fast as possible. He lifted up so she could pull them off. The jeans went flying across the room as she eyed him with a hungry look. His cock was throbbing and hard as a rock. She took hold of him and stroked his erection. Pleasure was not on her mind now, just breeding instinct. She needed him to fill her now. The entire week she had been ready for him if he had time to come to her. She had worn a loose shift, and no panties. She took full advantage of that now, lifting a leg to straddle him, not even bothering to remove the dress. She just hiked it up, showing her mate her lust for him, as she lowered herself onto his hard cock. She growled loudly as he stretched her open, her wet pussy so tight around his shaft. She marveled that they fit so perfectly every time. She closed her eyes and just felt him inside her as she moved up and down on him, riding him. Her wolf was with her, with their mate. Their growls were louder as Jessica became more wild, bouncing on his shaft, she was so close, she could feel herself ready to soar over the edge. She leaned over her mate's body, her teeth growing, and she found the pulse in his neck and bit down hard, her canines piercing skin and muscle and hitting bone. Brett roared as his hips thrust up into her hot tight cunt. He pulled her close and twisted his body so he was now on top of her and she below him. He pulled out of her long enough to turn her over onto her hands and knees, ripping off the shift. They both quickly shifted and now his wolf speared his cock into her wet pussy and began to piston in and out of her, pulling her tight to his body. His huge paws pulled her hips as tight to him as possible and seated his knot tightly inside her. He howled and bit her neck hard, tasting her blood in his mouth, feeling his semen shooting into her body. His thrusts continued, although constrained by his knot. He held her tight and breathed in her scent, calming his wolf. They had hours. They would use all of it. He licked at the wound he'd left on her neck. He would leave more. ------------------------------ "How's it going?" Gina spoke softly and sat close to Ben on the bench. They were in the dining hall. Now that all the packing was done and dinner was over it was quiet in there as usual. Ben had Karen's laptop computer and was moving through screens quickly. Gina could see the dating site and knew he'd been hoping to find Gary's password and username. Ben looked up when she spoke and smiled lovingly at her. He still couldn't believe she was his mate. He almost had to pinch himself. Whenever she was near him his brain was flooded with the scent of sandalwood and honey. It made it hard to think. He wasn't used to his wolf being so present when he was in his human form, but her scent brought him to the fore immediately. All he would do is scream "mine mine mine" in Ben's head. Ben did all he could to calm him. "Yes she's ours, I know." "His user name is ALPHAGARY and his password is..." He really hated to say it out loud and his voice dropped, "masterofbitches." He looked up at Gina and saw her wrinkling her nose with disgust at the vile term. She looked so cute he had to laugh. "You think it's funny?" "No silly, you, you're funny." He gently pulled her closer to him and bent down to smell her lovely scent at her neck. His wolf was ecstatic at being so close. He slowly licked up her neck to her ear and felt her body shiver. He'd never had any feelings like this before. Omegas were really very shy, and in the Torrance pack it was frowned on for them to have any relations before becoming mated, unlike the Betas who were a randy lot and had sex with anyone. For a split second he wondered if Omegas here were different, if Gina had sex with any of the pack members before he came here. It didn't matter to him or his wolf, they just wondered if their inexperience would be noticeable. Gina's mind was in a jumble. There was so much to do but this felt so good she didn't want to stop. His tongue sent shivers up her spine. Her wolf was ready to play with their mate. She was running in her head, haunches up in the rear, tail flagged, and ready. She wanted Ben, wanted his wolf to chase and claim her. But there was so much to do, so much... Her thoughts were interrupted by Ben's lips closing around her ear lobe and sucking. She couldn't help the moan that come out of her mouth. She had always been shy and stayed away from the males who wanted to play. Whenever the pack went on hunts, when the rutting started, she would go back to the Omega quarters with the cubs. She was too shy. Besides, her wolf didn't want to play with just anyone. She wanted to wait for their mate. Well he was here now. His lips moved along her neck and up her jaw and finally found her mouth. He was so gentle as he kissed her. Ben really had no idea what he was doing, human and wolf instinct worked together to help him. He felt Gina's arms around him, and he felt empowered to continue on his quest for...what? He wasn't sure, but he was enjoying it. His arms held her tight against him. The kisses were sweet and loving. Their hands roamed each other's bodies. He found his hands underneath Gina's shirt and marveled at the feel of her naked skin on his fingers. James and Sarah walked hand in hand through the entry way. He was starving and just wanted to run into the pantry and get something for a midnight snack. They walked into the dining hall and stopped dead in their tracks. James had a ferocious look on his face, and Sarah had to drag him out of the room before he did something he'd regret. "Did you see that?" His face was red with rage. That Omega was all over his little sister. Sarah had to stifle a laugh. "Yes, I saw it, pretty tame in comparison to you and me, wouldn't you say? Cut your sister some slack James. He's her mate as much as I am yours. So what's the problem?" She stood with hands on her hips. If he tried to argue, she had quite a few things to say. She wasn't going to let him come between Gina and Ben, no way. He stood there staring at her. She was right of course. Gina had a mate now, he didn't have to protect her anymore, and least of all from Ben. James' job now was protecting Sarah. He pulled her close to nuzzle her neck to try to calm himself and then pulled on her hand and walked to the back door of the kitchen. He still needed some food. "You're right, why do I get the feeling I'm going to be saying that a lot from now on?" He grinned at her, and she smiled back and nodded in full agreement. Ben and Gina hadn't even noticed James and Sarah, and they didn't notice the Omegas watching from the kitchen and giggling. But they heard the throat clearing at the doorway a few minutes later and looked up to see Carr and Lee. They were trying to look serious but couldn't help but smile. Ben was embarrassed, and Gina was mortified. The Alphas saw them. Of course sex in a pack was normal and happened in the open all the time. But for Omegas it was usually a little more private. "I-I-I'm sorry Sir, I should be working on this. I'm sorry." Ben held Gina tighter. At the Torrance pack, they'd be separated as punishment. It wouldn't be the same here, would it? He'd been given a job to do, and he'd become distracted. His old pack would take that as an infraction of the Omega's rules, and Gina would be kept from him until his task was completed. "Relax Ben, just tell me how far you've gotten. I don't work well around distractions either." Carr looked at Lee from the corner of his eye and remembered the last time he got distracted. Damn he needed some distraction now. Ben relaxed and moved the laptop so Carr could see it. "Here's his profile page. And here is the list of things he had as search parameters. Eastern European heritage, over 45 years of age, no children. Not really much. But the interesting thing is the list the computer can't search for. His narrative about what he wants to find. He says he wants a woman who dreams of the wilds, meadows and trees, and wolves." He looked up into the Alpha's face. "Dreams, Karen and Sarah have both had dreams. Gina, would you ask Rebecca and Katy if they've been having dreams? Ben, is there a list of women he's contacted? "Yes sir, a huge list, hundreds, but it looks like he narrowed it down to about thirty. Of course the four we know about, but here are the others, all from about a one hundred mile radius of here." He showed Carr the pages of profiles, each with a picture. Gary had written notes about each, and they all said the same thing. "MINE". Carr handed him a thumb drive. "Put their profiles on here, and I"ll have Brett check on them. What the fuck is he doing?" Carr never got scared, at least he didn't think he did, until now. What the hell was Gary doing? Why older women? Why Eastern European? Why the Wolf Moon? Three weeks. Not enough time. Wolf's Pet Ch. 14 Carr couldn't sleep. He held Lee tightly, spooned against her back. He felt her rhythmic breathing. "Can't sleep either baby?" He nuzzled her neck, cedar and lilac. It still amazed him how it calmed him to have her scent permeating his brain. She turned to face him, studying his eyes, bringing up a hand to stroke his cheek. Carr was always the one who was light-hearted, took things in stride. He was never worried, until now. This was the first time he would really be tested. It killed her to think she wouldn't be here to support him. She belonged by his side, but she knew if she was pregnant, she needed to be kept safe. The future Alpha of the pack could be growing inside her. But it didn't make it easier to leave. They didn't need words. He knew what she was thinking, even if they hadn't had their mental bond, he'd know. He held her hand as she slid it across his jaw. This would be their last hours together for who knows how long. There was still so much to do. But he and his wolf needed this time with their mate. He stroked her blond hair with his other hand, then pulled her head to his and kissed her, savoring the taste of her mouth. Her hands traveled across his shoulders, and he growled when he felt her nails scraping his skin. He stopped kissing her and pulled away to look into her feral eyes, swirling blue with amber. Her wolf was close. He leaned in and bit her lip, drawing blood which dripped down her chin. They stared into each other's eyes as he slowly used his tongue to clean it. He rolled out of the bed, stood, and reached his hand for hers, waiting. She took it and stood with him, smiling, knowing what he had on his mind. They walked out onto the balcony, looking out over the pack lands. His arms snaked around her waist, holding her tight, licking at her neck. She leaned into his hard body, her head against his shoulder, leaving her neck bared to him. His teeth softly nipped at her, and she growled in response. They watched the dark winter sky, the constellation of Orion the hunter high above. "You're the only hunter I need" she whispered and leaned back into her mate's strong arms. He would hunt down Gary and Paul and kill them to keep the pack safe, she knew it. But this was their last chance together, and she would make it memorable for both of them. She quickly shifted, and her wolf leapt from the balcony, landing gracefully in the grass below. She stopped long enough to turn and look up at her surprised mate, and then took off at a full run into the forest. The tall form on the balcony transformed into a muscular brown wolf and sailed over the railing, barely missing a stride as he chased after his mischievous mate. Run from him would she? She wouldn't run long because he would catch her in minutes. He knew how she thought. He had all her tricks memorized. She could hear him close behind her. Even with the advantage of surprise he was keeping up with her. She ran as fast as she could, the low tree branches brushing past her face. She closed her eyes tight and ran inside a rosemary bush, maybe he couldn't get through here, he was so much bigger. It could give her a little breathing room if he had to run around. He came to the bush where it was obvious the blond wolf had run inside. Tufts of blond fur hung over the blue flowers. He stopped and stared at it, catching his breath in the moment. If he tried to fit into that tight space and couldn't make it, he'd be far behind her by the time he got out. If he went around he'd lose time, but less than if he was struggling to break free of the tight growth in front of him. She was a wily one. Yes, she was a fit mate for him. She would be a fine mother for the future Alpha, whether or not he was there to see it. He lifted his nose and caught her scent to the north. He turned to circle the bushes and pushed himself faster. He caught sight of her tail as she tried to slip unnoticed into a hollowed out tree. If a wolf could smirk he would. Did she really think she'd be able to hide her scent from him? He crouched down low to the ground, his belly scraping against the wet grass. The big wolf crept slowly to the dead tree. It was huge and as he looked inside, he was surprised to not find the blond tease huddled inside. He looked around, puzzled, until he saw moonlight shining through a hole a few feet up. Damn her! She'd outfoxed him and put him behind. He quickly backed up and held his head up and waited for a sound or odor. Nothing. He ran around to the other side of the tree and looked below the hole. Paw prints. He dropped his head and sniffed the print, yes it was her. He picked up the scent and ran, no female would out think him. He sent his thoughts to her, "I'm behind you love, better run faster." Her scent was stronger as he picked up speed. She heard him in her mind and smiled to herself. "You'll only catch me when I let you." She could hear him gaining ground behind her, but realized too late she had run into a meadow. In open ground he would catch her in no time. She tried to come up with a plan but it was too late. He was on her and dragging her to the ground. His huge paws gripped her hips tightly and he took his prize. His hard cock plunged into his mate as he howled his conquest. He heard the answers of his pack deep in the woods. Many of them had the same idea as the Alphas. One last time to run with their mates. He held her close to him as he pounded into her. He could barely hear her growls of pleasure through his own. His knot formed and he leaned forward, took her neck in his powerful jaws, and bit down as he gave one more powerful thrust, seating his knot and shooting his cum deep inside her. She collapsed underneath him as she howled her own pleasure. She loved the feeling of being tied to her mate. She closed her eyes as she spasmed around his cock, milking him of his seed. She had led him on a merry chase, and he had proven himself to her again, as he always did. And he would prove himself to the pack, defeating Gary. She had faith in him. He awoke to the sounds of birds chirping. His arms were tight around Lee, he could feel his knot, still imbedded in her, but almost receded enough. He'd wait, he was too comfortable. She was still sleeping soundly. He picked a blade of grass and grinned as he dragged it across the bridge of her nose. Her hand waved in the air at it. He trailed it over her upper lip and chuckled as she wrinkled her nose and tried to shoo it away. Lee waved her hand across the front of her face to get rid of that blasted piece of grass in front of her face and awoke to her mate laughing his head off. She grinned and pulled his arms around her stomach. She looked across the sky and saw the sun peaking over the mountains. She sighed, and he held her tighter. She felt his breath in her ear. "I wish you didn't have to go, but there's no choice love." He got to his feet and held his arms outstretched to her. She took his hands, and he pulled her to her feet. They walked slowly towards the house. They caught glimpses of other mated pairs doing the same. None of them wanted this day to begin. The dawn broke and the final preparations were being made. David would drive the lead car with Lee. He walked with a limp but there were no other physical long term affects from the fight with Paul. He didn't want to leave, but his duty was to his Alpha and his pack. He had been given the honor of guarding the Alpha Bitch, and he would protect her with his life if needed. He pretended to be busy while Carr and Lee said their goodbye's. Too soon for either of them it was time to go. Carr reluctantly pulled away from his mate, gave a nod to David, and stepped back. He and the assembled pack members waved goodbye to friends and family. He could hear a few sobs from some of the females in the passing vehicles. He really hated to do this, but it'd be safer for them in the mountains. Reports from the scouts had been that nothing in the area had been disturbed. He felt certain that Gary wanted to concentrate on Karen and Sarah, so he would come to the compound. He knew it. Troy and Trey brought up the rear of the convoy. They would make sure the females and cubs were safe, or die trying. Carr watched the line of cars until even the dust trails were out of sight. He looked around at the long faces of his pack. He felt the same. But if they didn't stop Gary, then the females would never be able to return. He spun on his heel and headed for the Omega quarters, his Betas in step behind. They walked past the females standing guard outside the quarters. Cheryl was one of them, and she tried to put on her most alluring smile as Cole walked by. He didn't even glance her way. Her face took on a decidedly ugly cast which did not go unnoticed by Brett and James who exchanged amused looks. Cheryl thought this was the stupidest thing she could be doing right now. She should have been assigned a more important task than guarding some dumb human females. What a waste, they should just throw them all back to Gary and let him have them, especially Karen. Just the thought of that bitch made her blood boil. So she thought she was going to complete mating with Cole in three weeks. Not if Cheryl had something to say about it! She'd think of a way to get Karen out of the picture. She wondered if she could find a way to contact Gary. She'd have to think on that. Brett was one of the last to arrive at the Omega quarters and as he walked by Cheryl, wondered what the heck she was thinking about with that nasty look on her face. Brett got a laugh when Bryant tried to get past her. She was in a disagreeable mood and took out her frustrations on him. She stood there berating him for trying to enter an area off limits to all un-mated males. Finally he saw Bryant put his hands up in surrender and walk away. Becky had been busy and there were pedigree charts all over the walls of the common room. Each chart represented one of the human women. Carr stood in the center of the room and looked each chart over, not seeing anything that stood out as similar. Becky was proud of her work so far and couldn't wait to share what she'd found. When all were assembled, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, steeling her nerves. She wasn't used to speaking to large groups. She looked around at the expectant faces staring back at her. "Well, here's what we've found so far. All four women do have one thing in common. On their mother's sides of the family, they are descended from people who came from Hungary between the years 1868 and 1892. However, the part of Hungary their families are from is actually Slovakia, more to the point, in the area of the Tatra Mountains where the Vlkolak Werewolves lived. I've done some more research on them and found that they literally do not exist anymore. They were wiped out by the early 1900's." She paused to take a breath. "Will the DNA be able to tell us if they descend from the Vlkolak?" Carr was studying the charts, trying to see what he was missing. There had to be something that was there to see. Jeff answered ,"Well, I'm not sure. I don't know if they've mapped out the DNA of the Vlkolak since there aren't any in existence any more, that they know of that is. I did call the DNA company today and explained our problem, and they promised to run the tests as fast as possible. In fact, they said they'd run crews 24/7 to get them done within a week." "What about these Eastern European records? Any way to link any of these ancestors into that pack yet?" Carr looked to Becky. "I'm waiting for a call from the Council's Chief Archivist. I'm kind of surprised he hasn't called back yet. But maybe he's waiting until he has more information for us." Becky was really hoping to get a phone call soon. Usually he was quick to return calls. He loved to chat with the other pack genealogists. It was usually about the mundane, but this was something really exciting. "So Gina tells me that all of you have dreamed of wolves. How long? Since meeting Gary?" He saw four heads shaking no. "How long then?" They all looked at each other and then at Carr as Karen spoke for them, "For as long as we can remember." Everyone in the room was stunned. "Your whole lives? Did any of you ever talk to your parents about it?" Carr looked at the women, expecting Karen to answer, but surprised to hear Katy's soft voice. "Momma said all of the women in our family dreamt of wolves." The other three women nodded in unison. "My mother said it was a special gift that I got from her, and that she got from her mother, and never to discuss it with anyone." Sarah held James' hand tightly as she spoke. "Did any of you talk to Gary about this?" He saw them all blanch. Karen's voice cracked as she spoke, "I think he drugged me one night and got me talking about it. It was like having a dream that I remembered later, telling him about the dreams I'd had since I was a child." Cole put a protective arm around her waist and pulled her tight. She smiled at him and squeezed his hand in thanks. The other women echoed Karen's statement. Rebecca sounded like she was going to cry as she added her information. "I remember after that same talk, waking up and feeling the inside of my mouth and thinking I must have bit my cheek, but now I distinctly remember Gary sticking a weird thing in my mouth and scraping. I didn't remember that until you took the scrapings for the DNA test. I think he did the same thing." She looked at the other three women who stood shocked, and slowly nodded their heads and admitted they thought the same had happened to them. "Jeff, are there any other companies that do those tests on Werewolves?" Carr had a million thoughts running through his mind at the moment. "Not that I'm aware of. Becky, do you know of any?" Jeff and Carr both saw Becky shake her head. "I see where you're headed with this Carr. They may have already tested these women. I wonder if they'd tell us if Gary had any tests run? Let me make some phone calls." Carr nodded and Jeff ran out of the room to his office to get moving on this. Within minutes Jeff was back with a strange look on his face. "The head of the company, who's also a member of the Council, will be here no later than Friday. He said he has news for us and wants to deliver it in person. He also said he would be bringing other members of the Council with him." "Shit! I think we've stepped in it." Carr had managed to run this pack for the last 50 years without interference from the Council. In fact, they had never shown any interest at all in the Baxter pack since his grandfather brought them here. And now members of the Council were coming here. The distant ringing of a phone caught Becky's attention. "Excuse me Alpha, that might be the Archivist calling." Carr nodded towards her and she sprinted down the hallway. They could here her faint voice, "Hello? Yes, uh huh. Oh, I see. Yes Sir, I'll tell him. Thank you Sir." Becky walked slowly back into the room and waited for Carr to acknowledge her before she spoke. "The Chief Archivist asked me to tell the Alpha that he would be arriving with several of the Council Friday afternoon." "Great, just great. Lila, get quarters ready for them. I'm just taking a stab at it, but I'm guessing the entire Council will be here, so have rooms ready for nine Council members, an Archivist, and however many staff you think they might have with them. And just to be on the safe side, whenever you think you have enough rooms, add more." Lila nodded quietly. At the last pack gathering she remembered someone complaining about having to cater to the Councils' whims while they were there. They complained about everything and always wanted more. She'd make a quick call to find out all she could about what those whims might be. The Alpha had enough on his mind without worrying about whether his pack was making a good impression. "Brett, any news about those other women on Gary's dating site list?" Carr was almost afraid to hear the answer at this point. "Three of the women have been reported as missing to their local police departments within the last two days. Eight others haven't been seen by their neighbors in the last day or two. We're not sure about most of the others, we're still checking. Steve did find two of them though, They both live in Lakeport. He's on his way back here with them. They were relieved to hear we'd help them. They were scared to death of Gary." "Carr, what do you think about the Wolf Moon? Think there's something significant about it?" Cole had been thinking about that for a while. "What's a Wolf Moon?" Katy was so quiet she almost wasn't heard. "The Wolf Moon is the full moon in January. For 2012 it will be January 8th. Doesn't give us much time. The Native Americans called the full moon the Wolf Moon because they heard wolves howling so much in the winter when they were hunting for food. But the Wolf Moon is also thought of to be special for us. They say if you mate under the Wolf Moon it makes females more fertile and they have more multiple births. In fact, all of the twins and triplets in the pack have been conceived from matings that were completed under the Wolf Moon." Carr's voice dropped off as he thought about what he'd just said. Was that part of Gary's plan? Multiple births? It still didn't make any sense. There had to be more. ------------------------------------- "What do you mean they're gone?" Gary was pissed. He'd collected most of his women but two more were missing. "Where the hell could they go from Lakeport?" He yelled at no one in particular but the Beta who had brought the news was backing away quickly. "I'm sorry Alpha, their neighbors told me that someone in a black SUV had picked them up just hours before I arrived." "Those fucking Baxters!" Gary was so fast the poor Beta couldn't move out of the way in time to avoid his claw as it tore across his face. He screamed and attempted to stop the blood pouring from his mauled face. Lucky for him Were's healed so fast. The wound began to close over and the blood flow slowed, but his eye was gone. He continued to scream. Gary waved a hand and two others removed him from his presence. Another weakling. Not worth his time. He'd noticed he had become more quick to anger. Having Karen around had kept him calm, thinking of her as his mate had given him a center. That center was gone. He needed another. That was the problem. He needed a new mate. He proceeded into the cave that held the women. There must be one here that could take her place. He glanced around the cages, filled with unclothed women, cringing, sobbing, begging to be freed. Except for her, she stood her ground. She smelled of peaches and magnolia. Interesting. He motioned to one of the guards to bring her out. She didn't fight, she walked out like she had a purpose. "Gary, I don't know what's going on here. I demand to be released." She crossed her arms as she said it, trying to retain her dignity, even though she was nude. Gary just laughed. "You are mine, all of you are mine." He looked around at each and every one of them. "I've chosen you to be my mate. You will comply. You really have no choice." He walked up to her and slowly stroked her hair. She tried to pull away, and he grabbed a hunk of hair and pulled her to him, sneering at her. "You are mine bitch. I was too polite with Karen, I won't be to you!" He walked away, yelling over his shoulder "Bring her to my quarters." The male looked sullen as he pulled her to the Alpha's rooms. She was supposed to have been his. He'd lived with her for almost five months. He'd planned their mating, every step of how he would claim her under the Wolf Moon, just as Gary had said. And now he was taking her for himself. It wasn't fair. Well, he outranked some of the other's out there, he'd take one that belonged to one of them then. Wolf's Pet Ch. 14 "Rick, please, let me go. You know I don't belong here. I thought we were friends. Please, Rick please." Jenna looked at his sad face, thinking he was upset she was being mistreated. He growled into her face. "Shut up bitch. The Alpha wants you, the Alpha gets you. Be grateful he's not giving you to Paul. The last one screamed for hours. He finally ripped her throat out." Jenna began crying. She'd tried to be strong but she just couldn't anymore. Tears were streaming down her face when she was placed in the cage inside Gary's room in the largest cave. No one was there. She watched Rick leave. He had been so nice to her. It had all been an act. She put her head in her hands and sobbed. She heard Gary enter the room and looked up as he sprayed her in the face. She fell to the floor in a heap. Damn, that stuff works pretty well Gary thought to himself. He entered the cage and picked up the limp woman, dumping her on his makeshift bed. She regained consciousness quickly but realized she couldn't move. She couldn't talk. But she could feel. And she felt his hands on her. She couldn't even cry. She wanted to fight him, but she was helpless. She was like a rag doll as he flipped her over onto her stomach and pushed her over a clump of pillows. She felt the wolf behind her, his nose pushing into the most intimate parts of her body. No, this couldn't be happening. How could anyone do this? She knew he was behind her, mounting her, pushing his cock inside and fucking her. She tried to escape from her body and thought of the dreams from her childhood, running with the black wolves in the meadow. With every thrust into her body she retreated more, picturing her childhood friends, the wolves she played with in her sleep. When he bit her neck she was beyond any feeling, her mind lost in her dreams. "You're mine Jenna, my mate. And after the Wolf Moon you'll be mine forever. You'll never escape me." He whispered into her ear when he returned to his human form, still tied to her, still holding her limp body. "You won't fight me anymore Jenna. When you turn, you'll be my Alpha Bitch and rule with me. You'll carry my cubs and be my willing little bitch. Won't you Jenna?" He stroked her face, not caring about the tears rolling down her cheeks. He laid there tied to her, thinking about how he would make Karen suffer for rejecting him. Maybe he would keep her in the cage and make her watch him fucking his bitch. Of course he could use the paralyzing spray on her and take her too. Yes, fuck her, then when she can't move, make her watch him fucking every bitch here. She could have been his one and only Alpha Bitch but she wanted that mutt. She would pay. The whole Baxter pack would pay. Wolf's Pet Ch. 15 Friday Time dragged without Lee here. Carr looked around and noticed those whose mates had gone to the mountains looked like he felt, like a piece of themselves was missing. The only thing allowing them to keep their sanity was the faint echo they could feel through their bonds. Carr could tell Lee was busy, trying to keep the females and the cubs busy making their temporary home liveable, but just biding their time until they came home to their loved ones. He felt her longing for him as much as she could feel his for her. "Soon love, as soon as we can bring you back, we will." He hoped she could hear every word. When he felt the warmth in his heart, he knew she did. Carr got the call about the line of black SUV's entering pack lands about 90 minutes before they arrived. The new outer perimeter had done it's job well. The pack was assembled in the courtyard to welcome the Council. Cole and Brett flanked Carr as he walked to the first car to welcome the distinguished looking gentleman who stepped out of the back seat. Alistair Alexander watched the approaching Alpha. He was young, untried. This would either solidify his hold on this pack, or destroy it. Alistair had come to this country from Scotland along with Carr's grandfather. He'd known Carr his entire life and liked the young man. He hoped he was up to the challenge and the tough decisions he would have to make. He stepped out into the sunlight and squinted as Carr reached him, holding out a hand. Alistair smiled as he gripped it. "Hello Carr, sorry I have to see you in such dark circumstances. The Council decided it was best to intervene at this point." His Scottish brogue was still evident, even after over 400 years in America. "Intervene?" Carr's face had darkened. I think he meant interfere. "Before we discuss anything further, would you like to be shown to your quarters?" Carr looked at the long row of cars, each with a Council member, his mate, and entourage and was glad he'd told Lila to be sure to have lots of rooms ready. They still might be short. "No, we would like to see the human females first. Where are they?" He scanned the faces of the assembled pack members and knew they were not among them. He'd heard that at least two were mates to Carr's pack members, so why weren't they here with them? Carr cleared his throat. His anger was boiling up inside and it took all his strength to hold it back. "Right this way Sir." Alistair nodded to Carr and the eight other Council members who followed as a group to the Omega's quarters. Alistair noticed the female Betas at all the doorways and windows at the same time he noted the noxious scent that surrounded the building. "What is that awful odor? " They were all looking around, wrinkling their noses, and making comments about the disgusting smell. "It's the only way to be sure we don't have anymore matings. There are four un-mated females inside and I didn't want anymore surprises for the moment. It masks any scents from the un-mated males. I've gotten to the point where I think these women are meant to be Were mates. I just want it to be at better times, not right now, in the middle of this uncertainty." The Council members seemed to relax when they stepped inside and the smell was almost, but not quite, gone. They followed Carr into the large room where the human females waited, and the odor was thankfully missing. As they entered the room, Lila stood and came forward to greet them. "Alistair, this is Lila, my mate's second, and in her absence, she will be in charge of your accommodations. If you have any needs, please ask her." Alistair nodded to Lila. "Where is your mate Baxter?" The voice from behind Alistair startled them all. Council member Niklas Metzger stepped forward. He was never the most politic of the group, very blunt and to the point. Carr's father had never liked Niklas Metzger, and Carr felt the same. There was something about him that grated on the Alpha's last nerve. "My mate, many of the mated females, the cubs, and our injured have gone to the mountains for safety while we deal with this issue." Carr glared at Metzger, who for a Were, was small at six feet. Carr stood over half a foot taller. He suppressed the urge to send him flying across the room. That could be considered bad manners. Cole could hear the uneasiness in Carr's voice. He knew it was hard for him to talk about Lee being gone. And of all people to mention it. He looked from Carr to the Council member, the tension in the room thick. A kind voice rang out from behind the group. "I would like to meet these lovely women who are gracing us with their presence." Rhys Davis walked through the group to stand near Alistair. He was a giant of a man, but his warmth shown through and cleared the tension in the room. Carr turned his attention to the Chief Archivist. "My apologies Gentlemen. May I introduce our guests." Carr motioned to each woman as he introduced her to the gathered Council. "This is Karen, my brother's mate." Karen stood and nodded to the group, the mating bite visible to all. It did not go unnoticed by any of the Council, and she saw the frowns on a few faces. But most remained impassive, except of course for Rhys who seemed to be beaming. "This is Sarah, mate to one of my Betas, and Melissa, Danielle, Rebecca, and Katy." Each woman looked up at the assembled group as her name was called. "It is very nice to meet you all." Rhys flashed a devastating smile at the women and took each one's hand in turn. "I hope to speak with each of you about your families. Becky has been keeping me apprised of her progress on your ancestry, but I'm hoping to make even more headway while I'm here." When he came to Katy, he held her hand and lingered, looking directly into her eyes. She couldn't look away from him and blushed bright red. "It's very nice to meet you little one." His voice dropped so only she could hear his emphasis on the word "you". Cole and Carr exchanged glances. It couldn't be. Carr looked at the Archivist practically salivating over the petite red head. It was obvious to all in the room that they were mates. "Carr, why don't we discuss the situation in private, shall we? Rhys, please join us." Alistair turned to leave the Omega quarters and the remainder of the Council followed him. Carr and Cole walked with them and showed them the way to the main meeting hall. The Archivist reluctantly followed, his gaze lingering on Katy as he gave her a quick smile. When all were in the room, Cole closed the doors and Brett, James, and Bryant took up positions outside. No one would be allowed to interrupt. Alistair stood and waited for all to take their seats, staring at Carr until he as well was seated. "We have been watching Gary for quite some time. We have an idea about his plans, but maybe you will be able to fill in some of the holes." He looked to Carr who looked ready to explode. "You knew? How long have you known he was in my territory?" Carr looked accusingly at Alistair and at every Council member. How dare they just sit back and watch as this rogue came into his territory and threatened his pack. "Crane had been advising us of his activities. We knew he'd been researching the Slovakian Pack that had been destroyed. We just didn't think he could do anything with the information." Carr was ready to explode. His wolf paced at the front of his mind. These old men sit in their council chambers taking in all this information and don't bother to share it until it may be too late to stop Gary's plans? "Just what information does he have about the Slovakian Pack? What information do you have that we don't know?" Alistair cleared his throat and began his explanation. "The European Council destroyed the Vlkolak in the late 1800's. Or at least that was the intent. A few escaped to America but were thought to have assimilated with the humans so were not going to be a threat. Our Council kept an eye on them for several years but they blended in with the other Hungarian immigrant populations, married humans, and their descendents had forgotten their origins." "Destroyed? They killed them?" Cole spoke in disbelief that his kind could kill their own. Carr made a motion for Cole to stop. As his second, he should not speak to the Council unless addressed. Cole took a step back and struggled to keep his mouth shut. There was so much he wanted to say to them. "Why did they kill them? What does this have to do with Gary? And how could they possibly be a threat?" Carr was torn between anger, rage, and confusion. It seemed the more answers they got, the more questions he had. "It's a long story." Metzger had spoken up and seemed impatient. "Why don't we just do what must be done and move on? We must find all the women and destroy them." He said it so matter of factly that Carr and Cole didn't react, at first. Cole shifted and his wolf was standing, teeth bared, hackles up, ready to fight to the death for his mate. Carr commanded him to stand down, and it took all of his concentration on Cole to keep him from lunging at the annoying little Were and ripping out his beating heart. The three Betas exchanged glances when they heard the snarling and growling going on behind them. They were tempted to open the door and...do what? They had no idea what was happening, and they hadn't been summoned by their Alpha so they were duty bound to stay put. Rhys stepped forward, his face glowering, but not at Cole, at Metzger. "That would be a grave mistake Niklas. One that the Council should not make. These women are special and should be allowed to find their true mates. We should not be guided by silly superstitions of the past. We have so much more knowledge now than the European Council had then. Let us make better decisions than they did." "Rhys, we're not blind, we saw your reaction to the little human. She's your mate. You're speaking with your heart and your wolf, but not your mind. We can't have the destruction that happened the last time. We can't allow it. Our kind would suffer, and even the humans. You know that." The two men stood toe to toe, neither backing down. "Just kill them and be done with it. Baxter you can have your females return and all will be right with the packs again. All of this uproar over some insignificant little humans. Your wolves will find other mates. Rhys, if you could find this second mate after one hundred and twenty years, wait a little longer and you'll find a third." Metzger had a smirking look that left his face when Rhys grabbed him by the lapels and picked him up like he was a cub. "Niklas, if I were to tear out your throat, do you think you could still manage to heal?" Rhys' eyes were swirling pools of blue and amber looking directly into the terrified eyes of the pompous Were. His voice had a growl to it, and it was obvious his wolf was in control. He would not allow anyone to take his little one from him. He used one hand to hold the smaller Council member above his head, his other hand at the ready, a simple motion all it would take to end this simpleton's life. Alistair gently placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and spoke in a low voice. "You're right Rhys, we should think more about what we are doing and what decisions we make. Let go of him, and we'll talk. We should tell Carr all we know and then discuss options. You're right my friend." He watched Metzger's legs kicking three feet above the ground. He was helpless in Rhys' grip. Rhys slowly relaxed, dropped Niklas to the ground, and smiled, his face returning to his earlier happy countenance. "You're right as always Alistair. I rushed to judgement. Excuse my outburst." He nodded to Alistair, Niklas, and the remainder of the Council and returned to his seat. Several of the Council members had to hold back their laughter. No one was a fan of Niklas. And they all had immense respect for Rhys. He had refused to become a member of the Council every time he was asked. He liked being an Archivist. It was his domain. And as the Archivist, he advised the Council. He was the keeper of the past, and they knew when he spoke, it was important to listen. Niklas took a moment to recover from his fright but now took the opportunity to lash out at Rhys. "How dare you threaten to kill a Council Member. A few years ago I could have ordered your death for that!" His face was turning red with rage. He expected some of his fellow Council members to concur but heard...silence. He looked around at the impassive faces surrounding him. "I ask your forgiveness Council Member Metzger." Rhys bowed low, acting contrite. But those around the room knew it was an act. Metzger was using up the last of the good will he would receive from the Archivist. "I allowed my wolf's concern for our new mate to rule my body. It will not happen again." If Metzger overstepped again, he would die. Even as Rhys stood and smiled, all in the room knew it. Alistair stepped forward. "Carr, it would be a good time to show everyone their quarters. I think all would benefit from some rest. When we reconvene we will explain all to you, and we will discuss the available options. And, as Rhys said, we will not jump to any one conclusion. He's right, we don't have to repeat the mistakes of the past. We'll make new ones for the future." Alistair smiled at his last remark knowing how right he probably was with his little joke. The door opened and Brett was relieved to see everyone walking out under their own power. There was no blood or tufts of hair. That was all a good sign. Lila arrived with the Omegas to show the Council members to their rooms. Their companions had already been taken along with the luggage. "We'll be serving dinner in the dining room at seven pm. If you need anything, you each have an Omega assigned to you." Lila smiled and took her leave, having to move on to dinner preparations. She never realized how much work Lee actually did. She hoped she'd be back soon. She wanted to spend time with Nathan. Carr and Alistair walked out of the room, Alistair speaking quietly so only Carr could hear. "I've sent for Torrance, Crane, and a few of the other surrounding pack Alphas who've lost members to Gary. They need to be here as well." Carr nodded agreement and told James to advise Lila of pending new arrivals. He stood watching the Council leaving and heaved a big sigh. He needed Lee here, he needed to touch her, to feel her. He closed his eyes and felt her presence. A smile came across his face, and he was able to open his eyes and continue with his day. He felt someone behind him and whirled around to find the giant Archivist standing quietly. Gone was the earlier rage. He was the quiet and friendly looking man he had met at the start of this wreck of a day. "Yes Sir, can I help you?" Carr really liked Rhys. Even more after he put Metzger in his place. "If you would allow it, I would like to meet with Katy. I would be most happy to have a chaperone if you feel the need." "Of course Sir, she's your mate. I'll have her brought to your room. And I'll leave the need for a chaperone to her." Carr smiled. A true gentleman. If this were Metzger, he wouldn't be asking about a chaperone, he'd be expecting to mate with her right then and there. Hell, he probably wouldn't even take her to a private place, he'd just throw her down in front of a crowd. Rhys paced in his room. After all these years, to find another mate, and for her to be Vlkolak. He laughed to himself. If Metzger had his way, she and the other women would be dead. Well that was not about to happen, not while he was living. Metzger would have to kill him first. The knock on the door startled him, until he caught her scent. He closed his eyes and inhaled, mmmm, mint and cinnamon. He smiled as he opened the door. Katy was there alone. He looked in the hall but saw no one. He took her hand and led her inside. "No fear little one? You don't think you need a chaperone?" He looked down at her, so small, so fragile. She smiled up at him, so trusting. "You're my mate, I don't need to be frightened. You won't hurt me." She moved slowly across the room to the bed and sat down, facing him. "I wondered how long it would take you to find me, I just didn't know it would be twenty nine years." "You knew I would find you? How?" He knelt in front of her, taking her small hands in his larger ones. He hadn't felt this way since Katya so long ago. Were's did believe in reincarnation. Her name was not lost on him. "I dreamt of you, on my eighteenth birthday. Momma said if I dreamt of you claiming me, that you were meant to be my mate and that I should wait, that I should stay away from human males. So I did. I'd hoped you would find me much sooner, but now you're here, and I am yours." She pulled one of her hands from his grip and slowly stroked the side of his face. "And how did your mother know that? Did she dream of her mate?" It was hard to talk with the feel of her soft hand stroking his face. It had been so long since he'd felt a loving touch. After Katya's death he stayed away from the females who wanted his attention. He just didn't feel anything anymore. His wolf wasn't interested in any of them, but he was at attention now. Katy was his! "Oh no, she dreamt of wolves, but never of her mate. She married my father and had me and never met any Were. But her mother did after she'd been married to her husband for over twenty years. One day a man came and she told my mother she was leaving with him. She said she had dreamt of him claiming her on her eighteenth birthday and hadn't understood the dream. She explained it to momma and told her that if she didn't want to hurt anyone the way she was hurting her husband that she would look for the dream. If she had it, she shouldn't marry, she should wait. Momma never dreamt of being taken by her mate. So she knew she could marry. And then she explained it to me." Rhys was amazed by her story. He had never heard of anything like this before. She had dreamt of him, twenty nine years ago. It was incredible, and he believed every word. "So you never married a human." Katy shook her head and blushed a deep crimson. "More than just not married. I was afraid to get close to anyone. I didn't want to hurt someone if they feel in love and I didn't feel free to marry. So I pretty much kept to myself." She leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "You'll be my first and only Rhys." He was stunned. She was a virgin! And she was his. His wolf was spinning in his head. He wanted to claim her now, before someone could try to take her from them. Rhys shook his head to clear it. He had to force himself to stop from taking her now. He took a deep breath and steeled himself. "Are you sure you want this little one? You'll become a Werewolf like I am. Your life will be very different than you've known." "I know, but may I ask a question?" She looked so innocent to him. And so tiny in comparison to his almost seven foot frame. He nodded to her. "How long do Were's live? I know you're much older than I am. How long will we have together?" She seemed more concerned than anything. "I'm five hundred sixty three years old. I'm the oldest Were in North America that I'm aware of. To tell the truth, I don't know how long we can potentially live. In ancient times a Were of three hundred was considered old, but that was more because of death in battle than how long the life span actually was. So really, I don't know how long we'll have. I just know that we will be happy." She smiled and leaned forward to hug him around the neck. "I know we'll be happy. My dreams can't be wrong. I dreamt of cubs too." "Cubs?" Rhys pulled himself away from her and held her at arms length. "Cubs?" He'd never thought he'd have more children. He had lost the one child he'd had with Katya. She'd been killed by a group of wolf hunters when she was on her first hunt. She'd been separated from the group and wandered into cattle country. She never would have taken down any cattle, but the ranchers protecting their herds didn't know. The thought of youngsters running underfoot again put a silly grin on his face. He pulled her back into his arms and held her tight. Wolf's Pet Ch. 15 "At the Wolf Moon, we will mate little one. And we will have the rest of our lives together." Rhys had come here to find answers and found his mate instead. Answers would have to wait a little longer. He stroked her beautiful red hair and savored the feel of her small body tucked into his arms. He knew a few things already though. Niklas Metzger would not live much longer, and neither would Gary. Wolf's Pet Ch. 16 Karen couldn't believe all the changes in her life in such a short time. Less than three weeks ago she was day dreaming about a man she walked past on the street. Now she couldn't wait to be his mate and become a wolf. She watched her chocolate colored wolf running through the trees in his pursuit of a deer. She wondered if she'd be able to do it, chase after an animal and kill it. He had assured her that her wolf would take care of it for her. It would be a natural instinct. She still worried. From her perch in the limbs of an oak tree she could see him attack the animal and bring it down easily. She didn't realize until she caught herself about to fall that she was leaning forward in anticipation of his strike. When he looked up at her with his face bloody from his kill she licked her lips. She wanted to share it with him. Karen shook her head. What in hell was she thinking? She expertly climbed down from the tree and sprinted to where Cole was feasting on his prize. She stopped just feet away and dropped to the ground and waited. What was she waiting for? She had no freaking idea. Cole looked up and saw his mate. He picked up the carcass and dragged it to her and set it at her feet. She smiled at him and slid her hands along his soft fur. Her mate would be able to provide for her and what cubs they'd have in the future. She was proud of him. She noticed the saliva dripping from her mouth as she watched him eat his fill. Maybe she would be OK with this whole hunting thing. Cole finished eating and walked towards the nearby stream. He stopped midway and looked behind him. Karen got up and followed close behind. Cole jumped into the water and splashed around to clean off the deer blood. A minute later he shifted into his human form and finished cleaning himself. He stood waist deep in the water as Karen watched him. God he was gorgeous. Karen was still in awe of how amazingly handsome he was. His brown hair was wet and hung over his eyes. He used a hand to push it back but it kept falling down. She laughed as she watched. He looked up, grinned, and quickly grabbed her arm, pulling her into the water, clothes and all. "Hey! That isn't fair, now my clothes are soaked." Karen gave a fake pout and tried not to laugh. "So take them off and let them dry in the sun and you can help me fix my hair." Cole had an ulterior motive of course. Every chance he could get to look at her body he took. "Fine then." She pulled her shirt over her head and threw it to onto the grass. Her wet bra was see through and she heard his intake of breath as he looked at her. She smiled to herself as she took her shoes and jeans off next and threw them to join the shirt. Her wet panties clung to her body and he couldn't help but stare. He walked towards her slowly, his eyes traveling up and down her body. He reached out and pulled her to him, stroking down her back as she snuggled into his chest. His fingers deftly unclasped her bra and pulled it over her arms, swung it over his head like a lasso and tossed it off towards dry ground. She giggled when his fingers trailed down her arms. He could feel the goose bumps on her skin. His hands skated down her sides and slid into her panties, pushing them over her hips and waiting for her to step out of them. They soon were flying through the air and hit the ground with a splat. Cole suddenly realized this was the first time Karen had been with him when he hunted. He hoped he didn't scare her. Hunting brought out the beast more than usual for him, as it did for most Werewolves. He pulled her to him roughly and kissed her hard. He couldn't hold back and hoped she would forgive him. But she didn't recoil from him, in fact she pressed her body closer and rubbed herself against his hard body. She wanted him so badly. She wanted to be his forever. She didn't want to wait for the full moon. She kissed his chest and licked his nipples, nipping at them one at a time. He laughed and picked her up, holding her tight as he walked them both to dry land. He found a nice full patch of grass and gently laid her down, covering her with his body, feeling every inch of her as he kissed her deeply, sucking on her tongue. He moaned into her mouth wanting to take her fast and hard. She was meant for him and he for her. He rolled over onto his back, taking her with him so that now she was astride him, looking down at his happy face. He reached up and grasped her breasts, softly at first, but then more firmly. Her head fell back and she moaned loudly, pushing her breasts into his hands, begging him to be rougher with her. He held them tighter, pinching a nipple as he pulled himself up to take the other in his mouth and sucked it hard, licking and biting. She moaned and lifted up enough to feel his cock at her slick entrance. She sat down on his hard member, feeling it seat itself deep inside her. She began to rock back and forth and listened to his groans as he marveled at the wonderful feeling of being deep inside her. He thrust up into her hard and almost threw her off until she realized how to stay in synch with his movements. He wrapped his arms around her hips and pulled her down this time as he forced himself inside her. She moaned and he smiled when he heard her growl. Her wolf was close, making herself known. He couldn't wait to meet her. He was bucking up into her and she forced herself down onto him, grinding her pelvis into his, feeling herself so close to cumming. She could feel it, and there was something else deep inside her that she felt. She needed to do something. What was it? She wasn't sure. He had grabbed her tits and was squeezing hard. She loved it, she needed it! She needed to fuck her mate, she needed to be his forever. Instinct was working when she leaned into his neck and took in a deep breath. His scent washed over her brain, and she sighed in contentment. Yes, this was where she belonged. He was hers and she would make sure everyone knew. She licked his neck, and he growled again underneath her. Without warning she sank her teeth into his neck, drawing blood, and reveling in the howl that came out of his mouth. He growled loudly and pulled her off his rock hard cock and flipped her over onto her hands and knees. Blood dripped from the wound on his neck. Cole quickly shifted back into his wolf and slid his tongue into her hot pussy. She was so wet already from their fucking, and the wolf lapped up her juices. Her scent was driving him crazy, his cock was dripping pre-cum, and he needed to sink himself into her. Her breathing was ragged as she felt him behind her. His tongue brought her to the edge but she couldn't cum. She was waiting. The voice inside her head said she had to wait. The time was close. She felt him mount her, his paws pulling her hips close to him, his cock probing until he found his mark and thrust in quickly. Once he had seated his cock inside her, he started pounding into her. She pushed back at him, wanting him deeper, wanting him to fuck her harder. The animal sounds coming from her would surprise her if she could hear them, but she was beyond hearing anything but her heart pounding, her blood rushing in her veins, and the slapping of his body into her ass. The big wolf leaned forward and bared his teeth, biting down hard as his seed flooded his mate's womb, his knot tightly held by her spasming pussy as she came harder than at any time in her life. Her head was spinning and she felt like she had two distinct voices in her head as she screamed her pleasure. Her body jerked and spasmed from head to toe and she marveled at the feel of him inside her. Her pussy milked his cock for every last drop of his cum. They laid on their sides, waiting for his knot to recede. He gently licked at her new bite and smiled to himself. She was indeed meant for him. It suddenly dawned on him. She bit him. They had completed the mating. What was Carr going to say when he found out? "What do we care what Carr thinks? It's our business, not his." Karen suddenly realized he hadn't said a word. She had heard him talking in her head. "It's the mating bond pet. Now it's just a matter of time. You'll become a wolf soon, exactly when I don't know, but soon." He held her tight to his body and nuzzled the back of her neck. He could hear the confusion in her mind. He tried to reassure her as best he could. He stroked her hair and felt her relax. They would be together forever, Gary or no Gary. They both smiled. --------------------------------------------- They had to wait until Sunday for all the pack Alphas to arrive at the compound. Carr tried to stay as far away from Metzger as possible. He kept busy with Cole and Brett, hoping to find out some new intel on Gary and Paul. But there hadn't been a sighting since Sarah's home had been destroyed. The updates about more of the women on Gary's list being reported as missing was upsetting as well. Carr had hoped to find more of them, but Melissa and Danielle were the only ones they'd been able to locate. Rhys spent hours with the women going through family trees and trying to match each to one of the Vlkolak immigrants. Katy's had been the first family he'd identified. Of course that was made much simpler by the fact that Katy knew more about her family's history. Every moment not spent on research and the women's genealogy was spent at Katy's side. He wanted to learn everything about her that he could before they mated. She had wanted to move into his room with him, but he wouldn't be able to control his wolf, not after so long without a mate. She was disappointed, but after waiting twenty nine years, she could wait a few weeks. One by one the pack Alphas arrived. None of them were happy to be here and made that fact well known. Once all had been seen to their rooms and were settled in Carr breathed a sigh of relief. But it was short lived since the meeting was to start soon. Alistair walked to the front of the room and looked out at the assembled Alphas and their seconds, Council members, and the Chief Archivist. The head of the Council looked almost regal as he waited for them to take their places. He was almost as tall as Rhys, and just as broad. His white hair was an oddity. No one had ever heard of a Were being born with white hair in a millennium. His bright blue eyes could look right through someone and see what they tried to hide. He frightened many at first glance. And to his enemies, he was more than frightening. But right now, he was a calming influence in this troubled time for the packs. When all were settled Alistair began. "It's time we explain what has already transpired before we make decisions about how to proceed." He saw some nods but most sat stoically. "Xylon, please." Alistair gestured to the Council member who stood and walked to the front of the room. Xylon Lukos had been a member of the council for almost fifty years. He had been born in Greece and came to North America in the 1850's and settled in New Orleans. His love of genetics had begun when he read a new paper published by Gregor Mendel in the 1860's and was fascinated by his work with Pea plants. From that point on, he immersed himself in science pursuits. Starting the DNA company had been a dream come true for him. He looked at it as a way to help his people. "I first met Gary when he came to me right after I began the DNA company. He told me he was bored with pack life and wanted a chance to strike out on his own. He'd already earned advanced degrees in Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Genetics and really did wonderful work for several years. He was instrumental in mapping the Were Genome, finding the minute differences between species. When we found a frozen Dire Wolf in a melting glacier he was the one who took on the project of finding the differences between it and modern day Canis lupus and the various Were species." Xylon saw the surprised looks at mention of a Dire Wolf. "One day he came to me with an amazing discovery. He said that Werewolves could possibly carry a dormant Dire Wolf gene that, if turned on, could make our present day species bigger, stronger, more able to survive with humans in a changing world. I let him continue his research, thinking he was looking to the future of our kind. I was wrong. I should have stopped it immediately." He heard the muttering of agreement from the group. "He began by testing every Were sample we had to see if they carried the gene. He found that he and many from his pack carried it. As we pushed for DNA testing of every Were possible, he tested each for the gene he'd identified. There were some packs that had many members who carried the gene and some had no members at all. Carr, your pack does not carry the gene, but the Torrance, MacDonald, Wilson, and Campbell packs do, as well as the Crane pack of course." Gene Campbell stood, glaring at Xylon, "Are you saying our packs are full of these...abominations?" Xylon slowly shook his head. "No, no, that's not what I'm saying Gene. I'm saying that many members of the packs happen to carry this gene. But it's what Gary did next that is the abomination. Without my knowledge or consent he began looking for a way to turn on the gene, in other words, make it work. He experimented for several years before he found the correct combination of amino acids necessary. He was the first successful test subject, Paul the next. I had noticed that Gary looked just a little different, maybe a little more muscular, and he was definitely acting more aggressive and territorial. I thought that maybe he had found his mate." "This is your fault Lukos, this is all your fault." Douglas Crane leapt to his feet and shook his fist in anger at Xylon. "Douglas, this is no one's fault but Gary's. No one is blaming Xylon or you. Now please, sit down. There is still much to hear. I'm sure the discussions about all of this will allow you to say all that you wish. But I'll have no pointing of fingers. Is that clear?" Alistair scanned the room for dissent as the Crane Alpha slowly sat. Seeing none he nodded at Xylon to continue. "I found out later that Gary was sending out letters to all the un-mated males who carried the gene trying to get them to meet with him. He told them he had an idea about a new pack. He said he could guarantee them that he could find them a suitable mate and not to discuss this with anyone. He said that genetically they were superior to other Were, and they would breed with females who would make their pack even stronger." "Superior? How dare he insinuate that he is better than we are." Owen MacDonald was red faced as he blurted out his comment. Gary was just an ungrateful cub who didn't get his way and wanted to get back at his uncle. Owen glared at Douglas Crane. "Don't look at me MacDonald. This isn't my doing." The two Alphas looked like they were ready to come to blows when Alistair calmly stepped between them. "Gentleman, please, our anger should be focused on Gary and his followers, not each other. No one could have foreseen what Gary was planning. We won't do ourselves any good by arguing amongst ourselves. Shall we continue?" Again the head of the Council had proven why he had been the correct choice to lead his people. Xylon looked at the faces in the room, some enraged, some amused, some just shocked, and continued. "Gary has amassed a group of about fifty males that have this gene. As to whether or not he's been able to change any more of them, I don't know. The two males that are with the Baxter pack now have the gene but it is still dormant. They don't recall being given any injections or anything else from Gary, so I just don't know if he made any failed attempts, or just hadn't begun. It's pretty obvious that Kyle from the Wilson pack, who is being held prisoner here, has been genetically altered. He's much larger and aggressive than when I knew him two years ago." Morgan Wilson had been sitting quietly, but when he heard that he couldn't hold back what he was thinking. "Do you think we should kill all of those with this gene?" He looked around at the other Alphas and the Council members. He saw the smirk on Niklas' face. The other Alphas weren't sure if they were in agreement or not, but it had to be considered. "Are you crazy? Didn't you hear what Xylon said? There are many in your packs with this gene. These are your family and friends. It could decimate your packs!" Carr couldn't believe they could even consider killing their own. He could never do something like that. "You shouldn't have any say in this Baxter, you don't have the gene in your pack, except for those two from Torrance, and until they are formally accepted into your pack, they are still Torrance's responsibility, not yours." Niklas almost spat the words out at Carr. Cole couldn't help but think that Niklas wanted someone to die, first the women, now the males. As far as Cole was concerned, other than Gary and Paul, the only one he wanted dead was Niklas. "That's right Baxter, this won't affect you at all. But if we have to make hard decisions, they are ours to make, not yours." Crane glowered at Carr. Xylon couldn't believe that the Alphas would even think to talk like this. "I think before you made any sweeping decision, you might like to know that about fifty percent of your pack carries the gene Crane. Torrance, about thirty percent of your pack, and just about the same for the rest of you. Crane, do you want me to tell you who in your pack is a carrier?" He stared directly into the Alpha's eyes who in turn refused to look away. "All right then, you are a carrier, so is your mate, and all of your cubs. So think about that before you make any rash decisions." Crane plopped back into his seat, shocked. He never thought that he could possibly carry the gene. His whole family carried it. He couldn't wipe out his entire line. His face showed no emotion as he looked at the Council members and his fellow Alphas. "I will do whatever the Council and Alphas decide." He dropped his head in despair. This might be the end. ------------------------------ Jenna slept whenever she could. The paralyzing spray that Gary kept using wore off faster when she let herself sleep. Her body was so sore it was hard to sleep but she forced herself. And besides that, it was her only escape. Being awake was torture. Gary liked to fuck her hard and then have his pack come one by one to smell her and acknowledge her as his mate. The thought of it sickened her. But at least in her debilitated state she wasn't returning the mating bite he had explained to her. She wanted to dream. She wanted to play with the black wolves. She loved when she was a wolf in her dreams. She and her friends would run in the fields for what seemed like hours and hours. As she drifted off to sleep in her cage in the cold cave, her wolf was free. Jenna thought the dreams were just that, but her wolf knew the truth. Of course Jenna didn't even know her wolf even existed. She thought she was just part of the dream. The wind felt good in her fur as she ran up the hill. And then she saw him, her real mate, the one she had dreamt of for over thirty years. He stood out among the black wolves. She knew he was different, he was special. She had faith that he would find them and free them from Gary. ------------------------------ "Excuse me, I need to take a break. I'll be back shortly." Alistair abruptly walked out the door leaving a room of dumbfounded Werewolves watching his back. Where the hell did he go? The Alphas were impatient to know everything the Council had been hiding. Now they knew about Gary. What else was there? Could they handle more? And what about these women? What secrets did they hold? "Maybe we should continue without him. If he's too tired to stay, maybe it's time for him to step down as head of the Council." Metzger sneered as he looked around at the other Council members. Wolf's Pet Ch. 16 Rhys's voice carried across the room, "Don't overstep your bounds Niklas. He'll be back when he's ready. Why don't we all take a break." Rhys hoped he could find Katy and lose himself for as long as possible in her presence. He felt the need to cleanse himself after some of the things he'd heard today. Metzger was grinding his teeth as he left the room. He spotted the red headed Beta watching him. She seemed to be just what he needed. He approached the female who obviously was trying to be noticed. "Tell me my dear, would you happen to know where I could get a bite to eat?" "Mmmm, a bite is all you need? I can help you with that." Cheryl was practically leaning into him as she gave him a breathy answer. Cole may not want her but she'd seen the Council member eying her. He wanted her, and she would be happy to submit to him. He had power. Maybe she could use it to her advantage, use him to her advantage. She'd heard he wanted the human females dead. Maybe she could help him with that. She took his hand and led him to her quarters. He would get his bite, and more. ------------------------ Alistair made it back to his room and slammed the door behind him. Something was wrong, he could feel it. But he couldn't quite pin it down. Someone needed him. He felt cold and so tired. He made his way to the bed and laid down. Maybe he just needed some rest. This meeting had been more draining than he had been expecting. He closed his eyes and fell asleep almost immediately. The large white wolf stood overlooking the meadow, watching the group of black wolves running and playing down below. He saw her, and she took his breath away. She was graceful and amazingly beautiful. He couldn't take his eyes off her, but something was wrong. Someone else was watching her, a huge brown wolf with blue eyes. They growled when they saw each other. This would be a fight to the death. ----------------------- Wolf's Pet Ch. 17 Thank you all again for the wonderful comments. I know that some are disappointed at the pace, some with the length of the chapters, but I have to do what works best for me. The full moon is on January 8th, but because I've not been writing as much as I should, I'm a bit behind, so their January 8th will not coincide with ours. Sorry for those who thought they only had a couple of days to wait for the conclusion. I hope you continue to comment and vote! =========================== When Alistair hadn't returned to the meeting hall, they had adjourned for the evening and Rhys had gone straight to Katy and accompanied her to dinner. She didn't need to be sequestered from the males any longer since she had found her mate. She was free to walk around the compound like Karen and Sarah. He had found her waiting for him in his room. She had been pouring over a book about Were history. She wanted to learn all she could so she could assist him in his duties. She looked up and smiled as he walked in the door. Just being in her presence calmed him. He had forgotten the simple joys of having a mate. "I hope you like to travel." "I've never traveled before, but I'm sure I'll love it as long as I'm with you." Her green eyes sparkled as she looked up at him and her face seemed to light up. She stood up and hugged him around the waist. The top of her head didn't even reach to his shoulder. She sighed and hummed as she squeezed him tight and felt him stroking her long red hair. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. His hands traveled down her back and around her waist. How did he live for the last one hundred twenty years without her? He couldn't go on without her now. He would protect her with his life, even from his fellow Council members if necessary. She looked up at him lovingly and grinned. "I can't wait until we can mate." She hugged him even tighter and felt his arms tighten around her until she could barely breath. She knew she was safe in his arms. --------------------- "What the hell were you thinking?" Carr was pacing in his office, his face in a scowl as he looked at his brother and his new mate. Mate, now they had fully mated. He'd promised to wait. He should have had more control. "Carr, it happened. I'm not sorry about it either. Karen's wolf acted and it was done before we could think about it. We can't take it back, and frankly, I wouldn't for a million dollars." His gaze fell on Karen, and he got a silly grin on his face. She smiled back and reached out to hold his hand. Now he knew what the mate bond felt like, and he'd never want to be without it. She was a part of him. "It was my fault. I just couldn't help myself. I'm sorry Carr." Karen was sorry, only because she knew Carr wanted them to wait. She was happier than she'd ever been in her life. Carr stared at the two of them for a moment. He remembered a movie he saw thirty years ago. He felt like Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof. He sighed, "OK, it's done, we can't take it back. Karen, welcome to the family. I know if Lee was here she would be ecstatic to have a new sister." He smiled and shook Cole's hand. It wasn't really going to change anything anyway. Whether or not they mated he was duty bound to protect these women, whether it was from Gary or the Council. "But please, try to keep it quiet. The longer we can keep the Council and the other Alphas from finding out the better." ---------------------------- She was grateful Were's healed fast or she'd have to explain the bruises all over her body. She watched the biggest one fade from her wrist. A smile came to her face as she thought about how she'd gotten them. She had to admit, she liked how rough Niklas was with her. None of the males in the Baxter pack were like that. Of course, they weren't powerful Council members like Niklas was. Cheryl thought she had pleased him. He had taken her three times throughout the night. Maybe he would take her as his mate, he didn't have one and a Were of his stature really should have one. She watched him moving around the room getting dressed. He was about the size of the Omegas, and he didn't fill her the way Cole and the other Betas did, but that's OK. The red head had been a nice distraction. He always hated to see the bruises fade. He wished they'd be there for all to see. He knew how to use a female the way they were meant to be used. He had fucked her hard three times during the night. He was sure she thought it was because he was attracted to her. He laughed to himself. She was the type that would want to think she could be his mate. She didn't know that it wasn't a woman that made him want to fuck, it was his anger. When he felt that way, he had to take it out on something, and a female was a good focus for his rage. He would only mate if he found his true mate. He knew several Were who took mates because they were tired of waiting. That would not be him. "Thank you for you time, it was enjoyable my dear. I'm sure you have pleased many males here." He strode to the door and walked out. Cheryl sat there in complete disbelief. No one walked out on her like that. She jumped up and ran to the door. "So you don't want the women dead?" Niklas stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her. He quickly came back inside the room and shut the door. "And what do you know of what I want?" His dark eyes bored into hers. His hand shot out to grab her arm and held her tightly. "I heard someone saying you had suggested killing the human females. I think you're right, and I would be honored to help you in any way I could. She winced in pain as he continued to squeeze her arm. She knew there would be a big bruise there within a few more seconds. "And how could you possibly assist me? Hmm?" His eyes looked cruel as he glared at her. Niklas suddenly smiled and let go of her arm. He pulled her to him and kissed her hard. She responded and started stroking his growing cock through his pants. She was such a stupid female. He could use her to satisfy his needs while he was stuck here, and at the same time, use her to his advantage to get what he wanted. She would be dumb enough to do whatever he asked, especially if she thought she could become his mate. Cheryl was panting when he broke the kiss and looked at her. She fumbled with his pants and pulled them down, dropped to her knees, and sucked his hard cock. His hands pulled her hair as she moved up and down on him. She knew she had pleased him and he did want her. She felt him ripping her blouse off her and she smiled as she removed the rest of her clothes. He pulled her by her hair onto her hands and knees and stepped behind her. His wolf mounted fast and pushed his cock into her in one motion. She gasped in surprise when she felt the fur behind her. He was going to mate with her. She had him where she wanted him. She felt his cock slide into her. He wasn't as big as the Betas, but that was OK. She was sure she'd be able to find playmates to satisfy her while he was away on Council business. She put on a good show of moans and begging him to fuck her harder. She congratulated herself on what a good actress she was. She was already planning her orgasm for when he bit her neck. She flipped her hair to bare her neck as he pistoned in and out of her pussy. His wolf took his pleasure from the dumb little bitch. He saw her bare her neck to him and if a wolf could laugh, he would have. He would never take a female like her as his mate. He was destined for better than her. But she was fine for fucking. He leaned forward just to tease her into thinking he was going to bite her. He could tell by her intake of breath that she was waiting for his bite as she felt his breath in her ear. He shoved his cock in deep and pumped his cum into her but pulled out without seating his knot. His cum dribbled out of her pussy as he shifted. He got up and began to dress. "Be available later tonight. If you aren't here when I return, I'll find another." He walked out without looking back. Cheryl sat back on her bed with a pout. She'd have to stay close to the meeting room so she'd know when they finished for the night. She didn't want to miss out on her chance at getting back at Karen and getting away from this pack. ----------------------------- Alistair didn't move when he heard the knock on the door. "Come in Rhys." He was laying on the bed, one arm flung over his eyes. The lights were turned off and the blinds pulled on the windows. A Were didn't need much light anyway, but it was almost as dark as night in the room and it was eight a.m. He let out a long, tired sigh. Rhys walked in and sat on the chair next to the bed. He'd never seen his friend like this in the many years they'd known each other. "What's wrong my friend? Did something happen that I don't know about?" "I've been dreaming Rhys. I don't know what to make of it. But I think it's important." He lowered his arm and turned his head to look at his friend. He needed his help. "Dreaming of what? Or maybe I should say, of whom?" He saw the reaction at his change of sentence. "Ah ha! So it is a who. What was the dream Alistair? Maybe we can figure it out together." Alistair seemed uncomfortable as he sat up. He looked at Rhys and shook his head. "You won't believe me." "Try me. There are a lot of things lately I thought I would never believe. I'm very open to surprises Alistair. What did you dream?" "I was in my wolf form, standing on a hill overlooking a meadow. There was a group of black wolves playing. I caught the scent of peaches and magnolia and saw the most beautiful, sleek, black female running and rolling on the ground. I couldn't look away from her. But I felt anger directed at me and looked across to the hill on the other side of the meadow and saw the biggest wolf I've ever seen, much bigger than even you my friend. He was brown, and I didn't recognize him, or the female for that matter. But I had this overwhelming feeling that I needed to save her from him." He waited for Rhys to tell him it was just a dream and forget about it. "Well the female must be your mate. Somehow you have a connection with her. And I don't doubt she is one of the Vlkolak women. They seem to have a strong connection with dreams. Carr's brother told me he had dreams when his mate was injured, and he saw his her as a wolf. That doesn't normally happen before mating. But these women are different. I also suspect the brown wolf was Gary. It's obvious Alistair. You need to save her." Rhys looked at Alistair and nodded, "And I will help you, the packs will help you." "Rhys, I can't even get out of bed. I can't keep my eyes open. I sleep and dream for an hour, then wake up and can't move. It's like I'm paralyzed. I can't function like this. And how can I save someone that I don't know how to find?" "Then you need to control the dreams. Be proactive in them. You know she is projecting her feelings and fears. She's afraid. Talk to her when you dream. Ask her questions. Maybe you'll find some clues we can use to find her. Whenever you wake up write down what you remember, and we'll talk about it later. Why don't I send the doctor over to check on you, and we'll continue the meeting without you. I'll return after we're done and let you know what was said, and you let me know what you saw in your dreams." Rhys patted Alistair on the shoulder. He needed to rest. It was obvious whatever sleep he was getting was not restful. Were's didn't need much sleep, but Alistair looked like he hadn't slept in a week. "You don't think Niklas will try to take over the Council in my absence do you?" Rhys let out a roar of a laugh. "Believe me, none of the Council would back him. Don't worry, he'll stay in his place or suffer the consequences. I'll be back when we take a break and the doctor will be here soon." Rhys smiled and closed the door quietly behind him. Well this was a new twist in things wasn't it. He'd have to think about this some more. --------------------------- "That thing is gigantic. I can't believe that someone said he used to be almost half that size. What could Gary possibly have done to him that could turn on a gene and change his wolf to this?" Cole was watching the prisoner and talking to James. When not sedated he continually slammed himself into the walls of the holding cell. Carr walked into the room with Morgan Wilson. Morgan saw Kyle in the straightjacket and cringed. "Does he have to stay in that?" He sounded sad. "I'm sorry Morgan, it's for everyone's safety. Have you seen what these changed wolves can do? They're bigger, faster, and stronger than any Were I've ever seen. We just can't take the chance. Paul was able to kill two of my pack in seconds. It's just too big a risk." Carr felt sorry for Morgan. He was a good Alpha, and had been a good friend for years. He hated to see him like this. Normally Morgan would be laughing and joking, but this had been hard for him to comprehend. "Kyle please, your mother has been asking about you. Do you have a message I can give her?" The wolf looked at his former Alpha and slammed himself into the wall. Why should he talk to this inferior Were? He wasn't worth his time. Morgan shook his head and walked out the door with Carr at his side. Once in the hallway, Morgan stopped, straightened his shoulders, lifted his head, and strode out the door like a true Alpha. He had work to do, he had to shake this off. His son was lost to them. He had to make sure this didn't happen to anyone else. He would explain to his mate, and she would have to learn to live with it as he would. ------------------------- At nine a.m. the meeting room was filled with the voices of the Alphas and Council members. "Where is he then? If he isn't going to lead this Council then maybe we should elect another to take his place." Niklas' voice rang out through the din. Some of those nearby rolled their eyes. He'd never give up. Rhys swept into the room and all present fell silent. The doors were closed by Carr's Betas who stood guard outside. "Please take your seats. Alistair is ill and won't be attending. I'm sure he'll be better soon, but for today, we'll have to go on without him." He glanced around and met the eyes of everyone in the room, everyone except Niklas that is. "I think we need to have a history lesson today. Before we can put all of the information together, we need to know the history of the Vlkolak." He scanned the room for dissenters but saw heads nodding in agreement. He smiled. They understood the importance, good. "The Vlkolak were like any Were species until about eight hundred years ago. About that time, the Alpha took a mate but she was not a wolf, she was a panther. They had ten cubs, all wolves, there was no thought that anything was out of the ordinary. Their cubs all had cubs of their own. It wasn't until the fifth generation that something happened. One of the females mated with a male from another pack under the Wolf Moon. She had twins that grew up seemingly normal, but when they reached adulthood, there was something wrong. They were decidedly evil and became killers." "Are you saying all these women's cubs will be like those killers?" "No Morgan, let me finish and then you'll understand." Rhys watched him nod and waited until he had returned to his seat. "The two were destroyed and the pack returned to their every day activity until one hundred years later. Another female descendent of the Alpha and his panther mated to a male from another pack. Again, under the Wolf Moon, and there was a repeat of the earlier situation. She had triplets, and they all became killers. They killed dozens of their pack and hundreds of humans from the surrounding villages. The local villagers hunted any wolf they could find. The surrounding packs were losing members to these villagers who thought every wolf they found was a killer." Rhys stopped for a moment to let them digest the story so far. It was so far afield from the lives they had all known. "The three were executed by their pack who returned to their lives. But the European Council had difficult decisions to make. They met to discuss the future of the Vlkolak. If this happened again, it could be even worse. At the time there was no way for them to predict which matings would result in these abominations. They felt they had no choice really. In 1860 they attempted to destroy the entire pack. They succeeded except for six mated pairs and seven individual females who had left the pack before the order was made." "How could you possibly know all of this Davis. Even you haven't been alive eight hundred years." Gene Campbell was irritated. The Archivist had a way of acting like he knew everything. He agreed with Metzger. The Archivist had way too much power. Maybe he needed to be brought down a peg or two. "The Council of the day wrote down everything of their deliberations. They knew it would be important for future generations to understand. Also, I have their correspondence with the American Council. When they realized the missing pack members had come here they contacted our Council and asked them to track them down and kill them. Our Council refused. They felt it was not their place to be executioners based on the word of others. But they did agree to find them and keep an eye on them, which they did for one hundred years. Fifty years ago they reassessed the situation and decided it was no longer necessary to watch them. They had bred for several generations with humans and their children did not appear to have any Were traits so it was felt there was nothing to fear from them anymore." "Well they were wrong weren't they?" Owen MacDonald wasn't sure if he should be angry or distraught by what he was hearing. "I suppose that is a possibility isn't it? But it doesn't really matter. What matters is that the women are here now, and we need to make decisions about what to do about them, don't we?" Rhys waited for MacDonald to agree and then returned to his explanations. "As I said, they didn't appear to have Were traits, but the Council was unaware of these other traits, the dreams. They seem to have some sort of power of prophesy or something akin to that. They don't see actual scenes from the future, but just what could be. I don't understand it, and I don't think the women do either. As to whether or not this was something inherited from the Panther, some rare combination of genes from the Wolf and Panther lines, I don't know. I don't think we'll ever know. It's never been documented in the past." "Well if they can see what could happen in the future, why didn't they see the danger from Gary?" Crane couldn't believe any of this rubbish. Prophesy, please. "Douglas they don't seem to dream of anyone in particular except for their mates, although I have just been informed of one woman who has dreamt of a wolf who was causing her great fear. But we think her wolf is calling to her mate. We may never know." "We could save ourselves so much time by just doing what I heard Council member Metzger suggested days ago. Kill the women and then Gary and his followers won't have the mates they want and the danger will be over, right?" Campbell looked ready for a fight when he finished speaking his mind. He glared at Carr who was stunned that his fellow Alpha would suggest such a thing. "How do we know there aren't more women? Gary found what, thirty some odd women? How many more could there be? He was looking in a fairly small area. What do you want us to do Crane, search for every descendent of the Panther-Wolf mating and just kill them?" Carr was livid at the stupidity of some of those gathered here. Everyone began talking at once, some of the Alphas agreeing with Campbell that the women needed to die. Niklas smiled when he realized he had gained ground. His was not the only voice of reason. Wolf's Pet Ch. 17 Rhys sighed as he listened to the raised voices arguing about what should happen to the women. There was still so much more to hear, but they were beyond hearing for now. They wanted to do their own talking. Rhys nodded to Xylon and the other members of the Council and they silently walked out of the room, leaving the Alphas bickering and Niklas gloating. They would have to continue this later when they were ready to listen. ----------------------- "I'm sorry Sir, I wish I could say that you have a virus and you'll be fine in the morning. But I'm at a loss as to what's happening to you. Your blood pressure is elevated, as well as your temperature and heart rate. But I can't find a cause. My best advice is to get as much rest as possible. I can leave you with some medication to help you sleep if you like." Jeff was worried. The highest ranking Were in the North American continent was his patient, and he couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. Alistair shook his head. He didn't want to take anything that might suppress the dreams. He needed to dream now. "Thank you doctor, I'll try without the medication for now. Thank you for coming to see me so quickly. I'll call you if I need anything." He saw Jeff to the door and when he'd left, returned to the bed and laid down. He was just so tired. He wanted to sleep for a month, but knew it wasn't going to happen. But eventually, he nodded off. Alistair slept fitfully, a frown on his face as he dreamed. He saw the female, and he tried to approach her, but she was wary of him. Her scent was overpowering, and he wanted to claim her so Gary wouldn't touch her. But as he got closer, he could smell Gary's scent all over her. How could that be? She was his mate wasn't she? He tried to project his thoughts to her, hoping she would hear him and speak with him. She watched the white wolf coming closer but she was frightened. She ran at first, but she had a feeling he was here to help her. She stopped and eyed him closely, waiting for any sign of hostility. There was none, so she allowed him to close the distance. She somehow felt safe with this stranger, but he wasn't really a stranger was he? She had seen him in the past. Hadn't she? She cocked her head and watched him walking slowly towards her. When he had reached her, he stretched his head forward, allowing her room to flee if she wanted. But she stood her ground and stretched forward herself until they were nose to nose. She sniffed him. He smelled good to her. She flicked out her tongue and swiped it across his nose. He licked her nose in return. They made a beautiful pair, his bright white coat and shining blue eyes against her jet black fur and dark brown eyes. The brown wolf was enraged as he watched from his perch high above the meadow. How dare that mutt come near his mate! Jenna felt the rage and looked up at the brown wolf on the ridge. She looked at her beautiful white wolf with fear in her eyes. Alistair felt the words instead of hearing them. "You must find me in the caves, please, before it's too late." The black wolf ran away from him and Alistair was startled awake. He shouted as he sat up in bed, "Caves!" Wolf's Pet Ch. 18 Where was Rhys? He'd sent for him at least ten minutes ago. He paced the floor of his room, impatient for the Archivist to get here. The dream had seemed so real, it must mean something. It must. He was startled by the light knock at the door and rushed to open it. Rhys walked in noting the disheveled appearance of the esteemed head of the Council. These dreams would kill him if they didn't stop. "I'm here Alistair. What did you want to discuss?" Rhys sat down hoping his friend would do the same. He looked like he was going to pass out any second. "Caves, Rhys. The women are being held in caves." Alistair looked like a wild man, his white hair in disarray, his bright blue eyes dim and red rimmed. "I saw it in the dream. And you were right, I approached her and she told me I had to find her in the caves and save her. We have to go now and find them." Alistair was pulling out his clothes to dress himself. He looked like he was expecting to rush out the door to find his mate. "Alistair," Rhys leaned over and grasped his friend's arm, stopping him from putting on his pants. "do you know where these caves are?" Alistair looked up. "What? No, but we have to find them." "Then I would suggest we get some help and find out where they are first. This is Carr's territory, he'll know if there are any caves in the area. While we're waiting for him to arrive why don't you take a shower. I'm sure it will make you feel much better." Rhys smiled when his friend agreed. An hour later Carr was sitting in the room with Rhys and a little calmer Alistair. The shower had helped clear his mind. "Caves, there's a whole system of caves several miles from town. That must be it. I'll send Brett over there with some back up to check it out. If there's anyone hiding in the caves, they'll find out." Carr was already thinking about who should go. "I'll take care of it. We'll see what we can find out. Alistair, I hope you're feeling better soon." Carr was already on the phone calling Cole and Brett as he walked out the door. The Betas walked into the Alpha's office and sat down in front of Carr. It'd been a strange week at the compound, so many of their own gone while the Council and visiting Alphas were here. "What's up Carr?" Cole didn't like leaving Karen alone right now. Her wolf could decide to assert herself at any time, and they had to be careful she wasn't seen. She was hiding out in their room right now. "The Head of the Council is having dreams. The Archivist thinks it's his mate, who is also one of the women being held by Gary." Cole and Brett exchanged surprised looks. They thought they were out of wrenches to throw into this. "In the dream she asked him to find her in the caves and save her. The only caves I know of in our territory are on the other side of the town. Brett, I want you to take some men with you and see what you can find. Even if you don't see anything I want them watched." Cole stood up, a determined look on his face. "I'm going with him!" "No you aren't Cole, please sit down." Carr let out a sigh. He knew he'd have to explain why he wasn't being allowed to go. "Number one, I don't want you to have any immediate thoughts of revenge against Gary clouding your judgement. Number two, Karen could make her first shift at any time. Do you want her to do that without you here?" His eyes bored into his brother's. Cole dropped his eyes. "No, I don't, you're right Carr." "Now, one more thing Brett, don't take any un-mated males with you. Oh, and don't take James. He feels the same about Paul as Cole does about Gary." Brett nodded. He understood how important this was. Let's see, who did he have to choose from? He started making calls as he walked out of the office. "How's Karen feeling? Is she handling things OK?" Carr wondered if her first shift would be any different than a normal human. And since Cole didn't carry this Dire Wolf gene they wouldn't have any issues with their cubs, he hoped. "The most noticeable thing is she's asking for her meat to be cooked rare now. A few days ago she would have turned up her nose and asked for it to be sent back if there was any red in the center. Other than that, she's growling more." Cole had a grin on his face and a faraway look. He shook his head and looked at his brother. "That's all." "Well stay close to her and let me know if she starts to shift, OK?" He clapped his brother on the back as they walked out. Now he just had to hope Metzger and the other Alphas didn't find out. Carr stopped for a moment and closed his eyes. Lee was playing with some of the cubs in the mountains. He smiled and sent his thoughts to her. "I miss you love, can't wait until you can come home." Her elation came through with her answer. "I miss you too! I can't wait to see you again." He took in a deep breath, let it out slowly, and continued on to dinner. Rhys and Katy sat in his room eating dinner and discussing the earlier meetings. He loved this time alone with her. He'd listen to her talking and study her every move. In some ways she was like Katya, but in so many she was different. He wondered if the Were belief in reincarnation had any merit. He could argue for or against it. The insistent knocking on the door caused him to growl loudly at the interruption. Katy laughed. "Wouldn't a better response be, who is it? Or at least a polite, go away?" "I don't like having to share you little one, but I will see who's at the door and then send them away." He flashed a loving smile at her and opened the door. The white haired head of the Council stood at the door, impatiently waiting for Rhys to answer. When the door opened he quickly stepped inside. "I'm sorry to bother you Rhys, but these dreams won't stop. And if I have to wait I'm going to go crazy." It was hard for Rhys to see his old friend like this. He was used to Alistair always being in control of his emotions. "Maybe your wolf needs a good long run. It might do you both good." "Would you come with me Rhys? I'm not sure what my wolf might do on his own. I don't know if I could control him. He wants to find her. He doesn't want to wait for Carr's report." "May I go with you and just watch? I've never actually seen a wolf in person before." Katy had a childlike excitement at the idea of running in the woods with a wolf, a werewolf. "Of course little one, that is if Alistair is alright with it." They both turned to Alistair who nodded his assent. Katy clapped her hands and jumped up and down like a child. "I can't wait. Let me get a coat." The threesome walked to the edge of the woods. Everyone who saw them tried not to stare at the two tall Weres and the small human who was obviously excited about something. The white haired male seemed distracted. The taller of the two looked amused at the red haired woman who held his hand as they walked. When they stopped, Katy took a seat on a tree stump to watch the transformation. But she hadn't even thought about what happened to their clothing and was startled when they began to undress. She turned away from the two nearly nude men and looked towards the compound. "Little one, you'll have to get used to this. Soon enough you'll be disrobing to shift as well. Look at me." Rhys had a commanding but gentle tone to his voice. She had to let go of her human ways if she was going to be able to live as a Werewolf. She might as well start now. Her face was bright red but she made herself look at him. She smiled. He was amazingly muscular and handsome for someone over five hundred years old. She concentrated on looking at Rhys and tried to avert her eyes from Alistair. Once their clothing was folded and set on a nearby rock, they quickly shifted into a large white wolf and an even bigger black wolf. Katy gasped in awe. It happened so fast. She could have missed it if she'd closed her eyes for more than a second. The black wolf was quickly in front of her, his nose pushing under her hand. She giggled and stroked his soft fur. "Rhys, you're beautiful. I'm going to watch you run from up there." She pointed up to the branches of a nearby tree. He cocked his head in bewilderment, and she laughed again before she jumped up and quickly climbed the tree. She settled herself on a high branch. "I'm ready now. I'll be here when you get back." She waved down at the two wolves who were stunned at what they'd just seen. They looked at each other and knew what the other was thinking. No human could climb a tree that fast. Maybe it was the panther genes? They'd worry about that later. Now they needed to run. It'd been too long since their wolves had a chance to stretch their legs. The two took off at a fast pace. Katy strained to see Rhys but his black coat was impossible to see in the dark. So she kept her eyes on Alistair's white fur, knowing Rhys wouldn't leave his side. He was worried about his friend and wouldn't let him off by himself. The grass felt so good under his feet. He loved how his nails dug into the earth with every stride. He was always so busy with Council business, he didn't take enough time for himself. This was what he needed. And soon enough, his mate would be running with him instead of Rhys. They'd save her and the other women from Gary. If they didn't, he didn't know how he'd survive. They ran across the woods, jumping over or running through anything in their way. They ran a good five miles and made their way back to their starting point. Rhys looked up and saw Katy's legs swinging in the tree. When she saw them at the base of the tree she climbed down. He waited for her to reach the ground and pushed his nose into her. "Oh you like being petted?" She smiled down at him and got on her knees in the wet grass. She stroked his beautiful soft fur and hugged him around the neck. He turned his head and sniffed behind her ear. Her scent went straight to his brain, mmm, mint and cinnamon. He licked her neck lightly. "Rhys that tickles." She giggled. Alistair had shifted and was fully dressed and watching Rhys and his mate. He hoped they would be happy. He hoped he and his mate, whoever she was, would have a chance at happiness. Rhys finally stepped away from Katy. He could stay with her here for hours but Alistair was patiently waiting. He regained his human form and quickly donned his clothing. "I haven't run like that in ages." "Me either. Thank you Rhys. That was just what I needed." Alistair was much more relaxed and when he smiled, it was real. The threesome walked back to the compound. Rhys saw Katy back to her room in the Omega quarters. He still couldn't get used to that acrid smell surrounding the building, but he certainly understood the necessity. He nodded at the female guards as they stood at the entrance. Katy didn't want to go back to the room she shared with Rebecca. She wanted to stay with Rhys. But she didn't want to upset his wolf either. She looked up into his handsome face and saw the twinkle in his eye that she knew was just for her. His hand reached down and touched her face gently. She closed her eyes and leaned into his warm palm. Just his touch sent her into a swoon. What was she going to do when he finally made love to her? She might faint. He leaned down, softly brushed her lips with his, and opened the door to let her in. "Good night little one. I will see you tomorrow. Sleep well." Niklas watched the compound from his window in the main house. He saw Rhys and his little human walking together to the Omega quarters. He was always interfering with Niklas' plans. He wished for a way to take Rhys out of his position. The Chief Archivist was a very powerful post, almost as much so as the head of the Council. When his mate had died those many years ago he had almost stepped down. He'd sequestered himself for months. Niklas wondered, if his human were to die, would that be enough to weaken him? He'd forgotten Cheryl was in the room until her arms snaked around his waist. He smiled wickedly. "So tell me, what would you be willing to do for me, hmm?" He turned to look at the female fawning over him. She almost purred as she spoke. "Anything Niklas, anything you asked of me." She'd be his mate no matter what. She'd do whatever it took, whatever he wanted. He stroked her face gently but with malice close at hand. "Would you kill someone if I asked?" He cocked an eyebrow at her. Cheryl smiled. She hoped it was Karen he wanted dead. "I'd kill anyone for you Niklas." Even if she got caught, he'd defend her. But she wouldn't get caught. "I knew I could count on you." He pulled her to him tightly and crushed her mouth with his. She was so stupid, but she'd be useful. And when her usefulness was over, he'd move on to another. Mmmm, he couldn't wait to see the bruises he would give her tonight. The next morning the Alphas were still arguing between themselves about the fate of the women. The Council, minus Metzger, walked in together to the room and took their places. Niklas breezed in last, a happy expression on his face. Several of the Council noticed and exchanged worried glances. Niklas looking happy could not be a good sign. Alistair looked much better after the night's run. Although not quite one hundred percent, he felt much much better. He'd actually slept through the entire night. He hoped they had a report about those caves by later today. "I'm sorry about my absence yesterday, it couldn't be helped. Shall we continue? And if you were wondering, I know what transpired here yesterday. There will be no killing of the human women! That will not even be a possibility so strike it from your minds." He spoke softly but with authority as he looked at each Alpha and waited for a sign of their submission. When each had acknowledged him he continued. "We don't have the luxury of time, so I suggest we keep moving. Xylon, doctor, please?" He motioned to the Council member and Jeff who stepped forward. They stood together at the front of the room. Jeff looked uncomfortable as he started to speak. "Well, one of the things that I know you've all wondered. Why was Gary looking for women no younger than forty five?" He saw the nodding of heads. "Human females who are changed into Werewolves usually take some time to go into heat. Sometimes it's years. However, when they're closer to menopause they go into their heat almost immediately. Also the Wolf Moon contributes to fertility." Xylon spoke next. "At this point, it looks like Gary thinks the Dire Wolf gene was turned on somehow in the past and that was why the previous matings resulted in deadly offspring. He wants to bring that to pass again and breed a pack of Dire Wolves. The older women will breed more quickly, and under the Wolf Moon, possibly conceive more cubs. Within twenty years he could breed hundreds of these cubs. And who knows how many more followers he could find and alter genetically. And during the ensuing years he could attempt to find more of the women" Douglas Crane jumped out of his seat. "Then the women have to die! We can't take a chance that Gary will succeed with even one woman. This could lead to the destruction of our species!" Crane looked around at the other Alphas who were as incensed as he, except that damn Baxter. Then he looked at the .passive faces of the Council. How could they not be concerned? Alistair's Scottish brogue rang throughout the room. "These women will not be killed by us. Gary and Paul and any that have become these Dire wolves will be the ones to pay the price, NOT the innocent." Alistair's rage was controlled but evident to all in the room. Rhys laid a calming hand on his friend's shoulder. Alistair smiled at the Archivist. "We have a possible clue as to Gary's location. Once we confirm it, we will make plans as to how to rescue the women he's holding and destroy these Dire Wolves. And Xylon, I need you to have your company working on a way to possibly reverse what Gary's done and to keep this gene from being turned on to begin with. We can't destroy Gary just to have this happen again. And we won't destroy our kind by killing anyone who carries the gene." Alistair had a determined look on his face. "What is this clue? And how did you get it?" All heads whirled around at the sound of Niklas' voice. Alistair and Rhys looked at each other. Alistair spoke matter of factly. "I saw it in a dream." "A dream?" Niklas laughed loudly. "A dream? You expect us to make decisions based on your dreams Alistair? Are you a seer now?" He had a mocking tone in his voice. Alistair sighed. "No Niklas. My mate is being held by Gary and is communicating with me in my dreams. Do I know how or why this is happening? No. But I know that it is. And soon we'll find out if it's true. Can you wait that long?" "So we may all die because you and the Archivist have human mates. Maybe the Council should have a vote about whether you are still fit to lead us Alistair. You've been ill. You're having dreams that you're holding out as true. Can you be objective Alistair? Why don't you step down and let others take the burden. It's been too much for you. I think you have lost all perspective." Niklas had a smug look on his face. With Alistair's admission of these dreams, how could anyone think he was fit to lead them? Alistair looked at the Council members. He would take his chances with them. "Alright then. Alphas, would you please excuse us for a few moments? We'll let you know when we are ready for you to return." He watched the Alphas walk out of the room, muttering to themselves about wasting their time with politics. "Now, all in favor of Niklas' motion that I be removed as head of the Council, please signify by saying AYE." Niklas' voice rang out alone. "Aye." He looked around waiting for others to agree with him. He was sure they would. "And all those opposed, signify by saying NAY." Alistair watched Niklas closely. The "Nays" rang out in a loud chorus. Niklas tried to mask his face but all could see the slight change in flesh tone, the twitch of his eye and the corner of his mouth. He had gambled and lost. Now he would have to set other plans in motion. "Alright, I just suggested it for the good of the Council. I will admit defeat and stand down." He smiled and sat, folding his hands in front of him. "Please ask the Alphas to return." Alistair nodded at Xylon who stepped out the door. Carr walked in first and directly to Alistair. "Brett's back and he has confirmation. Do you want to talk about this later?" "No, I think we need to let everyone hear at once. Have him come in." Alistair spoke in a quiet voice. Only Rhys was close enough to hear. Carr left the room and returned a few minutes later with Brett in tow. There were questioning looks from Council and Alphas alike. What in the world would a Beta be doing in a high level meeting such as this? He didn't belong here. "The Beta has news about the caves and will give his report directly to us now." Alistair sat and motioned for Brett to begin. "Gary and his group are staying in the caves. We counted at least twenty seven males. Only a few of them look like they've been genetically altered. They were huge and much more aggressive than the ones who appeared normal. We only saw a few of the females. I recognized them from their pictures. They are the missing women. We could hear crying coming from inside the caves, but didn't see the others." "Brett did you scout out the entrances and exits to the cave system?" Carr really only asked the question as a formality. He had chosen Brett for this job for a reason. Brett had spent many years exploring the caves, he knew them like the back of his hand. "The caves have four entrances but the system is miles long and interconnected like our labyrinths. Trying to flush them out or trap them inside would really be next to impossible without an army. We watched them stacking crates of food and water, so I'm sure they're well stocked." Brett hoped they'd let him leave soon. He really didn't like the looks he was getting from Council Member Metzger and some of the Alphas. Wolf's Pet Ch. 18 "Did the women you saw look like they were cooperative with them?" Morgan Wilson was curious. Turning humans into Werewolves was difficult and dangerous if they didn't consent. "The women looked like they were scared. They keep them nude and they look like they've been mistreated. The ones that were cooking and doing menial chores were watched at all times. They definitely don't trust them to not try to run. They had hobbles on their ankles." "So if they aren't cooperating, how do they know they'll be able to turn them?" Wilson looked around the room, looking for someone with an answer. Rhys stepped forward. "These women aren't completely human. Maybe the psychological problems that occur with those that don't consent won't happen with them, because they're already part Werewolf." "Brett, thank you for the information. If we have any further questions we'll call for you." Alistair smiled at him and nodded towards the door. Alistair watched the Beta walk out and close the door. He then turned to group. "Now we need to make our plans. It's time to take the fight to Gary." The Council members nodded agreement, except Niklas who sat motionless. The Alphas slowly assented, agreeing to join the Baxter pack in this fight. If they won, they were safe for now. If they lost their species could be destroyed for good. Wolf's Pet Ch. 19 I continue to be amazed at the wonderful feedback I'm receiving. Thank you and please keep it coming. And don't forget to vote! ----------------------------- "Xylon, do you think there's any chance of turning off this Dire Wolf gene?" Jeff had been studying DNA and gene therapy for the last week and used every opportunity to ask questions. And no one knew more about this than Xylon, except maybe Gary. That thought made him shudder. "Do you think Gary's right that the gene was what made those cubs evil?" Xylon had been staring at a computer screen and was slow to respond. "He could be. But if I'm right, I may have found our solution." He looked up at Jeff and smiled. ---------------------------- Karen paced the floor, talking loudly to herself. "I hate when he leaves me alone and tells me to stay put." She had a feeling of being in a cage. She'd never been claustrophobic. Why did it bother her so much now? She felt like running in the open, feeling the wind in her hair. She wanted to be free. "I mean, I know I can't shift in front of people for the first time, but this is ridiculous. There must be somewhere I can go other than this room." She talked to herself like she was talking to another person. In a way she was. She could feel another presence in her head, like she was sharing herself with someone else. She heard the birds singing outside and walked to the window. She breathed deep and took in the amazing scent of the flowers, the trees, the air. Everything smelled so much different now. She had no idea that air could really smell this fresh. She just thought it was an ad campaign, but it really could. The colors were all brighter and she noticed so much more than she used to. Like the movement at the edge of the woods. Two women with red hair were walking away from the compound. Something looked strange though. Why did the taller one look like she was trying not to be seen? She kept glancing behind her and ducking. Strange. Karen strained to see better. Something just didn't seem right. She could feel a voice telling her to go after them. Was that Cole? She couldn't keep these voices straight. She knew her wolf was starting to talk to her. But sometimes the voices just seemed like alphabet soup in her brain. She seemed to feel them more than hear them. But sometimes she just couldn't straighten them out. There definitely was someone telling her to follow them. There weren't that many red heads in the pack, in fact there were only two, Katy and Cheryl. And the idea of Cheryl being anywhere near Katy made Karen's blood boil. She looked at the door. If she went through the house Cole might catch her, and then he'd just march her right back up here. No, a better way would be out the window. She was a good climber, it'd be easy. She opened the window wide and took off the screen and slid right out the opening in one fluid movement. One thing she'd noticed lately was that her athleticism had definitely improved. She shimmied down the lattice work quickly and fairly easily. She smiled to herself. This was kind of fun. Wait, she wasn't climbing down from a third story for fun, she was making sure Katy was safe. She shook her head. That must have been her wolf. Fun later, look for Katy now. She hopped down the last ten feet and landed on both feet. She looked around her for anyone watching and when she saw no one nearby she snuck across the open area to the edge of the woods. She could smell the two women. How odd. But it certainly made it easier to follow them. She could just barely make out their voices. She tried to be as silent as possible as she attempted to catch up. "Why would Rhys want me to meet him way out here?" Katy was confused. Rhys had always either come for her himself or sent Karen or Sarah to get her. He'd never sent anyone else. "Are you sure he wanted me to come this far from the compound?" Katy turned around to face Cheryl. There was just something she didn't like about this Beta. She'd heard about the fight Karen and she had the day Katy and Rebecca arrived here. She could see why Karen had lost her temper. This woman was grating. Cheryl put on a saccharine sweet voice. "The Archivist just asked me to bring you to the well. He wanted to surprise you he said. Maybe he's going to mate with you tonight." Cheryl had a fake smile plastered on her face. It was so hard to pretend to be friendly to this human. She couldn't wait to make Niklas proud of her. "It's just over the rise there." She pointed to nothing in particular and kept walking. She glanced behind her be sure Katy was following. Katy shrugged her shoulders and continued on. Guess it wouldn't hurt to go the well. If she was playing some kind of joke Rhys would see to it that Carr took care of her. A few minutes later the well was in front her, but no Rhys. She looked around and saw no one. "When will he be here? I didn't bring a coat, it's cold out here." She held her arms around her body for warmth. The temperature was much colder underneath these tall trees. It must have dropped a good twenty degrees from out in the open. She could feel the goosebumps, and her teeth were starting to chatter. Humans were so frail. Why would any self respecting wolf want to mate with one? Niklas couldn't possibly deny her after she did this for him. She smirked to herself as she walked closer to Katy. "Have you looked down there? The water is so clear. You can see your reflection. Take a peak." Cheryl was right behind her as Katy looked into the old well. It was totally dry but Katy wouldn't know that until it was too late. Karen had caught up to the voices and was watching from behind a tree. She saw Cheryl standing behind her friend and saw the look on her face. No, she wouldn't allow it! Karen felt the leaves between her feet and saw her clothes loose on the ground. What the hell? She didn't have time to think about it, she only had time to help her friend. Cheryl gave a good shove between Katy's shoulder blades and saw her tumble over the side. She was so entranced by the vision of Katy falling into the deep hole she didn't see the auburn blur beside her until it was too late. Katy felt the hard push behind her and couldn't control her fall with her hands holding her elbows. She screamed, "Ahhhhhhh," and managed to scramble at the last minute to grab the edge of the well. "Help!" Her voice echoed back at her as she yelled and struggled to keep her hold on the crumbling side of the hole. "Help!" She couldn't even see the bottom of the shaft and knew if she fell she'd probably break her neck. She tried to find a foot hold and dug her fingers into the tiny nook they were holding. She could hear the growls and snarls of a wolf and the screams of a woman she hoped was Cheryl. She said out loud, "Please, please, Rhys, I can't lose you so soon." The tears streamed down her face as she prayed she could hold on long enough for someone to help her. Cheryl screamed with every slash of the sharp teeth and claws. She didn't even have a chance to shift to defend herself. "Let go of me you bitch! I'm here on Council business." She shrieked at the top of her lungs to try to get the offending wolf off her. She didn't recognize her so figured she had to be part of the visitors' entourage. She grabbed handfuls of fur and tried to pull the wolf's head away from her, but she was strong! The wolf was able to turn her head and bit down hard on Cheryl's forearm, tasting the blood as she heard the crack of the bone. All she could think was "Protect. Kill." The blood tasted good in her mouth. She wanted to taste more. She wanted to make this bitch suffer the way she made her friend suffer, she wanted to make her beg to die. Cheryl howled in pain. She was afraid if she tried to shift she'd be at an even greater disadvantage. Her arm was useless and just hung loosely from her body. "I don't know who you are but Niklas Metzger is a member of the Council and this was by his order. You'll pay for this!" Cheryl desperately fought for her life. Niklas had to know she was in trouble. He had to come and save her. She was just sure of it. They were meant to be mates. Carr groaned as he straightened up from the maps strewn around the table. The Alphas had been arguing strategy for hours. He almost wished this wasn't his territory so he could leave the responsibility to someone else. But this was his pack, his duty to protect these women and his kind. He accepted that, he just wished the other Alphas did. Crane acted like this was his operation and was issuing orders to the others like they were Omegas. Carr had to assert his authority several times. Luckily he was being backed by the Council who agreed that since this was occurring in Baxter territory, it was Baxter who would take the lead. Carr heard a sound at the door and looked up at Cole, white faced and frantic. He quickly excused himself and went to his brother. This had to have something to do with Karen. "Cole, what's wrong?" "I can't find her. I can't find her anywhere. I left her in our room and told her not to leave without me. I said to call me if she felt strange or anything. And when I try to contact her through our bond, her thoughts are all jumbled." Cole sounded scared. "All I can make out are occasional words, and they don't make any sense to me at all." Carr took his brother by the arm and steered him out of the room. The last thing they needed was for the Alphas to hear Cole and Karen had fully mated. He leaned in close and spoke so only his brother could hear. "Calm down Cole, we'll find her. Do you think she's shifted? Sometimes during the first shift a wolf's thoughts can be scrambled you know." Carr tried to sound calm and assured, but he was almost as worried as Cole. "Let's find Rhys and Alistair. Maybe they can help. "Brett," Carr called the Beta over. "stay in the room and answer any questions they have about the cave system until I return." Carr walked back into the room. "I have a pack emergency, I'll be back as soon as I can. Brett will be here in my stead. He knows everything there is to know about those caves. Feel free to pick his brains, figuratively of course." Carr tried to force a smile.The joke was lost on the irritated Alphas. Carr shook his head in disgust and caught up to his brother who was already at a run out the door. "Cole, wait up! Cole!" What the hell was going on? "Protect." That was the one word he could make out. Protect what? Or was it who? "Dammit Karen, where are you?" Cole tried to reach her but all he got back in return were bits and pieces of thoughts and fear and anger. He ran into the compound and tried to get his bearings. He had to be able to feel which direction she'd gone. Carr had caught up to him and the two of them stood still and just listened. "Carr, what's going on? Cole looks like he's seen a ghost." James was staring at Cole who looked petrified. He squeezed Sarah's hand, both of them knowing this had to have something to do with Karen. "James, get Alistair and Rhys and then find us. Hurry!" Carr barely got the words out before Cole took off at full run and shifted mid stride, his clothes falling off him as he ran. Carr shifted to keep up. "Cole where are you going?" "I can feel her, she's this way. She's scared, she's angry, she's tasted blood. That's all I can tell. We have to get there fast." At least with the Alpha bond they could have a conversation without slowing down to catch their breath. Cole knew she was in a fight, but with whom? Cheryl couldn't fight anymore, she dropped to the ground as Karen shook her body, still snarling. Cheryl laid still, baring her neck in submission. Karen's wolf let go of her shredded arm and backed away a step. Her head was down, ears were flat back, her lips curled. She wanted to kill her. "Help, someone, please, help me." Katy was barely hanging on. If someone didn't get to her soon she'd fall to the bottom of the well. Karen's head whipped around at the sound. She leaped to the top of the well and looked down to see the tiny red head hanging on for dear life. She reached down and used her teeth to grab the collar of Katy's shirt. Slowly she backed up, pulling with all her strength. She could hear the fabric starting to tear. She had to get her closer to the lip fast. Katy was small but Karen was tired from the fight. She didn't know if she had enough strength. Katy was using her feet to try to help Karen pull her out. Her fingers clawed at the wall, trying to reach the edge. She was almost there. Almost. The two brown wolves were several hundred yards into the woods before they heard the howls of pain, the growling and snarling, and the call for help. They were both startled by the black wolf that streaked by them so fast they couldn't even tell who it was. The white wolf was right behind him. Katy looked up as the shirt collar started to rip. "Nooooo," she cried out with fear, this was it. Karen couldn't save her. Her eyes were clouded with tears. She was ready to die. She said out loud, "I just wish I could have said goodbye Rhys. I love you." A gentle voice spoke as two strong arms grasped her. "I will never say goodbye little one, never." He pulled her out of the well and held her tightly to his body. He could feel her heart pounding, and her body shook as she sobbed. He stroked her hair as he carried her to a tree stump and sat down with her in his lap. He looked at her fingers, bloodied from trying to claw her way out of the well. He checked every one as he held her close. He turned to the auburn colored wolf. "Thank you Karen, thank you for saving my Katy." He cradled her in his arms, whispering in her ear to calm her. "I love you little one. I will always be with you." He could feel her body shaking violently. She was going into shock. "I have to get her to the doctor, I'll see you at the compound." He picked her up and started running back to meet the doctor. Katy felt like she was dreaming. The world around her was a blur. The only reality was the warm skin she felt next to her cheek. She knew it was Rhys. She knew he would come, she knew. She had a smile on her face as she buried her head into his shoulder as the woods flashed by her. Cole looked at his beautiful auburn haired wolf, still standing on top of the well. He walked to her and sat down in front of the well. She looked at the chocolate brown wolf sitting in front of her, his green eyes sparkling as they looked at her. "Cole?" "Yes pet, it's me. You did a wonderful thing Karen. But if there's ever a next time, let me know first." She jumped down from the well and rubbed her body against his, leaning into him. She was so exhausted though, she laid down. He laid down next to her and licked her coat clean of Cheryl's blood. Cheryl was in immense pain and crying, her arm was almost severed, and she was laying in a pool of blood. Even a Were couldn't heal that without help from the doctor. "Help me please. Alpha." "What happened here Cheryl?" Carr was had shifted back and was standing and glaring down at her. "She-she fell down the well. That wolf there attacked me when I was trying to save her." She hoped they'd believe her over some wolf that wasn't even a member of the pack. She stared at Cole who was cleaning HER blood of that bitch. Oh my god, no. She couldn't believe it. It was Karen! They'd completed the mating and she'd shifted. She looked back up at Carr, at her Alpha, and pleaded with him, "Alpha, please, I need the doctor." Alistair had shifted and was sure he knew who had facilitated this. He'd seen the red haired Beta with Niklas several times in the last few days. "Did Niklas ask you to do this?" His voice was direct and emotionless. Cheryl began to cry, trying to speak through the sobbing. "Yes, yes, Niklas asked me to kill her. He said it was for the good of the pack. I was only doing the bidding of a Council Member. I thought the Council had ordered it." Carr had called for James and Bryant to bring a stretcher to take Cheryl to the hospital. She screamed in pain as they moved her. They didn't seem to care if they weren't very careful in their movements. Cheryl sobbed as they took her to the hospital. She was in so much pain. They were being so cruel to her. But Niklas would help her. He'd come to her defense. He'd find a way to explain it and she could just go with him when he left. Carr watched them take Cheryl away. How would he deal with her? He'd always known she was conniving but not a killer. She'd almost succeeded in murdering the mate of one of the most powerful Were's in North America. He glanced to Karen and Cole. One look at Karen and he could tell she was exhausted. But she had Cole to care for her. He smiled at his brother and walked towards the compound with Alistair. What a fucking mess! "Karen do you think you can shift back?" Cole was glad her mind was working better now and they could communicate. "I'm not sure, but can we go back to the house first and go to our room? Once I figure out how to shift back I really need to take a shower and put on some clothes." She didn't want to walk stark naked through the compound. Besides that, she really wasn't sure if she could shift back. Shifting into a wolf had just kind of happened. She didn't do anything. "That's fine pet, we'll go back to the room first. I'm so proud of you Karen." They walked slowly back to the house, so close they were almost touching. Word had gotten out quickly of what had happened at the well. Guards had immediately been sent to find Council Member Niklas Metzger and keep an eye on him until further orders. Carr stood in the hallway outside Katy's room. He didn't want to disturb Rhys and his mate any more than he had to. He saw Jeff walk out of the room. "How is she?" "Katy? Scared out of her wits, but she'll be fine. You know, if Cole and Karen hadn't mated, Katy would probably be dead. There's no way Karen could have spotted them from the bedroom window without Were enhanced vision." Jeff was looking at the tiny little red head, dwarfed by the massive Were sitting next to her. Rhys said softly, "Eich bod yn fy mywyd fy un bach." He smiled at her and stroked her cheek lovingly. She looked up at him confused. "What language is that? What did you say?" "It's my native tongue, Welsh. I said, you are my life my little one. "It's beautiful, will you teach me?" "Someday little one. But for now, I just want you to rest. Cysgu dynn a byddaf yn gywir yn ôl." He bent down close to her ear and whispered, "Sleep tight and i'll be right back." "What about Cheryl?" Carr looked to the other end of the hall where there were guards posted outside the door. He wasn't sure if he'd assigned them there to keep her in, or Rhys out. He hoped he wouldn't have to find out. He just wasn't sure what he should do with her now. "There's no way to save the arm. The only thing holding it together is skin. The nerves and blood vessels are so destroyed they would never heal well enough to have a normal arm, even with Were healing. What are you going to do with her?" Jeff looked at Carr from the corner of his eye. He really didn't want to know what Cheryl's future held. She had done the one thing that no one in this pack's four hundred year history had done, tried to murder a human under pack protection. It was unheard of. "Keep her alive for now, and I'll make my decision later." Carr waited for Rhys to walk out of the room but instead of stopping to talk to the Alpha he walked past him out the door. He had a look on his face that gave Carr a bad feeling. Carr had to jog to keep up with the Archivist's determined walk. He spotted Alistair who fell into step with Rhys who spoke a single sentence. "Where is he?" Carr knew who he meant. "He's in the dining hall." They walked briskly into the room. Those Baxter pack members in attendance quickly left the room. The scattered occupants left were members of the Council, the visiting Alphas and their companions. Wolf's Pet Ch. 19 Rhys stopped within inches of Niklas Metzger and stared into the eyes of the smaller Were. The Archivist's expression was chilling to all in the room. And from the look on Niklas' face he was petrified. Rhys' arm shot out and grabbed the Council member's throat tightly. Niklas struggled to breath and yell. "How dare you touch me. This is an outrage!" Rhys picked him up, held him in the air and spoke relatively calmly for all the rage that was boiling up in his body. "You told the Beta to kill my mate. You will pay for that." "I demand that you show proof. I had nothing to do with your little human's accident." Niklas knew his only hope was the Head of the Council. "Alistair, please, stop him. I demand a trial!" "The Beta said you told her to do it. Carr confirmed she was telling the truth. You've had your trial. I was the judge and jury, and now I'll be the executioner." Rhys's face showed no emotion. "Your death will be far too easy considering your crime Niklas, but so be it." Rhys gripped his neck with one hand and turned the startled Were's head with the other, swiftly breaking his neck and severing his spinal cord in one motion. He dropped the lifeless body to the floor and left the room. He needed to return to Katy. Carr stared at the body laying at his feet. He looked up at Alistair who had a disgusted look on his face, turned, and walked out of the room, the remainder of the Council with him. Alistair turned at the last minute and faced Carr. "There will be no cremation Carr. Please have him buried quickly." Carr's face blanched. Burying a Were was the worst end any of their kind could imagine. They believed in reincarnation but felt the soul didn't leave the body unless it was burned. This way his soul would be trapped inside his body for eternity, and he wouldn't have another chance at life. Carr called James and Bryant over. "You heard him. Take him as far out as you can and don't leave any evidence of a burial site." Wolf's Pet Ch. 20 Jenna woke up and wished she was sleeping again. Luckily, until they'd mated she couldn't get pregnant. At least that's what Gary had told her. She didn't know much about Werewolves but she was learning fast. Thankfully, her beautiful white wolf visited her in every sleeping moment. Sometimes she even felt like he was real, like she could reach out and touch him. She took every second possible to look into his glorious blue eyes. She felt so at home when she was with him. She wished it was for real. But at least he was her escape. When Gary would rape her she would pretend it was her wonderful white wolf making love to her instead. She would retreat in her mind and she could almost hear him telling her to hold on, that he was coming for her, that he would save her. Whenever she thought she couldn't go on, he came into her mind and she felt such a rush of love inside her, she knew she had to continue. There had to be a reason she was having these dreams. There had to be something better for her in the future. There had to be a reason for the hope she felt. She heard loud noises coming from the front of the cave and curled into a ball, pretending to be asleep. Sometimes she was lucky and he left her alone. She heard voices so she had a good chance if he didn't come in alone. "The amino acids aren't working on everyone. I don't know why, and I don't have access to the lab anymore to do any testing to figure it out." Gary's face was red with rage. His plans might be ruined because of an issue he couldn't have foreseen. Paul walked in right behind him. "What difference does it make? There are ten of us, and when the cubs are born, we'll have more every year. As for those that the formula doesn't work on, we either keep them as Omegas, or kill them. I've overheard a few of them talking about going back to their old packs. A few minutes ago Rick told me Adam and Jackson snuck away this morning. He thinks they were going to try to go back to the Wilson pack. Ever since Kyle disappeared they've been acting a little nervous anyway." Paul looked directly at Gary as he spoke. Gary's head whipped around at the mention of the defections. "Track them down. I want them dead! They know too much." Gary's ice blue eyes stared at Paul until he dropped his head in submission. Paul was acting a little too familiar lately. Maybe it was time to remind him that he was a subordinate. Gary was the only Alpha here. "Bring me their heads." He turned his back on Paul who waited a moment before realizing he'd been dismissed. Gary stood staring at nothing and deep in thought. Kyle hadn't been found, he was probably a prisoner. But he was loyal, not like Nathan and Ben who hadn't been turned. With only ten Dire Wolves they wouldn't be able to take down the Baxter pack. They'd have to spend all of their time protecting the cubs until they were full grown and could assist them in destroying every pack in the territory. In time their kind would be able to take over every pack in North America, of that he was sure. The Dire Wolf needed a much larger territory than those puny Were's. They had larger appetites for everything. His attention turned to the cage and his little Alpha Bitch. She appeared to be sleeping but he knew she was faking. He always knew. And right now he needed some amusement to take his mind off what was going wrong. Yesterday he had fucked her so long and hard he'd amazed even himself. Of course he didn't want to kill her. Not yet anyway. If the mating took place and she conceived he'd keep her as long as she produced cubs. If not, then he'd think about killing her. But for now, he wanted to play and she was his toy. He opened the cage door and walked inside, stopping next to her still form, in a fetal position. He knelt down and dragged his fingers along her shoulder and down her arm. He smiled as he saw her concerted effort not to recoil. He knew he repelled her and it made him want to fuck her even more. She was his, she just needed to learn her place. And it was underneath him. "Wake up my little bitch. It's time for you to do your one duty to your Alpha. You live a life of leisure here Jenna, and all you have to do to keep it is to keep me happy. Now how hard is that? Hmm?" He stared down at her motionless body and was disgusted. He'd been too easy on her by using the paralyzing spray. His intent had been to make it easier for her until she grew used to him, but if she didn't want to cooperate then he'd just have to break her the old fashioned way. He reached down and grabbed her arm and squeezed until she couldn't help but scream in pain. She looked up and saw the evil grin on his face and knew today would be bad. She prayed her white wolf would be with her now. She needed him to save her from this insanity. She let her mind go and tried to see him instead of Gary. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she forced herself to stand and face him. She did her best to control her breathing but she saw his looks at her heaving breasts. It was hard to maintain any sense of dignity without clothing. But she was beyond blushing in front of him. Right now she knew she had to stay alive if she wanted to find the future her white wolf alluded to. If that meant she'd have to find it within herself to withstand his rapes, then so be it. She was strong. She had the will to survive. Jenna walked on her own out of the cage to the low bed in the middle of the cave. She quietly climbed onto the bed and settled herself on her hands and knees with her legs spread. She steeled herself for his entrance and closed her eyes, wishing for her white wolf to come to her. "Now that's better my little bitch. Much better. See how much more we'll both enjoy this with you being a participant." Gary quickly undressed and moved in behind her, his hard cock standing up and probing her dry pussy. Her blood ran cold as she felt him behind her. She sensed when he'd changed into his wolf by the change in weight on the bed. She felt his long tongue snake out to lap at her cunt. She forced herself to stay still and squeezed her eyes shut. She spoke to her white wolf in her head, begging him to fuck her. In her mind, if it was her wolf taking her and not Gary, maybe she could live through it for as long as it took. She felt the raspy tongue stroking her clit, and fooling herself into believing it was her wolf, she let herself relax, allowed herself to enjoy it. This was her wolf making love to her, not Gary raping her. She had to believe it to continue or she'd never live through it. He was surprised when he heard her gasps and even some quiet moans. He even felt some moisture building up between her folds. She was giving in to him, she was accepting him as her mate. He'd known it would just be a matter of time. He licked faster and delved deep inside her pussy. He could feel more and more of her juices as they dropped onto his tongue. And then he felt it, the unmistakeable feeling of her pussy contracting, her body shaking. She was cumming. He pulled his tongue out and quickly mounted, ramming his hard cock into her wet hole and thrusting. He pulled her hips closer to him and pounded as deep as he could go, feeling his cock bottoming out. He felt her rocking into him and accepting his cock. When he felt his knot forming he pushed it into her, hearing her grunting as he stretched her. Once seated, he continued thrusting and felt himself starting to cum. His wolf wanted to bite her and mate, but he held back. He wanted it to be at the Wolf Moon. For now, this was just for amusement. His wolf would have to wait. Oh God no, she could feel herself responding to him. But no, it wasn't to him, it was to her white wolf, her champion. He was making her cum, he was making her push into him, not Gary. She had to do this to stay alive. She had to stay alive to find her wolf. She had to. She'd do whatever it took. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she felt him pulling her to her side and holding her while they were still tied. She told herself she wasn't going to break. She'd be here when he came for her, when he rescued her. Adam and Jackson ran blindly through the woods. They didn't care where they went as long as it was away from Gary and Paul and those things they'd become. They were so intent on getting away they didn't notice the wolves behind them, surrounding them. They didn't notice until it was too late and they stood face to face with six snarling black wolves. The two smaller grey wolves stopped dead in their tracks. They looked at each other. This was it, they were dead. -------------------------------------- The auburn colored wolf laid on the bed, her head resting on her paws. She was so tired of being locked up in this room and hidden. Her tail thumped on the bed when her mate returned to the room with dinner. She could smell the raw meat. She licked her lips, her whiskers tickling her tongue. There was certainly a lot to get used to being a wolf. Cole gently closed the door and put the plate of meat on the counter. He sat on the bed and stroked his mate's soft fur as she put her head in his lap. "Still can't change back pet? It's OK, sometimes it just takes a while the first time." She was such a beautiful wolf, he couldn't take his eyes off her. She was bigger than he'd thought she'd be considering that her human self was only five foot two. She was as big a wolf as Lila. "Will I ever be able to turn back into a human? It's been three days!" Her dark brown eyes had tears in them. He could feel the fear in her words when they reached him through their bond. "You'll be fine Karen, I promise. I think your wolf asserted herself sooner than she normally would have because of the danger to Katy. She took over because she wanted to protect her. But since she wasn't really ready to come to the fore, she can't figure out how to give in to your human half. It'll take time but she will." He wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and kissed the tip of her black nose. "Hungry?" He put the plate down in front of her and smiled as she ate it quickly and licked every bit of the blood off the plate. The taste of raw meat was something she never thought she'd enjoy but the flavor and the texture was so amazingly good. She cleaned the plate and then licked her lips. She didn't want to miss a drop. "Wow, didn't want to share huh?" He ruffled her fur lovingly. Her tail wagged and she pushed her head into his hand. She liked how it felt when Cole stroked her fur with his hands. Now that he was here with her, she let go of all her stress and just relaxed. Even if she could never go back to being a human, he would still be with her, so what did it matter? She stretched out next to him on the bed, rolling onto her back and staring up into his beautiful green eyes. They mesmerized her whether they were human or wolf. He quickly shifted and snuggled next to her. ------------------------------ Carr stood at the doorway, looking at the pale redhead laying in the hospital bed. "How's she doing Jeff?" Jeff looked up from the chart he was writing in. "She recovered from the surgery fine. The amputation didn't take long. But when she woke up, she wasn't all there, know what I mean? Her eyes just look vacant. She barely talks and when she does there's something missing." "That's because she's alone. Her wolf is disgusted with her for betraying the pack and won't talk to her. She said she tried to stop Cheryl but couldn't. Cheryl wanted to impress Metzger. Her wolf pleaded with me for forgiveness, doesn't want anything to do with her and has receded into her mind. I can't think of a worse punishment. Can you?" Carr looked at the surprised doctor. "So you aren't going to execute her?" Jeff was relieved. The idea of killing one of their own made him sick. Although he understood why Rhys killed Metzger. Cheryl had only been a pawn. "Katy doesn't want her to die. Rhys agreed to abide by her wishes. To tell the truth, if he wanted her dead, I doubt I could have stopped him. She's going to have to leave the pack though. And I doubt any other pack will take her. So she'll have to try her luck in the human world." "A Werewolf living alone in the human world?" Jeff was stunned the Alpha would allow it. "She's not a Werewolf anymore. Her wolf has separated from her. I think Cheryl would have to make some fundamental changes in her personality before her wolf will agree to join with her again. Her wolf is loyal. Cheryl is not. If something changes substantially her wolf will let me know." Without another word Carr nodded at the doctor and left the room. Jeff watched the Alpha walk out the door. He'd never banished anyone from the pack before, but, then again, no member had ever broken pack law before. He hoped she could find a purposeful life on the outside without her wolf. As he looked at her laying in the bed he realized how much smaller and more fragile she looked than ever before. He'd have to thank Katy for her kind heart in allowing her to live. Carr was right, there could be no harsher punishment than to live without her wolf's presence in her life. ---------------------------- "Gene therapy." Xylon looked at the blank faces staring at him. "That's the answer, gene therapy, like the humans use to treat Cancer and some diseases. We can try it to turn off the Dire Wolf gene." "And can you do that fast enough to help us?" Alistair was matter of fact. He had to find a way to save his mate and the other women. If this took too long, they had to rely completely on overpowering the altered Weres. He wasn't sure if they could. "I have my lab working on it 24/7. If anyone can find the answer, they can. We have Gary's original work on how he turned the gene on, and we're using that to help us backtrack to turn it off." Xylon was sure they'd be successful. They had to be or it could mean an end to their society as they knew it. "And I suppose you'll test it on Kyle." Morgan Wilson said it quietly, already knowing the answer. None of the Alphas would look at him. They were all glad it wasn't their son that would be a test subject. "If it doesn't work will it kill him?" He looked straight at Xylon. "I don't know Morgan. There's no way to know." Xylon felt sorry for the Alpha. He couldn't even imagine what he was feeling. His own children were safely at home. What would he do if it were one of his sons? Would he allow him to be used as a guinea pig? Rhys placed a hand on the Alpha's shoulder. "Morgan, if we don't try it, we have to destroy him. Wouldn't you rather take the risk in order to get your son back?" Morgan looked up at the Archivist and slowly nodded his head. There really was no choice. "Do whatever you have to do. I want a chance at having him back." Alistair listened from the front of the room, but his mind was elsewhere, with a sleek black she-wolf who was constantly in his mind now. How could that be? It was like he was day dreaming. He didn't have to sleep to see her now. He saw her every moment of the day. His wolf stayed close to the surface. He wouldn't let her out of his sight. Rhys noticed the faraway look in Alistair's eyes. His mate was having a strange influence on him. He hoped the European Chief Archivist would call him back soon. Had this ever happened in the past? Were these dreams something new? Had they ever been documented before? He hoped he could get some answers before Alistair lost his mind. "Brett has counted a total of ten altered Were's in Gary's group, not including Kyle. If he gets a chance he's going to try to capture one when he goes out to hunt. They seem to be under the assumption that they're safe where they are, and that we don't know they're there. The final tally of males in the caves is fifty two, unless there are some that never come outside." Carr waited for the questions to come flying and was as ready as he'd ever be. Good thing Brett was a good cop and always thorough in his reports. "Is it that obvious what the altered ones look like?" Gene Campbell hadn't seen one himself. "It's very obvious in their wolf forms. They are much bigger than anyone in this room, stronger, and deadlier. And they appear to have no conscience. They don't care who they kill, or who they hurt. And their only allegiance is to Gary. Their old pack, family, or Alpha means nothing to them." Carr looked at the sad face of Morgan Wilson. "What's interesting is that Gary's only been able to alter eleven Weres in total. Why is that? Is it not working on all of them? Is there a secondary factor we don't know about that interferes with turning on the Dire Wolf gene?" Xylon knew he was thinking out loud and no else really seemed to care. He'd have to call the lab later and brainstorm with the scientists working on this. "Xylon, please do whatever you can as quickly as you can. If you need anything, it's yours." Alistair acknowledged the Alphas and the remainder of the Council and walked out of the room, Rhys at his side. Alistair didn't speak until he knew they were well out of hearing range. "Rhys, I see my mate every time I close my eyes now. Things are getting worse for her. I can feel it. She needs me, we have to hurry." Rhys placed a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder as they walked across the compound. "You'll get to her in time Alistair, I'm sure of it." They both watched the caravan of black SUV's pulling up to the entrance to the Security area. Carr and his Betas were walking briskly towards them. Rhys and Alistair exchanged glances and immediately started walking the same direction. The spotted the two males being led into the building in handcuffs. They had their heads down and appeared to be cooperative. They definitely didn't act like altered Were's. The two men were led into separate rooms and handcuffed to the benches. They both sat quietly, sure they were going to die. "They're names are Adam and Jackson, both from the Wilson Pack. They said they were trying to run away from Gary. They wanted to go home. I haven't told them their Alpha is here." Brett had been amazed at how relieved the two had been when they realized it was the Baxter pack that had caught up to them and not Gary's pack. They had been more than willing to talk on the way here. "James, bring Wilson here. Just tell him I'd like to speak with him." Carr was hoping they could get a lot more information from these two. But he'd wait for Wilson before doing anything. If their allegiance was to their old Alpha, then he needed to be here. "They were really scared Gary was going to have them killed. I think they're sincere Carr." Brett was a good cop, good at reading people and Were's. "Cole, get Nathan and Ben. We may need them." Carr's mind was working through all the possibilities. He wanted to be ready for anything. A minute later Morgan Wilson entered with James. "Is something wrong with Kyle?" His face showed the strain of his son's condition. He looked so much older than he had when he arrived a week ago. "No change with Kyle, but I think you know these two?" Carr pointed to the two windows that showed Adam and Jackson quietly sitting. Wilson looked from one room to the other. He had known these two since they were born. Their fathers had been his close friends. "They look so calm in comparison to Kyle." "They haven't been changed. We need to find out what they know. Do you want to listen in? Do you want to speak with them? Morgan, I think they were trying to come home. They were running from Gary." Carr was standing close to Morgan, speaking quietly so everyone in the room didn't hear. "Yes, I want to be there. They were good boys. I never did understand why they left." He looked hopeful that he could bring back a few of his pack, even if Kyle was lost to them forever. Nathan and Ben arrived with Cole just as the conversation ended. Carr looked up. "Good, I need the two of you to talk to them, as one former follower of Gary's to another." Wolf's Pet Ch. 20 Nathan entered the room with Adam, Ben with Jackson. They each sat across from the captive and began to tell their story of joining Gary and being captured, realizing their mistakes, and joining the Baxter pack with their new mates. As they questioned them, it was clear to those listening from outside that they were just like Nathan and Ben, lonely, looking for a mate, and trusting in someone who made great promises. They learned almost too late what his true plans were. By the time Ben and Nathan left the respective cells, those assembled outside were quiet. Adam and Jackson were moved to a room together without the observation window, and their former Alpha entered the room. They were both silent and hung their heads in shame. The door was closed so the three could have privacy. "Carr, in order to protect the women we have here, I think the matings should proceed. And those being sequestered should see if they find their mates among those in the compound." Alistair put up his hand when Carr started to argue. "Let me finish. I know this is your pack, your decisions. But hear me out. If they're mated and can shift, they can protect themselves better. They can't be used by Gary while their mates live, and if they find a mate in your pack, we know they won't activate a Dire Wolf gene because your pack doesn't carry it." Carr took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He looked at Cole who had successfully mated with Karen, although she hadn't figured out how to shift back to human yet. But it would happen soon. He looked at Rhys who didn't really have to listen to him anyway but had complied without argument. Then he looked at James who looked so hopeful. He'd waited for years for his mate and had to wait now just because his Alpha told him so. "Alistair, you're right. At first it was fear of the unknown, but we know more and more all the time." "Cole, the noxious fumes around the Omega quarters can end and the female Betas can stand down on guard duty." He walked to James and grinned. "Good luck dude." James smiled and acted non chalant as he walked out the door. Cole looked out the window and laughed when he saw him sprinting towards Sarah who was standing in front of the main house with Katy. Wolf's Pet Ch. 21 Sarah and Katy looked up when they saw James running across the compound. He had the silliest grin on his face. "Sarah, we need to talk." James looked like he was going to explode with good news, but it was obvious he didn't want to talk in front of Katy. Sarah looked at Katy with a grin, "Guess I'll see you later Katy." She looked at James with i quizzical look. "What's up?" James grabbed her hand and practically dragged her with him towards the forest. Katy was watching them when she felt Rhys close to her. For some reason she could tell when he was nearby. It was a feeling that she had that she couldn't explain to even herself. She looked up into his beaming face. She felt a warm flush climbing up her face. Why did she feel like a silly school girl when she was around him? She liked it. "I don't embarrass you, do I little one? You blush so much when I see you." He reached down to gently stroke her face. Actually he loved when she blushed. He thought it made her even more beautiful to him, if that was even possible. She closed her eyes, leaned into his warm hand and almost purred. She could feel the warmth spreading through her body as he touched her. "You never embarrass me Rhys. I just have so many deep feelings when I see you, I can't help it. "Carr has given his permission for the women to mate. That's why James came running to find Sarah." He couldn't take his eyes off her as he pulled a strand of her red hair and twirled it between his fingers as he spoke. "I would still like to wait until the Wolf Moon to mate. Do you understand why?" "No, but if you feel it's important, that's good enough for me." She smiled at the tall handsome man in front of her. She knew he wanted her as much as she wanted him. He must have a good reason, and that was good enough for her. She could wait. They'd have the rest of their lives together. What more could she ask for? She took his hand in hers and walked towards the house. James had a secure grip on Sarah's hand as they ran through the woods. "What's wrong with you James? Can't you stop for just a minute?" Sarah was gasping for breath as she tripped over the leaves and twigs on the ground. If it wasn't for James' hand holding hers tight she would have fallen face first into the ground. He stopped abruptly in front of her, and she almost ran into his back. James turned slowly and watched her with hungry eyes while a devilish smile came over his face. "I've waited Sarah, we've waited. We don't have to anymore. Do you want me Sarah? Do you want to be my mate? Do you want to be with me forever?" He had a hopeful look on his face. "Do you want to be with us forever?" "James, I've wanted you since the first moment I saw you in the restaurant. Yes, I want to be your mate." James reached for her and pulled her to him, his mouth coming down over hers as he kissed her deeply. His hands gripped the bottom of her shirt and pulled it over her head, breaking the kiss just long enough to get the shirt out of the way. His lips found hers again and crushed them. He couldn't get enough of her. He knew he would never be able to get enough. She felt as heated as he did. He was everything she had ever wanted in a man and even more. She wasn't afraid of becoming a Werewolf. She'd be with him forever and that's all that mattered. She pulled his shirt off and started working on his pants, fumbling with the buttons as their tongues dueled for dominance. She felt his arms around her and his fingers deftly undoing her bra and pulling it over her shoulders. His lips left hers and latched onto a hard nipple and sucked with a fervor she'd never felt before. She held his head to her chest, begging him to suck harder. James went to his knees and kissed down her belly to the top of her pants, tugging them down her hips and helping her step out of them. His hands slid down her hips, pulling her pussy to him. He leaned forward and inhaled her scent, almonds and eucalyptus. He had a look of ecstasy on his face that quickly turned to lust. She spread her legs and sighed as she felt his tongue licking at her wet slit. Her head fell back and she reveled in the feel of his tongue rasping over her clit as his fingers opened her folds to let his tongue inside. She was startled at first when she felt his tongue so deep but looked down to see the large black wolf pushing as deeply into her as he could. She reached down to stroke his fur, and he looked at her with James' dark eyes. She somehow knew what he wanted and dropped to her hands and knees, turning to face away from him. She felt his nose at her wet pussy, tasting her, and moaned loudly. "Please James, please, I want to be with you forever. I want be your mate!" His wolf heard her voice, sultry and sexy, and calling to him. He looked up over the white mounds of her ass and lifted himself up to mount her. His cock slid easily into her pussy. She was so ready for him. She wanted him. His wolf was pleased that their mate wasn't afraid. Her moans pushed him to thrust into her hard. He used his large paws to hold her close to his body and started pounding hard in and out of her. He could hear her keening and felt how close her body was to her orgasm. He leaned forward and slid his tongue across her neck, feeling her pulse jumping in her throat. She tasted just like her scent which was driving his instincts to mate. She was ready for him, and he had to have her now. He closed his jaws over her neck and bit down and thrust hard inside her. His cock felt so good inside her. She could feel herself being driven to an amazing orgasm. For just a second, she was scared when she felt his teeth bite into her flesh. But then the feelings overcame her, and she started to cum harder than she ever had in her life. Her pussy clamped down on his cock, and her whole body spasmed underneath her wolf. She felt his paws around the front of her hips holding her in place. She felt the ground underneath her. She felt his cock ravaging her tight cunt, and then she felt the knot that she'd seen so many times recently when she'd given him pleasure. She felt it stretching her so wide she thought she'd scream, but scream with pleasure, not pain. Once his knot was seated, his thrusts weren't as deep but more frenzied as he spilled his seed inside her for the first time. Although he knew she wouldn't become pregnant, he still felt the need to fill her. He pulled her to her side and laid behind her licking at the bite, feeling her body spasming around his cock. He felt her breathing calm and then become regular as she fell asleep with him tied to her. He felt his knot recede but didn't want to move and wake her. He shifted back to human and laid there stroking her soft skin. He couldn't wait to run with her, to hunt with her, to have her wolf underneath him. He could hear the change in her breathing when she woke up. He put his arms around her and held her close, nuzzling her neck. "Do you feel any different?" "I'm not sure yet. Except for one thing." She spun around in his embrace and was face to face with him. "All I can think right now is how much I want to fuck you." She pushed him onto his back and laid over his hard body. She kissed him slowly, wanting to taste every bit of him. They'd kissed before, why didn't she ever notice before how good he tasted? His taste was addicting. She couldn't get enough. She licked his neck and felt him shiver underneath her. She smiled as she moved down his body, flicking her tongue over his nipples, and down his stomach to where his beautiful cock was already growing. Her mouth was incredible, and he could barely think as she sucked his cock. He stroked her raven black hair and she looked up at him with her bright blue eyes. She was his! After all this time, he would have a mate. He would have someone to protect and to be the mother of his cubs. He'd never thought he even wanted a mate until he met Sarah. Now it was all he could think about. She was all he thought about. His cock was throbbing and he needed to be inside her. It was like she read his mind as she straddled him, slowly lowering herself onto him. He groaned when she had him fully inside her. She looked down on him, a feral look on her face. He smiled. Her wolf was taking control. "Mmmm, you feel so nice inside me James. I can't get enough of you." She closed her eyes and rocked back and forth on the hard cock pulsating inside her. He was hers! But she needed to mark him so no other female thought to take him from her. She looked down at his gorgeous face as she rode him hard, sliding up and down on his thick cock. If any other female touched him she would kill her! She leaned forward as she rode him, her hands on his muscular chest. She licked her lips. She needed to taste him. Needed to make him hers forever. She felt his hands sliding up and down her back and arched her back, driving herself down on him. She heard his groan and smiled as she bent down to lick his neck like he had licked hers. She felt the pulse in his neck. It beat in time with his heart. She knew she needed to do this. Something in her head was telling her. "Do it! Mark him. He's yours. You can't let anyone else take him from you." She flicked her tongue one last time. He thrust up into her as she bit down into his flesh, tearing the skin and feeling his blood run over her tongue. He roared underneath her and his cum started shooting up into her hot cunt. He held her tight around the waist, forcing her down on his plunging cock. His knot pushed up into her and tied them for the second time that day. James rolled over until Sarah was underneath him, still tied. He kissed her hard and licked her neck again where he'd bitten her. He smiled when he saw it was almost healed. "Do you feel her?" He looked into her blue eyes with swirling amber flecks. "I - I'm not sure. I feel like there's someone talking to me in my head." Sarah looked a little scared. And then she heard James talking, no wait, she felt him talking, in her head. But it was different than the voice that had told her to bite him. "You'll always know who's talking to you. She will always be with you, and so will I. But just to confuse things, Carr and Lee can speak to you if they want because they are now your Alphas. So just don't be freaked out the first time it happens." He smiled down at her and kissed her softly all over her face as Sarah listened to his words in her head. "Am I a wolf now?" She looked up at him with the most trusting look he'd ever seen. "Yes baby, you will be soon anyway. She's there, I can see her in your eyes. And of course she bit me." He smiled almost proudly. She gasped and reached up to touch the fading bite mark she'd left on his neck. She then touched her own mouth and looked at the blood that came off on her fingers. "Oh my God, James, I hurt you!" "Sarah you could never hurt me. For Werewolves, a mating bite is the most intimate of acts. It binds us together. Without it, we'd never be fully bonded. We'll bite each other many many times. But the first bite always scars. It shows everyone else that we belong to each other. No other male will dare touch you unless he wants to die." He had a serious look on his face, like he really would kill any male that touched her. "And I would kill any female that touched you." She gave him an evil smile. She could think of a few of the female Betas that had been looking at him that she'd love to show a thing or two. He laughed and hugged her tightly to him. "I believe you baby. Just don't jump too soon. I do have friends you know, and they like to hug." "OK, I promise. So when do I become a wolf? Soon?" She looked warily at him. She wanted to be a wolf, but the idea did scare her. "Whenever she decides to make her appearance. She'll know when the time is right. Don't try to push anything. But let me know when you think you're close OK? I don't want any surprises. Karen..." His voice faded. He cursed himself for opening his big fat mouth. No one knew other than those that were there at the time. "What about Karen? What happened to her? I thought you said she's been busy and that's why I haven't seen her? What have you been hiding from me?" She managed to wriggle her way out from underneath him and stood up, brushing the leaves off her body. "What aren't you telling me James?" She stared at him as he got to his feet. "I wasn't supposed to say anything. She's alright. She just, well, she shifted to her wolf to help someone who was in trouble, and hasn't been able to shift back." He ducked when she threw a stick at him. "Why didn't you tell me? She's the best friend I have here and you kept this from me? How are we going to be mates if you can't tell me the truth?" She began walking in circles, muttering to herself. "What a fool I've been, to trust any man, even a Werewolf. I should have know, they're all the same, all out for one thing." She stared at him like he was the scum of the earth. "Baby, listen to me." James was kicking himself letting it slip. "Don't baby me, mister. Don't think you'll get out of this that easy. Where is she? Is she OK? Is she scared?" She stopped dead in her tracks. She looked frightened and ran to James, clinging to him for comfort. "Sarah, what's wrong?" He tried to get her to look at him, ducking to meet her eyes. "Someone's in my head." She held her hands over her ears, like she was trying to block it out. James held her hands and pulled them away from her head, trying to get her attention. "Sarah, what is the voice saying?" "It says that Karen is fine and not to worry about her, that Cole is looking after her. James, who's in my head?" She was almost frantic. "Baby, it's your Alpha. It's Carr. He can feel your anger and fear and he's trying to tell you it's OK. Remember I said he and Lee would be able to talk to you when they wanted to? He could feel what you were going through and is trying to help by telling you she's OK. Please, Sarah, listen to him." He held her close and stroked her back. She was almost hysterical. She took a deep breath and pulled herself away from him. "You're right, I need to listen. I need to calm down. I'm sure Cole would never let anything happen to her. I'm sorry James. I really didn't mean what I said. I love you! I love you more than anything!" She rushed back into his arms and held him tightly and sighed as she felt his hands stroking her back. "I'm sorry Carr, I shouldn't have gotten so upset. I know you have more important things to deal with than one human." Carr answered her and let James listen in as well. "Sarah, you are part of my pack, you're family. There is nothing more important in this life. Never apologize for taking my attention. I give it where it's needed." Sarah smiled up at James. "I'm a member of the pack." James laughed. "Yes, baby, you are." He kissed her on the forehead and held her tight. "Let's go home." He picked up their clothing, and they walked hand in hand back to James' quarters. The auburn colored wolf watched the couple walking out of the woods from her third floor window. Her tail wagged. She was happy for her friend. Now if only she could solve her own problem. She really liked her wolf, but wanted her own self back. She was more than willing to share though. She heard the door open and turned to see Cole walking in. She bounded over to him, rubbing her body against his. Cole dropped to his knees and let her lick his face. "OK, OK, enough pet." He laughed as she slobbered all over his face. "We need to work on getting you back to your human form. I've been thinking about this, and talking to some of the humans that have joined the pack. I have some ideas. So let's see what we can do, huh?" He quickly stripped and shifted to his wolf. "Let's go for a run." His tail wagged and he playfully bumped his body into hers. He opened the door that he'd left cracked and they padded out of the room. The auburn and chocolate wolves made their way through the house, prompting nods of greeting from those they passed. "Do they know who we are?" Karen looked at the pack members greeting them as they made their way outside. "Of course they do. You will too someday. You'll get so you can recognize every member of the pack." They made their way outside and took off at a run towards the woods. They ran side by side in the light of the half moon in the sky. It was such an amazing sensation to feel the breeze in her fur, the grass between her toes. She looked over at her mate and felt an amazing rush of feelings overwhelm her. She loved Cole more than she'd loved anyone in her entire life. She didn't know she could feel this much love for someone. It was the most incredible feeling. They stopped in a meadow that was so much like her earlier dreams she had to do a double take. She looked around in awe. It was like her dream come to life. "Lay down and close your eyes Karen." Cole watched her follow his instructions and then laid next to her, close enough to touch. "Now, think about being human. Think about what the ground felt like under your feet when you were barefoot. Just picture walking through the meadow with me in our human forms." He watched her breathing rhythmically. He shifted and began to stroke her fur. She listened to his voice in her head and concentrated on him. She felt his hands petting her and thought about touching him back. She wanted to touch his skin the way he was touching her. "Keep your eyes closed pet. Just think about being human again. Think about me touching your skin. Think about your wolf laying down in your mind while you come to the front." Karen laid there with his words in her head. "Well? Are you going to let me have my body back? I'm more than happy to share everything with you." She could feel the wolf consciousness in her head. It was different than her human mind. She didn't really talk, she felt. She was scared she could never be free again. "I promise, you and I will be together always. But you can let me out once in a while, can't you?" She felt the wolf back away and lay down. She felt herself coming back to the fore. She thought about the grass underneath her and suddenly realized it was wet against her skin. She opened her eyes and saw her pink skin, no auburn hair except on her head. She looked at Cole who was sitting next to her with a huge grin on his face. "It worked! Thank you Cole, thank you so much." She hugged him tight and didn't want to let go. "I love you so much, you have no idea." "I knew you could do it pet. And I love you too. Now, unless you want to stay out here in the cold in your human skin, or you want to go back to being a wolf right now, I suggest we go back to the house so we can get warm." He smiled at the woman he was going to spend the rest of his life with. She would certainly make life interesting. ----------------------------- The next morning: Brett spread out the maps of the cave system in front of Adam and Jackson. Adam leaned forward and scanned the maps. "Wow, if we'd had these it would have saved us a lot of time learning all these tunnels." He smiled up at Carr's stone cold stare and then back at the maps, all serious business. "The supplies are kept here." He pointed at the area on the map. "The Omegas stay in the forward caves, the Betas towards the back. Paul has his own quarters on the eastern side of the cave system. Sometimes he has a woman with him." Adam's face looked haunted as he mentioned the woman. Carr and Brett exchanged glances. What was Paul doing to the women that Adam could look so horrified? "Gary stays in this farthest back cave. He always has his woman with him. She lives in a cage he keeps locked. The only time we've seen her is when..." His voice trailed off. He didn't want to say it. He looked up at Carr, and at his own Alpha standing nearby. He knew he had to tell them. "We only saw her when we had to each acknowledge their coupling and accept her as the prospective Alpha Bitch." He looked down in shame that he had ever been a part of Gary's plans. Wolf's Pet Ch. 21 Jackson had the same expression as Adam. They were both grateful to Carr for allowing them to live and to their own Alpha for accepting them back. But at the same time they felt they needed to atone for their sins against the packs. They would do everything possible to help defeat Gary. "And you're sure the Betas will all leave on a hunt three nights before the full moon?" Carr seemed skeptical. "Yes, he said it was important for he and the Betas to hunt three nights before the Wolf Moon. He said they had to prove their prowess to the females. I've never heard of anything like that, but he was adamant about it." Jackson knew it was strange, but then again, Gary had quite a few strange ideas. He hadn't realized how many until the last few weeks. He hoped some of his friends would realize their mistake in choosing Gary and give up when the fight begins. Alistair had been sitting quietly. His eyes were sunken. He had barely slept in a week. He didn't know who his mate was, but she was in that cave and he had to get her out. "We need more fighters." His voice was flat with no emotion. He had none left. "The Alphas aren't willing to risk all of their Betas. They're holding back. They're afraid if we lose they won't be able to protect their lands." "I know. Wilson is the only one who's brought more than ten. I've been thinking about that for the last few days. That's why I sent for my people. They'll be back from the mountains later tonight." He would be relieved when Lee was back home. Maybe he'd been rash to send them off, but at the time it had seemed the right thing to do. Wolf's Pet Ch. 22 A lone figure stood outside the compound, watching the sky, waiting. His muscled body stood out in the light of the moon. He looked like the proverbial statue of David. Carr looked up at the moon, half full, one week left until the Wolf Moon. There was so much to do, so much they still didn't know. The bright light in the sky was mesmerizing to his wolf who wanted to howl. He wanted the world to know his frustration. This was his pack, and he would protect it, whatever it took. His concentration was broken by the sound of trucks on the road. He knew who it was. He strained to see the lead vehicle coming down the winding roadway. He could just barely make out the female figure in the passenger seat. He felt her joy and sent her his own. She could see the silhouette in the moonlight. She knew it was Carr. She couldn't wait for the truck to drive on the meandering road. "Pull over Trey." She barely waited for the truck to stop before she pushed open the door and leapt out. She didn't even bother to take off her clothes before she shifted. She had to see him now. He saw the blond wolf cutting across the open rocky ground, making a bee line for him. He smiled and shifted quickly. The chocolate brown wolf ran to meet her half way. She heard his howl of greeting and returned it wholeheartedly. She hated being away from him and hoped it never had to happen again. But now she was back, and she'd make sure he knew she had missed him terribly. It seemed like it was taking forever to run across this field but soon enough she was skidding to a halt in front of her beloved mate. They stood for a moment, staring into each others eyes. He moved first and slowly approached her, rubbing his face against hers. "I've missed you so much love. This place just isn't the same without you. I promise never to send you away again." His words in her mind almost brought her to tears. She licked his face all over. She had dreamt of this for two whole weeks, and she was going to be sure that her homecoming left an indelible print on his mind, and his body. A gleam entered her eyes, and she playfully ran around him, dropping to her elbows and wagging her whole body. Her wolf wanted to play. Two could play at that game. He smiled to himself and took off at a dead run towards the woods. He glanced behind and saw the blond wolf doing her best to keep up. As soon as he hit the tree line he slowed to allow her to catch up. He stopped behind a tree and waited. He saw the flash of bright colored fur and jumped out in front of her, startling her to a stop. Her sides were heaving as she tried to catch her breath, her tongue lolling. He rubbed his body all along hers. He turned to move behind her and his nose picked up her scent, cedar and lilac. He bent down to lick at her wetness. The blond she-wolf let out a surprised yip and ran to his right. He growled as he grabbed hold of the scruff of her neck. He was done with playing. His green eyes were filled with lust as he looked at the love of his life. She immediately rolled on her back, exposing her neck and belly to her mate, her Alpha. She lay still, waiting for his acceptance. He slowly moved along her body, his nose probing her fur, moving from her neck to her belly. Of course she knew he would never hurt her, but wolf instinct was strong, and he had to prove his dominance, and she her submission. His tongue flicked along her wet folds and she slowly turned onto her stomach and raised her hips, her face to the ground. His tongue pushed deeper, tasting her for the first time in two weeks. He stopped for a second to howl his pleasure to the moon. In the distance they could hear the howling of the other reunited mates. This might be their last chance to spend time alone. Tomorrow Xylon said he would have a demonstration for them. And then, all hell would break loose, he was sure. Tonight was for his mate. He belonged to her. Danielle and Rebecca were walking through the compound, enjoying their new found freedom. There was so much activity tonight with the pack members returning from the mountains. They watched friends greeting each other with back slaps and hearty laughter. A scream made them whirl around, just in time to see Jessica leap into Bryant's waiting arms. They both giggled and blushed as Jessica wrapped her legs around her mate's hips and covered his face in kisses. But when they started tearing off their clothes the women turned away, not wanting to see too much. They weren't used to all the nudity that went on in the pack. "Maybe we should go back to our room." Danielle turned to look straight ahead at Rebecca, trying not to look around. She didn't want to look like she was staring. But it was hard not to. She let out a shriek when a grey wolf rushed past her, knocking her off her feet. She was just about to hit the ground when a strong arm caught her and pulled her into a hard body. She looked up into the most beautiful dark brown eyes. She blinked, imagining he was a dream and she'd awaken to laying on the ground in a heap. But he was still there. He had a wide grin and a shaggy mop of black hair that fell over his eyes. She slowly reached up and pushed a lock of hair away from his forehead, smoothing it with the palm of her hand. "Are you OK?" He gazed into her hazel eyes and knew she was his. He inhaled slowly and deeply and then let it out, not wanting the scent to leave him. He couldn't believe it. Here she was, in his arms. He leaned in closer and felt the scent washing over him, vanilla and strawberry. He closed his eyes and savored it, his face buried in her neck. Neither of them moved. Rebecca was stunned by the sight of the handsome Werewolf holding her friend in such an intimate way. She knew they'd never met, they'd barely been out of their room in the Omega quarters since they'd gotten here. She was just about to say something when she heard the most amazing voice. She looked towards it and was dumbfounded to see an almost exact double of the man holding Danielle. "Bro, this isn't Dancing with the Stars. You look like you're doing one of those Tango moves. Let up man. You're gonna scare her." Trey laid a hand on Troy's shoulder to get his attention and heard a low growl emanating from his brother's chest. He slowly backed away and brought his hand down. "No worries Troy, she's yours." It was then he noticed the woman standing next to him, staring from him to Troy. He caught the scent of vanilla and apple and smiled. "Are you twins?" Rebecca still couldn't believe how much they looked alike. The only difference was the red line across his throat. Was it a scar? Other than that she couldn't make out any differences at all. He even had the same unruly lock of hair over his eyes. She absent mindedly reached up and pushed it out of his face and then immediately dropped her hand and looked at the ground, embarrassed for being so forward. Trey's hand caught her chin and slowly brought her face up to look into his. "I'm Trey. The guy doing the dance move on your friend is Troy, and yes, we're twins." He couldn't believe their luck, to both find their mates at the same time, and at such a young age. They weren't even one hundred yet. So many in the pack hadn't found mates at twice and three times that age. He couldn't look away from her hazel eyes as her scent overwhelmed his senses. "And you are?" "Um, I'm, uh..." Rebecca couldn't get the words out. She just stared into his beautiful dark brown eyes. "Her name is Rebecca and she's my mate's best friend so you better never hurt her Trey." Lila had a big grin on her face. This was wonderful. Nathan had been worried Rebecca would find a mate away from the pack. They were good friends, Lila had become good friends with her too and didn't want her to leave either. "Rebecca I'm so happy for you. I can't wait to tell Nathan you've found your mate. And I see Danielle has too. This is wonderful." "Mate?" Rebecca and Danielle said the word at the same time. They looked at each other and the men standing so close they could feel the heat emanating from their gorgeous bodies. "Nathan come here and meet Rebecca's mate." Lila was looking over their heads to her mate who was unloading the trucks. He ran over and took in the scene, Rebecca and Danielle's confused expressions and the silly grins on Troy and Trey's faces. A loud howl was heard in the compound. All movement stopped for a moment and then there was laughter and smiles all around. "What was that? Why does everyone look so happy?" Rebecca was looking around at the smiling faces surrounding them. "It was the Alpha. He's with his mate." Trey looked lovingly at Rebecca. "The Alphas being apart is always stressful for the pack. Knowing they're together lets everyone know things will be OK again. I know they will be for me." He reached out and gently stroked her face. "OK lovebirds. Let's get these trucks unpacked and then you can all get to know each other better." Lila was the Alpha Bitch's second, and since Lee was busy with the Alpha, it was her job to make sure things got done around here. She wasn't going to let a little thing like finding their mates interfere with that. At least not for the moment. ------------------------ Xylon and Jeff were making the final preparations as Carr entered with his Betas. Alistair and Rhys followed a few minutes later. The remainder of the Council were close behind. Once all were assembled Xylon nodded to the security guards who brought Kyle into the observation room. He was still in the specially made straightjacket that could contain him in either of his forms. He was no more compliant than at the beginning, throwing himself against the walls and fighting every step of the way. "You know I heard some of the Wilson Betas talking, and they said Kyle had always been the quiet type. Guess they haven't seen him lately." Cole couldn't imagine having a friend who turned into one of these things. He really hoped Kyle would be able to go home. "If this works, maybe he'll return to his old self. Just pray we get it right the first time." Xylon didn't look forward to multiple test trials. He hoped his laboratory's results were correct and repeatable. If not, it was back to the drawing board. And he really didn't think they'd have time for more testing anyway. "Unfortunately, the best way to introduce the agent to turn off the Dire Wolf gene is by aerosol. Not the easiest to apply, but the other methods just didn't seem to work at all, or not as well. I really don't know how you'll do this outside of a controlled environment like this." Xylon seemed almost apologetic. "Let us worry about that Xylon. Let's see if it works first." Carr was getting impatient. He wasn't used to dealing with scientists. He didn't like all this waiting around for tests and experiments. He was used to just acting. Kyle was staring at them through the window, daring them to do something. He snarled and growled and hurtled himself at the window. The Council members jumped back when he hit the pane. Cole and Brett exchanged amused glances. Guess it had been a long time since those Council members did much other than sit in their chambers. They were nothing like Alistair and Rhys who still acted like Werewolves. A commotion at the doorway got everyone's attention. "I should be there. He's my son. I want to speak with Carr, now." Morgan Wilson's voice reverberated through the hallway. Carr walked to the door. "We didn't ask you to come because we just weren't sure what would happen and wanted to save you any more heartache than you've gone through already Morgan." "I appreciate that, but I prefer to be here with my son." Morgan looked at Carr, not breaking his gaze until Carr nodded his approval. They walked back to the observation room quietly. "Go ahead Xylon." Carr leaned against a wall and kept half his attention on Morgan. Xylon pushed a button that released the substance into the room holding Kyle. Everyone watched intently. Kyle could feel the difference in the air but couldn't see or smell anything. What was it? He had to escape. He had to get away. He threw himself into the door, but it didn't budge. He looked through the window with hatred etched on his face. These inferior Werewolves couldn't over power him. He wouldn't let them. He would fight them to the death. He continued to throw himself with all his strength into the walls and door. He didn't notice the wounds he was inflicting on himself, he didn't care. Carr watched Morgan Wilson closely. He saw the grief on his face as he watched his son trying to fight. He saw him wince when the first blood splattered on the window. He saw him turn his head when Kyle pounded his bleeding head into the window. Jeff kept on eye on the stopwatch in his hand. If this is how all of the Dire Wolves were going to react he didn't know how they could get this to work. In the open they wouldn't be able to concentrate the gas or keep them in one place long enough for them to take in enough of the gas. Kyle finally ran out of steam and stood in a daze in the middle of the room. He was gasping for breath which only served to bring the gas deeper into his lungs. After a few minutes, his eyes rolled back and he passed out, falling to his side. Morgan ran to the window and looked at his son laying on the floor, not moving. "Is he alive?" He couldn't take his eyes off his son. He felt tears forming and was glad Carr was the only other Alpha here. Torrance and Campbell would never let up if they saw him break down. "He's alive. This will take some time. We have to be patient." Xylon wished Morgan Wilson hadn't shown up. They had purposely not asked him here for this very reason. After an hour of watching Kyle laying on the floor in a heap most of the Council members had left the room. Those remaining had taken a seat, except for Morgan who stayed at the window, watching his son's every breath. Two hours later Kyle was moaning and starting to move. Everyone moved to the window to get a closer look. "How did he get that straightjacket loosened? We're not going to be able to fix it now. I didn't notice that when I looked earlier." Brett was mad at himself for not paying closer attention to that when they might have done something about it. Cole cocked his head as he looked at the form laying on the floor. "I don't think it loosened, I think he's smaller." "He is smaller, less muscular. Maybe it's worked?" Morgan sounded hopeful. Kyle coughed and opened his eyes. He looked around the room, at the blood covering the walls, and felt the pounding in his head. What the hell was going on? Where was he? He looked at the window and saw his father's worried face. He smiled at him. "Father, what-what happened to me?" "Kyle, you've been sick, you haven't been yourself. You're going to come home with me soon though. I promise." Morgan looked elated as he spoke to his son for the first time in months. The door opened and Jeff walked in flanked by security guards. "Kyle, I'm a doctor and I'm going to help you." He nodded to the security guards who carefully removed the straightjacket and helped Kyle to a chair. The guards still carried the tranquilizer darts, ready to act at a moment's notice. If they were slow to act, the doctor would die. They'd seen what these Dire Wolves could do. They didn't want to see it again if they could help it. But even they could see that Kyle was different, calmer, smaller. Jeff treated Kyle's wounds which were already healing. It was interesting though that they hadn't started to heal until he'd woken up. Jeff would make sure to add that to his notes for future reference. His body looked like a normal Were now, not a Dire Wolf. He was smaller, with normal musculature, and a much calmer demeanor. "What was wrong with me Doc? I feel like I've been sleeping for a year. What happened to my head?" Jeff couldn't believe the difference. But then again, since Werewolf cell structure changed so readily because of their nature, then it would make sense that genes would be turned on or off just as quickly. "You were changed genetically. Do you remember anything about it? About how it happened?" Jeff tried to sound nonchalant about it. He didn't want Kyle to know how important his answers really were. "The last thing I remember is going on a hunt with Gary and Paul and the Betas from the pack. I couldn't keep up with them, and I was really winded. Gary had oxygen with him and let me take some whiffs of that. And to tell you the truth, that's the last I really remember. After that, maybe there's bits and pieces, but more like a dream than anything else." He watched as the doctor took a couple tubes of blood from him. "What's that for?" "We just want to make sure you're healthy. We're going to send it to a special lab. Just to make sure you're OK." Jeff smiled at him and patted his shoulder. The wounds on his head were fully healed. So his healing was back to normal. Jeff turned to the window and gave a thumbs up sign to Carr. "Morgan, go ahead and see your son." Carr watched Wilson rush into the room and embrace his son. "We need to figure out how we're going to use that gas. Obviously we're not going to be able to give them a mask and tell them to inhale. We need to look at those maps again." Carr walked out of the room with Cole and Brett following on his heels. "Xylon, good work. Thank your employees for me and the Council." Alistair smiled at his co-council member as he followed Carr out the door. Now he could start thinking of how he would save his mate without getting killed in the process. In the scenarios he'd done in his head he always ended up disemboweled by Gary and Paul. Rhys put an arm over Alistair's shoulder as they walked out. He couldn't imagine what Alistair was going through with his mate at the mercy of a megalomaniac Dire Wolf. "Your mother will be happy to have you home. That is, if you want to go home?" Wilson was hopeful he'd want to come home. But if he didn't, he would respect that as well. His son hadn't found a mate in their pack which was what led him to leave in the first place. If he still felt his best chance was to go elsewhere, he would make himself understand. "I was afraid to ask if I was welcome. Yes, I want to come home. I'm sorry I left. Gary lied about a lot of things. I don't remember a lot but what I do remember, I'm ashamed of." He bowed his head and began to cry. Morgan pulled him close and hugged him tight. His mate would be happy to have their son home. And so would he. "Let's get Kyle to the hospital huh?" Jeff and the guards were waiting for them at the door. Kyle and his father, the Wilson Alpha, walked arm and arm through the hospital, flanked by Kyle's security guards. Kyle was talking animatedly with his father when his attention was drawn away. He stopped mid stride and looked into the open door they were passing. The pale figure in the bed didn't look up. Kyle waved Jeff over. "Doctor, what's wrong with her? She looks so sad." Jeff was taken aback for a moment. "Cheryl has had a very traumatic week. Let's get you to your room." "But she looks like she could use a friend." Kyle couldn't look away from her. He started to move towards the room. "Kyle, what are you doing? She's been banished from this pack. As soon as she's well enough she'll be sent out on her own." Morgan tried to pull his son away from the room, but he wouldn't budge. Jeff could see the tell tale signs. There would be no keeping Kyle from Cheryl. But would Cheryl respond? "I don't think you'll be able to keep him from her." Jeff looked from Cheryl, so frail in her bed, to Kyle, a look of amazement on his face. Morgan let go of his son who immediately went to her bedside. He took her hand in his and smiled down at her. He leaned forward and inhaled deeply, cloves and orange. She was his. He would help her recover. Kyle looked up at his father. "She will come home with us." His father nodded. Wolf's Pet Ch. 22 "Are you going to tell him what she did?" Jeff whispered to the Wilson Alpha. "Would it matter? She's his mate." Wilson would talk to Carr. He was sure he wouldn't have a problem with Cheryl going back with them. "Trina, get some Omegas to move another bed into Cheryl's room. I don't think we'd be able to pry him away." Jeff watched the couple closely. He'd been worried about Cheryl's future, but now it was sealed for her. Her mate had found her. Now he had to coax her wolf out of hiding. He wished him good luck. Wolf's Pet Ch. 23 "Trina, anything I should know about our patients?" Jeff hadn't been disturbed during the night so the assumption was that all was well. His staff was good. He knew he could depend on them, but he had to ask. Trina looked up from the chart she was writing in. "Nothing much. Cheryl doesn't seem to need as much pain medication. She's having some phantom pain, but I think Kyle sitting with her is helping." Trina smiled brightly. She and Cheryl had been friends when they were cubs. She'd pretty much stopped associating with her as they got older. But now she just felt sorry for her. She hoped she and Kyle would be happy with the Wilson pack. "Kyle has had normal vitals all night. He hasn't reverted at all, thank God. I was glad to have the security detail there with him last night even though it seemed like overkill. But better safe than sorry. If there's nothing else then I'm off to bed." Trina waited a second, but noting no further questions, waved and went on her way. Jeff watched her walk away. She was such an amazing nurse. She always had a bright outlook on life, even amid the pain and suffering they had to deal with. He wondered when she would find her mate. He wished it was him, but his wolf wasn't interested. And he'd decided long ago that he wouldn't mix business and pleasure by having any kind of relationship with his nurse unless she was his mate. Someday. His attention was drawn to the sounds down the hall. He could hear Kyle. "I know you don't know me Cheryl. But I promise, you'll like the Wilson pack. Our lands are beautiful and we have plenty of game." Kyle spoke softly as he stroked her red hair. He tried to look into her eyes but she wouldn't look at him. She always escaped by closing her eyes or looking away. His wolf couldn't understand why she didn't respond to them. Kyle assured him it would just take time. She'd been through a horrible trauma. She'd come around. They had to be patient. Cheryl's voice was so quiet, even with the enhanced hearing of a Werewolf Jeff could barely hear. "Why do you want to bother with me Kyle? I'm a Werewolf without a wolf or one of my arms. If my wolf ever does decide to join with me again, I'll be a three legged wolf. How would I hunt? You'd be a laughing stock for having a mate that was a freak." She started to almost sound hysterical. "Cheryl, you should know, a Werewolf always knows it's mate. My wolf knows you belong to him. Your wolf will come around. She won't be able to resist for long. And you are not a freak. I'm sure your wolf will hunt just fine on three legs. You don't need four legs to run, or to love. Cheryl, you deserve to be happy. My father has welcomed both of us into the pack. Your Alpha isn't standing in our way. I won't let you make excuses. You are coming home with us and that's final." His voice hadn't raised but it was firm. His hand never left her hair, and he never looked away. She turned to look at the male sitting at her side. He was beautiful. And he was the son of an Alpha, so he must be strong. He would make a good mate. He'd take care of her, take care of their cubs. It was faint, but her wolf was with her. She smiled weakly and looked up into the most gorgeous blue eyes. She brought her hand up to pat down a stray bit of sandy blond hair. He took her hand in his and smiled down at her. They would help each other heal. They just had different types of wounds. Jeff walked by the room and glanced inside. Kyle was in the exact same place he'd been last night when Jeff said goodnight, sitting at Cheryl's bedside. They couldn't take their eyes off each other. Jeff made his way to his office and waited for Xylon. The lab results were here, and now they just had to see if they were as positive as they'd hoped. Kyle certainly seemed like an everyday normal Werewolf besotted by a new mate. Jeff looked up when he heard someone walking in the door. Xylon could barely contain himself as he sat down on the other side of the desk. "It worked! The Dire Wolf Gene is turned off. In fact, it's totally disabled. They tried to turn it back on and it was just down right dead. The antidote apparently can keep it from ever being turned on again." Xylon was grinning ear to ear. Of course, in his excitement, his Greek accent was thicker. "Xylon, I can barely understand you. Can you slow down?" Jeff was just teasing. He'd understood every word. This was amazing, and he couldn't wait to tell Carr. At least now they knew they had a shot at fighting normal Werewolves. He shuddered to think what injuries he'd have to treat if they had to go up against Dire Wolves. "Guess we have news for the meeting then don't we?" Jeff was glad they didn't have long to wait, because he could barely keep from jumping out of his seat to find Carr. ----------------------- The group of females was chattering away but silenced when Katy walked by with Rhys. She felt their eyes on her as they walked by. "Is there something I should know? Why are they acting so weird?" Katy looked up at the strong beautiful face of the man, the Werewolf, that would be her mate in less than a week. "Did I walk out of the bathroom with toilet tissue hanging from my pants?" She whirled around to look behind her for any telltale paper. Rhys laughed. His Katy was so sweet and innocent. He hoped she never changed, no matter how many more centuries they would have together. "They are talking about Cheryl. They probably think you'll be upset to hear that her mate has found her." He could not have been more proud of how his mate had dealt with Cheryl. He of course would have killed her if Katy had allowed it. But she was far more compassionate than he. "She'll have reminders for the rest of her life of how she screwed up. I'm glad Kyle found her. He needs someone to care for so he can get over his guilt. And if he can get her wolf to come forward again, then they will have a chance at a good life together. Just from the way her wolf has reacted I find it hard to believe she would ever betray her pack again. And since she's going to get to start fresh at another pack, she can start a brand new life. I really wish her nothing else." Katy had a sad look on her face as she thought about Cheryl. She really meant what she said. Anyone could make bad decisions in the right, or wrong, circumstances. Katy's own mother had made horrible decisions that affected other lives. Who was she to stand in judgement over Cheryl? Rhys saw the expression on Katy's face and reached down for her small hand. He smiled when he saw the spreading grin on her face as she held him tight. He could feel the current of energy that passed between their joined hands. There was something about these women that was special, more than what interested Gary. It was something in their nature. Every one of the women he had met had an aura about her. Even he couldn't explain it. It wasn't something that a human would notice, or even most Werewolves. If it had been, these women would have had mates long before now in the outside world. But he had noticed the studious looks the women got from the members of the Council. They knew, they just couldn't put their fingers on it. As much as he hated to leave her for even a second, he had a meeting to attend to. "It's time for me to go. Will you meet me when I'm done little one?" He already knew the answer but wanted her to say it anyway. Katy loved hearing him calling her little one. She didn't know why, but it always made her heart sing. "Of course I will Rhys. I would meet you anytime and anywhere. You know that." She looked up into his face and just couldn't believe how lucky she was. Just a few weeks ago she thought her life would be over soon. And now she had a bright future ahead with the wolf of her dreams. "There's Karen and Sarah. I'm sure we can find some trouble to get into while you're in your meeting." She made him lean down and gave him a chaste peck on the cheek before running off towards her friends. "Katy, c'mon, we're going to learn how to fight. Lila promised to give us some pointers." Sarah was practically bouncing up and down as she grabbed Katy's hands and pulled her towards the building that housed the gym. "Fight? Why do we need to learn how to fight?" Katy looked at her two friends and observed some subtle differences from a few days ago. They both looked more muscular. They still had plenty of curves, but their bodies had changed noticeably since becoming mated Werewolves. Neither woman had looked anywhere near their real ages before, Karen was fifty two and Sarah forty seven. But now they looked even younger. The few lines she had noticed on their faces a week ago were gone. They seemed to have a new vitality. The wounds that Gary had inflicted on Karen were totally healed and most of the scars had faded to nothing, even the deep gouge on her neck. "Because we're Werewolves now. And you will be soon. Werewolves need to know how to fight. Lee thinks we'll both be Betas so we need to be ready. And you should start learning now while you have access to someone as good as Lila. Who knows where you and Rhys will be off to next. Cole said he travels all over North America. You might never get another chance." Karen was sad as she said it. She didn't want Katy to leave. She'd really grown attached to her, and her wolf was totally over protective of her now. "You can at least watch us for now. I'm sure we'll be able to give you a big laugh as Lila throws us all over the mats." The three women were laughing as they walked into the gym. It looked like Lila was putting on a full class. Rebecca, Danielle, and Melissa were there as well as Gina and Becky and several other female members of the pack they didn't know. "Let's get going ladies. We have less than two days to get ready for the rescue. So I need everyone's attention." Lila stood at the front of the room eying her new pupils. The women looked around the room astonished. "Rescue? What rescue?" "Um, Lila, we don't know what you're talking about. Who would we be rescuing? Is it a test or something?" Rebecca thought this must be some kind of a joke. "We're all going to help rescue the human women from Gary's pack. You are each going to have a specific job and we're going to go over every bit of it in the next two days. Those women have been brutalized, and Carr wants the males to stay away from them. That leaves it to us." She glanced at each of the human women, smiling at the surprised looks on their faces. "Female members of a pack are an integral part of the fighting force. You're all going to find that out for yourselves at some point, some sooner than others." She said the last as she looked at Karen and Sarah. Karen felt a lump in her throat. She hadn't thought about ever having to confront Gary again. She hoped she wouldn't have to. She felt a reassuring squeeze on the arm from Katy. She looked over at the petite redhead and smiled. She'd always thought Katy was nice, but now that she knew her better, she was amazed at the strength in such a small package. Sarah looked as surprised at she, but also ready to jump into things feet first. "Karen, you'll be coming with us to the caves. Sarah, you'll be staying here with the unmated humans." She saw Sarah about to speak up. "Sarah, I know, you want to go, but your wolf hasn't shown herself yet and until then, it's just too dangerous for you. What if you shift and can't shift back? It could be a disaster." Sarah looked like she was going to put up an argument but realized Lila was right. She didn't want to make things harder on anyone, or more dangerous. She reluctantly nodded. "Believe me, there will be plenty for all of you to do. While we're at the caves, those of you here will be getting ready for the women to arrive. We don't know if they'll have injuries, if they'll be hysterical, or even willing to come with us. And I doubt they'll want much to do with Werewolves, so you will be a huge asset to them!" Lila looked at each woman in turn, making it clear they would all have a role to play. "I have a feeling the real work will come once we get the women here. We have no idea what to expect, so be ready for anything." "Lila, will Lee be leading the females.?" Becky had a feeling she knew the answer but wanted to be sure. Lila got a big grin on her face as she answered, "The Alpha Bitch is pregnant so will not be joining us. She will be in charge here at the compound. I will be in command of the females on the operation." The women were all shouting and laughing. This was the best news the pack had in weeks. The Alphas were expecting. This was a good omen. ---------------------- "Don't you have a meeting to run? Really Carr, I don't need you hovering around me. I'm only four weeks along. I have a long way to go." Lee had waited a few days before telling Carr the good news. She'd wanted to just spend time with him after being separated for two whole weeks. And with the plans to rescue the women in the works, she'd had to tell him a little sooner than she'd hoped. She'd really wanted to wait until this whole mess was over so he wouldn't have one more thing to worry about, but she had to tell him now. Otherwise there would be questions about why she wasn't leading the females. Now Carr knew why his father had told him that being a father was something he couldn't explain. The feelings running through him right now were so confusing. He had this overwhelming need to protect Lee and forget about everyone and everything else, but that conflicted with the instinct to protect his pack. They were different but one in the same. At least he knew she would be safe at home while they went after Gary. "Go! Otherwise Cole and Brett will be at he door looking for you. I promise not to have the cubs while you're gone." She smiled and tried to push him out the door. "I have a lot of planning to do for when those women get here. Please, I have way too much to do for you to be following me around and getting in my way." He turned to face her and gently stroked her cheek as he leaned in close, "You'll be an amazing mother, love." He kissed her lightly and made his way down the stairs to the meeting room. He had to admit, knowing he was going to be a father had him thinking more about their future. Until today, the future to him was days and weeks, now in one fell swoop, the future was more about years. He was almost to the door when he saw Cole coming towards him, a silly grin on his face. He didn't say anything until he was right next to him. Cole leaned in close and said quietly for only Carr to hear, "Congratulations Pops." He started to laugh and clapped his big brother on the shoulder. "I'm gonna be the best uncle. Those cubs are so lucky. The things I'm going to teach them..." He ducked and slipped quickly into the room before Carr could retaliate. Carr was shaking his head as he neared the room. He loved his brother but he never knew when to stop kidding around. This was no time for joking. The Council and the other Alphas wouldn't be interested in his mate's pregnancy. As soon as he walked in the door he was inundated with congratulations. Apparently news traveled fast. And he was surprised to see the smiles on the faces of the assembled Alphas. Even Crane and Torrance had smiles on their faces. "We needed a sign Baxter. Your mate expecting is a good sign for us, a good sign for the packs." Campbell's normally dour expression was gone, replaced by a strange blissfulness. "Thank you all for your good wishes. My mate and I appreciate it. Now let's get to business, shall we?" He looked around to all the nods and smiled. He really had to admit that since Metzger's death there was much less dissension and more camaraderie in their meetings. Carr looked to the head of the Council. Alistair looked like a ghost of himself. Jeff had been pumping him full of vitamins and energy supplements but it didn't seem to be helping. Of course he guessed it could be worse if he hadn't gotten them. Alistair stood at the front of the room. His face was gaunt and his eyes were sunken. The lack of sleep was obvious to all. He knew they were wondering how much longer he'd be able to function. He wondered the same. He took a breath, squared his shoulders, and tried to regain some of his composure. "Xylon and his scientists were successful in finding a way to turn off the Dire Wolf gene." "Thank God for that!" Owen McDonald had a relieved look on his face. "Will we be able to use this on any Werewolf that carries the gene?" He looked at Xylon. Xylon wasn't sure what to day. "Well, I suppose so, but that's something to speak about in the future." "Don't you think we should make sure this can't happen again?" Gene Campbell looked like he was ready for a fight. Rhys stood up and moved to the front of the room. "I think this is a discussion for another day and venue. We will do what we have to in order to solve our current problem. But do we really want to start discussing something that is for the Council to decide?" He looked around the room and saw the nods of the Council Members. Campbell and McDonald exchanged glances as Campbell answered for them both. "I suppose not." They went back to their seats quietly. Alistair stood up again as Rhys nodded politely and returned to his position against the back wall. "According to recent defectors from Gary's pack, in two days, Gary will take his Betas on a hunt. The Omegas will be left alone at the caves with the women. This will be our chance to rescue the women. Carr and his Betas have come up with a plan, a very good plan. I'll turn things over to him. Carr?" Alistair returned to his seat. At this moment he felt every one of his five hundred thirty six years. But if lack of sleep was needed to save his mate, then so be it. It would be worth it! Carr had become more comfortable taking the lead among this group of Alphas and Council Members. As the youngest, he knew he'd had to prove himself to many of them. He was pretty sure he had. "We'll need every Beta you can spare for this operation. It has to go like clockwork or Gary and the other Dire Wolves will make it back to the caves before we're ready for them. If that happens, we'll lose an untold number of pack members." He scanned the room and saw the nods of the Alphas. Maybe he could talk them into more than ten each. "The first step will be to take out the Omegas without them being able to alert Gary. Then we have to get those women out of there. Our females will take care of that. Lila, my mate's second, will be in command. Jackson and Adam have been filling us in on how the Omegas handle things while Gary and the Betas go on hunts. Apparently they have several rings of look outs. We'll need to take them out at precise moments in their rounds. If they manage to see, hear, or smell us coming they'll be able to alert Gary. They hunt about a twenty minute run from the caves. So if they get a warning to him, we're left with twenty minutes to get the women out." Carr watched the Alphas who were listening intently. "There are approximately forty Omegas. But remember, many of their Omegas were Betas in their former packs. In Gary's pack they have the Dire Wolf gene turned on to become a Beta. To be safe, I'd like to have at least double that number of Betas, preferably more. Most of mine will be busy setting things up inside the caves for when the Betas return. We'll need lookouts, guards, drivers, and fighters." His traveled to each Alpha noting their reactions. There didn't seem to be any dissension. Wilson was the first to speak. "I'll have twenty for you Carr." Crane stood up. "I have fifteen available." Torrance was next. "I have ten here now, but I can get a few more here by tomorrow." McDonald was apologetic as he spoke up. "I'm sorry, I only have ten to spare." His pack had been the hardest hit by defections to Gary's pack. He hadn't said anything to anyone but he was hoping that his pack members would return. Wolf's Pet Ch. 23 "I'll have twenty here by tomorrow." Campbell was the last to speak. "It sounds to me like we'll have a formidable force." Carr was beaming. They had come a long way. Earlier in the week none of them were willing to bring more. "We'll start assigning positions and training immediately. I'd like each Alpha to meet with Cole and Brett and let them know any special skills their Betas have that we can use to our best advantage." "I think Gary will be caught unaware and we will prevail." Alistair sounded far more sure than he actually felt. But he had to continue to think positively. He felt his mate's presence with him now. She needed him to find her. Wolf's Pet Ch. 24 Alistair watched the Alphas around the table with Carr and his Betas. "Alistair, are you alright? Alistair?" Rhys was quietly speaking to his friend who was staring off into space. "Alistair can you hear me?" The white haired Were didn't say a word. He didn't move. "Carr," Rhys called quietly to the Alpha. "Send for the Doctor." His hand never left his friend. He could feel the muscles spasming underneath his clothing. He grabbed hold of his arms just as the muscles gave out. He gently lowered him to the chair and bent down to speak directly into his ear. "Alistair, if you can hear me, give me a sign." He felt fingers close over his arm and squeeze weakly. Rhys sat down next to his old friend and waited for Jeff's arrival. Carr had managed to keep the attention of the Alphas and other Council Members on the planning and team assignments and moved them towards his office. Rhys acted nonchalant as if they had sat down to chat. Jeff arrived and closed the door behind him. He attended to his patient and didn't notice Carr's quiet entrance into the room. Rhys looked up. "Did they notice?" "No, they're focused on getting their people into the right positions. How is he?" Carr stayed at the door in case someone tried to come in. "Head of the Council or not, the Doctor is in charge now. He is exhausted and his body has finally admitted it. I'm going to hospitalize him right now, no ifs, ands, or buts." Jeff looked like he was ready to argue, but no one tried to disagree. The last thing they needed now was panic because the Head of the Council was ill. They didn't need any rumors either. "Will he be able to join us in the rescue?" Rhys wanted all the answers he could get before he decided how best to disclose Alistair's condition. "Maybe, I don't know. I'll tell you more as soon as I'm done with my evaluation." Two orderlies arrived from the hospital with a wheelchair. Jeff helped Alistair into it and they promptly exited through the back door and made their way back to the hospital. Carr ran a hand through his hair and leaned back against the wall. "Great, just what we need, a distraction. What will the other Council Members do? Anyone that will want to take over like Metzger?" "No, he was the only one with ambition, misguided as it was." Rhys looked thoughtfully at Carr. He would make a good solid Council Member in two or three hundred years. He'd have to keep him in mind for the future. "They want what's best for the packs and Weres in general. They are all good men. But I better tell them something so they don't panic." He smiled and walked towards the office. Katy waited for Rhys at their usual spot. She felt his presence just before she spotted him. She hopped down from her perch in the tree and bounded over to him. She saw his serious face and hugged him tight, feeling the tension release from his body. She smiled when she felt his arms close around her body. She could feel him relaxing in her embrace and sighed. "What's wrong little one?" He sounded concerned as he backed away from her and reached for her chin to tilt her face up to look at his. "Nothing, I just felt so safe in your arms, I just sighed. But what's wrong with you? I can tell you're upset about something. Is it Alistair?" She sat down on a fallen tree stump and patted a spot next to her. He sat down and took her hands in his, holding them gently. "Yes, you read me well already. He's exhausted and it was finally too much. He almost collapsed. He's in the hospital." He brought a hand up and stroked her hair, pulling a strand free to twirl it between his fingers. She smiled up at him. She so loved having her hair played with. No one had done that since her mother so many years ago. She leaned down and laid her head in his lap, closing her eyes, and just relaxing under his touch. "The Doctor will take good care of him. Last night I had a dream, and he was meeting his mate at the caves after you rescue the women." Rhys stopped stroking for just a second. She dreamt about Alistair and his mate? After a short pause he resumed playing with her hair. "Do you dream about many of the pack little one?" "Sometimes, but only ones I care about. I dream about Sarah and James and Karen and Cole. And I knew Rebecca would meet Trey before she did." She laughed. "Luckily for me my dreams are always happy. Maybe I forget the ones that are sad." She nestled her head deeper into his lap. She was amazingly relaxed out here in the woods with Rhys holding her. "What was that?" Rhys was startled and his hand stilled in her hair. "What was what?" Katy tried to sit up, but Rhys held her down. He bent over and looked into her face, her beautiful pale green eyes blinked back at him. But on closer examination he noticed something he had missed before. There were yellow rays interspersed with the pale green. They almost looked like the eyes of a cat. His hand stroked her face as he smiled. "You purr, did you know that?" "I do? I never noticed before. Is that bad?" "It's wonderful little one." He whispered softly "Rydych chi fy hun gath wyllt bach." "Your language is so beautiful, but I wish I knew what you said." "You are my own little wild cat." He bent down and kissed her softly on the forehead. If he was a younger wolf he'd never be able to control himself. He would have taken her as his mate days ago. But there was something telling him it was important for him to wait until the Wolf Moon, so they would wait. She giggled. "Good thing for you my claws are pulled back. But I will never be wild with you Rhys, never." "We shall see my little wild cat, we shall see." He continue stroking her hair as he looked up at the tree branch ten feet above his head where she'd been perched when he arrived. He wondered if her wolf would still climb trees. "I'll be fine. I slept for twenty four hours, I feel great, better than I have in days. I need to be there." Alistair looked at Rhys, Carr, and the Doctor. "I will be there." The white haired Were looked so much better than he had just one day earlier. His skin was a normal color, his eyes were no longer sunken, and they had their sparkle back. He looked fit and healthy again. Jeff shrugged his shoulders. "Yesterday I could have restrained him without any help, not today. Good luck to you all. Now I need to prepare for whatever carnage you send my way later tonight." Jeff turned and walked into the trauma room where the orderlies and nurses were stocking drawers. They had their own preparations to make. They had to be ready for anything. "Are we ready Carr?" Alistair had great respect for the young Alpha. He had really grown in his abilities just within the last few weeks. It reminded him of a quote from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, "Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." Greatness would be thrust upon Carr whether he wanted it or not. "The plans are made, now we just have to carry through. Shall we go then?" Carr led the way to their SUV. "James, let's get out of here." Carr got into the front passenger seat and Alistair and Rhys sat in the back. They meandered on some back roads, seemingly taking the long way through the woods. "I assume the strange path we are taking has a purpose?" Alistair knew Carr had a reason for everything he did. "We've mapped out the best way to avoid their patrols. It's not as the crow flies, but it gets us there." Carr had a big smile on his face. His heart was pounding, and his wolf was circling. It would be his time soon to lead his pack. This was the type of hunt he liked the best. "We planted wireless cameras all throughout these roads and have been monitoring them for several days. We know every path they take and those they don't. We know where their patrols go and how long they're out." Bryant and Craig had done a great job of wiring these woods. There wasn't a part of it that they hadn't been watching for days except for the caves themselves. James shut off the headlights and drove the last hundred yards in the dark. He parked in the clearing near the other vehicles. They were far enough from the caves that even a Were's hearing wouldn't pick it up. Carr spoke quietly to the assembled Alphas. "Brett and Steve are waiting for Gary and the Betas to leave, and then Brett will signal me and we'll move in. We won't start taking out the Omegas for twenty minutes. That'll give them time to reach their hunting grounds. Steve is going to keep up with them, upwind of course, and let us know when they start back. Lila, are the females ready?" "Yes Alpha. We're ready." She smiled and looked at her troops. They had duffel bags filled with sweats for the women. They knew they'd been kept nude and didn't want them to feel self conscious around the males they might pass. Each group had a set of bolt cutters and a map of the section of caves they were assigned to. They knew what was expected of them, and they were going to make their Alpha proud. They stood silent, bathed in the moonlight. A human might look up and think it was the full moon, but the Werewolves knew better. Not yet. At the stroke of midnight Brett sent a message to Carr. The Dire Wolves were on the move west, to their hunting ground. It was time for them to move to their secondary staging area. Carr nodded to the Alphas and team leaders and the entire group of over one hundred twenty Werewolves moved quietly through the woods on foot. They found Craig and Bryant and stopped. The two man groups that were to take out the sentries made their ways to their positions. Trey and Troy were one team, Nathan and David team two, Bryant and James the third. The tranquilizer darts would knock out a normal Werewolf instantly. If they mistakenly shot at a Dire Wolf, Gary would be instantly alerted. Trey and Troy moved easily and quietly through the brush. The advantage to being twins was that they thought alike and moved as one. When they saw the sentry their eyes met just for a second before they moved. The dart hit the sentry in the neck, and in one second he had slumped to the ground. They each picked up an end and carried him back. Within minutes the three sentries were unconscious and already packed into one of the SUV's. Ten minutes later there were six other sentries cuffed and in the back of the SUV and on their way back to the compound. Step one completed. Twenty minutes after midnight Steve reported back to Carr they had arrived and the hunt had begun. The Wilson Betas watched the Omegas outside the caves. They used hand signals to coordinate. They had a plan. They knew some of these rogues. A few they knew wanted to return to the pack and their allegiance was with the Wilson Alpha. He had already been in contact with them tonight, and they would help lure the others away from the cave, one at a time. Matt heard the Wilson Alpha in his mind. They were there. It was time. "Hey Greg, can you help me over here? Paul wanted these rocks moved by the time they got back. I can't do it alone." He waited for Greg to move his way and he began the walk towards the pile of rocks he had just put there a few minutes ago. They rounded the corner and he heard Greg fall. He turned and saw Jackson and Adam smile at him, grab the body and run off into the woods. Matt took a tree branch and moved it back and forth over Greg's tracks. He sauntered back to the cave to lure his next victim. "We have more allies than we knew Carr." Wilson smiled at the Baxter Alpha. "I'm going to tell the others to see if any of theirs still hold allegiance to them. We may get through this stage easier than we'd planned." As Carr watched, he saw the smiles on the faces of the Alphas. They had found some of their own who wanted to be forgiven and welcomed home. They would help. Matt greeted the raiders with a smile. He addressed Wilson first. "Alpha, thank you for accepting me back. My allegiance is with you. All of us standing here now know our mistakes and will do anything to be allowed back home. Thank you for rescuing us from this hell. Do you want us to bring out the women?" Carr saw Lila ready to make a snide comment and spoke before she had the chance. "Thank you, but we'll leave that to our females. And we would appreciate it if you stayed back as they were brought out. I think your presence will serve to frighten them more." Matt dropped his head in shame. "Of course Alpha Baxter." "Would you men mind going with mine to help them with planting some cameras and explosive charges?" Carr wanted to make them feel a part of the rescue group now. The faster they re-integrated the easier it would be for everyone involved. And that many less they had to fight. "Lila, go." Lila and the females split into their preassigned groups and made their way through the dark caves. Lila's group made their way to Paul's quarters. What they saw stopped them in their tracks. "Oh my God." Gina put a hand over her mouth to stop from screaming. She closed her eyes for a moment, and forced her self to open them and look again. The woman was naked and bleeding from bite marks and scratches all over her body. She laid on the floor of the cage, almost lifeless. She was covered in dirt and blood and bruises. Her blond hair was matted and filthy. Her head moved just the slightest when Gina spoke, and she slowly opened her eyes. She couldn't believe it. Were those women standing there? She tried to lift her head, but the taller woman ran forward to the front of the cage and motioned for her to stop. "Don't exert yourself. We can see you're badly hurt. We're here to help you, to take you away from this place, away from Paul. My name is Lila, this is Gina and Becky. We'll do our best not to hurt you." Lila had to swallow hard to keep from gagging. She could smell the infection growing in some of the older wounds. If they hadn't come tonight she didn't know if this woman would have survived. "Will you let us help you?" She looked at the poor human female and hoped they had found her in time. The woman barely moved her head in a nod. "My-my name is Sheila." She spoke in a feeble whisper, raspy, like she'd overused her voice. Becky and Gina exchanged glances. They imagined the screams that Paul had gotten from her. Lila quickly used the bolt cutters on the lock and was was at the woman's side, trying to figure out if there was anyplace she could touch her that wouldn't be excruciatingly painful to her. "Sheila, I'm sorry, I don't know anyway to do this that won't hurt." Lila held her under the arms while Becky took her legs and they slowly lifted her. "Oh Godddddd, ahhhhh." Sheila screamed out in pain. Lila and Becky immediately lowered her to the floor. "What are we going to do?" Becky didn't know how they could possibly get her out of here without her screaming so loudly anyone could hear for miles. Lila looked at the tranquilizer gun at her hip and at the extremely weak woman on the ground. She pulled out the dart and opened the chamber that held the tranquilizer, pouring three quarters of it onto the floor. "Sheila, I'm going to tranquilize you, OK? That way you won't feel the pain and we can get you as far away from here as we can. Do you understand?" Becky laid a hand on Lila's arm and whispered, "Are you sure? That tranquilizer is for a Were, she's so weak it could kill her!" "Do we have an alternative? We might kill her by moving her in as much pain as she is. Or her screams could alert the Dire Wolves. We don't have a choice Becky. I wish we did." Lila looked sadly at Paul's victim. "We'll do our best not to hurt you Sheila, I promise." She tried to give her a smile but knew she wasn't very convincing. Sheila nodded and winced when the needle hit her in the arm. She was unconscious immediately. Lila leaned down to listen for a heartbeat. It was still there, but barely. She nodded to Becky and they quickly picked her up and carried her out of the cage. Gina threw a blanket over her to try to keep her a little warmer. Her skin had been so cold already. Lila sent a quick message off to Carr who had an SUV waiting when they exited the cave. Gina and Becky got in with her. Jeff would be waiting at the hospital. Lila saw the human females being led out slowly. They were looking around, scared, waiting for Gary or one of his Betas to come jumping out at them. Their sobbing broke Lila's heart. To think her own kind could treat anyone this way disgusted her. She helped get them into the waiting vehicles and sent one of her females in each car load to answer questions and guide them once they got to the compound. She saw Brett staring into the caves. "Where are Jessica and Karen?" "Still in there. Gary's quarters are way in the back." He was staring into the mouth of the cave. "They just got there." Lila could tell he was in communication with his mate. She was filling him in every step of the way. She looked over at Cole who had the exact same expression on his face as he listened to Karen. "Don't be scared, we're here to take you away." Jessica spoke calmly, sounding much more confident than she felt. The woman looked up from her place on the floor. She smiled. "I knew he would send you." Karen and Jessica looked at each other. "Who? Gary didn't send us." Karen shivered when she realized this could have been her fate. Then she felt immense guilt that her freedom had meant this woman had to suffer. "No, the white wolf. He sent you, didn't he? To save me? My name is Jenna." She stood up and although her body was battered and bruised, there was a regalness about her. Jessica knew this was Alistair's mate. "Yes, he sent us for you." She cut the lock on the cage and handed the sweats to Jenna who quickly put them on. "I'm ready, let's get out of here." Jenna walked out with her head up and like nothing had happened to her. Jessica and Karen were speechless. This poor woman had been brutalized, yet she acted like it was nothing outside the ordinary. She was calm and collected, and they knew then that she was the perfect mate for Alistair Alexander, Head of the Werewolf Council. "They're coming out." Brett and Cole had spoken in unison. Alistair had been deep in conversation with Rhys and the Alphas when he felt compelled to look towards the cave. He was drawn forward and couldn't explain it or control it. But then he caught the scent, peaches and magnolia. It was intoxicating. It filled his nose and wrapped itself around his brain. He stared into the mouth of the cave, his heart pounding in his chest. His breath caught in his throat when he saw her, raven black hair and deep brown eyes. She was so amazingly beautiful. He walked slowly towards her. She stepped out of the cave into the moonlight. She didn't know what she'd see, a wolf? A man? She glanced at the many men assembled nearby and saw their stares. But she saw him and couldn't look away. It was him, her wolf, her champion. His hair was snow white, his eyes a brilliant bright blue. They seemed to sparkle just for her. She moved slowly towards him. They stopped a foot from each other. They both smiled and moved slowly. Her hand reached up to cup his face. "I knew you'd come for me. It's what kept me alive." His hand came up and lightly grasped hers. They stood that way, not moving. "I couldn't leave you. We will be together always." The Werewolves stood by, stunned. Rhys quietly approached the pair. "Alistair, it's time to go. They need to finish preparations for the Dire Wolves return. We need to go." He didn't want to reach out for him, afraid the protective Wolf might come forward. Alistair couldn't take his eyes off her. "Yes, we're coming Rhys. Thank you." He took her hand and walked her to a waiting car. They got into the back seat together. Rhys did not try to follow. Wolf's Pet Ch. 25 Thank you to everyone who has been so patient with my short chapters. I know it can be frustrating for some, but as I've said before, it works best for me. I hope you all understand. I appreciate the wonderful comments. Please keep them coming. And don't forget to vote! ----------------------------------------------- Rhys watched the dust from the departing car. "He'll be back after she is at the compound safe and sound. There's time." He turned around and looked at the Alphas. "So now we wait?" Carr slowly nodded as he listened to reports from his pack. They were deep inside the cave system. They knew when the Dire Wolves returned they would know something was wrong as soon as they got within scent distance of the caves. What they had to hope for was that they'd be stupid enough to enter the caves. If not, it would be a fight to the death with ten altered wolves twice as big, twice as strong, and twice as deadly as any normal Werewolf. Even minus the numbers they had sent back to the compound with prisoners they still had over one hundred here. But those Dire Wolves were far worse than any rogue he'd come into contact with. He'd seen the damage they could do first hand. Many would die. Bryant carried a sack that held the wireless cameras. He tried to secret them away in any nook or cranny he could find. If they were noticed too soon it could be a disaster. His practiced eye spotted likely places quickly and after installing each, he radioed back to the monitors at the cars. "How's that one look Phil?" "A little to your left." The earpiece kept anyone else from hearing the bodyless voice. Bryant made a few small adjustments. "Perfect, you got it." Bryant scanned the cave face for another likely position. "Bryant, Steve says they are in the middle of a killing spree out there. I still can't figure out the purpose of this hunt unless it was to get their blood lust up. He says they're killing everything in sight. For now we're still OK. Gary doesn't seem to notice anything off yet." Bryant nodded to himself to acknowledge Carr's message. He continued to move along the walls in the main corridor. "Craig, are you sure about these blasting caps? They'll work by remote but not get set off early by the wireless signals from the cameras?" Cole was a little uneasy. He knew Craig was an expert at these things but it still made him nervous to be around all these explosives. "Hey if you're scared you can step out." Craig had a huge grin on his face. He knew Cole wouldn't bug out on him but he loved to make a few jabs anyway. "I'll stick it out with you. But just remember, if you get me killed, Karen will come after you, and you've seen what she can do." Cole smiled at the face Craig made. He'd seen first hand the job Karen had done on Cheryl and didn't want to be on the receiving end. "No worries, I'll get you out of here safe and sound. We need a single charge over here." He walked to the Y in the cave. "And a double charge over there." He pointed to the left tunnel that led to Paul's quarters. If someone made it through there they could get to an exit. But he had a detail setting charges there as well. But an integral part of the plan was to trap them inside the main chamber. "You have the inside scoop on things Cole. Why don't we just set the charges to cave the whole place in? Why try to trap them at all?" Craig continued to work while talking. The answer didn't really matter, he'd do his job just the same. He was just curious. "The Council decided since Kyle came out of it and was kind of forced into it, they had to give the same chance to the others. But I'm with you, I'd rather just let them die in here. Altered or not, I'm pretty sure Gary and Paul are psychopaths." Craig was in full agreement with that. But theirs was not to question why. He pointed out another spot for a charge and continued on. ----------------------- Alistair's wolf was ecstatic. His mate was safe and under his protection. The wolf thought of how he would tear Gary limb from limb for what he'd done to her. Alistair had to remind him that in his Dire Wolf state, they would be at a great disadvantage. They would have to hope all worked well back at the caves. Then his wolf would have his turn. Alistair promised him that. Jenna hadn't felt this safe while awake in who knows how long. Since being taken to the caves she hadn't had a moment's peace except when she slept and her white wolf would come to her. Now she was with him and knew she would never have to worry about Gary again. There were no words needed between them right now. She laid in his arms in the moving car and enjoyed the feel of his arm around her, his hard chest under her head, his hand stroking her hair. Alistair held her tight as the car drove to the compound. He leaned in close and inhaled deeply. Her scent would forever be with him. It would be hard to leave her once he got her to the hospital, but he knew she'd be safe with Carr's pack until he returned for her. Jeff and Trina waited for the first casualty to arrive. The report from Carr was that she was in pretty bad shape. Jeff saw the headlights and readied himself for what he'd find. The car seemed to be moving so slowly. Get here already. "Dammit, I forgot something, I'll be right back." He ran back into the hospital. Of all things, how could he forget a stethoscope. Trina pulled open the door before the engine was even off. "Oh my God, Carr wasn't kidding." She quickly assessed the dire situation. Luckily the tranquilizer had worked and hadn't killed her yet. But the damage done was so severe. Just a cursory glance told her that. She looked up to see Becky and Gina in tears. "We'll do what we can for her. Why don't you clean yourselves up and go to where the other women will be brought?" They silently nodded and held hands for support as they got out of the vehicle and back to their quarters to throw water on their faces. They had to get it together before they saw the human females again. Becky stopped and turned around. "Oh her name is Sheila." "How is she?" Jeff was running to the gurney but stopped in his tracks. He looked shocked. He tried to compose himself as he looked over the woman. She was so frail looking. Her heart was barely beating. The first thing they'd have to do is counteract the tranquilizer. Luckily Lila had only used a one quarter dose. Even that might have been too much. Trina was looking at him strangely. "What? Let's get moving." He turned away from Trina and back to his patient. Something was wrong with Jeff. He was never flustered. He was trying to act like nothing was wrong but she knew him too well. They'd known each other forever and had worked side by side for over one hundred years. A trauma case never had him acting like this. They moved Sheila into the trauma room. The team had worked together for decades. Hardly a word was spoken as they each did their job. They wouldn't have long before they had more patients. Carr had told them the women were on their way. Most had minor injuries. And Alistair was bringing his mate. Jeff couldn't take his eyes off her as they worked. He had to save her, he had to. "Did you clean those wounds completely?" He looked over Trina's shoulder as she carefully dressed the infected wounds. "Seriously Jeff?" She rolled her eyes. He was acting like she didn't know how to do her job. If she didn't know better she'd think...oh crap! "Jeff, what does she smell like?" She looked up into his anxious face. He didn't look at Trina as he answered. He looked at Sheila, her dark brown hair fanned out across the pillow and spoke softly. "She smells like nutmeg and gardenia." She gently laid a hand on his arm and spoke quietly so only he could hear. "I'm sure we got to her in time Jeff. Her vitals are already stronger. We'll take good care of her." She hoped she wasn't just wishing. Neither noticed the person waiting patiently for them outside the door. "Um, Doc, sorry to interrupt, but could I get more tranquilizers for the rogues?" David hated to bother them. It looked like a serious discussion, but if any of those rogues woke up there'd be hell to pay. "I want to make sure we have plenty on hand. We've got almost thirty males. We don't know if any of them want to defect or not, but we can't take a chance on them waking up and alerting Gary." Trina whirled around to answer so Jeff could worry about his new found mate and the other patients. "Thirty? I thought there were closer to fifty?" She seemed puzzled. Did Gary lose more in the last few days than just Jackson and Adam? She reached for the vials and handed them to David. "Quite a few of them still held allegiance to their former Alphas and wanted to leave Gary. So they helped us. They're back at the caves. Thanks Trina." He stuffed the vials in his pocket, flashed a smile and made his way back to the security cells. David walked in and heard moaning from one of the males. "Damn, good thing I made it back before he was all the way awake." He loaded the dart and jabbed it into the arm of the rousing rogue. "We need to keep a really close eye on these guys. We can't let any of them wake up. Got it?" He scanned the faces of the security guards who all nodded. If anyone screwed up it could mean injuries or worse for their Alpha and the others. David shivered for a second remembering back to his run in with Paul in this very room. He closed his eyes for a second and relived the horror of it. He could still see Isaac's surprised look as he died. He opened his eyes and saw Nathan staring at him. "Are you OK David?" Nathan looked worried. David looked up and smiled. He was glad Nathan had joined their pack and mated with Lila. He was going to be a good addition to the pack. He was sure Brett was going to try to talk him into joining the Police Department. "Yea, I'm alright. Just had a flashback. Keeping busy will help. Let's get these darts loaded so we're ready. And make sure the restraints are tight on everyone. I don't care if they're unconscious. One mistake and one of them can alert Gary." "Jackie, you do intake, I'll do triage, and we'll funnel them into Jeff and the interns." Trina took charge as the women were starting to arrive. The ones with the more serious injuries would go to Jeff, the rest would be meted out to the interns and more experienced nurses. She knew that when Alistair arrived with his mate, she would be sent straight to Jeff. Trina looked in quickly on Sheila and saw Jeff gently cleaning her face. She knew every minute of downtime he had would be spent with her. The slamming of car doors got her attention and she made her way to the entrance where the first of the women was being led in. Their faces were streaked with tears but most of them had managed to calm down enough that they were able to answer questions. The female pack member who was sent with each car load had already bonded with her group. Trina saw how carefully they were treating the humans. Lee arrived with the pack's human females and assigned one to each incoming group. That way there were two women to help acclimate the group, one pack and one human that would soon be pack. She had already decided she would assign Katy to Alistair's mate. Lee went from female to female and introduced herself. She immediately memorized the name of each woman and where she was from. She wanted to make them feel they were safe and among friends. Lee, Becky, and Danielle were standing with a group when one of the women who was crying stopped and stared at Lee. Lee was a little taken aback when the woman slowly brought up a hand and placed it on Lee's flat belly. Danielle and Becky were speechless. Lee spoke gently, "How did you know?" "I can sense them. I'm sorry. I hope I didn't offend you." The woman dropped her head and looked ready to start crying all over again. "Don't be sorry. Tracy is it? You're home Tracy. You're with family. And if you can sense when the females are pregnant, you will be a very popular guest in everyone mated female's home." Lee smiled and gave Tracy a long hug. "You said them. Are there two?" "Three." Tracy managed a smile. "There's another here that has two though." "There is? Who?" Lee scanned the room to see what mated females were in the room. She spotted Jessica who had just arrived. "Jessica, can you come here please? Just for a sec." She whispered to Tracy. "Is it her?" Tracy looked at the approaching woman and smiled. "Yes, she has twin girls." Lee and Becky were practically jumping up and down by the time Jessica made across the room. "What's up?" Jessica looked at the smiling faces surrounding her and looked totally confused. "You're pregnant!" Lee was smiling ear to ear. "What? How could you know? I just barely went out of heat two weeks ago. It's too soon." Jessica was excited but thought this must be some kind of joke. How could they possibly know? Lee put an arm around Tracy. "Tracy knows. I don't know how, but she does." Lee gave her a motherly smile and squeezed tight. Tracy winced and Lee realized she'd better lighten up. She was still human. "Sorry about that." She hugged her with a little less force but no less enthusiasm. "Oh my God! I can't wait to tell Brett. Are you sure? How can you know?" She was so excited but afraid to believe it. But if Lee believed, then Jessica would too. She held her breath when Tracy reached out to touch her stomach. "Yup, two girls." Tracy had forgotten her earlier tears. This was the first happiness she'd felt since she met Gary months ago. Maybe staying here wouldn't be so bad. "Lee." Lila interrupted politely. "Alistair is pulling in." Lee nodded and gave Tracy a final hug before going to greet Alistair and his new mate. "Katy, would you come with me please?" Katy fell into step with Lee and walked out to the driveway to wait to meet Alistair's mate. She knew her assignment. Especially since Alistair would be heading back to the caves, she would be his mate's constant companion until his return. They waited for the car to come to a complete halt before moving close. James immediately got out and opened the door for Alistair who in turn helped the beautiful woman who slid across the seat and extended her hand to him. In spite of her injuries, her movement was fluid and graceful. Katy thought they looked like they had known each other forever. They seemed to know what the other was thinking. They didn't even need to speak. She stood in awe of such a deep bond for two who had only known each other less than thirty minutes. "Jenna, this is Lee, the Alpha Bitch. Lee, this is my mate." Alistair was presenting his mate formally. Lee understood. Jenna in effect outranked her. She was the mate of the Head of the Werewolf Council. She smiled. "Hello Jenna, I wish we weren't meeting under these circumstances, but please accept our hospitality and any assistance we can offer you. The Doctor is waiting for you. The other women have been attended to, and you are his final patient." "Did you find Sheila?" Jenna was concerned for her friend. She knew she'd been taken to Paul's cave and had heard her screams for the last few days. She didn't want to think about what he'd done to her. Just the thought made her want to cry. "Yes, she's here. She's in good hands. They have her stabilized and Jeff, our Doctor, is fairly certain she'll have a complete recovery. To be honest, he will be seeing to that personally since she is his mate." "Thank God. Thank you so much. I've been so worried about her." Jenna looked like a weight had been taken from her shoulders. Lee was amazed. Jenna had been through hell. She had been brutalized and raped over and over and her first concern was for her friend. She would be a fit mate for Alistair. She would be a wonderful role model for any female in the North American packs. Lee would be honored to look to her for guidance in the future. "Jenna, this is Katy. She's going to be with you every second while you're here." Lee gestured for her to step forward. "Katy is the mate to my closest friend, Rhys. I'm sure the two of you will become close friends." Alistair was so proud of Jenna. He could tell she would not have to prove herself to the Alpha Bitches. It was like she was meant for the position she would hold in the packs. Maybe it was her destiny, their destiny. "But I'm afraid I must leave you for now my dear." His hand reached up to stroke her cheek and lingered. Jenna closed her eyes and felt his love for her so strongly. She knew he would be back. He would never leave her for long. And she would be safe here. She was among friends. She opened her eyes and smiled at the man she would spend the rest of her life with. She reluctantly walked into the hospital with Katy, but turned at the last minute to look at his face one more time before she walked through the door. "James, let's go before I change my mind." Alistair got into the front passenger seat and stared at the hospital door as they drove out. He had never felt the urge to disregard his duty before. But with Jenna so close it was hard not to give it some thought. He would come back to her, after he took his revenge on Gary. ---------------------- Steve was shocked at the mayhem he saw going on in front of him. The Baxter pack normally hunted only adult animals. They never killed pregnant or nursing females. The rogues were indiscriminate in their massacre of every animal they came upon. If they were allowed to remain here for much longer there would be no game for anyone to hunt. He watched, dumbstruck, as the wolf he assumed was Gary crossed paths with a Grizzly Bear. He wouldn't confront the bear would he? Steve didn't move as he witnessed the most brutal attack he had ever seen in his life. Gary faced the bear from the front. His lips curled back into an ugly snarl with saliva dripping. The bear stood on his hind legs and roared. This was his territory. He would defend it with his life. He moved forward and swiped at the wolf who leapt out of the way with an agility that wouldn't be expected from an animal so large. The brown wolf ducked under the large paw and came in low, grabbing the bear's belly with his sharp teeth and ripping with all his might. The bear bellowed in pain as he was disemboweled on the spot. The giant gray wolf jumped onto the bear's back and bit into the thickly furred neck, ripping into the poor bear's jugular vein. The bear died within minutes. Steve could see the glee in the wolve's faces. He'd never seen Werewolves as evil as Gary and Paul. He noticed the rest of the pack hanging back. Were they scared? Or as stunned as he was? Steve checked the wind and thought it best to move slightly west to avoid any of his scent wafting over anywhere near the Dire Wolves. If they found him, he wouldn't live long enough to get a warning out to Carr. The brown wolf was half the size of Gary. He made his way through the rocks to a good vantage point. He filled Carr in on everything he had seen so far. Gary shifted and stood to look at the pile of carcasses his pack had amassed. This was good training for the fight to come. His wolves weren't afraid of anything or anyone. Carr Baxter would learn the hard way. His puny wolves would die. And he would die last. Wolf's Pet Ch. 26 "Let's make things look as normal as we possibly can. Brush out all the footprints." Carr surveyed the area looking for anything that had been disturbed during their rescue operation. "If this is going to work we have to trick them into feeling comfortable enough to walk into the caves." Carr motioned for Wilson to join him. "Matt?" Carr looked for their newest ally. Matt stepped forward. He swallowed hard and looked at Carr and his Alpha. "Yes Alpha." "We're going to have to depend on you and the others to make it look like nothing unusual is going on." Carr looked at the assembled former rogues. They knew how important this was. If they couldn't get any of them into the caves the whole plan fell apart. "Yes Alpha, we'll do the best we can." Matt turned around to his friends. "We have to redeem ourselves for our packs. If we die, so be it. Agreed?" They solemnly answered in unison. "Agreed." The Alphas looked at their own and smiled. If they died, it would be with honor. They would never be known as rogues and would be fully accepted back into their packs after tonight. "All right, lets get back into our positions while they get ready for the Dire Wolves to return. Steve says they're winding down." Carr turned and walked away, Cole and Brett flanking him. Each Alpha and his pack had their assignments for the next phase. Carr prayed all went as planned. If not, it would be a blood bath on both sides. He heard the car approaching and saw the headlights turn off. James and Alistair were back. Alistair spotted Rhys and made his way through the group. "Jenna is with Katy. Rhys, it was hard to leave her. My wolf wants to pick Gary apart but at the same time wanted to stay to protect her. I've never felt so conflicted. But I know she's in good hands with Katy and the pack. For now, my place is here." Alistair smiled at his friend who clasped his arm tightly. They would stand together. "Cole, I want to make sure..." Carr stopped talking and looked off into the distance. "They're on their way. Everyone get ready." Craig took up his position with the monitoring equipment and operators. Phil was in charge of the camera work. Craig would watch for the best moment to blow the charges. Preferably with every Dire Wolf inside, but if not, then at least with as many as possible. After ten minutes of waiting they heard the faint sound of howling. The sound made the hackles rise on the back of Carr's neck. He looked off into the distance. Steve was able to stay upwind but was having a hard time staying close enough to see them. They were fast. Carr looked down towards the caves and saw Matt and the others wandering around, trying to look normal. They had a fire pit and they had lit the fire and filled it with green wood to make smoke to try to hide the scents of the other Were's. He hoped to God it worked. Many of those standing and waiting had shifted and were ready for a battle. There was an occasional whine of excitement from the gathered wolves. The Dire Wolves trotted into the clearing in front of the cave mouth. The blood from their kills was still wet on their coats. Gary shifted and the Betas did the same within seconds. The males stood in a semi circle behind Gary, their skin glistening with the red blood. It still dripped from their mouths. Gary slowly moved forward and looked at the smoke billowing high into the bright sky. "What the hell is all this smoke? Greg! Greg get over here." Gary was seething. He had left orders for no fires tonight. He didn't want to draw attention to the caves while he and his Betas were away. "Where is Greg? He knows better!" Now he was really pissed. Greg was in charge of the Omegas. He had been next in line to become a Beta. That might change if he didn't get his butt here now. "Alpha, Greg was hungry and went chasing after a rabbit. He should be back soon Sir." Henry, an Omega from the Campbell pack had jumped forward to try to give a plausible answer. Gary spun around and stared at the frightened male. He let out a bellow and with one hand snapped the Omega's neck. "And that will be Greg's fate when he gets back. Put out that fire!" Gary yelled at the Omegas who were hovering nearby. Two of them ran forward with buckets of water to put out the flames. "Are you stupid? That will make the smoke even worse. These Omegas aren't worth the meat they've been eating. Paul, take care of this. What the hell is going on around here? Where is everyone?" Gary started looking around and noticed there were only about twenty of his Omegas present. Where were the rest? Paul spread out the burning wood and threw dirt on it to put out the fire. These inferior wolves would never make Betas in this pack. Gary would probably kill them. That thought made Paul smile. He hoped he would have his chance at a few of them. The Alphas overlooking the caves were shocked at what they had just seen. Campbell dropped his head for a moment. He closed his eyes and swore he would tell Henry's parents that he had died bravely for the pack. He opened his eyes when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked over at Carr who had a determined look on his face. "Where is everyone? They should have been here waiting for our return." Gary was stalking through the clearing, his eyes practically bulging. This was a total lack of respect. Maybe he should just slaughter every one of them. Gary stopped for a moment. Something was wrong. What was it? He looked around the clearing. His face started turning red as his rage grew. He smelled the women. They had been out here, including Jenna. "Who the fuck touched the women? Who brought them out here without permission?" He stared at each of the trembling Omegas in turn. They didn't have the balls to have touched his woman. "Paul, check the cages." Paul and three of the Betas entered the caves. Gary whirled around to the former rogues. "Which one of you decided to touch the women without permission, hmm?" He pointed at one of the males and motioned for him to come closer. Carr and Alistair exchanged glances. They couldn't stand by and watch Gary and Paul slaughter these ex-rogues who had decided to help them. The male slowly approached Gary, knowing it was his turn to die. It was his own fault. He should have deserted when Adam and Jackson did. He'd thought about it. But now it was too late. He held his head down, resigned to his certain fate. Gary leaned in close to his face. "Who brought the women out of the caves?" The male was silent. His body was shaking so badly he could barely stand. Torrance watched the Omega from his own pack, Ryan, who was hardly more than a boy. He wanted to protect him but knew he had to hold back or the plan would be ruined. He watched stone faced. "So you won't talk even when I disembowel you?" Gary had never been as angry in his life. This was supposed to be his pack and these less than Omegas had disobeyed him, disregarded his rules and disrespected their Alpha. They would all die. He could replace them any time. "None of us brought the women out here Alpha, I swear." His voice was so quiet he could barely be heard. "What was that you said less than Omega? None of you brought them out here? Then who did? I don't see anyone else here." He looked around and back at the frightened Were. The Betas had smirks on their faces. They got warmed up on the hunt, and now they were going to get in a little battle practice. "What should I do to you for not telling me the truth less than Omega? Should I rip you apart limb by limb until you scream? I can wait for you to heal after each limb goes flying. Or maybe I should let my Betas chew your limbs off? It would be more painful wouldn't it?" Gary had a wild look on his face, like he was feeding off the terror in the male's face. He picked up the quivering male by the throat, feeling his legs kicking as the air was cut off in his trachea. "ALPHA! ALPHA!" The loud yells came from deep inside the caves. "What is it? Gary dropped the male and went running towards the cave opening but not far enough inside. Craig had a finger on the button, waiting. He was trying to will Gary into going inside, but it wasn't working. Paul was almost to the mouth of the cave. "The women are gone Alpha." He held the cut locks in his hands. Three more of the Betas ran inside. But Gary and two others were still too far from the entrance. Craig looked at Carr who nodded. Craig pressed the button. 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - The explosion rocked the ground and several of the Omegas were thrown off their feet. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" Gary ran to the fallen rocks at the mouth of the cave and then looked at the last two of his Betas. "Kill them all!" On Gary's command the Betas shifted to gigantic brown wolves who launched themselves at the smaller Omegas. Carr gave the command and the almost one hundred wolves ran down into the clearing, snarling and leaping at the much bigger Dire Wolves. They tried to hurtle themselves towards the larger wolves and bite at anything they could get at. There was just no way to take them on one or two at a time. Torrance reached Ryan and picked him up off the ground. "Take your friends up to the hillside. Don't come back down here." Ryan nodded and started gathering his friends to run for cover. "Craig, how's it look inside?" Carr's voice echoed in Craig's head as he and Phil assessed the situation inside the caves. "I released the gas. Paul is hurtling himself at the walls. The other Betas just look confused and are trying to pull down rocks to get out." Craig winced when he heard a shrill scream from one of the MacDonald pack. "It's probably gonna take some time for them to pass out. We gave them a good dose though." Another scream rang out, and Craig had to remind himself his job was to stay here in case he needed to blow any of the secondary charges if it looked like they were going to get out of the cave before the antidote worked. Steve ran up the hill and to Craig's truck. "I need those extra canisters of the gas, quick!" He took them from Phil and went sliding down the hillside, throwing one to Brett, one to Bryant, and one to Cole. They each took their canister that was actually a fire extinguisher and got as close to the fighting rogues as possible. It was hard to find their heads as they bit and slashed at the wolves around their feet. But the hose made it a little easier to aim. And since they were fighting, they were breathing hard and inhaling the gas deep into their lungs. Each of the Dire Wolves was surrounded by a group of wolves tearing at their legs, trying to rip at their bellies. And outside that ring was a second of the same number, ready to step in as any were injured or winded. Gary was surrounded by the five Alphas, the Archivist, and the Head of the Council. Although not as large as Gary, their wolves were much bigger than the Betas fighting the other Dire Wolves. The white wolf snarled menacingly at the brown Dire Wolf. He had raped his mate. He had beaten her, defiled her. He would kill him. He ran in between Torrance and Wilson and tore at Gary's Achilles tendon. He felt the blood run between his teeth and hoped it would be bone next. He barely heard the roar from Gary as he felt the pain. Gary lashed out and his teeth caught at MacDonald's front leg, tearing the muscles of the shoulder. MacDonald cried out and fell back, his leg limp. Cole had the canister and jumped forward whenever he could see a window, aiming the gas at Gary's nose. Gary shook his head, trying to stay away from whatever they were spraying at him. But he couldn't help from breathing. The gas made it's way slowly into his heaving chest, deep into his lungs. Slowly, the Dire Wolves were taking in the antidote. The battle was raging and they had to take in air to keep going. Every chance they got to aim the gas they took. Rhys saw Gary turn to lunge at Carr and took the opportunity to jump onto his back. The large black wolf was still dwarfed by the gigantic brown wolf. But it didn't stop him from trying to grab at the thick neck in front of him. His teeth sunk in, hitting bone. Gary bellowed and twisted, trying to throw off the offending wolf. As he moved, the others jumped in to grab at a part of his body. "I need another canister!" Cole shouted out to Steve who bounded up the hill and retrieved three more. Cole had to jump back out of the way when his canister was empty. He took in the scene while he waited. The blood in the clearing was everywhere, Dire Wolf and Werewolf alike. Several of the various pack members were laying in the grass, trying to regain their strength and heal enough so they could get back into the fray. Cole saw a few that wouldn't make it home alive. "Catch!" Steve yelled out as he threw the full canister into Cole's waiting hands. In a flash, Cole was back in Gary's face, spraying as close to the nostrils as possible. As Gary tired during the prolonged fight it was getting easier to get it directly into his mouth and nose. It had taken hours for Kyle to pass out. They didn't have hours. Brett and Bryant were on their second canisters and praying these damn things would drop soon. They didn't know how long their friends could last. Brett tried to jump out of the way but was too slow and felt the long teeth sink into his forearm. His hand went numb immediately and he dropped the canister. Steve dived in and picked up the canister, taking over spraying into the Beta's face while Brett dropped back. Brett sat holding his arm, waiting for the bleeding to stop and the tissues to start to mend. He took a moment to look around at the carnage. One of Campbell's pack had been able to pull himself away from the fight before he'd died. The wolf lay motionless. Brett made his way to him and gently closed his eyes. The air was filled with the sounds of tearing flesh, painful yelps, and snarling. It was hard to make out the screams of the Dire wolves from those of the Werewolves. Brett watched one of the Torrance pack dragging himself along the ground without one of his legs. He rushed to him and helped him find a safer spot behind some rocks. By the time he had him settled the bleeding had stopped. Brett felt tingling in his fingers again as the nerves healed themselves. Steve seemed to be working the canister OK so Brett shifted and jumped into a hole when one of the Crane pack backed off to rest. The Dire Wolves seemed to be slowing down a little but it was taking forever. Although time didn't seem to mean anything as the wolves fought for their lives and those of their packs. Craig saw the first Beta fall inside the cave. Then a second lost consciousness. Soon all but Paul were out cold, the rising and falling of their chests all that showed they were still alive. Paul on the other hand was still hurling himself against the walls, trying to pull rocks out of his way, trying to make his escape from the caves. Craig looked away to watch the melee in the clearing. When he looked back he could swear the wolves looked smaller. Even Paul looked smaller, although not much. Was it his imagination? His attention was pulled back to the clearing by a loud shout. "Look out!" Cole shifted quickly after yelling out the warning to his brother and jumped in to grab Gary's leg as his paw came crashing down on Carr's head. Trina supervised the orderlies cleaning the trauma rooms. They would be needed again soon she was sure. She was surprised by the sound of cars driving into the compound. She wasn't aware of anyone else coming back this soon. Carr hadn't sent any message. For a moment she was worried something had happened to him, but Lee would have known and alerted her. So who could it be? She walked to the doorway and watched as a group of males and females got out of several SUV's. She didn't recognize any of them. She called back to Jeff. "We have company." Jeff sighed and forced himself to leave Sheila. She was stable and resting quietly, especially since she'd had her last dose of pain meds, but he hated to leave her. Just sitting with her and stroking her hair had calmed him. He wished he could mate with her soon to help her heal. But as a Doctor he knew that wouldn't be the best idea. He'd let her heal first. The drug induced coma had worked well for Karen. He'd give it a try with her. He joined Trina at the door and smiled. This was the first good news he'd had all day. He walked outside and clapped the black haired male on the back. "Logan, I haven't seen you since medical school. What are you doing here?" He looked at the boxes being unloaded from the vehicles and the people, some of whom he recognized, stretching their legs as they looked around the quiet compound. "Trina, this is Logan. He's the Wilson Pack Doctor. Logan, this is Trina, the best Were Trauma Nurse in the business." He pulled Trina out of the building and over to meet his old roommate. Trina put out her hand and thought she felt a shock when Logan took her hand in his. Was there static electricity in the air? "It's nice to meet you Trina." Logan flashed a smile at her as his hand lingered on hers. He inhaled and smiled even more. This would be an interesting trip. "Jeff, we're here to help. The Alpha told us to come. He said there are going to be a load of casualties coming in at some point in time and that you'd need help. We picked up some help from the other packs on the way, a total of four Doctors and eight nurses. Hope that's OK. We brought supplies along with us. Figured you weren't used to treating a hundred Were's in a day." He smiled at Trina again. Jeff looked from Logan to Trina and back again. He wasn't the only one with a surprise tonight. The pleasantries were interrupted by a loud frantic wailing coming from the main house. Trina and Jeff exchanged a quick look before running to the Alpha's quarters. Logan followed close behind them. When they got to the bedroom Karen was holding Lee who was sobbing into her shoulder. She looked up as they entered. She had a strained look on her face. "She can't feel Carr. She doesn't know if he's dead or just badly hurt. Cole is fighting and I can't talk to him." She held Lee tightly and stroked her hair. "Shhh, it's going to be alright. He probably got knocked out or something. I'm sure he'll be OK." She looked at Trina with tears in her eyes. She didn't really believe what she was saying but she had to sound like she did. Wolf's Pet Ch. 27 Carr didn't feel the blow that hit him square in the forehead. His body flew through the air, hitting the back of his head on a large rock. The sickening thud went unheard by the fighting Were's. The crumpled body of the chocolate colored wolf lay still, his chest barely moving. Blood dripped from his nose. Bryant continued to spray the Beta in the face. He could swear the wolf looked smaller. Was it his imagination? The pack seemed to be taking control and the battle was about to turn. Suddenly, without warning, the Dire Wolf flipped onto his back, showing his belly and baring his neck. The fighting group jumped back and stood stock still. Was this a trick? They looked at each other, taking the moment to catch their breath. Should they honor the request to surrender? The wolf shifted to a human male, smaller than they remembered him earlier. He rolled onto his side and cowered. "Please, forgive me, please. I want to return to the Campbell pack. I don't know what Gary did to me. Please." Tears rolled down his face. The ring of wolves around him glanced at each other and moved in closer. A black wolf with a notched ear cocked his head, moved forward slowly and used his nose to push the rogue onto his back. He growled when the Beta didn't move fast enough. The black wolf stared at the his eyes. He looked away and laid on his back, pulling his head back to bare his throat. The black wolf opened his mouth and held the male by the neck. He growled and bit down enough to keep hold and shook his prey who remained absolutely still. The black wolf released the male, slowly backed away and shifted. James stood staring at the shivering former Dire Wolf. "Take him into custody. Don't trust him, and don't take any chances." Three of the surrounding wolves shifted, retrieved one of the straightjackets, secured it to the rogue, and took him to the waiting vehicles. James and Bryant with the rest of the group turned their attention to the other Beta who threw himself on the ground and rolled to his back when he saw the first led away. The scenario was replayed with Brett making the rogue submit. With two in custody their attention was drawn to the ongoing battle between Gary and the Alphas. It was then they saw Carr's lifeless body nearby. James and Brett ran to Carr's side. The wolf was so still. Brett felt for a femoral pulse. Did he feel it? Or was it his imagination? He tried to feel for a heartbeat but if it was there, it was faint. His gums were so pale, even his tongue was pale. Carr was a big wolf, and it took both of them to gently pick him up and carry him to a vehicle that was being brought up closer to the clearing. They carefully loaded him into the idling SUV. Brett looked towards Cole who was so deeply involved in the fight with Gary he hadn't noticed what happened to Carr. Brett didn't want to distract him. He looked at James sitting with Carr in the back. "Go, I'll send Cole back as soon as I can." The SUV sped out, dirt spitting out behind it in a cloud. The wolves had Gary surrounded. There was no more space for any others to get in and help. There was only so much room to maneuver. Gary looked smaller, but it just didn't seem to be as drastic a change as the other two. And Brett wondered why they hadn't passed out like Kyle. Was it the exertion of fighting? He hoped he never had to worry about finding out why. He just wanted Gary to revert back to a normal every day Werewolf like the others. "Crap! He found the last charge." Brett watched Craig running towards him. "What are you doing down here? Why aren't you watching the monitors?" "Paul found the secondary charges. He disabled them. He was a bomb tech in the army, did you know that? He's picking his way through that wall of rocks. The others have passed out and seem to have shrunk in size. One woke up and is cowering against a wall. He looks like he's trying to disappear. I think he's afraid Paul is going to turn on him." Craig was normally very calm and in control. This was the closest to frantic Brett had ever seen him. "Alright, then we'd better be ready if he comes out. We know he got a good dose of the antidote. Maybe he's like Gary and it will just take longer with the two of them. They were the first two turned. Gary looks a little smaller, but no less ferocious or strong." Brett was watching the huge wolves in front of him. This was a fight to the death. He knew Gary would never give up. Neither would Paul when he got out. "Troy, Trey, be ready with a group when Paul comes out of there. Not only is he going to be ready for a fight, he's gonna be pissed." The twins nodded and went to gather the biggest wolves they had in the group. They'd need all the size they could get. Some of the smaller Betas just weren't able to get a bite on these huge Dire Wolves. --------------------------------- "Geez, Steve, watch the potholes. I'm trying to hold his head still but every hole you hit is bouncing him around." James was bent over the Alpha, trying his best to keep his head from flopping. He could have head and/or neck injuries and he didn't want to take any chances. "I'm trying, I'm trying. This damn dirt road is a mess." Steve swerved around another deep hole. James had no idea how many he'd already missed. Sometimes there was just no way around them. "Soon as we're off this dirt road I'm gonna floor it. We'll be back home in fifteen minutes." "Got it, I'll send word to Sarah." James leaned down close to Carr and whispered, "Hang on Carr, hang on. We're taking you home." James hadn't cried since he was a cub, but he was blinking back tears as he looked at his Alpha. "Sarah, baby, can you hear me?" Sarah's head jerked up as she sensed James in her head. The compound was in an uproar since Lee's screaming alerted everyone that something was wrong. Sarah had run to the Alpha's quarters along with everyone else in the pack. She'd seen and heard Lee's sobs. It was so heart wrenching to watch. Throughout the night there had been other mated females who had burst out in tears when she felt her mate injured and in once case, killed. Sarah moved away from the group of females surrounding Lee and into the hallway. "Yes James, I can hear you. Thank God you're OK." Sarah felt almost guilty about being grateful that he was contacting her. So many others were worried because they hadn't heard anything specific. They were just getting feelings of fear, anger, pain, and frustration. At one point several of the females started clapping and jumping up and down. They said their mates were feeling relief and pride, that something must be going well. "You need to find the Doctor, tell him we're less than fifteen minutes out with Carr. He has head injuries. He's unconscious. Sarah, he's in bad shape." Sarah could feel his fear. "I'll take care of it. I'll see you soon." She slipped back into the room and scanned quickly for Trina. She waved across the room to get her attention and motioned to meet her in the hallway. "What's going on Sarah?" Trina looked like she wanted to hurry up this conversation and get back into the room. "They're bringing Carr in. He has some kind of head trauma. They'll be here in less than fifteen minutes" Sarah had barely gotten the words out when Trina whirled around and went back into the room. Jeff was trying to decide if he should sedate Lee. She was just short of hysterical, and he had to weigh the danger to the cubs from her emotional state versus the danger from a sedative. He knew Trina was behind him before she'd said anything. When Trina leaned in close to Jeff's ear Logan had to keep himself in check. His wolf wanted to throw Jeff into a wall. Logan reminded him that Jeff was a good friend and had known Trina forever. They worked closely together, and he'd have to get used to watching them in close proximity while they were here. When this was over, he and his wolf would have their chance. Until then, they had to stay in control. Logan's wolf reluctantly backed down. Jeff leaned down to whisper in Lee's ear. She looked surprised and somewhat relieved. She stood and accompanied he and Trina out the door. Logan followed closely, his eyes never leaving Trina. Lila went to the door to block everyone from following. "Carr is injured and being brought in. Let's all stay away from the hospital unless we're invited. There will be more injured coming in soon as well. Everyone's help is going to be needed. Find me if you have any questions or concerns. Karen, Sarah, come with me please." Lila didn't wait for the two to follow her out of the room. Lila spoke as she walked. "We need to find Katy." Karen and Sarah glanced at each other as they tried to keep up. Karen whispered "Why do we need to find Katy?" Sarah shrugged her shoulders. ------------------------------ Alistair walked around Gary slowly. He had become smaller during the extended fight. Gary's Dire Wolf had been gargantuan, but now, he was the size of the surrounding Alphas. Alistair eyed him closely. Gary knew he was cornered. But he wouldn't be submitting to anyone, Alistair knew that. This would be a fight to the death. Rhys watched from the outer ring of wolves. Now that Gary was back to his normal Werewolf size, they would back off. This was Alistair's fight. No one would deny him the right to defend his mate. But if for any reason Gary escaped from Alistair or somehow managed to win the fight, another would take him on. Crane would be next. Gary had been his Beta and disrespected his Alpha and his Alpha's sister. Rhys had no doubts that Gary and Paul would not leave here alive. The only questions were how long the fight would last, and who the ultimate winner would be. The white wolf with the bright blue eyes circled his prey. He studied his every movement. He watched his stride, the way he took a breath before he lunged. Alistair easily moved out of his way. He could read every move. Alistair had fought many more battles than Gary could imagine. The brown wolf was irate. They had found a way to reverse the Dire Wolf Gene. He was back to a regular every day Werewolf. They would pay! Starting with that white wolf who stole his mate. And after him, the green eyed one that took Karen from him. The hate pulsated through Gary's body. It flowed in his veins and in and out of his lungs. There wasn't a part of him that didn't despise every wolf here. He didn't have time to look around the clearing to see he was outnumbered. He didn't know that all but Paul had abandoned him. Gary's cold blue eyes followed Alistair's every move. He lunged forward and tried to grab at Alistair's shoulder and missed, falling onto his face. He leapt up and spun around to face him again. Alistair was patient. He'd wait for an opening. He'd let Gary expend all his energy. Although the surrounding wolves were watching the fight intently, they also continued to glance at the mouth of the cave. They knew Paul would break his way out soon. And when he did, they'd be ready for him. They had six of the straightjackets ready. There was none waiting for Paul. He wouldn't be giving up. Watching the white and gray wolves was like watching a fencing match between a master and a student. While one jumped forward and attacked futilely, the other easily parried every move with minimal exertion. Soon Gary was exhausted. He was almost falling over himself. Alistair circled carefully, his tail flagged behind him. Gary had kidnapped Jenna, kept her locked in a cage. The white wolf bared his teeth in a menacing snarl. Gary drugged her so she couldn't fight. He raped her over and over and then made her submit to him in front of his pack. The growl started deep in his chest and became louder as he thought of the tortures his mate had endured. He saw his opening and took it. The brown wolf turned to launch and Alistair turned into him at the same moment and grabbed his neck between his jaws. There would be no offer to submit. He bit down hard and heard the tear of flesh, the gurgling sounds in Gary's throat as he attempted to scream. Alistair felt the warm blood flow over his tongue and down his throat. Alistair's normally quiet nature was overcome by wolf instinct. His mate would be avenged. He felt Gary struggling to free himself. It only made Alistair grip tighter. His teeth severed Gary's trachea. He could feel the air whistling past his mouth. His thoughts turned to Jenna and the fear and pain he caused her. He shook his head as he tightened his jaws even more and heard Gary's neck snap as his teeth ripped through his spinal cord. The wolves watched as they saw the light go out of Gary's eyes. The white wolf shook the body hard, blood pouring over his face as he made sure his foe was dead. The blood no longer pumped out of the severed carotid artery. Alistair gave one final shake of the limp body and dropped it in a heap with disgust. He didn't give it another thought and walked away. Alistair moved to a clean area under a tree and laid down, slowly licking the blood off his legs. He could hear the rush of water from a nearby stream and got up, trotted the short distance and plunged into the cool water. He felt it wetting his coat and watched as the bloody water flowed downstream. When his coat was free of Gary's blood, he shifted and stood waist deep in the stream. He shook his head and felt the water flying around him. He smoothed back his white hair with his hands and looked up, noticing the large black wolf watching him intently from the shore. "Did I go overboard?" Alistair sounded exhausted. The black wolf shook his head and quickly shifted. "As far as I'm concerned, no. And I doubt anyone else will think so either. There were several that were ready to take your place if you fell." "I don't even know anything else that happened tonight other than Gary. Any word on any of the others?" Alistair stepped out of the water and laid down on the nearby grass. Every muscle in his body ached. He wondered how long the fight had lasted. He really was too old for this kind of thing. Rhys sat nearby and absentmindedly picked up a blade of grass. "The two Betas fighting with Gary surrendered after the antidote took effect. Paul is digging himself out of the cave, rock by rock. The six Betas with him apparently look scared to death." Rhys sighed. He picked at the grass next to him. "What is it you aren't telling me Rhys? I know you too well my friend." Alistair knew he was holding back. "Did something happen to Jenna?" He sat upright and looked ready to bolt back to the cars. "Jenna is fine. It's Carr. He was badly hurt." He saw Alistair's shocked reaction. "I didn't realize it until midway through your fight with Gary. Brett pulled Cole away from the fight and Cole left. I thought it was strange since I know how much Cole hated Gary. So I asked Brett what was happening. They want Cole there in case..." His voice trailed off. "In case Carr dies?" Alistair couldn't believe he was saying it. He'd grown to like and respect Carr. He'd been close with his grandfather, friends with his father. He'd watched from afar as Carr grew into the role of Alpha. And in the last few weeks, he'd learned first hand what a superb leader he had become. "Do you think anyone will challenge Cole if it happens?" "No, I don't think so. From what I've seen of the Betas, they're just as loyal to him as they are to Carr. But the Baxter pack is in pain right now. After I spoke with Brett, I watched them. They're distracted. They can feel the pain from the Alpha Bitch, but they can't feel the Alpha at all. But we'll know right away if he dies. They'll feel the loss of the bond. And then it will shift to Cole." Rhys tried to remember the last time an Alpha he knew died unexpectedly. It hadn't happened in hundreds of years. Many of them abdicated to their heirs so they could relax in their later years and guide the new Alpha. Carr's father and grandfather had done so. It was felt it was a smoother transition than years before when there would be challenges for the right to be Alpha. It could still happen but it was rare. "I suggested to Brett that the Baxter pack take the wounded and the last of the captives and leave Paul to the rest of us. He and the other Alphas agree. Besides, Crane wants to take care of Paul on his own. He blames himself for this whole mess you know. Both Gary and Paul came from his pack. He's looking as this as a way to redeem himself." Rhys sat quietly letting the information sink in. --------------------- "Jeff, he's here. They're entering the compound." Trina was dreading this. She was so glad they had extra Doctors and nurses here. Carr was going to take all their attention and there were other casualties coming. "Logan, he's your patient." "What? Jeff, what are you doing?" Trina was shocked. Jeff had never handed over a patient to anyone else before, especially the Alpha. "Trina, I'm too close. Carr and I grew up together. It's one thing to treat him for a bite wound or a laceration. It's another to have his life in my hands. We're too damn close. And besides, Logan's specialty is Neurology. Maybe it was fate that he showed up here when he did. I trust him. You should too. I'm going to talk to Lee." With that, Jeff left the room. Trina was speechless. She didn't know if she should be proud of Jeff for putting his patient first, or worry that he felt inadequate in some way. She was startled by a gentle hand on her shoulder. "We'll take good care of him Trina, I promise." He looked into her pale green eyes and found himself unable to concentrate. He had to pull himself together. He cleared his throat and tore himself away from her. "Cathy, let's move." Trina suddenly realized she didn't like that he had called his nurse to assist him. How silly. They worked together like she and Jeff did. Her wolf wasn't satisfied with that answer. "We have to mark him, soon." She shook her head and walked into the waiting room where Lee was seated. Jeff was next to her, speaking softly. She watched as Lee looked at him with surprise, but then solemnly nodded. She walked outside to wait for the car to arrive. The black SUV was making it's way to the hospital and stopped at the entrance. Steve jumped out and opened the back. James looked like he'd been crying. Trina nodded to the orderlies who brought up the gurney. They gently lifted the large wolf out of the car and quickly wheeled him inside. Steve didn't know what to do next. He just stood silently. James leaned against the doorway, closed his eyes, and slammed his head into the hard wood. "If you keep doing that you'll be the next patient." James smiled when he heard Sarah's soft voice. He needed her so badly right now. He opened his eyes and saw her standing just a few feet away. He held out a hand. She took it in hers and he pulled her forward until they were face to face. He brought her closer and leaned down, his nose buried in her neck. He inhaled deeply, taking in her scent, feeling safe now that he was here with her. He felt her arms close around him and he melted into her embrace. During the fight his wolf had been feral, wild, fighting by instinct. Now he could let his gentler nature take over. He was with his mate. She was safe. Being here with her was what he needed to calm the thoughts in his mind. Carr would be OK. It was his wolf who was putting all the worst thoughts in his mind. Wolves weren't subtle. Everything was black and white with them. If you were injured badly, you died. But they had a great Doctor. Carr would be OK. He was sure of it. Katy looked back at Lila and Karen with a questioning look. Lila gestured her to keep moving. She slowly walked into the waiting room. She stopped a few feet from Lee and Jeff. "Lee, may I speak with you?" Katy's voice was so quiet, a human would never have heard her across the room. But a Werewolf could. Wolf's Pet Ch. 27 "Yes Katy, of course." Lee wiped her eyes and tried to look the part of the Alpha Bitch. Her pack needed her. She had to be strong for them and Carr. Jeff stood up and walked out, leaving his seat open for Katy who sat down slowly. "You know that I have dreams, right?" Katy turned to look at Lee who nodded. "They're always true you know. I saw the new matings, I saw Jenna with Alistair. I even saw my own future cubs." Lee gave her a questioning look. "I've seen you with more than three cubs Lee. You have many more. And Carr is the father, so that means he'll live." Lee stared for several minutes. "How can you be so sure Katy?" "The dreams have never failed me. I know I never dream of bad things, but I see the good that happens later. And I've seen you and Carr together with many more children. But he does have a scar on his forehead. It goes straight across, but doesn't look too bad." She could see Lee wanted to believe but couldn't bring herself to do it. "Lee, I promise you, Carr will be with you for a long time. No Dire Wolf could kill him. He's destined for more than just being a pack Alpha." Lee blinked a few times. Katy wouldn't make this up. She'd seen what some of the Vlkolak could do. She suddenly smiled and hugged Katy tightly, keeping in mind she was still human. She whispered to her, "Thank you Katy, thank you so very much." Wolf's Pet Ch. 28 Just a quick note to my readers. If you aren't familiar with the Sable color in dogs and wolves: Black-tipped hairs; the background color can be gold to yellow, silver, grey, or tan. The darkness of the coat depends on how much of each hair is black versus the lighter color. ------------------------------------------- Brett watched as the remainder of the Baxter Pack carefully gathered the wounded to be transported back to the compound. They did quick triage and had the most seriously hurt on their way. But there were those like Owen McDonald who refused to leave until Paul had been taken care of. The Alphas walked among the wounded, speaking to each, commending their bravery, and promising to contact family members. Once the wounded were enroute to the compound they turned their attention to the dead. The Alphas found their pack members, identified each, and gently closed their eyes before contacting their loved ones to tell them of the loss they already felt. They had died with honor and would be treated as heroes by all the packs. Bryant had a list of the wounded, their names, pack affiliation, and type of injury. He did the same with each of the dead. The deceased's Alpha told him whether or not the family wanted the body returned to them for cremation, or preferred he remain with his comrades. They wanted to make sure each family's wishes were adhered to. Gary's bloody corpse lay where Alistair had dropped it, in the dirt. Those who had to walk near the area kept a wide berth, like they were worried he might come back from the dead. The wounded and dead were on their way back to the Baxter lands. Now all that was left were those in the cave. The Baxter Betas still present were here only to take the Betas when they came out. They didn't know what was going on inside there anymore. Paul had found the cameras and destroyed them just as he had the explosives. All they could do was wait. The eighty plus Werewolves were scattered around the clearing, some in wolf form, some human. They shifted their positions, impatient to end this and return to the compound. They could hear Paul now. He was screaming unintelligibly. If they hadn't thought he was insane before, they did now. Crane gathered his Betas, explaining what he wanted to do. He would take on Paul himself. He owed that to his pack and the others. He should have killed him years ago but had thought he could channel Paul's strength and anger. He had failed but he couldn't now. If he fell he expected his Betas to rush Paul. If they couldn't finish him off, then the others were free to step in. They all nodded in agreement. This was their pack's fight. The sound of falling rocks startled several of the wolves. One was hit by a rock that suddenly came flying at him from the mouth of the cave. There was a yelp of pain when it hit him in the leg. They all moved as far from the cave as they thought wise and stared, ready to fight. Snarls and growls were heard from all sides as they saw the human Paul emerge. "How dare you defile our camp and steal our women!" Paul was enraged. His eyes practically bulged from his head and the veins in his neck stood out in relief. But he had lost some of the stature he'd had when the Dire Wolf gene was activated. Now he was the size of a normal Were Beta. "Wait until Gary finds you!" And with that statement, those that were blocking his view of the body moved aside so he could have a clear view. Paul was striding forward towards Crane when he saw Gary laying bloody in the dirt, his throat fileted open. He stopped in his tracks, stared, and cried out. "NO! You killed him, you killed the Alpha." He shifted into a large grey wolf, but no larger than the Betas. He turned, baring his teeth, ready to avenge his Alpha. We was met by Crane, a huge black sable colored wolf. They faced off, circling. The Crane Betas encircled them, ready to keep Paul in the battle area if he tried to escape. With Paul occupied, the others turned their attention to the cave and it's last occupants. Three of the former Dire Wolves walked out and immediately laid on their backs, submitting to the waiting Alphas. They were quickly jacketed and put in a vehicle for transport. But where were the other three? The cave was dark and no one really wanted to enter blind. But they heard moaning and calls for help. Torrance walked forward and called quietly to one of his own who had left the pack to join with Gary. "Asa, come out, we won't kill you." He stood outside the opening and strained to see inside the darkened hole. Asa limped out of the cave, his face torn open, flesh hanging from his right leg. He fell to the ground in front of his Alpha. "Please Sir, please, I want to come home." He had tears in his eyes as he looked up at his father who he had disowned and left. Torrance bent down and looked his son in the eyes for the first time in almost a year. He felt the bond between them that they had lost so long ago. He tried to hold back his own tears but couldn't. "Son what happened to you?" He gently stroked his son's face. "When the Dire Wolf Gene was reversed, we all realized what had happened to us, what we'd become. Paul knew we were horrified. He turned on us." Asa turned to the opening. "Will, come out, they won't hurt you." Another of the rogues walked outside, trying to ignore the fight in the clearing and Gary's mangled body in the dirt. He walked to Asa and Torrance, holding the wound in his side, hoping to keep the organs inside before the tissues healed around them. He collapsed at Asa's side. "I want to go home Alpha, please." He had been Asa's best friend since they were cubs, and another of the Torrance Pack. Torrance turned to speak to Brett who was watching close by. "I will vouch for them. They will not hurt anyone in the packs. Please, take them to the hospital." "We still have to restrain them Alpha. I hope you understand, for their own safety as well as ours." Brett tried to sound apologetic although he didn't trust them as far as he could throw them. But he didn't want to disagree outright with an Alpha. "I understand." He turned to his son. "They will take care of you, but cooperate, both of you. Or I will kill you myself." He looked sternly at them even though he wanted to cry. "Where is the last one?" Trey was still looking towards the cave. He didn't hear a sound from inside. One of the Betas was still missing. Asa's voice was so low he could barely be heard. "Paul killed Trent." He put a hand on Will's shoulder as they both glanced fearfully at Paul. Brett signaled for his men to take Asa and Will into custody while he and the twins slowly approached the cave. They waited at the entrance for a moment for their eyes to adjust. The only light was from the moon, not quite full yet but still bright. After a moment they continue into the cave and stopped. "What is it? What do you see?" Alistair stepped up behind them. He looked into the cave and then back at Paul. He hoped Crane disemboweled him and let him die slowly. He turned and walked away disgusted. "Brett, take your men and leave. We'll take care of the rest of this." Brett nodded, barely able to tear himself away from the scene. He pulled Trey and Troy with him and the left the bloody mess to the others. The last of the Baxter Pack had gone. Rhys and Alistair watched them drive out and prayed Carr would be alright. The snarls and growls behind them drew their attention and they watched as Crane took out his frustration and anger on Paul. The Alpha was an experienced fighter, almost as much so as Alistair. It showed as he bit Paul over and over. He wanted to make him suffer. Gary was evil, but Paul was a sadist. He had harmed so many while still in the Crane pack and more now. Grey fur hung from his bloody mouth. Paul was fueled by rage and hatred. He didn't feel the pain the Alpha was inflicting on him. Even without the Dire Wolf Gene he was strong and he continued to strike back even as he felt his front leg broken by Crane's teeth. He was reduced to three legs but continued to fight back. The Crane Betas were proud of their Alpha's skills. They watched the fight from their circle, ready to jump in if needed. Paul's injuries were becoming more and more of a hindrance, but he wouldn't yield. No one had expected him to. But there came a point when the killing blow must come. He was dragging himself along the ground, still trying to bite at the sable, but he missed his mark by far over and over. Crane stopped for a moment and backed away. He looked questioningly at the Head of the Council. "It's your choice Crane. Do as you will." Alistair turned and walked away. He didn't care anymore if Paul died quickly or slowly. He would leave it to the Alpha. Rhys walked with his friend towards the vehicles. "I need to see Jenna." They did not turn around to look when they heard the ferocious snarls and howls coming from the pack and the final pained screams from Paul. -------------------- The sun could just barely be seen over the horizon. Dusk was usually a quiet time at the compound but today all were awake and busy. The wounded had arrived and Jeff and the team of visiting Doctors and nurses worked tirelessly to care for them. Every chance Jeff got he slipped into Sheila's room, even if it was just to stroke her face and inhale her scent to calm his wolf. She was heavily sedated and wouldn't be allowed to wake up for days. It would save her the pain. He wondered if she would dream about him the way Karen had dreamt of Cole while she was in the drug induced coma. Logan looked into Sheila's room. "There you are, been looking for you." Jeff looked up and started to growl at the invader. He immediately saw it was Logan and quieted his wolf. "Carr?" Logan nodded and walked away from the room. He didn't want to discuss the Alpha's condition with a protective new mate. He waited for Jeff to join him. Jeff reminded his wolf that Logan was taking care of the Alpha and that he had his own mate and didn't want theirs. "Sorry about that. So? What's his condition?" Logan sighed and leaned against the wall. "Jeff, it's not good. He has a depressed skull fracture and it's causing his brain to swell. I need to do surgery, immediately." "Then we better talk to Lee and get moving." Jeff was matter of fact. If that was Carr's only chance then they had to do it. The Doctors walked the short distance to the room they had appropriated for Lee and Cole. They walked in and saw Lee's expectant face. She was clinging to Cole. Logan remained an appropriate distance from the Alpha Bitch. It wouldn't be proper for him to approach her as Jeff might. He wasn't from her pack, her mate was gravely injured, and she was pregnant. All of those factors were making Cole extremely protective. He sat close to her, his arm around her shoulders. Karen sat on her other side, holding her hand. "The Alpha needs immediate surgery. I can't make any guarantees Madam. I can only do my best. We need to relieve the pressure on his brain." He waited quietly. "What if you didn't do surgery? He'd die?" Lee's voice was shaking. She squeezed Karen's hand. "Would there be any chance of him recovering fully without it?" "Death would be a possibility, or brain damage." He didn't want to push her to allow the surgery. It could kill him as well. "But I don't think there would be any hope to him being normal without it." "Then do it." Lee had made up her mind. Carr would want it that way. He would want a chance at a normal life. Besides, Katy had seen his future. Logan gave a deferential bow and left the room to get started. He knew the surgery would take hours and he wanted to begin as soon as possible. Lee's eyes bored into Jeff. "He's the best right?" "No better Neurosurgeon in the Were Medical Field Lee. I promise." Jeff didn't know what had led the fates to send Logan here, but he was grateful. He was sure he couldn't have saved Carr on his own. Trina popped her head into the room. "Jeff, we have more casualties coming in." Jeff nodded to Trina and gave Lee a reassuring smile before leaving to get back to work. "Jenna, do you feel up to a walk?" Katy looked hopefully at her. She really looked better after getting cleaned up. Her wounds were bandaged and she'd taken a shower. Her hair was the most amazing shiny black. The light just seemed to bounce off it like a bright new car. "Sure, I'd love to do something besides sit in a small room." She managed a laugh. She was so happy to be out of that cage. She couldn't wait for Alistair's return. She felt this need to be with him, to touch him. The two women walked across the compound, trying to stay away from the activity. There were SUV's driving in and leaving off patients at the hospital, captives at the security building, and delivering the deceased to their final resting ground. The Omegas were doing their best to relieve the Betas who had fought hard and deserved to rest as soon as possible. The woman walked past the security building just as the last three of the rogues were being brought in. They saw Jenna and hung their heads in shame. They regretted every single thing they could remember of what they'd done. They didn't know if they'd ever be welcomed back into their packs. If not, they would take whatever punishment they had coming. Jenna stopped and gazed at Gary's former followers. "I forgive you." She took Katy's hand and they continued on their walk. They looked up in shock and stared at her as she walked away and looked at each other and smiled. If she forgave them, it didn't really matter what anyone else thought. Katy smiled. She and Jenna were going to become great friends. She knew it. "Katy where are we going?" "You'll see." Katy had a huge smile on her face as she practically skipped along the road towards the entrance. "C'mon slow poke." She pulled on Jenna's hand to make her move just a little bit faster. They reached the tree at the entrance gate and Katy scaled it expertly. She looked down at Jenna. "Coming?" Jenna grinned and did a fairly good job of climbing into the branches. She sat next to Katy on a big limb and the two of them giggled and swung their legs as they watched the approaching headlights. Jason was glad to be home. He'd hated being the last of the pack at the caves. He accepted that he'd been assigned to bring the Head of the Council and the Archivist back to the compound but he wanted to be with his pack while they waited to hear about the Alpha's condition. The movement from the tree branches startled him out of his thoughts and he slammed on the brakes. "What the....what is that?" He was turning his head, trying to look above the visor. Alistair and Rhys braced themselves. Rhys smiled. "I think I know. Alistair and I will get out here. Thank you Jason. We appreciate your patience in waiting for us." He opened the door and got out, motioning to Alistair to get out too. Alistair looked confused but got out. Rhys had never been wrong before, at least that he could remember this century. They stood by while the SUV drove off. Rhys looked up into the tree with a silly grin on his face. "How long have you been waiting little one?" "Not long." Katy practically leaped down from the tree. She landed next to Rhys and hugged him tightly around the waist. Alistair was dumbfounded. How did she get way up there? He was doubly surprised when Jenna climbed down from the same tree branch. She smiled and walked slowly to him and tentatively slipped her arms around his waist. "How did you get up there?" He looked from Jenna to the branch some ten feet above their heads. "I climbed. How else would I get up there? Don't you ever climb a tree? It isn't that hard." She signed in contentment with his arms around her. She'd never felt so much at home as she did now in his arms. Alistair exchanged amused looks with Rhys. They climbed trees. What other surprises would they get in the future. "Well wolves don't climb trees." "Well maybe you should learn." She smiled up into his face. "Katy, Katy, where are you?" Gina's voice rang out clear in the quiet morning air. "Over here Gina, what's wrong?" Katy waved her arms as she called out. "Oh, the Archivist is here. I was coming to give you a message for him but I guess I can give it to him." Gina was shedding her shyness somewhat since meeting Ben. But still, in the presence of the Archivist and Council Head she was reserved. "Excuse me Sir, the European Chief Archivist called and wanted you to return his call when you got back. He said it was urgent." Rhys looked down at his Katy and stroked her hair. He'd called a week ago. Now he called back, two days before the Wolf Moon. Nothing would interfere with their mating, even the European Council. Wolf's Pet Ch. 29 Rhys slammed down the phone as he cursed under his breath. "I heard that you know." Katy slipped between him and the offending phone. He let out a big sigh and looked down at her radiant smile. Rhys reached down to push the red hair away from her beautiful face. He held her gently and gazed into her sparkling green eyes. He bent down and pressed his lips to hers, lightly brushing them against her. The scent of mint and cinnamon almost overwhelmed him. He forced himself to stay in control and not let his wolf out. She moaned into his mouth and pressed up into him, her arms encircling his neck, almost pulling herself up to his mouth. She could barely reach him but stretched herself to try. He smiled as they gently kissed and sat down in the nearby chair, pulling her with him into his lap. His lips found her jaw and nibbled his way to her ear. He loved to hear the sounds she made while he tasted her skin. He stopped when he reached the pulse in her neck. His wolf was circling, waiting to bite. She belonged to them, they needed to make it known. Rhys chuckled to himself and reassured his wolf that everyone knew she belonged to them. No one would dare touch her. "Rhys" Katy's soft voice breathed into his ear. "I want to mate now. Please, make me yours forever." He could smell her arousal and felt his cock jerking in his pants, hard as a rock, ready for her in response. "No little one, we will wait until the Wolf Moon. It's only two days from now. We must wait." He buried his nose in her neck, trying to calm his wolf but it was backfiring horribly. He wanted her even more. "Why? I want you, you want me. Why do we have to wait? I thought it was only the Alphas that have all kinds of rituals? I thought everyone else was free to mate when they wanted as long as they were of age. And I don't think that's a problem for us." She squirmed in his lap and felt the bulge in his pants. She reached a hand down between them and stroked him. She smiled wickedly at him when she heard him groan. "See? You want me." His hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her arm away from his groin. He whispered, his breath making her gasp as it tickled her ear. "Because you are special and we will wait. I don't know why yet, but I do know it's important. I promise it will be worth the wait." He leaned in closer and covered her mouth with his, almost bruising her lips in the deep kiss. His wolf controlled this kiss. If he couldn't mark her the way he wanted, he would at least show her how much he wanted her. His tongue delved deep into her mouth, tasting hers. Her body responded by pushing into him, her breasts crushed against his chest. They moaned loudly into each other's mouths, acting like teenagers who couldn't get enough. -------------------------- "Are you going to tell them everything?" Jószef Kardos didn't like it when the Council would leave out important information. But he had faith in the Archivist to be honest with the Americans packs. He just hoped the Council wouldn't retaliate against him in some way. They had been known to be vengeful in the past. Jószef wasn't altogether sure that had changed much. "Of course. If anyone could understand what those women are, it's Rhys Davis. I've known him for centuries. He and Alistair Alexander are the most powerful Weres in all of North America. With these women as their mates, they could become even more powerful, if they so chose. But I think they will prove to be more circumspect than their Hungarian predecessors." Guillame Bertrand had been the European Archivist since leaving the Council one hundred and fifty years ago after the Vlkolak debacle. It had sickened him then and it still did to this day. Maybe he could make it right now, at least for this generation. "How long until we land?" Jószef looked out the window and saw the Atlantic Ocean far below them. He hated flying. Wolves weren't meant to be in the air. "About six hours. We'll be twelve hours ahead of the Council. I hope that's enough time." Guillame wondered if the women looked like their ancestors. He looked through the book in his lap, filled with pictures from so long ago. He lingered over one in particular, his fingers brushing the picture like he was touching the subject in person. He sighed. After all these years he still missed her. -------------------------- Lila stood at the doorway of the dining hall. The pack had gathered on their own to wait for word on the Alpha. He was still in surgery. It had been six hours already and the stress showed on every face. She knew they felt the same as she did, lost. There was a part of every Werewolf that held a link to their Alpha and his mate. But the link to Carr was quiet. They felt the anguish from Lee. Lila knew she didn't mean to project it but she couldn't help it. The only solace for now was that they knew Carr was still alive. If he died, their link would form with the new Alpha. Lila loved Cole with all her heart. He was one of her best friends, and he would make a wonderful Alpha even if he didn't think so. But he would hate to become the Alpha this way. But knowing Cole was here and safe was probably the only thing helping those assembled to keep their emotions somewhat in check. Lila could feel Nathan's presence behind her before she felt his strong arms close around her. She felt herself relax immediately. She hadn't realized how tense she'd been until she let out her breath in a long sigh and leaned into his hard chest. She'd never felt so loved in her life. She finally understood the way her mother looked at her father. It was exactly how she looked at Nathan. No matter what happened in the next few days, she had him and she was so very grateful. She couldn't imagine what her life would be like without him. Nathan nuzzled his beautiful mate's neck, inhaling deeply. He could feel her pain and wanted to help her to feel better. He knew he couldn't do anything to help Carr, but he could at least help her. His bond with Carr was new and just as strong, but he hadn't known him all his life like Lila had. They'd grown up together. Now that Nathan had found her, he would do anything in his power to protect her and it was killing him to feel her fear. Nathan sat in a nearby chair and pulled Lila into his lap, holding her tightly, not saying a word. All around the room the other mated couples held each other for strength. The cubs sat quietly near their parents, not totally understanding the situation but knowing it was serious. No one was alone. Wolves are pack animals, Werewolves are no different. The strength of the wolf is the pack. The Council walked into the dining hall and saw the somber faces and quietly left, not wanting to intrude on the close knit pack. They would meet with the Alphas in Carr's office instead. Xylon opened the office door and walked in, taking a seat near the window. He watched each member as they entered. None of them had been at the fight, except of course Alistair and Rhys. They could have gone, but it wasn't expected. Were they cowards? Or did becoming a Council member make a Werewolf lazy? Were they too old? Alistair was older than any of them except Rhys, and they had gone. Maybe life was too easy. Maybe it was time for the Council to take a more active role in what went on between the packs. But this was probably a discussion for another time. Today they would talk about what had happened at the caves and what would be happening in the near future. Ioan sat down next to Xylon greeting him with a nod. He didn't speak much nor did he voice strong opinions, but when there was a problem to be solved he was one that Xylon would turn to. He had come to America from Wales with Rhys close to four hundred years ago. They had been members of the same pack, and Xylon thought they were some level of kin. They had similar facial features, although Ioan was not as massive in either human or wolf form as Rhys. But he had the same black hair and dark eyes. They sat in silence as they waited for everyone to arrive. The Alphas arrived as a group. They were exhausted from the battle, but energized by the kill. It had been a century since they had been at war. Their senses had been dulled by decades of peace. Even fifty years ago they all doubted they could have been duped by someone like Gary. They would never have been so soft as to let him live after the transgressions he had made in his own pack. Crane was disgusted with himself for letting this happen. It had been his fault, and if Carr died, that was his fault too. He would even understand if Cole wanted to challenge him after this. They waited silently for Alistair and Rhys who arrived with Cole acting as Baxter Alpha in Carr's stead. Cole looked uncomfortable and distracted. He kept a part of his attention with Karen who sat with Lee at the hospital, waiting. She'd promised to let him know if there was any news. She'd reminded him his place was standing in for Carr. Carr would expect it. Rhys seemed uncharacteristically stern. His face was like stone and showed no emotion as he found a place along the wall. After all had found their seat, Alistair stood in front of Carr's desk. No one had taken Carr's chair. He looked at the Werewolves gathered here and realized how lucky they had really been. They had been able to take the fight to the rogues and been on the offensive instead of the defensive. He shuddered internally when he thought of the horrors that could have been brought upon the pack if the rogues had attacked the compound. For all the death and injuries, they had also saved the women. A quick picture of Jenna was in his mind and he smiled before realizing he was being watched. "I think we should be proud of how the packs fought as a unit this night. In times past they would have been fighting each other for territory, for mates. But on this night they fought with each other and for each other. They fought to save humans they didn't know. They fought for all of the right reasons. I am proud to be the leader of this Council, to be associated with these packs of the Northern Territory. You should all be proud." He looked out at the faces surrounding him. "I know that if we hadn't lost any of our people, if Carr wasn't fighting for his life right now, we would be celebrating. And I appreciate the way you all have reacted. I can think of a few I know that would be wondering why we weren't having a victory celebration right now. But now is not the time. We need time to heal, to take care of our dead and wounded." All present nodded their heads as they looked at those around them. They were all in agreement. "As we all know, Gary and Paul are dead. Their bodies have been disposed of according to our laws. They were buried in unmarked graves, never to be reincarnated, never to scorch this earth with their presence again." Many in the room nodded their assent. "Torrance, I know you've found your son." Alistair smiled warmly at the usually gruff Alpha who had shown another side to himself tonight. "How are his injuries?" Torrance had a smile on his face for the first time since he had traveled the several hundred miles to the Baxter lands almost two weeks ago. "Thank you for asking Alistair. His injuries are fairly minor although they looked far worse. They're healing quickly. And our bond has been totally reformed." His face lit up at the last part of his statement. His son would be loyal to the pack. Of this he was certain. "And this brings up a question that has been posed by many since we returned from the caves. What do we do with Gary's pack members." He looked at each face individually. Every Alpha here had lost members to Gary, and had been pleasantly surprised by the bonds that reformed with many as soon as they saw their own pack leader. "Does anyone have a suggestion?" Wilson stood slowly and glanced around the room. He had a hopeful look on his face as he spoke. "I ask that those who have re-established bonds with their Alphas be allowed to return to their packs and take any punishment the Alpha deems appropriate. As to those few that seem to have no Alpha bond and are true rogues, I will agree to whatever punishment the Council feels is appropriate." He sat down quietly. Torrance stood immediately. "I agree. I know that the two of us have more personal reasons than the rest of you to feel this way. But I really doubt the bonds would have reformed so quickly if they were not sincere." He looked uncomfortable speaking this way. He was usually for strict adherence to pack law. Rogues were killed, that was it. The other Alphas looked uneasy. Campbell and MacDonald were whispering, with Crane standing by and listening intently. Liam, the youngest of the Council rose quickly. "Pack law states..." "Thank you Liam, I think everyone here knows pack law intimately." Alistair spoke softly. He didn't want the Alphas to feel pressured by the Council on how to respond to the request for leniency and likewise he didn't want Liam to think he shouldn't speak. But in this case, the less said by someone who wasn't affected, the better. Alistair felt the ones to make this decision should be the Alphas. Rhys was leaning against the wall. "Cole, what are your feelings on the subject? Your pack has been just as affected by the rogues as the others. What do you think?" Cole had been staring at the floor, listening for Karen. He jerked his head up, glaring at Rhys. "Gary tried to rape my mate and tried to kill my brother. And he may still succeed, dead or not. Paul killed my friend. I wanted them dead. They are. As for the others..." He looked directly at each Alpha. "I know that Carr felt they'd been duped. Nathan and Ben joined our pack after we captured them. They had no allegiance to Gary. The only reason they left their packs was Gary told them he would help them find mates. They were feeling desperate. They didn't know about his plans. They didn't know about the women in the caves. They just wanted to find a mate." "Douglas, what do you think?" Alistair decided to put the Crane Alpha on the spot. This had started in his pack. "I think..." He sighed and looked at the Torrance and Wilson Alphas, then back at MacDonald and Campbell. "I think I agree that if a rogue reformed his bond with his Alpha, he's no longer a rogue, and therefore should live. And his Alpha should take full responsibility for him." He could see the dark looks from MacDonald and Campbell, but saw the looks of thanks from Wilson and Torrance. "What good is pack law if we defy it? And if it's upheld by the Council?" Gene Campbell's face turned red with rage. He had fair skin that almost seemed to glow as his anger mounted. "Would you kill someone who is fully bonded to you Gene?" Rhys had moved closer, his voice calm and serene. Campbell spun around to face the Archivist. "They're rogues!" "Some still are, but most never really were. They were lost." Alistair was on the opposite side of Campbell who had to turn to look at him as he spoke. "They yearned for what they had never known, a mate, love, cubs. That's all most of them wanted. Gary and Paul, I think they were insane and lusted for power more than mates. And I don't doubt there are a few that are not redeemable and will come to a fit end. But do you want to kill some fifty of our kind? Several even helped us rescue the women." "Gene, Henry died helping us. Do you deny he was bonded to you when that happened? I saw your face. You acted like any other Alpha who lost a pack member." Rhys reminded them of how Henry had defied Gary by helping them. "His bravery is known by everyone present. Was he still a rogue? Or a member of your pack?" Rhys and Alistair both watched Campbell's face. "You're right, Henry died bravely as a member of the Campbell pack, not a rogue." The Alpha sat in his chair, his eyes lowered. They were right. "MacDonald, they're right." Owen glared at the other Alphas. But even he had to admit, the bonds had reformed on most of his lost pack. He looked at the Council one last time before speaking. "Fine, I will go along with the other Alphas. I don't want to start another battle. But I won't hesitate to dispatch any of mine that go astray again!" He looked for anyone wanting to argue with him but found none. Cole sat in his chair, half listening to the conversation. Suddenly he grinned and leapt out of his chair. "Carr's out of surgery. I have to go." He practically ran out of the room on his way to the hospital. He stopped briefly at the door and turned back to the group. "If you'll excuse me gentlemen." And then he was off. Alistair watched Cole sprint out the door and turned back with a smile on his face. "I would like a list from each of you of the former rogues you have re-established a bond with. Once we have the lists we'll be able to make decisions about the others. For now, I suggest we adjourn and wait to hear about Carr's condition." Alistair stood next to Rhys as the Alphas and Council members filed out of the room, Owen MacDonald still grumbling to himself. "How did your phone call go?" Alistair looked at Rhys out of the corner of his eye as they walked outside into the compound. "The European Council is sending an emissary who will be here tomorrow. The Archivist is coming with him." Rhys began grinding his teeth. Alistair hadn't heard that irritating noise from his friend in decades. "Do you have to do that?" He winced. To him the sound was like fingernails on a chalk board. "Maybe we need to go on a hunt tonight. You need to get this out of your system before they get here or you'll never keep your cool you know." And here he'd thought Rhys had learned to control his temper. Maybe not. "I need to think of how I'm going to approach this with them. Did you know the Archivist was a member of the European Council in 1860? He was there when the decision was made to destroy the Vlkolak." Rhys continued on his way as Alistair turned and stared. "What?" Alistair reached out and grabbed his friend's arm and swung him around. "They won't stop me from taking Jenna as my mate!" Alistair's wolf was close, his eyes wild, swirling pools of blue. "I know that Alistair. They won't stop either of us. We'll do whatever we must to protect our mates, to protect all of the women." Rhys began walking again now that Alistair had let go. "I think when they arrive tomorrow night we shouldn't allow them to see the women. We'll have to speak with Carr." He stopped mid stride and dropped his head. "I mean Cole." Rhys stopped and ran a hand through his hair. "I need a drink." He looked at Alistair and laughed. "I don't drink. Maybe I need a nap." "Maybe we should climb a tree?" The two old friends laughed as they walked towards the hospital. The mood in the compound had changed drastically in the last few minutes. News that Carr was out of surgery had spread like wildfire and the somber looks of earlier today were replaced with ones of expectancy. He was alive and that was good. Now he had to wake up. Just as they reached the entrance to the hospital they saw another change. When Carr's bond was silent, the members of the Baxter pack had appeared almost haunted. Like a piece of them was missing that they couldn't find. Suddenly the faces were brighter, more animated. Alistair and Rhys exchanged glances and smiles. They walked in and were greeted by a beaming Cole. "I can feel him Alistair! I can feel him again." Cole had a look of elation that they usually only saw when he talked about Karen. "Logan says he relieved the pressure off his brain and as soon as he did that there was immediate improvement. He said he can't say Carr will be one hundred percent, but he's a lot more positive than earlier this morning." "Cole, I can't tell you how happy we are for you, Lee, and the pack. Truly happy." Alistair and Rhys watched him run out the door, calling to some of the Betas. Wolf's Pet Ch. 29 ------------------------ The black SUV waited at the Airport for an hour before they saw the two tall males walking towards them. To any Were it was obvious what they were. To the people passing by in the busy airport they were just very tall, muscular thirty somethings dressed in European business suits. James watched Rhys get out of the vehicle and greet them. He was surprised by the formality. Rhys bowed deeply and they did the same. He could see Rhys' apprehension in his face as the three returned to the car. The three got into the vehicle and settled themselves. Rhys nodded imperceptibly and James started the car and headed back to the compound. Rhys was the first to talk as they watched the landscape whiz by. "So what is the purpose of this visit Guillame? You won't interfere in the matings. And if you try to finish what you started years ago, I'll kill you myself." Jószef's face turned white. Guillame chuckled. "Don't worry my old friend. I'm not here to interfere. I'm here to help you. Who do you think helped the survivors escape to America?" He opened the book he was holding protectively. It was full of Ambrotypes, pictures on glass from the 1850's. Rhys stared at the picture, and then back at Guillame. It couldn't be. He looked again. The picture was of Guillame and a woman. He was holding her protectively, her hand on her swollen belly. Rhys couldn't believe his eyes. "It's my Katy." Wolf's Pet Ch. 30 Rhys looked up and growled low. "Where did you get this? How is this possible?" Rhys' wolf was circling, irate, ready to attack. James looked in the rear view mirror when he heard the growl and saw the ferocious look on Rhys' face. The one they called Jószef was wide eyed and looked like he wanted to jump out of the car, moving or not. James was having a difficult time understanding what Guillame was saying. His accent was thick, maybe french? He wasn't sure. "That was my mate Rhys. That picture was taken one month before I sent her to America. She was pregnant with our cub. I smuggled her and as many as I could out of Europe. And then I contacted you, and asked you to keep track of them. Do you remember?" Guillame spoke softly, calmly, in the face of the outraged wolf next to him. "You promised me you would watch over them and track them and report back. And you did for one hundred years. And then you stopped." "Your mate?" Rhys' face softened, his eyes returned to their normal color and he relaxed in his seat. He seemed to be thinking. "Her name was Orsolya. When you told me her daughter was named Mariska I cried. Do you know what that name means in Hungarian Rhys? It means bitter." His face fell as he thought about his precious mate. He had been able to barely make out her emotions through their bond from so far away. Her sadness tore out his heart. And when she died he became a broken Werewolf, always missing a part of himself. And not to know his cub was excruciating. But he'd had the reports from America. He had known his daughter's every move. He had known when she married, had her child, and died." The truth dawned on Rhys. He turned his head to look at the wolf sitting next to him. "Katy is your third great granddaughter!" "And she is the image of my Orsolya." His face softened as he looked again at the glass picture, softly touching the image of his mate. "The name Kati means pure." He looked sideways at Rhys who was deep in thought. "She is pure Guillame, pure as the driven snow." His empathy for the mateless Were was short lived. His face hardened. "She will be my mate no matter what you say." "Why do you think I am against the matings? I am here to help you, help Katy, and the other women." His voice had a plaintive tone. He wanted Rhys to believe him. He needed him to believe him. "You will have to introduce me to my other progeny." He smiled at Rhys. This was his way of atoning for not doing more back then. He should have found a way to stop it, not sent his mate and the others into exile. He'd left her alone when she needed him most. She had died alone. He would not let that happen to his grandchildren. They would have a chance to mate, to become what they were meant to be. "And who is this?" Rhys pointed to the pale faced male sitting on Guillame's other side. Guillame laughed. "Jószef is my assistant. He's learning the importance of the past and how to apply it to the present and future. His father thought it would be good training. He will be Alpha of his pack someday. You can trust him Rhys. I would not have brought him otherwise." "Sir, do you want me to drop you off at the main house?" James had to interrupt. They were arriving at the compound. "Yes James, thank you." Rhys was deep in thought. Should he trust Guillame? He had in the past and it was obvious now that Guillame had lied to him. He'd said the women had escaped on their own. Rhys had always wondered how they had eluded the executioners sent for them. Cole and Lila were waiting for them at the door. They watched Rhys for any hint of what had happened during the car ride. There was none. Lila immediately noticed his gorgeous face. If she didn't stop staring word might get back to Nathan. "Guillame, this is Cole, the Alpha's second and brother. And this is Lila, second to the Alpha Bitch. I'm sorry they aren't here to greet you, but the Alpha was seriously injured early this morning and only recently regained consciousness. And of course his mate is at his side." Guillame nodded to Cole and smiled warmly at Lila who smiled back. If she hadn't found Nathan, she would have invited the strikingly handsome male to her bed for some fun. Of course she didn't need to do that anymore. She quickly wondered to herself if any of her friends would take the plunge. Lila called an Omega over to show them to their rooms. She hoped they didn't have many more guests. They were running out of space. She suddenly felt an urgent need to find Nathan. "So why did he show up before the Council? I thought he was arriving with them?" Cole watched them walking up the stairs. Guillame was chatting good-naturedly with the Omegas. That was out of character for a Were of his standing. Lila slowly licked her lips, her wolf impatient. "I don't know, but I have a feeling he won't be wanting for female companionship." She winked at Cole, elbowed him in the ribs and went to find her mate. She needed a little quick attention. Guillame stopped on the second floor landing and turned, looking down. "I would like to meet with you and Alistair as soon as you are able Rhys." He waved and walked away. Cole had a strange look on his face as he stared in Guillame's direction. "He reminds me of Karen." He turned to Rhys. "What do you think?" Rhys slowly nodded. "But, in a way, he reminds me of Jenna, and Sarah too. "Rhys sighed. There were so many questions. Was there enough time to answer them all before the Wolf Moon? "I need to find Alistair." "He took Jenna for a walk in the forest." Cole was puzzled by the look on Rhys' face. "What's going on?" "Meet us in Carr's office in an hour. Bring James and Jeff with you. Oh, and the twins." Rhys rushed out the door to look for Alistair. Lila's wolf knew exactly where Nathan was. He was just ending his shift at the security building. She didn't want to alert him of her plans so she leaned back against a tree and watched the door, ducking out of sight when the other males came out. She spotted Nathan and stalked him quietly as he walked towards the dining hall. She shed her clothes as she walked, stashing them behind a building and quickly shifting and shadowing his movements from far enough so she wasn't obvious. Some passing Omegas giggled as they watched the blond wolf carefully placing her feet so as not to disturb a leaf and maybe startle the blond giant several yards ahead of her. Nathan heard the giggling and stopped, looking back over his shoulder at the two petite females staring at him in awe. He smiled at them and they turned beet red and ran off towards their quarters. He chuckled to himself. They were little more than cubs. They really thought he didn't know Lila was behind him. He smiled to himself. She must not be aware of how primal her thoughts were right now and how freely she was projecting them. He acted nonchalant as he changed his direction and started for the edge of the tree line. Lila stopped for a moment and waited behind a rock. He'd changed directions. Why? She didn't take an eye off him for a moment as he stretched his arms over his head and yawned. Lila watched her mate with a hunger she'd never quite felt before. She wanted to feel him deep inside her. She needed it. She laid quietly, waiting for him to go into the woods so she could follow. She thought she was in control, that she had the upper hand. She would find out soon that she was wrong. He slipped off his clothes and shifted, the huge blond wolf trotting down a path that led to the hunting ground. He was going hunting all right, but not for food. His wolf was excited. He and his mate hadn't had any time together in the last few days and he was going to make up for that now. They'd only been mated for three weeks after all. And with the rescue of the women and fight with the rogues and Carr's injury, there had been no time for his mate. There was time now. The blond she wolf loped across the compound, not wanting to lose sight of her mate. When she got to the path she realized she couldn't see him. But she felt him. She was ready for the chase. She followed his scent and the meandering path he was taking through the trees. What was he doing? Following some animal? She suddenly realized she was the one being followed when she caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye as he lunged towards her. Lila leapt out of the way just in time. She managed to skirt away before he trapped her with his huge paws. He had a wild look on his face that matched her own. Since they were both newly mated neither realized the effect the coming full moon was having on them. Lila's hormones were raging, readying her for pregnancy and Nathan's wolf was reacting to the pheromones her body was producing. This was Werewolf biology at work, the need to mate and produce offspring. Their movements were like a dance and Nathan was leading. He ran to the left and she would leap away to the right. She didn't know he had planned every move. He stopped, his sides heaving, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. She thought she was going to escape. She turned to run and realized too late she was trapped in a ravine, no way out except past the massive blond wolf in front of her. He had bested her. For a fleeting second she was furious with herself and Nathan. But her wolf reminded her that her mate had shown his worthiness of them, and he would make a fine sire to their cubs. Nathan moved forward slowly, but with purpose. He walked around Lila, keeping his distance. Now that he had her cornered she wanted him inside her. She moved forward and tried to turn her tail to his face. He would growl and nip her flank, making her face him again. This was his dance, not hers. He was to lead. His wolf wanted the control, wanted to see her full submission, not games. They would mate when he was ready. She wanted to feel him pumping inside her, plunging into her depths. Why wasn't he fucking her? She could feel how wet she was. She wanted to feel his nose pushing into her, his tongue delving deeply to taste her. Why was he holding back? Had she done something wrong? Nathan was done playing this silly game. He wanted to take his mate, NOW. He moved to her side, pushing her with his body, his mouth covering her neck, holding her lightly as he growled deeply from his chest. Lila was ready to growl back but her wolf knew better. She knew what her mate wanted. She delightedly rolled onto her back, baring her belly and neck to her strong mate. She would submit totally to him, to his superior strength. He was a fit mate for her, for Lila. She lay still, waiting for him as he sniffed her body, head to tail. He lingered at her wet hole, flicking his tongue, tasting her wetness. He licked his lips, his eyes wild with lust. The human Nathan had no control over his wolf now. His mate was close to her heat. He could taste it. In days he would father their cubs, but today would be for their pleasure only. He used his nose to push her onto her belly. She knew to raise her hips, her tail flagged to the side to give her mate full access to her passage. Her heart pounded, the blood rushing through her veins as she waited for him. He rose up on his hind legs and moved over her, and without further warning shoved his hard cock into her waiting depths. She yelped in surprise but soon the only sound from the blond she-wolf were her grunts as he thrust into her. His forelegs hooked around the front of her thighs to pull her into him closer. His knot was ready quickly and he forced it inside her and began pumping his seed inside his beautiful mate. He bit down on the ruff of her neck and she howled in pleasure. He drove his cock deeper and harder inside her, his knot well seated. None of his seed would be lost. His animal mind was intent on that. His thrusts shortened with his knot held tight by her body, but they were no less vigorous. The last of his cum had escaped his body into hers and he pulled her to the ground, holding her tight until his knot receded. He laid behind her, licking her head, her ears, her open mouth. They would stay here in the woods, alone, as long as they could. Rhys stopped at the entrance to the forest, listening for movement. He chuckled when he heard the lustful howl of a female wolf. Before he could continue his search for Alistair and Jenna he was surprised by a twig falling on his head and looked up. He smiled when he saw the legs swinging on the branch high above his head. "I hope you're looking for me." Katy hopped down from her perch. She landed in front of her mate, a big smile plastered on her face. She jumped forward to hug him around the waist and squeezed tight. "But I know you aren't. Alistair and Jenna are near the creek. I can show you the way." Rhys reached down and put a finger under her chin to tilt her face up to him. "Little one, how do you always seem to know where I'll be and when? And what I'm thinking?" Looking at her beautiful face he was reminded how much she resembled Guillame's mate, her ancestor. In fact, they were so much alike it was unsettling for him at least. He did NOT look forward to her meeting Guillame anytime soon, ancestor or not. She giggled and wrinkled her nose at him. "I have secret powers that I've never told you about. I'm really a witch named Samantha." She laughed at the confused look on his face. "Didn't watch much TV in the '60's huh? That's OK, I love you even if you aren't culturally adept." She grinned ear to ear and molded herself into his body. He laughed and stroked her hair. God he loved to touch her hair, the rest of her too, but just the act of playing with her hair calmed him. And right now he needed calming. "Alright little one, let's find Alistair and Jenna. Lead the way." He felt so lucky to have found her. He couldn't lose her now. If he had to trust Guillame in order to have her, then he would. He would never trust the European Council. The few things he'd heard from the Archivist during the drive made him nervous. Just the fact that he had felt the need to be here before them added to his nervousness. He took Katy's hand as she led him through the woods. He was amazed at how fast she had learned her way around here. He could hear Alistair and Jenna talking in the distance. He hated to disturb them. They'd only found each other less than twenty four hours ago, and they'd had so little time alone but they had things to do. "Alistair, Alistair where are you?" He thought a polite call would give them time to put themselves in order, just in case. He smiled to himself. He always hated having people barge in on Katy and him. They burst out of the trees into a meadow with a creek running through it. Alistair and Jenna were seated on a blanket. They were relaxed and enjoying their time together. But they'd known it would be short lived. Jenna waved to Katy as Alistair let out a long sigh. As always, duty before pleasure. Maybe when all this was done he should think about retiring from the Council. He and Jenna had a life to begin. "I'm sorry to interrupt my friend, but we have a meeting to plan and less than an hour left. I have things to tell you." Rhys dropped down onto the blanket and pulled Katy into his lap. He left out the details about Guillame's own connection to the women but gave them the rest of the information. Alistair and Rhys walked into Carr's office and were shocked to see Carr seated at his desk. He was pale, but bright and alert. He had a bandage that covered most of his forehead but a jagged red line was visible at the edge. Jeff was seated close by his side with his medical bag at his feet. The Betas seated already in the room looked so much more relaxed than they had ten hours ago when they were waiting to hear if Carr would even live, and now he was back at work. "Carr, I can't believe this. Hours ago you were near death and now you look great!" Alistair was amazed. Of course Werewolves healed quickly, but this was surprisingly fast for such a massive injury. "Are you sure you're up to this?" He looked from the Alpha to the Doctor. The Doctor didn't look happy at all. "I'm falling down on the job. Besides, I have my own personal physician here. If I over do it, I'm sure he'll roll me right back to the hospital." Carr motioned to the wheelchair in which he was seated. "If I'm awake, I'm not going to be laying around. Besides, in case you haven't noticed, I am the Alpha." He grinned widely. "Yes you are, and I'm glad to leave you with the job bro. A few hours was all I could take!" Cole slipped in the door and plopped down in his usual spot next to Carr. He was much more relaxed than he'd been since this morning. The day was looking up. He hoped this meeting didn't ruin it for him. He really needed some quality time with Karen. Just the thought of holding her had his cock rising and pushing into his zipper. He really needed to stop thinking about her in public. But he couldn't stop thinking about her period. The Omega assigned to see to Guillame's needs showed the Archivist and his assistant to the office and left quickly. Brett and Bryant shut the doors and took up their positions outside. Guillame looked around the room, a little surprised at seeing so many in the room. "I'm sorry Rhys, I had asked to speak with you and Alistair. I wasn't expecting a crowd." His French accent was very noticeable to those in the room. While all the members of the North American Council were originally European, most had been in America for one to four hundred years. Their accents had become muted. If it was only Alistair and Rhys here they could have conversed in French. But not everyone present was fluent in the language. English would have to do. Rhys quickly made the introductions. "I invited them here because each of them also has mated or will soon mate with one of the Vlkolak females. They have a right to hear what you have to say. Don't you think?" He was forcing Guillame to challenge him, or accept the situation. He would learn a lot from how he reacted. He watched his features closely. Even a twitch would show him something. "And of course, as the Alpha, Carr needs to know all that affects his pack. This will impact his pack more than any other." "I see, that is fine then." There was no change in Guillame's smile. "If you could please tell me, which of you have already mated?" He watched as Cole and James raised their hands. He nodded. "And have you seen anything unusual in your mates since?" "Only that Karen's wolf is more graceful than most. And she manages to climb trees. She did even before we mated." Cole saw Rhys' amused grin and Alistair trying to stifle a laugh. "Sarah hasn't shifted yet. But she does seem to have a sleeker look I guess is what you could call it." James had been confused by Sarah's appearance. Usually a newly turned human female added muscle. Sarah had too, but not as much, and she just moved differently somehow. He saw Cole nodding. "And none of the rest of you have mated yet?" The Belgian Were watched them shake their heads. "Then this is what you must do, please, understand I have reasons that I will explain in a moment. Alistair and Rhys will mate at the Wolf Moon, day after tomorrow. But the rest of you must, and I repeat must, mate no later than tomorrow night." "What? What the hell are you talking about?" Jeff stood up, his face contorted into a mask of rage. It startled the members of the Baxter Pack. The Doctor was always a calming influence. Having a new mate would make any male a little unbalanced but this was entirely out of character. "Jeff, sit down please." Carr looked at his Doctor who slowly sat down, still upset, but obeying his Alpha. "Alright Guillame, explain please before my Doctor loses control. His mate is in no condition right now to be turned. It would kill her. In fact, she's in a drug induced coma." Wolf's Pet Ch. 30 "Ah, I'm very sorry Doctor. You and she obviously would not be included then. And since she is in a coma, the full moon won't affect her." "The full moon? Why would it affect someone who hasn't been turned? And affect her how?" Jeff was leaning forward, glaring at the newcomer. "Maybe I should explain several things first. The reason I stepped down as a Council Member and took the role of Archivist was so I could safeguard the surviving Vlkolak. One of the things I did was destroy many of the historical accounts regarding the pack and the females." He saw the shocked looks on Rhys and Jószef's faces. "I know, for an Archivist that is a sin, more than a sin. But I had to do it. I couldn't let anyone know the truth." Now all of them were leaning forward, intent on the words from this foreign Were they'd never met before today. Carr spoke first. "And what is the truth?" He somehow had a feeling he would have to be the voice of reason in this meeting. He was the only one not directly affected by whatever Guillame had to say. "First of all, a Vlkolak female who has found her mate but not physically joined with him will be unable to stop herself at the Wolf Moon. She would even go so far as to rape her mate if need be if he didn't acquiesce to mate with her." He stopped to let the bizarre fact sink in. He saw the stunned looks on their faces. This was unheard of. "If she hasn't felt the mating pull, then it won't affect her. She could be surrounded by males and have no interest. But if she has found her true mate, the animal instincts will kick in and she will be powerless to stop the urges. If this were any other full moon it wouldn't happen." The unmated males exchanged glances around the room. Cole was thinking he was almost sorry Karen and he had mated so soon. The idea of her practically jumping him to mate was kind of tempting. Well, she kind of did jump him at the time. "Think of the difference in mating instinct between dogs and cats. The female dog does nothing more than wave her scent around the male. But the female cat will call out and writhe on the ground and scream to get the attention of a potential mate. Multiply that by twenty fold and you have the Vlkolak female. The Werepanther genes are very strong in these women." "What else have the panther genes done to them?" Alistair needed to know. Guillame smiled at the head of the Council. He had heard much about Alistair while in Europe. His reputation was unblemished. Guillame had no doubts he would be able to trust Alistair even with his own life if need be. And if the European Council decided to take further action once they learned what he'd done he might have to. "Mind you, I am not a geneticist, but I have consulted with your own Council Member Xylon Lukos. The panther genes have been transmitted female to female on the "X" chromosome. They apparently have to match with a Werewolf "X" chromosome in order to be active. Since the males only have one "X", it deactivates the panther genes and they cannot be passed on by his descendents. So only direct female line descendents will carry the panther characteristics." Jeff nodded his head, remembering back to genetics classes in medical school. The rest appeared lost. "The Werewolf/Werepanther hybrid females had a strange ability to dream the future, some more vividly than others. There was one particular line of descendents whose dreams were more like prophecy than just a dream. That line was descended from the Alpha pair's third daughter, Marika. Most only dream of positive things. Occasionally a female will be born that dreams of the negative, the dark side of the future. Those poor souls usually have committed suicide. They can't take the constant pain they see, the destruction." At that moment, his face took on a haunted visage. He looked up and saw the males staring at him. "My mate's twin was one of those. She threw herself off a cliff when she was barely twenty years old. Just a baby. But she couldn't take it anymore! Thankfully that is rare. Much more common are those that dream of their own futures, their mates, their cubs. Some can project their dreams to others." Guillame noticed the interest in Alistair's face. "Ah, so your mate can project her dreams? I am not surprised Alistair." Trey and Troy exchanged confused looks. "So why is it we have to mate by tomorrow?" "The Wolf Moon has a bizarre affect on their genes. What causes it? I have no idea. Magnetism from the moon maybe? A Vlkolak female who mates for the first time under the Wolf Moon will not become a wolf when she shifts. She will become a panther." Rhys dropped the glass of water he was bringing to his mouth. A panther? Brett and Bryant exchanged surprised looks. What the hell was going on? They strained to listen and put their ears closer to the thick doors. They wouldn't be able to hear simple conversation, even with Were hearing, but if there was a fight they thought they could make it out. Nothing. They shrugged their shoulders and resumed their positions. "I'm sure that was one of the reasons Gary had chosen these women. Also because of their ages, close to human menopause, they will go into heat at their first shift which will be that very night. Can you imagine if Gary had managed to have fifty women turned to panthers and bred? Any Werepanthers are more apt to have multiple births. So if he'd bred them yearly at the Wolf Moon he would have produced an army within a few years." "I thought the cubs grew up to become killers. If so, why have Alistair and Rhys mate on that night?" Carr's head injury hadn't affected his memory. Guillame had a smug look on his face and hesitated for just a moment. "I made that up." "Made it up?" Rhys couldn't believe his ears. "Made it up? Then why was the pack killed?" Now Rhys was confused. If they weren't killers, why would they have exterminated them? "The members of the Council at the time were afraid that the wolves would be over run with panthers, that our race would be wiped out. They were fearful of change, of adaptation. So they voted to exterminate them like they were vermin. I couldn't let that happen." He tried to hold back the tears forming in the corners of his eyes. Rhys stood and put a hand on Guillame's shoulder. "That's why you smuggled them out. Why you sent your own mate away, and why you couldn't go with her." Guillame nodded almost imperceptibly. "I couldn't take the chance that they would be found. I needed to do all I could to hide them. I knew I could trust you and the American Council Rhys. That's why I asked you to track them for me." He smiled up at the massive male standing next to him. Up until this moment he had held back so much. He'd never told anyone the entire truth. He felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Alistair was leaning against a wall. He was so tired. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "One last question Guillame. Why do you want Rhys and me to turn our mates into panthers?" Guillame looked at Alistair, then at Rhys. "Because my mate told me it was meant to be. She saw it the day I sent her away. She said our seed would spread and join with the leaders of the North American packs. It would happen in the year 2012, and I would be there to see it. The future has been written. It can't be changed." Wolf's Pet Ch. 31 "What do you think they're talking about in there?" Rebecca looked at her friends who had gathered in Lee's office while their mates were at this meeting with the European Were. "Us silly. Let's face it, there are things we don't know about our own history. Just looking at the pedigree charts you can see that we're all related. It all has to do with us and our family history." Katy had the charts in front of her. "And I have a feeling this Were holds the keys to all of our questions." Danielle didn't look very happy. "Well I don't like someone making decisions about me without me being included." "Our mates are there. They have nothing but our best interests in mind. I don't think we have to worry about anything. We're new..." Jenna looked around at the women. "some of us newer than others to this whole Werewolf thing. I don't think we'd be very objective about it at all, or understand the meaning of it." The women looked around the room, all nodding. She was right. And they all sensed the same thing, Jenna was probably always right. Karen had been amazed at how calm Jenna was, how in control of her own emotions. Gary had done things to her that she didn't even want to imagine. And yet Jenna didn't appear bitter, wasn't scared of the prospect of being a Werewolf, and seemed to be looking forward to mating with Alistair. "What I want to know is why are we all in our forties and fifties? No twenty or thirty something little hotties anywhere. I can't say that I'm upset about that, but just curious." Rebecca had asked Trey, but he'd just shrugged his shoulders and didn't seem to care. "Karen, do you know?" "Um, well..." Karen didn't really want to tell them what she'd learned, but it was only fair for them to know. "Apparently, women who are turned when they're closer to menopause go into their heat cycle and get pregnant sooner. I guess a lot of women who are changed take years to have a baby." "A baby? You mean we aren't too old?" Danielle looked around for someone to say something. They all looked shocked with that news. "I never thought I'd have a baby. I just figured those days were behind me. Troy hadn't mentioned that at all. So by this time next year we could all be mothers." Danielle sat back in her chair with a stunned look on her face. "I hadn't thought about the possibility of getting pregnant." She dropped her voice to almost a whisper. "What if we didn't want to have a baby?" "Believe me, your wolf will change your mind about motherhood. Mine talks to me all the time about cubs. It's all she wants and now I want it too. It's wolf instinct. Once you have your wolf with you, it'll be your instinct too. Werewolves live to reproduce. That is the one all encompassing goal." Karen hoped they all understood. If they freaked out about this and didn't become wolves, they'd never understand. Sarah was fidgeting in her chair. She just couldn't sit still. Why was she so restless? She wanted to go outside, not sit here waiting for whatever it was they were waiting for. But she'd promised James she'd wait for him. Karen noticed Sarah squirming. She leaned in close so the others couldn't hear. "I think your wolf wants to get out." She grinned ear to ear. "Do you think so? Karen, I don't know how long I can just sit here. I feel like I'm going to jump out of my skin." She just couldn't hold still. She finally got up and started pacing. "If James doesn't get back here soon I may not be able to wait." Sarah blushed when she heard James talking to her. "Baby, I have just what you need to relax. As soon as we take a break I'll be there to get you and we'll take care of that restlessness, I promise." Karen saw Sarah's face slowly turning red and couldn't help but laugh. "Something on your mind Sarah? Or should I say in it?" The other women looked confused at the exchange. "Let me explain. Maybe it'll make it easier for all of you in the near future. After you mate, you can hear your mate in your head. And sometimes they do their best to try to embarrass you in front of your friends. I think sometimes Cole is trying to see how flustered he can make me when I'm not with him." "From what I've seen he's pretty good at getting you flustered when he's with you too." Sarah couldn't help herself. She laughed at her friend's expense. Karen stuck out her tongue and then laughed too. "One thing I've learned pretty quickly is leave my inhibitions at the door. These Werewolves think about sex just about all the time and it doesn't bother them if anyone else is around. And Cole did make a few fleeting comments about the full moon that have me a little nervous." Jenna looked up at mention of the full moon. "I think we'll all learn a lot at the full moon." ---------------------- "You really believe that everything your mate dreamt came true? And that it's meant to come true?" Carr's voice betrayed his skepticism. He had an excruciating headache, but this was just too important to the pack and their entire species. He hoped the Doctor was too preoccupied to notice his discomfort. Guillame studied the Alpha for a few moments. He could see the pain he was trying to hide and could imagine his reluctance to leave a meeting like this. He'd been an Alpha once too. "Her dreams have always come true Alpha. Every one she ever had." He stopped for a moment and yawned. "But may I beg your indulgence? I am very tired from our long trip. Would you mind if we took a break so I could rest?" He did his best to look exhausted. Jószef cocked his head as he heard Guillame ask for a break. That wasn't like him. He looked fit as always. Even for his advanced age he was in wonderful condition. "I think that's a good idea. Why don't we meet again after lunch? I don't think we have an emergency situation. What do you think Alistair?" He turned slowly, trying to keep his head from moving much. "I think anything more we have to hear from Guillame can wait a few hours." He had a good use for the time anyway. He and Jenna would need as much time as possible if they were going to be mating in two nights. There was so much he wanted to learn about her. Guillame smiled as he walked out the door. He nodded imperceptibly at Rhys when he saw the tall Were mouth "thank you" to him. When the door opened Lee was surprised by the handsome male who confidently strode out of the room. "You must be our visitor." She smiled at him. She was mentally ticking off the names of the unattached females that might be knocking at his door soon. "I'm sorry I wasn't here for your arrival. I hope you understand." Guillame bowed formally. "Madam, it was my loss, I assure you. I think you had more important things on your mind." He inclined his head towards Carr. "I'm off to rest before lunch." He flashed a brilliant smile at her as he bounded up the stairs, his assistant on his heels. Jeff was pushing Carr's wheelchair through the door and almost ran into Lee. He had a look of concern on his face and looked glad to see Lee standing there. "We were just on our way back to the hospital." "I want to go to my quarters, not the hospital." Carr's voice was determined. Lee reached out and stroked his jaw. He looked up at her, taking her hand in his and holding it tight. "What can he do for me at the hospital that you can't do for me in our room, hmm?" He had a sparkle in his eyes that made her laugh. "Jeff, do you have an answer for that?" She smiled at the flustered Doctor. "Will you at least promise to rest until lunch? You've been sitting up for too long. You may be a Werewolf and heal much faster than a human, but you still have to heal!" Jeff tried his most authoritative manner. Not that it worked with the Alpha anyway. "I'll make sure he rests Jeff. Besides, you have another patient to attend to, don't you?" Lee knew he wanted to be with Sheila. Unconscious or not he had the need to be with his mate. She could understand that she thought as she felt Carr's hand holding hers and her heartbeat changing it's rhythm to beat with his. "Brett, Bryant, help the Alpha upstairs please." She knew Carr would never have asked for help and the only reason he would accept now was so he didn't contradict her order. The two Betas exchanged smirks as they assisted Carr in getting out of the wheelchair. He started to push them away but when he felt the dizziness overcoming him, he relented and let each take an arm. They made their way slowly up the staircase to the third floor. "Maybe I should shift. At least my wolf isn't as heavy." "Nah, he sheds more than you Carr. I was planning on meeting up with Jessica after this, and I don't have a lot of time to clean up." Brett snorted and Bryant grinned at him behind Carr's back. They lowered him carefully to the bed, winked at Lee on the way out and shut the door quietly. As much as they liked to joke with Carr and give him a bad time whenever they could, they loved and respected him deeply. As his Betas they held themselves responsible for his injuries. Their Alpha should never have been in the position to be injured. They'd make sure it never happened again. Lee sat on the bed next to her mate, stroking his face lightly. She didn't want to heat things up, just wanted to be close to him. She'd never come this close to losing him before and hoped to never be that close again. "If you want me to lay down to rest you have to lay here with me." The old Carr was back, pulling her down next to him. He tucked her in close to his body and wrapped his arms around her waist. She smiled and laid her head on his pillow, spooned in front of him. She'd never felt so happy as she did right now. Her mate was safe, he was healing, and his hands were holding her belly where their three cubs were growing inside her. She felt his contentment through their bond. There was no place else either of them wanted to be right now. Within minutes she heard his breathing slow and become deeper and felt his mind calming. He was asleep. She allowed herself to really relax for the first time since he drove out to the caves last night. Could it only have been twelve hours ago? It felt like forever. ------------------------ Karen and Sarah both jumped up and ran to the door and opened it in time to see the visitors going back upstairs and the males leaving Carr's office. "So after we mate we'll know when the meetings are over too?" Danielle was kind of jealous that Karen and Sarah always seemed to know what was going on around here, and they were left in the dark. "After you mate you'll understand everything. I promise." Karen had a gleeful look on her face. The males had told their mates not to leave the room until they told them. They didn't want Guillame to meet or even see any of them until they decided it was OK. When Guillame's door closed and the Omega looked over the second floor railing giving the high sign they finally relaxed. Rebecca was still sitting in her chair, still stunned about the prospect of Trey expecting children. She was fifty for God's sake. Was he expecting her to have children? She was startled out of her introspection by Trey's arms closing around her. "What's wrong?" He held her close and spoke close to her ear so no one else could hear. He didn't like the look on her face. His wolf was sure she must be sick. Trey assured him she was not sick, she was upset about something. It was their job as her mate to find out what they could do to help her. Rebecca was feeling sick to her stomach. She felt the eyes on them and wanted to crawl into a hole somewhere. She whispered to Trey, "Can we go somewhere private to talk?" She was close to tears and didn't want to let everyone in the compound have a front row seat. She looked into his worried face and was so scared about what he'd think of what she had to say. After hearing Karen say how important having children was to the Werewolves, she was petrified. She'd only known Trey a few days but already felt more of a connection to him than any man she'd ever dated. She didn't want to lose him. Trey reached down and scooped her up into his arms. He held her close and walked out the door with all eyes on them. Rebecca buried her face in his shoulder and couldn't help it, the tears started flowing. She held on tightly around his neck. She didn't know where he was taking them. She didn't care. She heard the door shut and felt Trey carefully setting her down on a bed. He got on his knees in front of her and looked up into her beautiful tear streaked face. He tenderly brushed the blond hair from her face and wiped the tears from her cheeks. He was lost in her hazel eyes as her scent of vanilla and apple flooded his brain. He spoke softly to the only woman he would ever love. "Tell me what's wrong." She couldn't hold back any more and she broke down entirely, tears pouring from her clouded eyes. "I don't want you to hate me. I don't want to lose you." "What? Why would I ever hate you? You aren't going to lose me! Tell me what's got you so upset." Trey was starting to get a little upset himself. What could the women have been talking about had her so upset? She could barely get the words out. "Werewolves want children. I can't have children." She lost it at that point. She was crying so hard she could barely make out his features other than the mop of black hair on top of his head. "Shhh, Rebecca if you can't have children it's OK, my wolf says you are my mate. We're meant to be together, cubs or not." His wolf insisted she was wrong. She could have children. Trey tried to explain to his wolf there must be something she knows that they didn't and they'd just have to deal with it. But his wolf was insistent. She could have cubs, he knew it. "You deserve to have children. I didn't know how important it was for Werewolves until we were talking about it today. If you stay with me you won't have any. I should leave and then.." She could barely speak. Her face was turning a deep red and she started gasping for air. "I - I - I can't breathe." She started to panic and held him tight, trying to control her breathing but she just couldn't. Her face was tingling. She couldn't stop crying and that was only making it worse. Trey picked her up again only this time he ran with her in his arms. He barged through the doors of the hospital which got the attention of the nursing staff who showed him to an exam room. He held her tightly while the nurse attempted to take her vital signs. Logan had been making the rounds, checking in on the wounded when Trey ran in with Rebecca sobbing in his arms. He and Trina almost ran into each other on their way into the exam room. He stopped quickly and allowed her to enter first. He liked watching her from behind anyway. Trey stroked her back, trying to get her to relax and held her hand tightly. "She got upset and started crying and then couldn't breathe." Rebecca's hands were numb and her face was still tingling. She knew there were people hovering around her but she couldn't even make out who they were. "She's hyperventilating, and I think she's having a panic attack. Let's give her some Valium and let her relax. Have the oxygen ready in case. Right now her blood oxygen level is in the acceptable range but we'll be ready in case that changes." Logan spoke quietly. "What got her so upset?" Trey wasn't sure he wanted to talk about something so personal with a male Were he didn't know. Trina saw the look on his face and picked up on it. "Trey, Logan is a wonderful Doctor. He saved Carr's life. Rebecca is in good hands." Trey trusted Trina, so if she said he was OK, then he would trust her judgement. "She got upset when she found out she would be expected to get pregnant. She said she can't have children but my wolf disagrees with that. He insists she can. But I don't care either way. She thinks if she can't have children that I'll hate her or that she'll lose me." He turned to his mate and lovingly stroked her face. "She'll never lose me." The Valium worked quickly and Rebecca was starting to calm. Her breathing was more regular, without the gasps. She was still holding tightly to Trey and she looked into his loving face for the first time since she had gotten upset. She'd heard him say that he'd never leave her, but now, looking at him, she knew it was true. Logan grabbed a stool and pulled it up next to the bed. He heard Trey's low growl and moved backwards a little. "So Rebecca, why do you say you can't have children?" He could still hear Trey growling. He didn't blame him. They didn't know him. He wasn't Jeff. Her voice was quiet and she tighter to Trey's hand. "I had my tubes tied when I was in my twenties." Her looked at the floor, sure that Trey wouldn't want her now. She felt his hand tighten and she looked up into his beautiful dark brown eyes. She leaned into his warm body and he put his arm protectively around her shoulders. Logan watched as Rebecca started to cry softly. "We might be able to reverse that." Her head jerked up, here eyes red rimmed from crying. "You can?" "If you want to, I know a specialist. It isn't one hundred percent successful but there's a good chance. But you'd have to do it while you're human." Logan looked between Rebecca and Trey. "The hospital where they do the procedure is five hundred miles from here. I can get you an appointment. Just tell me if it's what you want." Rebecca leaned in closer to Trey. Just feeling him so close gave her strength. "Yes, I want to do it." Trey got a strange look on his face. "There's a wrench in the works here." He quickly explained what Guillame had told them about the women and Wolf Moon. "Then we'd better get you to that hospital soon and make sure you're well sedated during the full moon." Logan smiled at the new couple. He hoped his friend would be successful. "Let me get him on the phone and get things set up." Trina watched as he walked out of the room. Her gaze lingered on the doorway long after he was out of sight. Hearing Trey and Rebecca whispering reminded her she wasn't alone. "Rebecca why don't you lay down and get some rest. I have a feeling you'll be traveling soon." Trina smiled, patted Rebecca on the leg, and went back to work. ------------------ "Why do I feel like I have to keep moving? Why can't I relax?" Sarah was pacing in front of James who sat quietly on a rock with a grin on his face. "What are you smiling about?" How could he be happy when she was feeling so miserable? "Your wolf is impatient. She's telling you she wants to come out. She wants to run." James knew her wolf would be amazingly beautiful, and he couldn't wait to meet her in person. "Just try to relax and think about the human you just laying down and letting the wolf come forward to take over. But first take off your clothes so you don't destroy them." She looked at him like he was crazy. "How can I relax when I feel like I'm going to jump out of my skin?" But she found herself quickly shedding her clothes. James reached out and pulled her to him, holding her tight. He whispered in her ear. "Just think of laying down and going to sleep. Relax baby, let her in." He stroked her hair and kissed her neck slowly. "Feel her moving in your mind?" His hands never stopped moving on her body. Sarah could feel James touching her, helping her to center herself. She kept her eyes closed, and imagined herself laying down. She saw the wolf in her mind, coming forward. They met half way and looked at each other. "I'll share if you will." The wolf cocked her head for a moment and then nodded. She suddenly realized she was laying on the ground. But it felt strange. She opened her eyes and looked at her arms. They weren't arms, they were legs and covered in hair. She looked for James who was still clothed and sitting next to her, still stroking her hair. Wolf's Pet Ch. 31 "You're as beautiful as I thought you'd be Sarah." His hand slid across her silky coat. "Do you feel any better now?" She stood up, shook her whole body, then looked at her mate's face, and reached out to lick the whole side of his face. "A simple yes would have been fine." James was laughing. "Now can you change back? Just picture yourself getting up and coming forward and your wolf laying back down." He kept stroking her softly. Sarah closed her eyes and pictured herself standing up and walking towards her wolf. "It's time to trade, I promise to let you out again soon, but James has to go back to work and he doesn't want you to be out alone." Sarah giggled to herself about how protective James was going to be about her wolf for a while. When she opened her eyes, she was herself again. "I had expected it to hurt or something. That was so amazing." She looked at her skin in awe. Just seconds ago it was covered in black fur. She had a long tongue and big ears. Now, she was back to her old self. "And do you feel a little less stressed now?" He was still sliding his hand gently over her skin. "I guess so, but I'd be even more relaxed if you had more time." She smiled wickedly at him and sat up to kiss him. "Probably wouldn't be good for me to go back to the meeting with a fresh bite baby." But he didn't stop her from kissing him either. His hands slid up and down her back as their tongues moved together. They stopped for a moment to catch their breath. "And I don't think it'd be very polite of me to smell like sex when I'm surrounded by a bunch of males that haven't mated yet." He looked at her face, so beautiful, so damn sexy. But he had to stop. "Put your clothes back on, we need to eat lunch. Can't have my stomach growling during the meeting. You know how I get when I don't eat on time. Besides, I promised Gina we'd meet her and Ben for lunch." He tried to hide the evidence of his growing arousal. If she noticed she'd never let them go to lunch. "Hmmph. The only reason I'll give up is because you promised Gina." She slid her clothing on quickly and took his hand for the walk back to the compound. She had to admit, her wolf was much happier now that she'd had a chance to be out for a few minutes. ---------------------- Jeff met Carr at the bottom of the stairs. He pointed to the wheelchair. "C'mon Jeff, I just walked down the stairs under my own steam. Do I really need that?" Jeff thought for a minute. "I guess not. But please, if you get dizzy, let me know?" Jeff didn't think for a second Carr would tell him if he wasn't feeling well, but he had to try. Carr was walking slowly and deliberately, but much steadier than earlier. The rest had been good for him. He already felt better. He entered his office and greeted those assembled as he took his chair. The last to arrive were Guillame and Jószef. Carr had a feeling that Guillame wasn't being completely honest about why Jószef was there. He certainly didn't need an assistant for these meetings. When all were present, Carr cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "Before we start, Trey had to leave town with his mate for a few days. They'll be back as soon as possible. And because of what Guillame has told us about how the women will react at the Wolf Moon, arrangements have been made for her to be sedated that night. So that mating will be indefinitely postponed." James and Cole looked at Troy who was trying not to look at anyone but Carr. He knew everyone would be asking where they went and why. "Guillame, is there something else about the women that become panthers that you haven't told us? There must be a reason why its so important Katy and Jenna become panthers, other than your mate dreamt it." Carr knew there had to be more. Guillame looked uncomfortable but didn't want to lie. He'd promised himself he wouldn't leave anything out. "The dreams become that much more vivid, more detailed. And they'll be able to project them, more so than just with their own mate. If Gary had mated with Jenna, he could have controlled how she used those dreams. For someone evil to control that power would be a horrible thing. But for Alistair to have the control, it could be used for good. He and Jenna could do good things with the power." He was looking at Alistair now. "Forced matings are unpredictable at best. Gary was that sure he'd be able to do this with all these women?" Rhys was amazed at the audacity but then again, Gary thought he was smarter than all of them. He'd been wrong. "Will I have the privilege of meeting my granddaughters at some point?" Guillame hoped it would be soon. He wanted to see for himself how much Katy looked like his Orsolya. He wanted to meet all of them and find out about their lives and that of their mothers and grandmothers. "We'll let you know. But are you saying you're related to all of these women?" Carr wasn't going to let him meet any of the women until he was satisfied it was safe, relative or not. "Many of them but not all, only those descended from my daughter, Mariska. I think Rhys would be able to tell you which are from my line." He turned to look at Rhys who was nodding absentmindedly. He'd have to check the pedigrees again. "Just off the top of my head, I know that Katy, Karen, Jenna, and Sarah are descended from Guillame and his mate. Maybe he should meet them Carr. He's been truthful with us so far. And they are his family." "Alistair, what do you think?" Carr was looking at the white haired Were. Alistair thought about it. Did he want to let Guillame meet Jenna? "I think we should Carr. The women deserve to know the truth and know what they are." "Alright, then we'll let him meet the four women, with their mates present at well." Wolf's Pet Ch. 32 Karen walked slowly through the door, trying not to glance at the stranger in the room. She knew he was the European Archivist. She wondered what he was going to tell them. And why weren't Troy and Danielle here? She spotted Cole and sped up her walk to get to his side faster. She sat down quickly and leaned back into his inviting body. Her wolf was much happier now that she was with her mate. She didn't like forced separation for any amount of time, even a few hours. Sarah took James' outstretched hand and he pulled her close. She noticed the tall Were looking at her. There was something so familiar about him. But what? Her wolf seemed happy to see him and wanted to greet him. She didn't expect the growl coming from James, and her wolf immediately laid down in response. Katy walked confidently into the room but was surprised when Rhys jumped up to meet her at the entry. He never did that. He seemed ridiculously possessive as far as she was concerned. She thought he was being entirely too protective of her. It was so unlike him. What was it about the Belgian Werewolf that had him on edge? He looked nice enough. She looked sideways at Rhys, hoping for some sort of explanation or at least a smile. She was disappointed. He looked like he was ready to attack if given any provocation. Jenna was the last to enter. As always, she seemed to make a grand entrance with no effort at all. There was something about her that shone through to everyone, something special. The bruises on her face and neck were noticeable to all, a grim reminder of what Gary had done to her. She almost floated across the room to Alistair who waited for her with open arms, enveloping her when she stopped in front of him. He hugged her tightly in greeting and then held her chair as she sat. Guillame watched as his granddaughters entered the room, one at a time. He saw Karen breeze in, a newly turned wolf with auburn hair. He'd never seen a wolf quite that color. She looked a little timid and seemed to almost run to her mate. Guillame smiled as she leaned into him for safety. When Sarah arrived he saw her longing gaze for her new mate. He could tell her wolf had just recently come out. He chuckled to himself at her mate's protectiveness from him of all people. Katy's appearance almost sent him to his knees. He had known she would look like Orsolya from Rhys' reaction, but he hadn't realized how much. He so wanted to take her in his arms and inhale her scent, just to know her better. But from the look on her mate's face he knew if he attempted without Rhys' express permission he would be as good as dead. He forced himself to keep control. His wolf was not as interested as his human form. She may look like Orsalya, but her scent was not here. He would never again smell the mixture of lilac and birch. Just the thought of it made him weak, even all these years later. His reminiscences stopped as soon as Jenna walked into the room. She took his breath away. He had known the Werepanther that was mate to the Alpha of the Vlkolak all those years ago. Jenna had to be her reincarnation. He stood there stunned, unable to move. He tried not to stare, it was impolite and would earn him the ire of her mate. That he did not wish to do. He bristled when he saw the vivid bruises that stood out so starkly from her pale skin. If Gary hadn't already been dead, he would have wanted to do it himself. It made him proud to one day have Alistair as kin to know that he killed the rogue. Carr sat at his desk, watching the arrival of each of the women and the corresponding reactions of Guillame. He looked like a proud and protective grandfather to him. His first impression was that Guillame had been telling the truth. He was here to help them, and the women were his first concern. Since Rhys and Alistair were so intimately enmeshed in this, Carr would facilitate this meeting. He stood carefully, still not fully healed, but well on his way. He cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. When all were looking at him he began. "Ladies, thank you for coming. I know you've been wondering what we've been talking about in here for half the day. I appreciate your patience. I'm sure you've already figured out we were talking about you." Carr smiled as they nodded their heads. "I would like to introduce all of you to Guillame Bertrand. He is the Archivist for the European packs. Before that he was a member of their Council. He came here to help you understand your past. There is no one that knows better than he does about the history of the Vlkolak and your ancestors." The women seemed to lean forward, eager to hear more about their family history. "You've all seen your pedigree charts and know that you're cousins, descended from a Vlkolak female named Orsolya that came to America in 1860 from Hungary to escape. She was your third great grandmother." They again nodded, looking at the charts they held in their hands of their family trees. Karen felt Cole's hands holding her shoulders, squeezing tighter as Carr continued. Something had him upset but he was masking it from her. She tried to press him through their bond and he refused to give her a clue. They'd have to have a talk later about him hiding things from her. She'd noticed it since this Were had arrived. "And I'm sure you've all noticed the space for Orsolya's mate is blank. That's because it was kept secret from the European and American Councils for her safety and that of her unborn cub, your second great grandmother, Mariska." Carr watched as each of the women looked back at their chart, nodding their heads that they saw it. He saw the intense looks on the faces of the women as they tried to understand what was happening, and the looks on the faces of their mates, was it anticipation? "Guillame was Orsolya's mate, and your third great grandfather." He paused as he saw the surprised expressions on their faces. Sarah turned to James with a look of amazement. Her wolf was running around in circles her tail in the air. Now their mate would let them meet him. She wanted to have a family of her own. Sarah hadn't had one in so long. She loved James and couldn't wait to be a part of his, but this was her own family. "Guillame, would you like to say something?" Carr motioned to him. "My children, I am so grateful to Carr and your mates for allowing me to meet and speak with you. I have thought of you so many times over the years without knowing anything about you. You have ALWAYS been in my heart." He looked at each of them, hoping they understood how much he meant every word. "I came here to help you understand how important you are to the Werewolf race and all of the packs in the world, not just North America. My mate, your third great grandmother, saw all of you in her dreams. She always told me what she dreamt and we kept notes. I still have them. And she saw your future. She described each of you to perfection. I feel as if I'd met you before from her descriptions so many years ago. And she foretold our meeting. I am so pleased that it has all come true so far as she recited it to me." He stood in the middle of the room, looking at the beautiful women that were his family. It had been so long since he'd called anyone family. He wanted to take each of them in his arms and hold them tight, but he knew that would not happen until their mates were much more accepting of him. He could wait. Katy looked at Rhys. He'd known and hidden it from her. She knew he had his reasons and she tried not to be hurt by it. Rhys saw the look on Katy's face and although they didn't yet have a mental bond, he could read her feelings. She was disappointed he hadn't disclosed this to her when he'd found out. But she would accept it. He stroked her hair, playing with the red strands as he always did when he wanted to be closest to her, when he needed to calm himself. And he needed to calm himself before he ripped Guillame apart. He hadn't said any of this to them about their importance to their race. Guillame saw the look flash across Rhys' face and similar from Alistair. He knew he would have to explain himself soon to them. But for now, all he wanted was to enjoy the company of his progeny. Jenna was holding Alistair's hand and could feel the rage in his body. Although they'd only known each other less than a day, she knew him intimately from her dreams. She knew every nuance in his speech and expression. But she didn't understand why he was so upset over what the Were had said. Jenna turned to Guillame. "What should we call you?" "Whatever you like my dear, by my name, or grandfather, or whatever term you feel appropriate for your ancestor." He smiled warmly. His granddaughters smiled back, but their mates were not. "Guillame," Alistair spoke with barely concealed anger. "what is it that our mates will do that is so important?" "Well, it's not really so much your mates, but your descendents. Without them, our race will die. All four of you. They will work together for the good of our species, Wolf and Panther alike. But Jenna and Katie must, I repeat must, become Panthers. If not, the future is precarious for us. I can't explain anymore than that. I don't know all the facts." "This sounds like rubbish to me." Alistair glared at Guillame. He felt Jenna's hand on his arm and looked into her pleading eyes. "Please Alistair, I can't explain why I feel this way, but I know he's right." Jenna believed Guillame, her ancestor. She knew he couldn't lie to them. She looked up into Alistair's eyes, begging him silently to trust her. Alistair gazed into her deep brown eyes. His hand strayed to her face, stroking her cheek gently. As far as Alistair was concerned there was no one else in the room. The only one that mattered was Jenna. She trusted Guillame and wanted him to trust him as well, not question. Could he do it? His fingers traced one of the bruises Gary left on her neck. As soon as she was turned those would be gone for good. She would be his. They would have cubs who would save their race. Wasn't that all he really needed to know? Alistair's arm slowly returned to his side and he reached out for Jenna's hand. He grasped it gently and turned his attention to the others in the room. "My mate believes her grandfather. I believe him. Jenna and I will mate at the Wolf Moon. I guess this year it will become the Panther Moon." He chuckled as he lifted her hand to his lips and pressed them tenderly to her warm skin. Her smiled made his heart melt. But if Guillame had lied about anything, he would die. "Then we shall do the same." Rhys put his arm around Katy and pulled her close to his chest while his free hand stroked her red hair. Cole and James were still in shock about all of this. At least they'd already mated and Karen and Sarah would remain wolves like them. Neither of them were comfortable with the idea of Werepanthers. But what did their cubs have to do with this future? Carr felt comfortable that the worst was behind them. Guillame and the women needed time to get to know each other. "I'm going to leave the nine of you to get to know each other." He smiled and stood slowly, making his way to the door where he knew Lee would be waiting for him. "They'll be in there a while so keep everyone out." Brett and Bryant nodded and remained in their positions as the Alpha and his mate walked arm in arm slowly up the stairs. Lee leaned in close. "You're sure there won't be any blood shed?" Carr laughed. "If the males want to try to hurt Guillame I can guarantee the females will not allow it." On the second floor landing they ran into Wilson. "Carr, I'd like to take my people home today. We want to be home for the Wolf Moon." "Of course Morgan. Let me know if you need any help. And you'll be taking Cheryl with you?" "Yes, if that's alright with you. I think she and Kyle will help each other to heal. There is much healing to be done and I would like to begin immediately." He smiled as Carr nodded his assent and walked down the last flight of stairs, calling his Betas. "It'll be nice to have the compound back to ourselves soon. With all the cubs on the way we're going to need the room." Lee twined her arm into Carr's as they climbed the last flight of stairs. She could see he was tiring, but he would never admit it to her. "What do you think of all that Guillame has told you? Do you believe him?" Lee had learned everything through their bond. Carr hadn't held anything back. She sat on the bed, hoping to get him to rest again. "I think that once again we need to segregate the women. We can't take the chance of any unaccounted for Panthers. Maybe we should start tracking down the rest of the Vlkolak women, the ones Gary didn't find." Carr was deep in thought. "Maybe that should be left to the Council." Lee reached up and pulled Carr down to join her on the bed. "We'll have the women sequestered in their quarters and hospital rooms and if their mate somehow finds them, they either have to mate before the Wolf Moon or be sedated. How does that sound?" "That sounds good to me." He laid on his back and pulled Lee close to him, her head nestled on his chest. He stroked her blond hair, wishing he had the energy to do more. But even his wolf was tired. Lee loved this quiet time together. The worst was over, or so she hoped. Their visitors were starting to leave, and they would be back to normal soon. She felt Carr's mind calming, and again, he was quickly asleep. She hugged him tight and closed her eyes. ------------------- "Why did Rebecca and Trey leave? Troy, what's going on?" The last time Danielle had seen Rebecca she was a mess. She was so upset and crying and never told Danielle why. They'd become close in their time here and it was really upsetting not to know what had happened to her. All of a sudden she and Trey disappeared without a goodbye. She didn't like it at all. "Troy, if we're going to be mates, then we have to trust each other totally, with everything. You can't hide things from me." She sat in Troy's lap, stroking his mop of black hair. She could tell he was upset too. He was so close to his brother that they were like two halves of the same person. She knew it was hurting him to be apart. "Rebecca can't have children." Troy sounded so sad when he said it. "That explains why she got so upset when we were talking about getting pregnant. Now it all makes sense. No wonder she got so frantic. She didn't want to disappoint him. But that doesn't explain why they left." Danielle stopped for a moment and looked into Troy's eyes. "He isn't taking her away and leaving her somewhere is he?" No, he wouldn't do that, he couldn't, could he? "No, no, he would never do that. She's his mate. They'll be together forever, just like we will." He brought his hands up to hold her face and kissed her lightly and then hugged her tightly. "He took her to a hospital to see if they could reverse it. So they won't be able to mate for awhile. For it to work she has to still be human. After the surgery he can turn her, not before. But we just found out that the Wolf Moon will have an effect on her, so she has to be sedated for the night. He'll stay with her the whole time. It's a good thing Logan is a friend of the Doctor and was able to get it all set up so fast." Danielle saw the look on his face. He didn't like being separated. "Troy." She pulled his hair back over his eyes and stroked his face. "What if we joined them and then you could be with Trey. Rebecca probably wouldn't mind another woman being with her right now." "Dani, You don't understand. If we mate you can't leave here until your wolf is under control. And if we leave, then we can't mate until later. Then you would have to be sedated too. Would you be willing to do that?" "Of course I would. Rebecca is my best friend here. And you are everything to me Troy. I'd do anything for you." She leaned down and flicked her tongue over his ear. He gasped and his hands came up to grip her arms tightly. "If you want us to join Rebecca and Trey then you're going to have to stop doing that, because my wolf won't hold back and we'll be mated right away." His wolf wanted to get the preliminaries over with and bite her. She was theirs. Troy had to have the same discussion with his wolf he just had with Danielle. "If we're going to do this, then I need to talk to Carr and Logan." He gently pushed her off his lap and onto the couch and stood up. "Do you want to come with me since this is your idea?" She jumped up and took his hand. "Of course I would." She jumped off the couch and grabbed Troy's hand, pulling him through the door. "We better get moving, we have a lot to get done." The quiet knock on the door roused Lee. She looked over at Carr who was still asleep. He needed all he could get right now. Lee went to the door and walked through, closing it behind her. Troy and his mate were standing in front of her holding hands. It reminded Lee of a couple of teenagers coming to ask mom and dad if they could get married. Danielle had an excited look and Troy looked nervous. "Troy, Danielle, what can I do for you?" "I wanted to ask Carr's permission for us to join Trey and Rebecca. They need us right now." He watched Lee's face for any clue to the answer he'd get. "Dani knows she'll have to be sedated since we haven't mated yet." Before Lee could say a word Danielle piped up. "Rebecca needs another woman with her Lee. I would if it was me anyway." She held tight onto Troy's arm. "And the Doctor is going to cooperate to sedate another woman?" From the blank looks on their faces she knew they hadn't checked yet. "If he agrees, then I'll tell Carr you're on your way. He'll be fine with it." Lee was actually glad to hear they were going to join Trey and Rebecca. She knew Carr wasn't really comfortable with them being in the human world with Trey's possessive wolf with an un-mated female at the full moon. An hour later Troy and Danielle were on the road. They had called Trey and he and Rebecca would wait for them to catch up before moving on to meet with the Doctor. Logan was able to talk his friend into sedating both women. Luckily, he was a Werewolf but worked in a human hospital. But the sedation would be done at his pack's hospital nearby. Trina stood outside the office Logan had been using for the last twenty four hours. She felt like she'd known him her whole life. Werewolf biology was so strange to humans. They could never understand how such a close connection can be made so fast. It's like a switch. Once it's turned on there's no turning it off. Your mate begins as a stranger and in seconds is your whole world. She'd seen the Wilson pack getting ready to leave. She'd helped the injured get ready to travel. And Cheryl's things were packed and ready to go. They were all leaving. But Logan hadn't said a word to her. Was he leaving without her? She just watched him as he looked at each medical file for the injured being transported. Her eyes traveled over his entire body, head to toe. His blue eyes flashed as he looked up at her. Her body trembled as he looked at her. Her wolf wouldn't let him leave without her. Trina tried to calm her. If his plans didn't include them they would just have to deal with it. Her wolf scoffed at that. They were mates, they would be together. He grinned when he saw her leaning against the door jam. "Were you just going to watch me? Or did you want something?" He walked towards her slowly. His wolf was ready. He wanted to mark her now. He'd waited since there were wounded, but they were taken care of now. "I heard you're leaving soon." She couldn't look at him. He was leaving without her. His finger hooked under her chin and lifted her eyes to meet his. "The pack is leaving. The Alpha wants to get back home before the full moon. They want to have the dead cremated tomorrow night so they can celebrate the Wolf Moon the next." His hand brushed her silky blond hair away from her eyes. He saw the tears forming in the corners. "I'm not going anywhere, not until I know you will come with me. If not, then I hope Jeff has a job for me here." Her pale green eyes held his gaze. Neither could look away. Wolf's Pet Ch. 32 "You'd stay here? Really? We hadn't had a chance to talk and when I saw the pack was leaving I just assumed..." He cut off her sentence with a kiss, soft at first. Trina fell into his lips. She was numb to everything but him. She didn't hear the orderlies walking by or the giggling of the nurses that were just across the hall. He pulled away and whispered. "Do you want to go for a run with me?" His eyes never left hers and their bodies were pressed so close he could feel her heart beating in her chest through his own. "I'm working right now." Her words came out in a breathy whisper. Her heart was pounding. She wanted to go with him so badly. Her wolf pressed her to say yes. They wanted to go for a run with their mate. "I think Jeff would allow it. Do you want me to ask him? Hmm?" He never stopped looking into her eyes. He knew what her answer would be. "Yes, ask him. Hurry." Trina didn't know if she could stop her wolf even if she tried. "Stay right here, I'll be back." He kissed her nose and walked down the hall to Sheila's room where he knew Jeff would be right now. Logan knocked softly and waited for Jeff's OK before walking in. The last thing he wanted was to upset Jeff's wolf. He stayed near the doorway, not wanting to get too close to Jeff's mate. "Hey, what's up Logan? I heard you got things set up for Rebecca to have surgery. That's great." He was really grateful Logan had been here today and hoped he'd be staying a while since he had Sheila to care for. "Yeah they're on their way. I wanted to know if you'd mind if Trina left her shift early to take a run with me." "Right, a run. I don't mind. Besides, I figure you'll be taking her with you when you leave. She's my best nurse, but I can't stop her from mating." "Well, I was thinking, if you need help around here, I wouldn't mind staying on here. I hate the idea of taking a female away from her pack. I've always thought the other way around is better in most cases. That would be up to you and the two Alphas. But for now, thank you. We'll be back...sometime." Logan smiled brightly and went back to Trina. She could see the smile on his face as he approached and knew the answer. He reached out for her as he walked by and took her hand. The two of them practically ran out the door. Trina took him to her favorite place in the woods. When they stopped she stood in front of him, looking up into his startlingly blue eyes. "Would you really leave your pack and stay here with me?" "You're my mate Trina, I'd go anywhere you want." He put his hand behind her head, pulled her close and kissed her hard, his tongue pushing its way inside her mouth, taking control. His wolf was so close he could feel him ready to take over. "I want you Trina, since the first moment I saw you. My wolf doesn't understand why we waited a whole day. He wanted to take you right then and there." "I want you too Logan. One day seems like forever when your wolf wants." She pulled his shirt out of his pants and deftly unbuttoned it as she felt his hands tugging her shirt up. She let go of his shirt long enough to lift her arms as he pulled hers off her body. Her hair fell back down around her shoulders. She pushed his shirt off his shoulders and it joined hers on the ground. Their hands traveled over each others skin, touching every part of skin they could. She kissed his neck and down his chest. His body was perfect, his muscles ripped. Just touching him with her fingers excited her. His hands ran through her hair as she moved down his chest. He'd never known the difference it would be with his mate instead of just a female. Now he understood the mating bond. Everywhere she touched was on fire, and he wanted to jump into the flames. Her lips on his body were a torture that he craved. Every touch left him wanting more. He wanted to feel her lips everywhere on his body. Trina was on her knees in front of him, undoing his pants and pushing them off his hips. His erection was waiting for her. She stroked him gently as she looked up into his face, hungry looks on both their faces. She flicked out her tongue and licked up and down his cock, feeling it quiver in her hand. She smiled when she heard the low growl above her. His hand tightened in her hair. She opened her mouth and swallowed his cock, pushing forward until the head was going down her throat. "Trina, I want you." The words almost couldn't be heard through the growls from his wolf. Her mouth on him was too much and his wolf wouldn't wait. He pulled away from her and was quickly on hands and knees, a black wolf with bright blue eyes. He watched her closely as she wriggled out of her pants and shifted. He couldn't take his eyes off her. She was the most beautiful wolf he'd ever seen. As much as she wanted him, wolf instinct was stronger than human. She ran up to him and dropped down on her elbows, tail wagging in the air behind her. When he moved towards her she hopped away from him. He had to catch her, had to prove himself to her wolf. She ran to her left and he almost got her. But she managed to scoot away just in the nick of time. Her wolf wanted to make him chase her so she took off into the woods. These were her woods, she would lead him on a merry chase. He smiled to himself as she took off through the brush. She really thought she could lose him? He may not have been familiar with the land but his wolf would find her scent no matter where she went, lemon and peppermint. He ran with one thing on his mind, taking his mate. He ducked and missed a low branch. She was faster than he'd expected. He couldn't see her, but he could still smell her. He stopped for a moment and lifted his head and sniffed. He looked to his right and saw blond hair hanging from a bush. He ran towards his sly little vixen. She would never escape him. She jumped the creek. Let's see if he could track her now. She ran into a gully. He wouldn't be able to see her and if he missed her scent over the creek she would be far ahead of him. Smart girl. Her scent stopped at the edge of the creek but he could smell it on the other side. He knew she'd never been a tracker or she'd know she should have stayed in the creek and come out farther down so her scent wasn't so close. But so much the better for him. He was hot on her trail. Her scent was seared into his brain. If there was any hint of it he would find her. He stopped at the edge of a gully and looked down. her scent was strong there. He picked his way down the embankment and picked up on the scent, making his way quickly through the dry creek bed. She ran south, to where the gully gave way to a rise and the meadow. She was sure he hadn't been able to follow her this far. She stopped to rest a moment and looked behind her. She thought she heard something. But there was nothing and no one. She turned back around and the large black wolf was waiting for her. She was startled and backed up a step. She backed into the wall of rock. He smiled to himself and moved forward. She was his. He sniffed her face and licked her mouth, her tongue flicking out to meet his. He slid his body along hers, leaving his scent on her coat. Any male that met her now would smell him all over her. They would know she was taken. He pushed into her, moving her towards the grassy area in the gully. He walked around her, appraising his blond she wolf. She was as gorgeous as he had known she would be. When he stood behind her, he sniffed her, smelling her arousal, the evidence of her desire for him. He licked at it, tasting her for the first time. The black wolf lifted his head and howled his pleasure with his mate to the moon. Trina's tail moved off to the side and her mate was behind her. He could see how ready she was for him. He jumped up onto her back, his cock finding its mark and sliding easily into her depths. Her walls fit him like a glove. He growled with the pleasure he felt and was met with her own growls. He gripped her tight and she braced herself as he thrust up into her and then pounded into his mate. He felt so good inside her, she growled her pleasure at him. He was the perfect mate for her. She felt every inch of him as he thrust in and out of her tight sheath. He seemed to last forever, she felt herself close to cumming and knew he could feel her walls clamping down on his cock. It was then that he reached for her neck and bit down hard as her orgasm washed over her whole body. She howled as she came and came. He held her tight and pushed his knot into her, feeling it seated tight before letting loose his seed. He thrust into her over and over, feeling the spurts entering her depths. He pulled her down to the ground and held her tightly as they waited for his knot to recede. He licked the blood from the wound on her neck until it had healed. They laid together in the grass until his knot had loosed itself from her body. They lay there together, spooned, limbs entwined. He shifted and stroked the fur on her lean body, head to tail. He loved the feeling of her fur on his skin. When she felt his hand she shifted and then it was skin to skin. She felt his fingers tracing her bite wound. It was healed but with a scar for all to see. She smiled as she felt his lips nuzzling at her neck. She turned to face him and couldn't believe the sight of him laying next to her, gazing at her with lust and longing and love in his eyes and on his face. And he was all hers. Her wolf reminded her they still had to mark him or some other bitch may try to take him. Her hand cupped his face, loving the feel of his skin as she slid down his chest and stomach to his growing cock. She pushed him onto his back and licked the remnants of their mixed fluids off his hard member. She felt it dripping off her chin and she giggled as she moved back up to let him taste it too. She pressed her lips to his, lingering there as long as she could. But the wolf would not wait. She lifted a leg and straddled his prone body, feeling the head of his cock butting up against her. She guided him inside her and gasped as she felt him for the first time in her human form. Her mother had always told her sex with her mate would be so much different than with the other males. She'd never dreamed her mother could be so right. Logan felt so incredible inside her, so perfect in every way. He held her hips as she rode him, sliding up and down, feeling him in every part of her. She felt his hands tighter and knew he was close but he was waiting for her bite. He growled with the pleasure and frustration. She was making him wait. He would hold back as long as he possibly could. But he would make her pay for it later. He thought to himself all the ways he would repay her and smiled to himself. She could see the tension in his body and knew he would lose control soon. Her wolf loved leaving him on the edge but Trina didn't want to push it farther. She leaned down and licked his neck where the pulse beat in time with his heart. She could feel his throbbing cock inside her and felt his body react to what he knew was coming. He held tight to her hips as she bit down hard, tearing his flesh and tasting his blood. He bellowed as his cock erupted inside her a second time. She clutched his body as she started to cum with him, and both their bodies jerked and spasmed together. They held each other tightly and she came down from the amazing high of her orgasm and found herself lapping at his bite wound until it was fully healed. And then she admired the nice scar that had formed. No bitch from either pack would come near him now, unless she wanted to be ripped apart. They held each other under the light of the moon. Wolf's Pet Ch. 33 "What are they doing?" Katy watched the groups of Omegas bringing loads of wood to a large open area just outside the main compound. They were working non-stop which wasn't unusual. But she didn't hear the usual laughing and joking. Rhys watched as she studied them. He could tell she was trying to figure it out. She wanted to know everything about pack life, or in this case, death. "They're building a funeral pyre. There will be a celebration of their lives tonight and they will be sent off to a brighter future." They hadn't really discussed this before. He wondered how she'd take it. This must be so foreign to someone raised human in this day and age. Her head turned to look at him, her red hair blowing around her face in the breeze. "That's why you bury rogues? So they can never be reincarnated?" "Yes little one, that's why." His hand absent-mindedly reached out to brush the hair from her face. He held onto a strand and let it slip slowly through his fingers. He would never let her slip away. She couldn't took her eyes off his face. "What will happen tomorrow night Rhys?" She looked a little nervous, but not scared. He looked into her green eyes, so much like a cat, or rather, a panther. Her scent seemed to permeate it's way into his brain. The tall Were inhaled deeply, ahhhh, mint and cinnamon. "Tomorrow night the pack goes on a hunt. After the hunt, those that wish to celebrate the full moon will mate. Most of the pack will be out in the open." He could see the look of alarm in her face. "There is no shame among the pack Katy." He stroked her face, from the edge of her eyebrow down past her ear, to her jaw where he traced a line to her chin. He smiled at her quick intake of breath. He knew he was affecting her with his touch. "What if I'm too scared? What if I can't?" She turned away from him. She loved him so much in such a short time. But she was afraid of disappointing him. She couldn't stand the thought of that. She sighed when she felt his hands on her shoulders, stroking down her back. Her entire body relaxed. He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Little one, when the time comes, if you need privacy we'll move to where no one will see us. I won't allow you to be uncomfortable. Being turned is stressful enough, but if it makes you too self conscious, then we will leave the gathering and return when you have shifted." She whipped around in his arms. "Shifted? I thought it took a while to shift. Karen and Sarah took days to turn. I'll change right then and there?" Her face paled and her green eyes flashed. "A human who mates at the full moon will turn that very night. The full moon has many effects on us, and the Wolf Moon seems to have its own unique properties." He continued to slowly move his hands up and down her arms, feeling how tight her muscles were. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her any more. "What is the Wolf Moon? Why is it special?" She seemed to be calming down, a bit anyway. "The Wolf Moon was named by the indigenous peoples of this continent hundreds of years ago. They called it that because in the winter they heard the wolf packs howling around their villages. Little did they know the full moon in the darkest part of winter held great power for us." She seemed to forget her fears for the moment as they spoke. Rhys thought maybe it would be best to continue the discussion in private. "Why don't we talk about everything that will happen tomorrow so it won't seem so foreign to you." He held his hand out, waiting for her to take hold. Katy hesitated for a moment but then reached for him and held on tight. She knew Rhys would never let anything happen to her that was in his power to stop. For a fleeting moment she thought of Katya and their daughter. He hadn't been able to save them. But that was a different time and place. And besides, she had seen their future, and they would be together for a long long time. She felt much better as they walked through the woods hand in hand. They stopped in the middle of a huge clearing. She'd had a chance to explore these woods pretty extensively in the last two weeks. She didn't remember ever coming here with any of her friends. She thought she had gone everywhere within a few miles of the compound. She was sure she would have seen it. Rhys sat in the very center and pulled Katy into his lap. She leaned against his chest. She could feel his heart beating through her back. It was such a calming feeling. She relaxed her body as he touched her skin, stroked her face, her hair. She thought she might melt into his body if he kept it up. She could feel him leaning into her, taking a deep breath with his nose near her neck. That made her smile. She knew there was something about the mate's scent that calmed the other half. Lila promised her that after she was turned she would understand. Rhys was having a harder and harder time keeping his wolf in check. He was insistent that there was no need to wait. Rhys was just as insistent that there was. His wolf pouted and laid down. Rhys chuckled to himself. A wolf was so emotional when it came to their mate. He knew once the mating was over, his wolf would settle. He knew his wolf was more than a little worried about losing a second mate. He wanted to be sure she was safe and the best way as far as he was concerned was to have their bond in place. Rhys assured him the danger was over. They would be fine. After several minutes of silence, Rhys began to go through the procedures for tomorrow's full moon. "Normally the Alpha and his mate lead the hunt. But because Carr is not fully healed, the Doctor thinks it best for him not to shift. So Cole will lead the hunt with Karen. He will take the males, and she the females." Katy twisted around in his lap to look at him. "Does Karen know that? Is she ready for that?" Katy couldn't believe it. Karen had only been a wolf for ten days. Could she really lead a hunt? "Her wolf has good instincts. And Lila will be there to help guide her. She'll be fine." Rhys was glad that her own fears weren't overpowering her natural instinct to be concerned with others. "Carr and Lee will wait here, at the clearing, for them to return. He is still the Alpha and he will preside over the festivities. After the hunt, we eat...and then everyone is free to do as they will." With that thought his wolf had to at least have a taste and Rhys leaned down to kiss her neck, his tongue sliding across her skin to her collar bone. He felt the shivers running through her body. "And what a wolf wants is to taste his mate." Katy felt the change in his body language. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the change in his face and eyes. His wolf wanted her and it took all of Rhys' will to hold him back. It frightened her and thrilled her at the same time. At that moment she realized how ready she really was for this, how much she craved it. She wanted to belong to Rhys forever. She wanted to be able to run through the woods with him, hunt with him, follow him wherever his duties took him. Rhys felt his wolf trying to take over. He let him taste her and felt his wolf's elation. Rhys found himself lecturing his wolf. "Now that you've had a taste, you can wait until tomorrow night. Then she will be ours completely." His wolf agreed to wait. "Little one, I will warn you about one thing. The pack will be curious about you and Jenna. They've never seen a Werepanther. They're going to want to see you." "Aren't there other Werepanthers?" Katy couldn't believe they would be the only ones left. "There are none in North American that I am aware of. And they are rare in Europe and Asia." Rhys began to wonder if Guillame was a fool. Two Werepanthers in North America. The packs would find out. They would be curious and some could be afraid or worse. He would have to speak with Alistair about his thoughts on the matter. Katy's voice brought him back to the present and their conversation. "What about the children? I mean cubs." They didn't let the young ones stay and watch did they? She didn't think she could deal with that. Rhys laughed and slid his fingers down her bare arms. "Don't worry little one. The cubs watch the hunt and participate in the feast and then are sent off to bed. Only those old enough to mate are allowed to stay. Usually the older Omegas will take care of them for the night, or those who have lost a mate. They won't want to be there. It brings up too many memories." His eyes strayed off into the distance. "Do you have too many memories Rhys? Are you sure that you can do this?" She brought her hand to his face and laid it on his cheek. " You've been so worried about me, but what about you? Are you alright?" Her eyes searched his face for his answer. Her look of concern almost brought him to tears. His hand closed over hers and squeezed it gently. "I am more than fine my Katy." He gazed into her eyes, lost in the depths of her soul. "Dwi yn barod i fod gyda chi bob amser yn un bach." He stroked her soft red hair. "I am ready to be with you always little one." She nestled in his arms and felt herself drift off to sleep. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As she looked across the clearing it was filled with wolves, black, brown, grey, sable, and one lone white wolf. He was immense and stood on the precipice, watching those below. A black wolf that was just as big approached and stood by his side. They exchanged glances and looked in her direction. She had to side step to avoid being bowled over by the gigantic black panther that barreled past her on her way to the top of the bluff. She rubbed her body along the side of the white wolf. She purred as he licked her head. The black wolf continued to look in her direction. Was he looking at her? She looked to her left and to her right. There was no one else in sight. He must be looking at her. She began to walk and realized her feet were huge paws. She looked up and he continued to watch her, waiting patiently for her to reach him. She moved slowly towards him, not sure what he wanted from her. When she reached the top he met her at the edge. His tongue touched her mouth and she surprised herself by purring loudly. The white wolf turned and walked away with his black panther by his side. The black wolf turned with him, looking over his shoulder at his panther. Would she come with him? She looked at him and at the wolves in the clearing. She saw many that she recognized. They were her friends, her family. She looked again at the black wolf and turned to join him. The four walked into the distance, far from the pack. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I'm leading the females on a hunt? Are you crazy?" Karen couldn't believe her ears. What did she know about hunting? "Pet, you'll be fine." Cole had to hold back the laughter. He didn't think she'd appreciate it. "Your wolf is a great hunter. Look at how she tracked Cheryl and Katy and took Cheryl down alone. You'll be a wonderful leader." "But shouldn't Lila lead the females? She's Lee's second, isn't she?" Karen was starting to panic and paced in their room. She had to move when she was upset. Her wolf really thought she was overreacting. They would be fine leading the hunt. Wolves hunted by instinct. She knew what to do. Karen just had to rely on her. "But you are my mate. It wouldn't be proper for Lila to lead with me unless neither of us had mated. Before Carr had found a mate he led with the acting Alpha Bitch who was not mated. But if she had been, he would have asked another to lead the females." He saw Karen's confused look. "Could you stop walking for just a minute? I'm getting a neck ache watching you go back and forth." Cole had been watching from the bed and felt like he was at a tennis match. He reached out and pulled her down to sit next to him. He scooted closer to her and put an arm around her waist. "The hunt brings the wolves alive like no other time except battle. After the feast, the wolves are...how do I put it?" He smiled broadly. "Horny, no other way to put it that you'd understand." Karen blushed sitting next to him and tried to pull away. He held her tight. She turned to look at his smiling face. "And what do the horny wolves do?" "They mate silly. That's why it wouldn't do for Lila and I to lead the hunt together. It NEEDS to be you pet. My wolf will want to mate with his hunting partner. YOU." "In front of everyone?" Karen was having flashbacks to the leers she got when the Betas saw the bite on her neck. She couldn't even imagine the looks she'd get having sex in front of the pack. "Believe me, they'll be too busy to be watching us. Besides, most are going to want to gawk at Katy and Jenna. We've never seen Werepanthers before." He tried to keep her on the bed but she popped up and started pacing again. He let out a loud sigh. "What if I can't do it? What if I don't catch any game? What if I get too scared to mate with you with the pack all around us?" Her voice was rising as she listed her fears. "I know you can do it, your wolf knows. You just have to believe in yourself pet. And Lila will be there to help you." He stood up and blocked her path. His hands landed on her shoulders and he ducked down to try to look into her eyes. "If the time comes and you are still worried about others watching when we mate, we can move out of sight. But to be honest, I think after the hunt your wolf will stay in control and there won't be any issue at all. She'll want to prove herself to the pack like any other wolf. And part of that is showing others that they better stay away from what's yours, mainly your mate." She looked up, startled. "Could someone challenge me?" "According to pack law, yes. Has it ever happened? No, not that I'm aware of. But if one of the females feels you aren't an acceptable mate, she could challenge you. And then you would kick her butt and we'd go back to what we were doing." He tried to give her a reassuring smile. He didn't want to lie about anything but sometimes telling the truth just made things more difficult for her. She was such a worrier. "You better believe I would kick her butt." Karen had a set look on her face. There was no way in hell anyone would take Cole away from her. No way. He was amazed by the way her dark brown eyes seemed to spark when she was upset. He thought it was sexy as hell. Of course it was less so when directed at him. "The full moon will seal our mating. Until then it's a tentative bond that can be broken. I won't let that happen Karen. You are mine, I am yours. Forever." He looked into her face and bent down to kiss her gently. Unfortunately they didn't have time to play with the celebration tonight. But he wanted to show her what she meant to him. He never wanted her to doubt his feeling for her. ''''''''''''''''''' "Sir, do they understand the importance of tomorrow night?" Jószef was a little worried. What if things didn't go as planned with the Werepanthers? What if the Council got here before they mated? Would they try to stop them? Could they succeed? "Jószef, you worry too much my boy. The future has been written. The Council may try to stop it, but they won't be able to change what has already been seen." Guillame smiled at the younger Were. He would make a good Alpha, he just needed more experience out in the world. This would be good for him. This pack would be good for him. She was here somewhere. Jószef just had to find her. Guillame hated to mislead him about why he was here, but finding a mate was the most important thing in a Were's life and when she was half a world away, one just couldn't leave it to chance. He was so glad he had kept his notes of Orsolya's dreams and reviewed them every so many years. He'd almost missed what she'd said about his apprentice finding a mate in the New World at the home of the panthers. Jószef had grown up thinking of the European Council as infallible. It had only been since he'd been sent to learn from Guillame that he'd realized the truth, they were power hungry as much as any human could be. It sickened him to realize his kind was no different in that way than the humans. Guillame studied Jószef for a moment. He was a strapping lad, only seventy eight years old. If he could find his mate now it would be wonderful for his pack. They would know there would be an heir. Jószef's father didn't find his mate until he was almost six hundred. His pack was starting to break apart with infighting from some of the Betas jockeying for a position. But now things had calmed, and if Jószef were to bring a mate home that would help solidify his standing as the next Alpha. "Are you ready Jószef? We don't want to be late." He checked his appearance in the mirror. No need to meet the entire pack looking disheveled if he could help it. Guillame and Jószef left their rooms immaculate as always. They did look sort of out of place in the Baxter pack. They would normally have worn expensive European suits, but after speaking with Lee and Carr, decided on a bit more casual wear, tailored slacks and polo shirts. As soon as they left their rooms they realized they were still over dressed. Every male they spotted was wearing jeans and a t-shirt or work shirt. They stood on the second floor landing watching the pack members leaving for the gathering. "We really are over dressed, aren't we?" Guillame was laughing as he realized how out of place they were. Several Betas walked by and stared at the strangers. They knew they had something to do with the European Council but had no idea why they'd come here. "Ya'all ain't from around here are ya?" Cole started laughing hysterically. They were the country bumpkins in comparison to the Archivist and the someday Alpha. He quickly felt Karen's elbow in his ribs. He stopped laughing immediately. "Sorry about that. I think I have some jeans and shirts that would fit if you want to try them." Karen nodded approvingly at her mate. She wouldn't tolerate him making fun of her grandfather, or at least that's what she was going to call him. "If you want, we'll wait for you and you can come with us. That way we can introduce you. I think Lee and Carr are already there." They talked as they made their way to the third floor so Cole could donate some clothes to make them look more like pack members. Guillame and Jószef donned the proffered clothing and walked out of the room, stopping in front of Karen for her approval. "Well? What do you think granddaughter?" Guillame beamed at her, so proud of how understanding she and her cousins had been and how welcoming they had been to him. Karen put on a serious look, her hand to her chin and walked slowly around the two males. "Hmmm, pretty darn hot if you ask me." She had a silly grin on her face. Guillame laughed but Jószef looked entirely confused. "Hot? I feel comfortable, not hot at all." Karen and Cole looked at each other and burst out laughing. "Hot means sexy. The females will be swarming around you like bees in a hive." Karen thought Jószef's bewildered look was adorable. The females would really be flocking around him. She was starting to get used to the free sexuality in the pack. But at the same time she was grateful she had her mate already. Karen took Cole's arm and looked at him and then at Guillame. "Do you mind?" She asked through their bond. He gave an imperceptible nod and smiled. Guillame was her family. His wolf wasn't threatened by him anymore. Yesterday he would never have allowed him near her. Today was a new day. Karen held out her arm to Guillame who laughed and took it carefully, nodding back to Cole his thanks. The three of them walked arm in arm with Jószef following closely. They made their way to the funeral pyre where the pack was assembling. Everyone would be here except for those too badly injured to attend. There were several with bandages and sitting in wheelchairs. Wolf's Pet Ch. 33 The Council had even come. They arrived together with Alistair and Rhys. Karen wondered to herself if they had explained what Guillame was doing here, what his relationship was to them, and what was going to happen tomorrow night. Karen spotted Trina standing near her patients, but no Logan. She walked away from the males to speak with her friend. "Trina, where's Logan?" Karen figured since they'd mated last night they wouldn't be separated for a moment. Trina's bite was proudly displayed wearing her tank top. "He talked Jeff into letting him watch Sheila so he could attend the celebration. He told him it was important to say goodbye to friends. Now that we've mated Jeff's wolf has calmed down around him and allowed it." She had a happy smile on her face. It was obvious to everyone even without seeing the bite. She radiated that serene happiness that only came with being mated. "A few of the unattached human females stayed at the hospital as well to help so as many of the staff as possible could attend. Since the other packs all took their injured when they left it's definitely cut back on the patient load." Trina was relieved about that. Things had gotten a little stressful for the staff with so many hospitalized patients and a Doctor who was preoccupied with his own mate. Karen turned around but Cole and the visitors had wandered off towards Carr and Lee. Jeff was standing close to Carr. She could tell he was still worried about the Alpha. She made her way to join them, moving silently up behind Cole and wrapped her arms around his waist. His hands took hers and pulled them around his stomach. She found herself hugging his warm back. If they weren't here for a funeral she would have suggested finding someplace to be alone. "You promise you won't shift tonight OR tomorrow night? If so, then I'll leave you alone." Jeff had a determined look on his face. It was his job to keep the Alpha from interfering with his healing progress. "Yes Doctor, I promise." He smiled politely at Jeff. His hands were behind his back, fingers crossed. Lee leaned back and caught his sneaky attempt to get out of his promise. "I see that." She raised an eyebrow at him as he unclasped his hands and put them in his pockets. "Yes Ma'am. I promise both of you I will not shift for the next two days. Satisfied?" He glared at both of them. His wolf wanted so much to lead the pack tomorrow night. Their head was feeling much better. They didn't get that dizzy, not for long anyway. "Good, thank you Alpha." With that patient in order he turned his attention to Lee. "Now as for you Madam, carrying triplets can be tricky and you should not be shifting either, until you've delivered." "What? But Jeff, my mother shifted anytime she wanted through all of her pregnancies. She didn't have any problems." Lee thought Jeff was being paranoid. She understood why Carr shouldn't shift but really, lots of pregnant females shifted. "Your mother never had triplets. We're always more careful with multiples. Please Lee, its for the safety of your cubs." Jeff was not going to back down on this issue. If she wouldn't listen to him maybe she would listen to Logan. She wouldn't be able to say he was overprotective. "Alright, you win." She pouted as she looked at the Doctor who had a satisfied grin on his face. She felt Carr's arm circling her waist and leaned into him. Her wolf was fine with staying under wraps while the cubs were growing. They were the most important thing. She could give up being in control until they were born. Carr's hand was resting on her belly, and she rested hers lightly on top. The gesture was not lost on the pack. All eyes were on the Alphas. Smiles were exchanged at the loving touches between the pair. Most thought they were lucky to have them as Alphas and now to have cubs on the way, the prevailing feeling among the pack was they were charmed to have little ones so quickly since being mated. This was good luck for the pack. The area around the pyre slowly filled with people, mates hand in hand, friends chatting, cubs running around and trying to find playmates until called by their parents. It was dusk, the sun had set and the moon was just visible over the horizon, almost full. A single owl flew silently across the sky to his perch in the trees. He landed and shook his feathers until he had settled himself. Carr had seen the owl and smiled. Some American Indian tribes considered the owl to be a spirit helper that allowed humans to contact the dead. He felt it was a good omen the owl had come here when he did. He looked at the feather tufts that the gave the Great Horned Owl it's name. He sent his thoughts to the owl. "Thank you my friend for joining us." The Alpha turned his attention to the gathering. "Welcome all. Thank you for being here with us as a family. First I would like to welcome our guests, Guillame Bertrand, the Chief Archivist for the European Council, and his assistant, Jószef Kardos." Carr turned to the visitors and smiled warmly. He really did like both of them. His pack greeted them as honored guests. This was the first time most of the pack had seen them and it came as a bit of a surprise, but the last month had been full of surprises, so what was one more? "We come here to remember our friends and family we lost in the battle with the rogues. They died defending our pack, our families. They fought bravely and died with honor. They brought new members to our pack and we welcome them with open arms." He looked at his pack with approval as he saw many seeking out the human women to greet them. "We honor their memories, remember their lives, and look forward to their return. We will send them on their way to their next lives, wherever it may be and hope that someday they will find their way back to us." Carr watched the nods from his extended family. Carr and Lee walked slowly to a group of families that stood together. They had each lost a loved one in the battle. They stopped to speak with each family individually, making sure to touch each family member. This was an important part of Werewolf grieving. The families had to know they were still an important part of the pack. One couple had lost their only son. Carr approached them and embraced the father, whispering in his ear as his mate sobbed in Lee's arms. Their daughters gathered around them, but there was no consolation for the brokenhearted parents. Cole held Karen tightly as they watched Carr and Lee console the families. Karen saw how the entire pack was affected, she heard the quiet whispers, saw the tears on the faces of family and friends alike. The mood was somber. But she could swear everyone had called this a celebration. She was going to ask Cole but when she saw his cheeks streaked with tears she just held him tighter and leaned her head into his chest. Carr was speaking with the devastated mate of one of Cole's friends who had been killed. Andrea was inconsolable and had fallen to the ground at Carr's feet. He lowered himself to his knees and gently held her as Lee stood behind her stroking her hair. Carr was able to get her to her feet and they walked slowly to the pyre. There were lit torches waiting for the families of the dead. The other families followed slowly behind Carr and Lee. Carr assisted Andrea in lifting the torch as each family had one member who took the torch with the name of the fallen etched into the wood. He kept his hand tight around hers as they brought the torch to the straw that had been piled around each body. Together they lit the fire to her mate's body. She collapsed in Carr's arms after he threw the torch onto the pyre. Each family replayed the procedure for their own dead. Soon the pyre was brightly lit by flames. There wasn't a sound from the gathered crowd. The only sound was the crackling and occasional pop of the burning wood. Carr had carried the distraught female to Jeff and his staff who took her to the hospital, her family in tow. They'd had no cubs to divert her attention from her loss, it was only the empty chasm in her heart. The pack would do their best to fill the void, but they knew it would be up to her to heal, or not. Rhys crushed Katy to him when he saw Andrea collapse. That was him so many years before. He'd had no hope he could find another mate. It happened so rarely. He felt her pain. His lips found the top of Katy's head and he kissed it, just to reassure himself she was still there. "I'm not going anywhere Rhys. I'll be with you always." She whispered it to him. Bond or no bond, she always knew what he was thinking. The flames flew higher into the air, brightening the darkening sky. The faces of the pack were lit eerily by the changing colors of the flames. Karen was surprised when Cole squeezed her hand and through their bond told her to watch Carr for the cue. "What cue?" She whispered in his ear. She looked at the Alpha and felt as he talked softly to her wolf through the Alpha bond. All she heard was "Now." She was startled when all around her the pack removed their clothes and shifted quickly, standing at attention waiting for all to be ready. She shed her clothing and shifted, her wolf standing so close to Cole their fur was touching. The bewildered human females present were shocked to suddenly be surrounded by a pack of wolves. Katy suddenly realized that they were probably thinking back to their time with the rogues and hurried to calm them. She was immediately joined by Jenna. The two women gathered the former captives and reminded them they were among friends. Once all of the wolves had turned, they moved into a tight ring around the burning pyre. There was no rank apparent among them. Council members, Betas and Omegas intermixed. Carr and Lee stood inside the ring, closest to the pyre, so close it was almost too hot, but they would not move. Once more Carr spoke to his pack through their bond, and as one, the wolves began to howl. At first the women were frightened when they heard the howls, thinking back to their previous few months in the caves. Jenna spoke softly to them all. "The wolves howl to say goodbye to their family. They're telling the moon to watch out for them, keep them safe on their journey to a new life. Once you are all part of the pack you'll understand. This is our heritage. This is what we were meant to be." The women were slow to agree, but finally, one at a time, they nodded their agreement. The white wolf watched his mate with pride as she explained to her cousins. The wolves continued to howl until the flames had died down and the last embers were burned out. Carr took Lee's hand, sent his thanks to his pack, and then left with the bereaved families to talk further. As they walked away the owl took flight, calling to his mate in a low-pitched but loud ho-ho-hoo hoo hoo. Carr looked up and smiled at the ghostly apparition as he winged his way across the sky. A good omen. Most of the pack decided to remain in their wolf form for now and were moving towards the compound. Guillame and Jószef trotted back towards the main house. Suddenly the younger wolf stopped, his nose high in the air. His ears were pricked forward and he didn't move a muscle. Guillame watched him closely. What was going on? He saw Jószef cock his head to the left and watch a group of females crossing the open compound. Guillame was ecstatic. She was here. But which one was she? Wolf's Pet Ch. 34 The male stood in the compound, staring towards the female Omega quarters where the group had entered. "I need to find her." He spoke softly to himself. Jószef didn't notice the appreciative looks from the many passing females. A blond wolf shifted in front of him and leaned over to whisper in his ear. "I'd love to meet with you after the hunt tomorrow night. Come find me after the feast." She walked slowly to her friends, glancing back at him over her shoulder. The females looked at him and giggled as she rejoined the group on their way to the Beta quarters. Guillame had shifted and watched his young friend. "She's very beautiful, in both her forms." "Who?" Jószef looked confused. His eyes never left the building in front of him. Guillame laughed heartily. "No one my boy, no one. So you have found your mate?" "Yes, now I just have to figure out which she is. I don't suppose I can just enter the building and go room by room?" He couldn't take his eyes off the front door as females entered one after the other. She was in there. He had to find her. "Do you think the Alpha would allow that?" "He's busy right now with the families of the dead. You'll have to wait until tomorrow Jószef. Be patient, she will still be here. You just have to find her before the feast, because if you find her with a male afterwards I would fear for his safety." He put a hand on the boy's shoulder. He'd have to keep on eye on him. It wouldn't do to have him prowling around the compound. He'd need to let Carr know the first chance he got. "My father didn't expect me to find a mate in America." He suddenly had a thought and looked pointedly at his mentor. "Very few are finding mates in the pack anymore Guillame." He looked at his elder from the corner of his eye. "Is it the same with the other packs?" "Yes, more and more are not able to find mates. And many that do, find them late in life, when they don't have enough time to raise more than one or two cubs. Our race is dwindling Jószef. That is one of the reasons we came." Guillame smiled at his protege. "Come, we should go back to our rooms." Guillame could see the females doing their best to get Jószef's attention. He smiled to himself as they pouted when he didn't look their way. Some of them then gave him an appraising glance and a welcoming smile. He returned the looks and hoped to find a partner himself for tomorrow's festivities. "Have you ever seen such a gorgeous male?" Cassie was practically jumping up and down she was so excited. "But he only had eyes for you." She grabbed Becky and tackled her to the bed, giggling like a cub. "Are you going to go find him? Did you see him ignore the Betas that were trying to get his attention? Did you?" Becky tried to act like she hadn't noticed, but her wolf had. She was so excited, she tried to get Becky to go find him now. He was their mate! It was about time. "I didn't notice. I think you're wrong Cassie. He was probably looking at you. You're much prettier than I am." She tried to go about cleaning the room. They'd left it a mess earlier today and it really needed to be cleaned. "Oh stop that. You act like you don't even want a mate. He looks like a Beta. Do you think he is? I wonder where he's from. I mean I know he's from Europe, but you know what I mean." Cassie was excited and couldn't stop bouncing around the room. "And he's the Archivist's assistant. That's perfect! You're an Archivist. You'll fit like two peas in a pod." "Cassie, would you just quit? I'm sure he isn't my mate. Would you let it go?" Becky tried to look serious but her wolf was ecstatic. They'd found their mate and would begin a new life. Becky felt sick to her stomach. She didn't want to leave home, her pack, her family. "I'm going to bed, it's a big day tomorrow." She slammed the door and plopped down on the bed. Was he really her mate? If he was, would he expect her to leave her home? And what if he was a Beta? She was just an Omega. Her wolf insisted that didn't matter. A wolf knew who their mate was. Rank didn't matter to them. Jószef stared out the window towards the Omega quarters. He saw the light go out in the window that faced his. It was her, he was sure of it. Did she feel it? Did she feel him? Would she come to him tomorrow? Or would he have to hunt her down? He heard the rustle of paper and looked behind him at Guillame sitting at the desk. "What are you doing?" Guillame had papers spread all over the table top. "Looking at my notes of Orsolya's dreams. Seeing if I've missed anything important. I think I have. I think there's more here that I'm meant to see. I just don't know what it is." Orsolya's dreams were never straightforward. They were always full of symbolism and had to be interpreted. It had taken him years before he'd pieced together the clues of when to come to America and who he was to bring with him. He'd never allowed anyone else to see his notes. Maybe it was time to ask for assistance from Rhys. "I think I need to run. Do you mind?" Jószef was ready to walk out the door. "Great idea my boy. I'll come with you." He saw the flash of disappointment on Jószef's face. Guillame thought he knew what was on his mind. He wanted to sniff around for his mate. He couldn't allow that to happen here. If he was home at his own pack it would be different. But Guillame wasn't sure what Carr would think about a male from another pack looking through the females. "A long run is just what we need to relax and get some sleep tonight. We'll need it for tomorrow night, yes?" He winked at the younger Were. They made their way out to the woods and shifted to take a run. Guillame hoped Jószef wouldn't bolt and go looking for his mate. They had been running for a few miles when Guillame stopped. He thought he'd heard something. Jószef halted and turned to join him. Both wolves heard it then. They walked slowly towards the sounds of sobbing. Guillame pushed his nose through a bush until he could see the lone figure sitting on a rock weeping. It was the female who had lost her mate. The two brown wolves approached slowly. Jószef laid down far from the distraught female. Guillame continued to walk forward tentatively. The female looked up startled. "I didn't see you there. I'm sorry." She wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Do I know you?" She leapt to her feet, with a frightened look on her face. She didn't know who they were. Were there still rogues loose? Were they part of the group that killed her mate? She looked around for the best route of escape. Guillame shifted and immediately sat down several feet from her. "I'm sorry my dear. We shouldn't have startled you. We are visitors from the European Council. My young friend there is Jószef." Guillame pointed to the brown wolf waiting yards away. "And my name is Guillame. And you are?" She was barely able to get her name out. "Andrea. I saw you, earlier tonight." She tried to hold back the sobs but she was so devastated by her loss she couldn't stop. Guillame stood up and moved quickly to her, wrapping her in his arms and stroking her hair. "Shhh, shhh, I know it's hard to say good-bye Andrea. And it will take a very long time to remember that you are still alive. But someday you will. I promise." She looked up with tear filled eyes. "Did you lose your mate too?" He nodded slowly, then pulled her close again. "It's alright to cry my dear. I cried as well, for years." Guillame had a sad look on his face, remembering back to those many years he cried to himself. At the time he couldn't even tell anyone he had a mate. "I don't know what to do now. I came to this pack after Taylor and I met at a gathering. I know I'm welcome here but I don't see how I can stay." Andrea clung to Guillame. She didn't want to let go. "Everywhere I look I see him." Guillame continued to stroke her hair, hoping it was helping her to calm. "Could you return to your family?" "The whole pack will know. I'll be the one who lost her mate. I'll be the one they look at and hope it never happens to them. I don't want their pity." She had a sudden thought. "Could I go with you back to Europe? Maybe I could find a place with one of the packs there. No one would know about Taylor." She had a hopeful look on her face as she looked up at him. Guillame hated to see her cry. He knew her pain and didn't wish it on anyone. Maybe it would be better for her to be far away from memories. "I will think about it my dear. We can speak about it again tomorrow. How's that? For right now don't you think you should go back to your room?" She slowly nodded. But she didn't want to let go of him. He knew how she felt. The Alphas had been helpful, and the Doctor, but they didn't understand. He did. Guillame wrapped an arm around Andrea and walked her towards the compound. The brown wolf followed from a distance. When they reached Andrea's quarters Guillame promised her he would speak with her the following day. He turned to speak to Jószef but he was gone. "Jószef, Jószef where are you?" He called out. This was all they needed, for him to go off on his own. He didn't see him anywhere nearby. The female Beta that had spoken to Jószef earlier that night walked by Guillame giving him long looks up and down. She had a flirtatious smile on her face. "I'm right here, will I do?" She moved close to the male. He had a beautiful body. She trailed her fingernails along his muscular shoulders. "My name is Julia. It looks like you went out for exercise before bed. If you need more, I'd love to exercise with you." She licked her lips seductively. "A run, or, whatever." Guillame smiled broadly at the lovely female. "My dear, if I had the time I would take you up on your kind offer. However, my young friend is bound to get himself into trouble if I don't find him. I do beg your pardon. If you would like to continue this tomorrow night at the full moon, I would be honored." He slowly grasped her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it lightly and giving it a lick. He gave her a look that made her blush. And now he had her taste so he'd be able to find her tomorrow night even in her wolf form. Julia watched him walking away and spoke to herself. "Oh we will continue this, I have no doubts. If anyone else comes near you I'll rip her heart out." Julia had a wicked smile on her face as she sauntered back into the building. She'd leave the younger one for the inexperienced. He saw the wolf laying underneath the window that faced the main house, the same one that faced their rooms. "Jószef, there you are. You had me worried my boy. Please don't cause an incident. She'll be yours. She's your mate, she can't deny you. But this is not your father's pack. You will have to wait." The brown wolf put his head on his paws and whined his frustration. He didn't want to leave. He could smell her. He wanted to be sure she was safe. "Jószef, she's at home, with friends and family. She is as safe as she could ever be. Now come before I find the Alpha and tell him how childish you're being." Guillame tried to look stern even as he wanted to laugh and tell the boy to take his mate. But things were different in America. In some ways they were more rigid in their rules than in the European packs. The man and wolf walked back into the house and up the stairs to their rooms. The next morning a soft knock on the door interrupted Guillame's thoughts. By the time he opened it there was no one there, but there was a pile of clothing neatly laid in front of the door. Jeans and work shirts. He laughed. Maybe someone had noticed their late night run and his arrival back at the house without the clothing. Well, at least they would blend in a little better now. Guillame and Jószef joined the pack for breakfast, and all eyes were on them as they entered the dining hall. They found their way to Carr and Lee's table and sat down. Jószef was scanning the room, but mainly scenting the air. She wasn't here. He thought the whole pack came to eat meals. Guillame began a conversation with Carr, but Jószef wasn't paying any attention. He watched the door. Julia watched Guillame intently for any sign of recognition. He never looked up. He'd remember her later tonight. She smiled to herself as she thought of the hunt tonight. This would be a whole lot of fun. She chatted with her friends, watching the Alpha's table and his guest intently. Andrea was sitting quietly with the Omegas, barely eating her food. She glanced up for a second when the visitors arrived and hoped they would join her but of course they sat with the Alphas. How silly of her. Of course he would have forgotten about their conversation. He was just being kind last night. But when she saw them leave with the Alpha she was hopeful they were leaving to talk about her. As soon as the office door closed Carr turned to face the two visitors. "OK Guillame, what did you need to talk about?" "There are two things. First..." He was cut short by a knock at the door. "Come in." Carr plopped down behind his desk. He couldn't wait for the full moon to be over and to go back to some kind of normalcy. Cole stuck his head in. "The European Council is on the way from the Airport. Two hours, tops." "Swell, and I thought my headaches were gone." He turned back to Guillame. "Is that one of the things you wanted to talk about?" "Um, no, that would make three things I guess." Guillame gave Carr a weak smile. Jószef paled. The Council wouldn't be happy about him finding a mate in America. They expected him to find a mate within the packs of Europe. They had already told him he should be visiting the different packs to meet the daughters of the various Alphas. The Council looked upon the American packs as unsophisticated and like children in comparison to their own. "Then what are numbers one and two?" Guillame cleared his throat. "The female, Andrea, who lost her mate. She would like to come with us back to Europe, to start fresh." He stood in the middle of the room, waiting for Carr's reaction. "And what gave her that idea? She'll have no family, no friends. Are you going to dump her with some pack and leave her? She doesn't know the languages there. If she goes to any pack in Europe then it should be the Baxter pack in Scotland!" Carr was furious. What made Guillame think he could meddle in pack affairs? The new scar on his forehead was a thin red line but it seemed to be a deeper red the angrier he got. Guillame had not been ready for the anger. If he could only explain it well he was sure Carr would calm down. "She was upset, she said she wanted to come back with us. But I think it could work out well for all involved. There will be another leaving your pack and she could be a companion." He looked at Jószef quickly. "What other leaving my pack?" Carr caught the look between Guillame and Jószef and rose to his feet. "What the hell is going on? Are you trying to lure the females from my pack? Did I misjudge you Guillame? Should I gut you right here and now?" Carr was enraged. How dare they come here and try to take members of his pack. Lee and Cole ran into the office. Lee went to Carr's side, trying to calm him. The last thing he needed was to be this upset. She stared at Guillame until the older Were sat next to his apprentice and waited for the Alpha to control himself. Cole was pissed. He didn't know what had Carr so upset but it took a lot to rattle his brother so it must be something worth getting upset about. He stayed at the ready in case his wolf needed to protect Carr or Lee. "Carr, I think when you hear you'll understand." Guillame had a plaintive tone, hoping he could get Carr to listen. The Alpha was fuming. His mate was doing her best to calm him but his rage was boiling. His wolf had promised not to come forward for one more day but these outsiders were trying to steal females from his pack and he wouldn't stand for it. "Jószef has found his mate, among your females. She would obviously have to leave with him. If Andrea went with her then they would both have a friend." There, he got it out. Now maybe Carr would come back to his senses. "Who is it? No one has come to me and told me they found their mate." He would hope one of his females would tell him if she was going to be leaving. "Well, that is a problem, isn't it? He doesn't know who she is. He scented her when she was with a group of wolves returning to the Omega quarters last night. So he doesn't know. I wouldn't let him pursue her further until speaking with you." Guillame watched Carr's features soften. Carr felt himself relaxing. "I'm sorry, I guess I jumped the gun." He saw the perplexed looks on the faces of their visitors. "It means I got ahead of myself. I didn't think before I reacted. Please forgive me Guillame." He smiled to his guests who looked relieved. "So, Jószef, we need to figure out who the lucky little she-wolf is huh? OK, that's easy. She wasn't at breakfast?" Jószef shook his head sadly. "She wasn't there Sir." "Lee, what Omegas were missing?" He looked at his mate, absent-mindedly putting a hand around her waist and on her belly. She smiled at him and leaned into his body. He was calm now, that relaxed her as well. "The only ones I can think of are Gina and Becky. But Gina already found a mate so it must be Becky. Cole, would you ask Becky to come to the office please." Cole quickly ducked out. This was going to be interesting. If he noticed her didn't she notice him? It's not like she was a human and wouldn't have felt the pull of her mate nearby. Cole made his way to the Omega quarters and slipped in quietly. Almost everyone was still at breakfast. He stopped in front of Becky's door and listened for a moment. Nothing. Cole rapped his knuckles on the door. Knock knock knock. "Becky, the Alpha Bitch requests your presence in the Alpha's office please." Cole was trying not to laugh at his own formal speech. He was going to make her as uncomfortable as possible. She was like a little sister, and he wasn't going to let her forget she hadn't mentioned this to him. "I don't feel well today Cole. Could you tell Lee I don't feel up to it?" Becky was in bed under the covers. She purposely hadn't gone to breakfast and she was planning on not going anywhere near the main house until the visitors were long gone. Her wolf was arguing with her, and she wanted her to knock it off. It was giving her a headache. She needed to go back to sleep. Like she'd had any sleep at all last night. Cole laughed and opened the door. "Yeah, that's gonna go over well. Try again. You know darn well what this is about, and you can't deny your mate you know. Just think, you're going to be moving off to Europe, and some day you'll be the Alpha Bitch of your own pack." "WHAT?" Becky shot up in the bed. Oh no, what had she done to deserve this? It was impossible. She was an Omega, not a Beta. She couldn't possibly be an Alpha Bitch. She came from a long line of Omegas. Now she really did feel sick. Cole hadn't expected quite that reaction. She was white as a ghost. "Becks, your wolf won't let you do this. She'll go crazy if you keep her from her mate. You know that." He was on his knee at the side of her bed. "You won't be able to function. You can't do that to her, to you." He held her hand and whispered. "What are you afraid of?" "I'm not ready to mate Cole." She started to cry. "I'm too young. No one mates this young." Cole chuckled and put a finger under her chin to make her look at him instead of the blankets. "Becky, anyone over the age of eighteen is old enough. The only reason most don't mate young is that we don't find our mates until later. Do you realize how lucky you are? You and Jószef will have a chance to spend most of your lives together." He smiled and wiped the tears off her face. "You won't have to wait and wonder if you'll ever find your mate. Look at how many just in our pack have never had a mate. This is a good thing." Wolf's Pet Ch. 34 She sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her hand like one of the cubs. "Do you really think so? But what about my job here as the Archivist? Who's going to do it? No one else was interested before." "Hmm, let's see, family trees, genealogy, history. I think Karen would love to take it on. It's right down her alley. Now go take a shower, get spiffed up, and meet me at the door in thirty minutes. I will personally escort you to your future mate." He smiled lovingly at her. She would do fine as a Beta and then an Alpha Bitch. She just needed to have more self confidence. He had a feeling just having Jószef by her side would do that. She smiled weakly at him. He sure had more faith in her than she had. She dragged herself out of bed and went off to shower. A short half hour later Cole smiled as he took Becky's arm and walked her to the Alpha's office. She looked scared to death. You'd think she was going to the gallows instead of to meet her mate. He'd have to talk to Carr and Lee about explaining mating to some of the younger pack members. They all just assumed it didn't happen until you were in your hundreds. As they walked past the dining hall all eyes were riveted on Becky. Everyone knew something was up. They'd seen the visitors go to the office with the Alpha. They'd all felt the Alpha's rage. And then they saw Cole grinning on his way to the Omega quarters. And now here he was coming back with Becky. What was going on? "Ready?" Cole looked at Becky's petrified face and smiled. Cole walked through first and waited for Becky to follow. He laughed to himself as she looked at the floor and quickly went to stand with Lee. Lee smiled and put an arm around the Omega. She leaned over to whisper. "You'll be fine Becky. This is a wonderful thing." Becky could only nod. From the moment she walked in the door Jószef's eyes were locked onto her. He didn't notice the males backing away quietly, even Carr. All he saw was her. All he felt was her. She was in his blood, her scent was in his brain, nutmeg and juniper. "We'll leave you alone for a few minutes. But we will be back. And there will be a guard at the door." Carr made his point to Jószef who nodded. "Jószef, remember, as the future Alpha of your pack, you do have some constraints. Remember them." Guillame had made his point as well before they left the room. Jószef swallowed hard. He didn't want to scare her. He remained sitting on the couch and she stayed in place near the desk across the room. "My name is Jószef Kardos. You know we are mates?" Becky's nostrils flared as she tried to calm herself. She was petrified but her wolf was so excited she wanted to run over to him and present herself for mating. She slowly nodded her head. She didn't think she would even be able to get a word out she was so nervous. He started to stand but sat back down when he saw her jump. "I don't mean to scare you. Do you not want me?" She looked up for the first time and was shocked by the feelings that rushed through her as she saw him really for the first time. All she could think was how much she wanted him, how happy she was that she belonged to him. "I do want you." She whispered. She hadn't realized it until she saw his eyes. She knew it now. They were meant to be together. Werewolf instinct took over now. She bit her lip as she walked slowly to him, to her mate. This time when he stood she didn't jump away. She continued to move towards him. He held out a hand and she took it. She gasped when she felt the energy that passed between them. She couldn't take her eyes off his. She started to notice everything about him, his brown hair and eyes so dark brown they were almost black. His free hand moved slowly up to her face and stroked her cheek. She heard herself sigh and leaned into his hand. Jószef growled when there was a knock on the door. He was ready to attack anyone who came into the room. She was his mate, no one would take her away. He quickly put himself between his mate and the door. Lee opened the door slowly and took in the sight. "Don't growl at me young man. I am her Alpha and I will be heard." She ignored Jószef as she walked in and sat at Carr's desk. "Now, Becky are you happy with this mating?" Becky smiled back at Lee. "I am, I really am." She spoke quietly but with conviction. "Then we will not stand in the way. I think there are some things about the mating that Jószef needs to discuss with you." Lee could see that as scared as Becky was when she walked in the door she was just as happy now. "What about the mating?" Becky turned to Jószef. A mating was a mating, right? "Aren't we going to mate tonight?" Jószef took both her hands in his and gazed into her hazel eyes. "We have to mate in front of my pack. As the future Alpha Bitch, you may be challenged." His hands tightened when he said it. He hated the challenges. Sometimes they were made just to stir up trouble. Becky turned to look at Lee in surprise. Lee smiled and waved her hand. "Piece of cake. Believe me, your wolf won't let anyone take him away from you." "Becky, Can you do this? Can you leave with me and go back to Hungary?" Jószef was worried about the strain this could put on her to be taken from her family. Becky looked like she was about to cry. She'd never been away from her pack, even for a moment. She felt torn. Her wolf insisted they would leave, but she just didn't know if she could do it. She looked at Lee, wanting her guidance. "Becky, Andrea wants to leave the pack. She'd asked Guillame if he would take her with them when they left. Would it make it easier for you if she went with you?" Lee hoped she agreed. Becky's smile lit up the room. "That would be wonderful! Then neither of us would be alone." She then realized what she'd said and with a horrified look, turned to her new mate. "Oh Jószef, I didn't mean that the way it sounded." He laughed. "I know. It's alright. I understand." His hands had never left hers. Just being able to touch her was calming his wolf. "Well now that's settled, we're going to need to prepare for the Council's arrival. So we can count on the two of you to not add to Carr's headaches, right?" Lee gave a motherly smile as they nodded. "I'm going to assume the Council won't be happy about this mating. Am I right?" She looked at Jószef who mouthed a "yes". "Then I would suggest that as hard as it will be for your wolves to control themselves, the two of you will have to stay apart while they are here." She looked at each of them in turn, waiting for agreement. They each grudgingly nodded their heads. Lee left the office and walked into the nearly empty dining hall. "Now all you have to worry about is the European Council." She smiled at the group and snuck under her mate's arm, snuggling into his warm embrace. Carr squeezed her tight. "And the countdown continues. European Council is one hour out." Carr faced Guillame, Alistair, and Rhys. "Are we ready?" Wolf's Pet Ch. 35 Just a note. This is the second to last chapter of Wolf's Pet. Will it answer every single question? Of course not, if it did I wouldn't have any sequels. But I am planning on it. So if you have any ideas, feel free to email me. And if you're tired of the short chapters, there will only be one more after this, hopefully within four to five days. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The North American Council waited patiently in the dining hall. If the Europeans thought they would have a say in the goings on in one of their packs they would learn a hard lesson. They had no say here. Carr watched the convoy of cars being escorted by his Betas. Cole and Brett led them to the main house where the cars parked. The Baxter Betas outnumbered the Europeans and their entourage. They may be the same species but there was no love lost between the Europeans and Americans and very little trust. They had no business being here without being invited. Carr vowed to be polite but firm. This was his pack, his lands, his right to refuse their request to stay if he so decided. Rhys and Alistair stood next to Carr. They were sure what this was about and knew their own council would back them up. And they would have Guillame on their side. The Head of the European Council stepped out of the car and looked briefly around the compound. He stood there in his expensive Italian tailored suit. How provincial he thought to himself. He had a bored look on his face as he approached Carr and bowed formally. "You must be Baxter. I am Rudolf Metzger." Carr appraised the Were as he returned the bow. "Welcome to Baxter Pack lands Sir. And what brings you here? I don't recall inviting you to visit." Carr didn't think much of what he saw. He looked extremely weak for a Were. He was used to more vigorous Council members. Alistair and Rhys had held their own in the recent battle. This one looked like he would have run. Rhys had to stifle a laugh. Good for Carr, get right to the point. Why waste words? Rudolf cleared his throat. He wasn't used to such poor manners. The Alphas in Europe knew their place. He needed to find a way to make sure Alistair left the Council. Maybe his cousin Niklas would make a better Council leader. "We have heard rumors that you have found some surviving Vlkolak. If that rumor is true it is our business." Carr controlled his rage far better now than earlier today. Maybe it was good he was able to blow off some steam at his visitors. It did help him to keep a firmer hand on his wolf now. "I really don't see how anyone who is under my protection is your business." He took a good hard look at Rudolf. He looked amazingly like Niklas Metzger, same brown hair, same black eyes, and the same last name, relatives? Even the same attitude. "But if we're going to argue, then let's do it in private. This way." Carr led the way to the dining hall. Cole and Brett were of the same mind. They didn't trust this Metzger anymore than they did the last. They would never let any of these Council members out of their sight and certainly never alone with the Alpha. All of the Vlkolak had been sequestered together in the Omega quarters and there were guards inside and outside the building. They wouldn't be letting any of these Weres anywhere near them. They followed closely behind the group as they entered the dining hall and waited outside, but none too patiently. Rudolf walked into the hall, seeing the American Council waiting for them. Ah, and there was Guillame. He looked as unkempt as the rest of them. What was that he was wearing? "Hello Guillame. I had heard you came here ahead of us. What emergency business could you possibly have had with an American pack?" His disdain for the Archivist was obvious to everyone in the room. "Family business Rudolf. But apparently it is also your business." Guillame had never liked Rudolf. He was an egotistic, pompous ass. "Family? What would your family have to do with the Vlkolak? They are our only interest here." Rudolf turned his back on Guillame to address Alistair. "My family are the Vlkolak." Guillame had decided the time for secrets was over. If need be he could stay here in America. He wouldn't mind being close to his grandchildren. Rudolf's mouth was open, ready to speak when he heard Guillame's words. He turned slowly to face the Were he had always hated. He'd wanted him dead years ago, but now maybe, this would be his chance. If he called the Vlkolak family then maybe he was the one who had smuggled them out of Europe. If so, he had committed treason which carried a death sentence for the guilty. He had an evil smile on his face. "Family? Please tell us Guillame. How did this happen? Aren't you Belgian and not Hungarian?" "My mate was Vlkolak, and my granddaughters are Vlkolak." He knew what Rudolf was thinking. He looked around at the surprised looks of the European Council members that were attending. The Americans had been given all of the pertinent information earlier today. "Mate? What mate? I don't recall you being mated." Rudolf was enjoying this. He wanted to make Guillame hang himself with the information he gave them now. The Council would have to kill him for his treachery. "When you sent me to Hungary to investigate the reports of the Werepanthers. Remember? I was there for several years, sending you reports. I met her my first day with the pack. We mated the next night. When you gave the order for the Vlkolak to die she was carrying my cub." Guillame was on the verge of tears with the memories of reading the orders from the Council, and rage as he thought about the deaths of his mate's family and his own mate's exile. "So you purposely disobeyed our orders and helped some of them escape? Helped your mate escape? I will enjoy your execution Guillame. Your deceit will be known to all of the packs and your name will be synonymous with traitor after your death." Rudolf so enjoyed this. He'd been waiting for many years to have a chance to push him out of his position. This was even better. Alistair stepped forward. "There will be no execution Rudolf. You are not in Europe now, you are in America and you have no authority here. If your wish is to kill Guillame, then as long as he is here, he is under the protection of the American Council. You have no say." His stance showed he was ready to fight if need be. "You have no idea what these women can do. They will destroy the packs. That was why we originally voted to kill them. And now you've let these vermin go on to breed. How many of them are there? Do you even know Guillame? How much damage will they do to our species before we can eradicate them?" Rudolf looked at the assembled Weres and noticed he had no allies among the American Council. Where was his cousin? He would be on his side. Rhys stood by as long as he could but couldn't take any more. "There will be no eradication Rudolf. The women are under the protection of this pack and our Council. If you lift a finger to harm any of them, there will be a war, I can guarantee that." He rose to his full height and towered over the smaller Were. He was even the same size as his cousin Niklas. "Will this be a war between your Council and ours? Or is it just you that wants the women dead?" Rudolf's face turned red as his anger boiled. He looked at his companions , they did not look as ready to back him up in a fight as he had thought they would be. He then looked to the American Council and mainly Alistair. "So I take it that you will help this traitor in his pursuit to destroy our kind?" "I think of it as more of an enhancement." Alistair smiled as he said it. "Why can't you see the danger? Hasn't he told you what they can do?" Rudolf was incredulous that they could all be so dense. "Frankly, I'm looking forward to seeing how much they can do." Alistair looked at Rhys who nodded his agreement. "I rather like the idea of exploring the possibilities." Xylon now spoke up. He couldn't hold it in for another moment. "You won't find any allies here Rudolf. May I suggest you go back home? The women are no threat to you in Europe. In fact, they will be an asset here. Our numbers are dropping. The packs are finding their mates later and later in life. These women seem to find their mates rather easily and quickly. They will be a boon to our existence. Without them, according to the calculations of my population geneticists, our species will die out within one thousand years. We've been on this planet much longer than that, since the dawn of man. But we will cease to exist." Rudolf practically sputtered as he tried to speak. "You're going to allow them to mate? To procreate? Are you mad?" He looked around the room and became enraged as he saw the entire American Council complicit in this abomination. And then he saw the reactions of his own Council members. They were speaking in low tones amongst themselves and one of them pointed at Xylon. "Don't listen to them, you know what these panthers will do. They'll breed with our kind and become the predominant species. And then we will be no more." Rudolf appeared almost frantic. Konstantin Horak, a huge Were with almost silver colored hair and steel grey eyes looked at his companion. "Rudolf, we have listened to you rant about these panthers for decades. You are the only member of the Council who was in office at the time. Maybe things have changed. But Xylon noted a trend in America that is also happening in Europe. We need to find mates Rudolf. Without them we will surely die. If these women are meant to be Were mates then maybe we should see if we can get them matched so they CAN begin breeding." The other European Council members nodded. Rhys and Alistair exchanged glances. Maybe this would end well? They could only hope. "Absolutely not!" Rudolf was infuriated. "We cannot falter on this." He looked at the Weres he thought were his friends. Were they going to abandon their kind to mate with panthers? Guillame! He was the root of this evil. Rudolf turned towards him and began to growl. All eyes were on Rudolf as they saw the wolf taking over. "Don't do anything stupid Rudolf. You are in our home." Carr was furious that he would dare to even think of attacking anyone while in his territory. Konstantin knew that look in Rudolf's eyes. Rudolf looked for a moment like he was going to back down, but his companions knew better. The big silver wolf leaped into the air in front of Guillame just as Rudolf shifted and lunged. It happened so fast no one else had time to react. The silver wolf let out a painful howl as the smaller brown one latched onto his foreleg. But he would not fight his leader. He took the bites and waited for the others from their Council to pull him off. The American Council stood back from the bloody scene. They let the Europeans pry Rudolf off of Konstantin. Guillame immediately ran to the large silver wolf. "Konstantin, thank you, thank you for your bravery. Carr, may we take him to the hospital?" He carefully held the broken leg still, the jagged edges of the bones sticking through the bloody skin while the wolf whimpered in pain. "Of course Guillame." Carr opened the door and had Cole send in two Betas to take the visiting Were to the hospital. He held the door as they carried the injured wolf. His leg looked badly mangled but he knew he now had two great Doctors to look after him. As long as they got the bones set quickly, he should heal fine. He hoped. He turned slowly to face Rudolf who was standing with his shredded clothes around him, his face smeared with Konstantin's blood. "You have broken our pack laws Rudolf. You attacked without provocation a Were who was under my protection on my lands. Do you have a defense?" Carr could not believe what he had just seen. He had never seen something like that happen during a meeting. Weren't Council members supposed to be the wisest of their kind? Maybe his estimation of Were Councils was wrong. Rudolf was defiant. "I need no defense Baxter. His actions will lead to the ruin of our kind. I'm sorry Konstantin chose to defend him. I didn't mean to injure him, I meant to kill Guillame." "Then I have no choice, for the remainder of your stay here you will be confined to our security area. I can't take a chance on you injuring anyone else while you're here. To be honest Rudolf, if I wanted to follow our laws to the letter I could kill you now." Carr had sent word to Cole of his decision and Brett and Bryant walked in with the straightjacket and a heavy duty sedative. "You can be cooperative or you can fight. It doesn't matter to me Rudolf. Make your choice." Rudolf stood in the middle of the room, surrounded by Carr's Betas. He looked at the distinguished Weres lining the room. The American Council members were disgusted by his actions. Even his own colleagues did not want to defend him. He allowed himself to be jacketed and led away. "Mark my words Baxter, you will live to regret this!" Rudolf walked out under his own power but he would be defiant to the end. "I would like to apologize for the actions of our former Council Head. Obviously he has lost the right to that title now. I am Sandalio López." The Tall thin Were bowed low and gracefully, his long black hair falling around his face. His Spanish accent was more familiar to the American Weres than those of the Czech and German. "We will contact the remainder of the Council and advise them of what has happened. If you require his punishment, we will understand. However we would prefer to bring him home." Carr was stunned. They were going to hand him over if he asked. He looked at Alistair and Rhys who shrugged their shoulders. "As long as you don't mind him being confined for the remainder of your stay, then I would love to be rid of him. But I won't let him leave until I can have my Betas deliver him directly to the airplane." Carr watched through the window as they walked the former leader of the European Council to his jail cell. What could cause someone to hate for over one hundred years? Carr addressed the remainder of the visitors. "If you are accepting of the females, then I would like to welcome you as guests and if you'd like to join us in our celebration of the Wolf Moon, then we would be honored to have you." They glanced at each other, smiles slowly forming on their faces. Sandalio spoke for them. "We would be honored to join you Alpha." "Good, then please accept our hospitality. We'll find you rooms to rest and maybe some more appropriate clothing for tonight?" Carr gave them a crooked smile which was answered with friendly laughter and nods. Each of the new visitors was escorted by a Beta to their quarters. They may be guests, but trust only went so far. Carr sighed. The last two days had been exciting enough to last a lifetime. He really hoped after tonight the pack could go back to normal. If these women were as prolific breeders as they kept saying, his pack would be full of cubs by this time next year. The thought of his own three cubs made him smile. Lee was busy planning the hunt with Lila and Karen. Too bad. He really would have liked a little time with her alone. ------------------------------------ "How are you feeling? Much pain?" Logan was doing a last check on the splint placed on the forearm of the Czech Council Member. He was an impressive Were, as big as Rhys, and as polite. "Not much pain, thank you Doctor. I'm sure I will heal quickly. I just hope the scars don't scare away the females." He winked at the Doctor but was suddenly distracted by the most amazing scent of sandalwood and carnations. "Ah, no mate huh? I remember those days." He smiled as he turned around to look at Trina. She looked back at him with a frown as he added, "And I'm glad they're over." He grinned as she stuck out her tongue and walked down the hall. Logan realized Konstantin's attention had been diverted to the doorway. The intensity of his gaze had Logan interested. He turned and saw the blond head ducking away. He smiled back at Konstantin. "Just a sec, I think you had a visitor." He walked out and spotted a small blond figure dashing down the hallway. He saw her running towards Trina and let his mate know what had happened. "Tracy, where are you going in such a hurry? Hold up." Trina walked slowly to the shy woman. She didn't want to frighten her, and Tracy was like a scared little rabbit. "What were you doing?" She tried to be as non confrontational as possible. "I-I-I don't know. I just looked in the room. Did I do something wrong?" As usual, Tracy looked like she was going to cry. Trina put an arm around her shoulder, squeezed lightly and whispered in her ear. "Tracy, you didn't do anything wrong. C'mon, someone wants to meet you." Tracy's grey eyes stared up at Trina. She was just sure she had done something wrong and would be punished. Even though nothing bad had happened to her in the two days she'd been here she was just sure it would. The last few months with Gary in the caves had been horrible. She wasn't able to do anything right and had been punished constantly. Everyone here seemed so nice but it must be trick. No one could be as nice as they were. Trina smiled up at Logan who was watching from the other end of the hall. "It's OK Tracy, really. I think the male you were watching wants to say hello." They approached the room slowly, Tracy lagging and Trina pulling a little to keep her moving. When they got to the room Logan started to approach them but heard a low menacing growl coming from the hospital bed. He backed off immediately and had the answer to the question in his mind. He smiled and winked at Trina who wasn't so happy. This was exactly what Carr hadn't wanted to happen. Tracy had been at the hospital to see one of the females who thought she might be pregnant. They had gotten permission to bring Tracy here and were supposed to return her to the Omega quarters when they were done. But they'd gotten busy and hadn't gotten to it. And then the silver wolf had been brought in and they'd gotten sidetracked. Trina alerted Carr who advised her he was on his way. The impression she got was that he wasn't very happy. Carr arrived with Alistair, Rhys, and Guillame. Tracy was still standing with Trina in the doorway. Konstantin couldn't take his eyes off the little blond with the huge grey eyes. Carr was almost to the doorway when he heard the growl. He sighed, ran his hand through his hair and resigned himself to one more mating at this moon. "Trina, let her in the room." Trina let go of Tracy's hand and backed out of the doorway. Tracy looked back at her and the males that were standing outside the room. What was going on? She looked at the man in the bed. He hadn't taken his eyes off her since she'd first laid eyes on him. There was something almost magnetic about him. That's what had drawn her to the room. She felt this strange pull that she didn't understand. But as soon as she saw him she felt a calm wash over her that had been missing her whole life. Konstantin couldn't believe that he would find his mate half way across the world from his home, a woman Rudolf wanted dead. She was afraid, he could see it in her eyes. He reached out his good hand to her, waiting. He whispered, "Jak jsi krásná." She looked confused. "You are beautiful," he said in English. She tentatively took hold of his hand. "Jsi moje, you are mine." He said it so softly she could barely hear him. She was drawn to him and was soon standing next to the bed, holding his hand. Trina slid a chair to her and she sat, her eyes never leaving his. Outside the room, Guillame looked at the aged paper in his hand. It had yellowed with time and showed evidence of the many times it had been read. It was now encased in plastic, as well as having been scanned into a computer. But he wanted to be sure nothing was missed so he had brought the originals. He pointed something out to Rhys who looked into the room at the Were and his new mate. Wolf's Pet Ch. 35 Rhys read quietly out loud for the group to hear. "The silver wolf will topple the leader and mate with a blond panther with grey eyes." They all looked at Tracy and Konstantin. "It's all playing out the way your mate described it to you isn't it?" Alistair looked sideways at Guillame. "She was a panther." It wasn't a question, Alistair was sure. The Belgian Were smiled at the memory of his sweet Orsolya. "Yes, she was, with red hair, and a beautiful red coat. And Katy's panther will look exactly like her I am sure." "Logan, can he shift with that splint on? Or maybe more importantly, can he mate with a broken foreleg?" Carr wasn't sure how this was going to work. "Well, he has about ten hours to start healing. He won't be all the way healed, but he'll be to the point where the bones are starting to mend. I'm sure it'll be painful and we'll probably have to re-splint in the morning, but somehow I don't think he'll say no to the chance." Logan had a silly grin on his face as he looked at the star-crossed new mates. They only had eyes for each other which was good since they would be mated by the end of tonight. "Carr?" Konstantin called to the Alpha surprising everyone standing outside. "Yes Konstantin?" Carr stayed a respectable distance from the Were and his blushing new mate. Konstantin laughed. "It's alright, you can come closer. My wolf is under control now." He waited for Carr to enter the room. The others stayed outside the room. "I would like your permission to speak with Rudolf. I think it's important to give him a chance to change his mind." "I'll arrange it. But my Betas will be nearby at all times." Carr had great respect for the Czech Werewolf. He seemed like someone that would be a good friend. ------------------------ "Alistair, may we talk?" Sandalio was waiting for the white haired Were as he walked back to the main house. "Of course, how may I help you?" The two Weres were an interesting sight, one with snow white hair, the other jet black, but both tall and athletic. They walked into the house and scouted around for an empty room to talk in private. Not finding one, Alistair led the way to his room. He closed the door and turned to speak to the Were he expected to be the next Head of the Council. "What did you want to speak about Sandalio?" He motioned for him to sit at the desk chair while he sat at the end of the bed. "The women." He saw Alistair's jaw tighten and his hand came up to calm him. "I am not on Rudolf's side Alistair. I want to talk about their future. I think Xylon was right, they are the future of our race. And I know that we can only allow a select few to become panthers. Right now that is an easy thing to control. I've been told the women you have here are just a small percentage of the descendents of the survivors. Is there any accounting of how many there are?" "Carr has some Omegas working on it. They've been researching all the descendents, trying to identify them, and then find them. They're spread out all over the United States and Canada, a few in South America, and even a few in Europe I've heard." Frankly, he was relieved to discuss the women with Sandalio. "I was thinking, they do seem to need to find their mates. Those that found human mates did so later in life, like they were waiting for something else. Many of these women have never married or even seriously dated. And they haven't really been put in situations to find mates. With all the un-mated in the various packs, I think we could probably match everyone. All we need are some gatherings. And those that don't match our members, we could see if they would be willing to travel to other countries to find a mate." Alistair reflected on the lack of mates in the last several hundred years or so. "To be honest, if there weren't so many without mates, I don't think Gary could have found so many to join him. Almost all were duped by his promises of mates." "Yes, the reports about the Dire Wolves were very alarming. We were glad to hear you had been able to deactivate the gene. The idea of someone like Rudolf becoming a Dire Wolf was a frightening thought. Speaking of Rudolf, where is his cousin Niklas? I know he was expecting him to be an ally. To be honest, aside from the reports we were getting through your Archivist, we were also receiving reports from him." "He's dead, executed by Rhys for conspiring to kill his mate." Alistair spoke without emotion, Niklas was worth none. "That sounds like it was handled expeditiously and in line with pack law. Well done. I will have to thank Rhys personally. Niklas was not quite as bad as Rudolf, but bad enough. He came to a foreseeable end. I don't doubt Rudolf's will be similar someday." He used both hands to smooth his hair back and secured it into a pony tail with a leather tie. "So tell me, does this pack have many un-mated females that will be willing to find a partner for the festivities tonight?" He grinned. "I'm sure you will have your pick." He clapped Sandalio on the shoulder as they both walked out the door. Alistair felt all was going well. He didn't think there was anything left to worry about. Wolf's Pet Ch. 36 Karen noticed the smiles on every face she passed as she finished up the last minute preparations for tonight. Cole had tried to explain the importance of the full moon to the Werewolves, but it was only coming clear now. It wasn't just the mating rituals. It had to do with family and being together and rejoicing in what they were. They were special. She had to agree. The smiles were infectious and pretty soon she was smiling too. The nervousness was still there, but with it was excitement of what would happen tonight. Her bond with Cole would be solidified, and she would officially become a member of the pack. Katy looked out the window and saw the pack moving towards the woods, to the clearing. Some were already in their wolf forms, some still human. She jumped when Rhys' hand rested on her shoulder. "Little one, remember, once the mating has begun, you won't be nervous anymore." He leaned down close to her ear. "Do you trust me?" She spun around to face him and hugged him tight around the waist. "Yes, I trust you more than I've ever trusted anyone in my life Rhys. I can't wait to be your mate. I can't wait to be whatever it is I'm meant to be. As long as I spend the rest of my life with you, that's all I care about." Her body molded itself to his, so naturally, like they'd known each other for years, not days. He smoothed her hair as he held her close. He could feel her heart pounding in her chest. He kissed the top of her head. Soon they would be bonded and neither would ever be alone again. His wolf was close as he felt the full moon near. The time would come for him to take their mate. He was more than ready. Jenna finished brushing Sheila's hair just as Alistair arrived to escort her to the gathering. She smoothed down the last few stray strands and kissed her friend on the forehead. She was looking forward to the day Sheila was out of this drug induced coma and she could help her to understand all the changes that had happened in the last few days. Jeff was staying behind to look after Sheila and the other patients. Normally his wolf would be complaining, but not this time, he would much rather stay with his mate. "Thank you for thinking of those kinds of things Jenna. I'm not very good at thinking of brushing her hair. Guess I'd better learn huh?" He stood next to the bed and held Sheila's hand gently. "I'm sure you'll do fine Doctor." Jenna knew already how deeply the Werewolf bonds affected both parties. Once Sheila was awake Jeff would know exactly what she needed from him. She had no worries her friend would always be well cared for. She and Alistair hadn't mated yet but she could already feel how much they were in tune. "It's time for us to be on our way Jenna." Alistair slid an arm through hers and smiled as she waved at the Doctor. He couldn't believe how nervous he was right now. You'd think at his age he wouldn't be so worried about what could happen. But this was his first mating. Alistair and Jenna walked out the hospital doors into the compound. The sun was just above the western mountains. It was almost time. Several wolves trotted by them on their way to the clearing. The cubs could feel the excitement and their laughter could be heard echoing between the buildings as they raced between the adults on their way into the woods. Jenna pointed to Katy and Rhys but Alistair shook his head and took them to the other side of the clearing. He held her hand as they found an open spot on the grass. His wolf was far too protective at the moment for them to be around anyone else. Konstantin walked with Tracy, his good arm around her waist protectively. His broken arm had been taken out of the splint and was now in a sling. The pain was almost gone, but his wolf didn't care if it hurt. Any pain would be worth it to have his mate with him the rest of his life. The moon was in sight and was affecting Tracy already. She couldn't explain why she felt the way she did. She'd always been shy, and after several months with Gary's pack, she was downright petrified of males. While earlier she had been frightened of her own shadow, her only thoughts now were on the male next to her. It looked like the entire pack had arrived and were waiting for the official word for the hunt to begin. Karen was standing with Lila and the female Betas while Cole stood with the males. The two groups were side by side, wolves milling around, impatient, wanting to run. The Omegas were busy feeding the fire in the center of the clearing. The visitors wishing to attend had found those they knew and stood in small groups around the clearing. Carr and Lee walked into the clearing hand in hand. The pack silenced immediately and all eyes were on the Alphas as they made their way to the large rock formation at the east side of the clearing. Carr climbed the rocks and stood at the very top. As the pack watched him, they saw the rising moon just above his head. "Baxter Pack. We are here to celebrate. We celebrate the battle won against the rogues." He stopped while the wolves howled in triumph in front of him. He smiled broadly. He was so proud of his pack and how they dealt with Gary and his followers, and how they worked with the other packs as a team. "We celebrate the new members of our pack and our newly found friends." Those in human form clapped and smiled at the human women as the wolves howled in welcome. "We are here to celebrate new lives to come." With that he looked at Lee who had her hands held protectively over her stomach as she looked lovingly at her mate. This time when the wolves howled it was louder and lasted longer. This was the future of their pack. Carr grinned. His pack was strong before and stronger now. He looked at the newly mated pairs, so many more than the pack had seen at one time in many years. And now they would have alliances with the Councils here and in Europe. "We celebrate the future of our kind. We celebrate under the Wolf Moon that gives us strength." And at that each wolf looked up and howled one last time. "Prove to the moon that we are worthy of her guidance and protection." With a nod, he sent the hunters on their way. The males went to the north with Cole in the lead, Brett at his side. The females went to the south with Karen leading, Lila close to her. Carr climbed down off the rocks. This was the first full moon hunt he had missed since he was a cub. He looked around the clearing at those still here and saw the three humans that would mate tonight. They were each glued to the side of their mate. He had warned the entire pack to keep a wide berth from them. He wasn't too sure how protective the wolves would be, or the panthers for that matter. He took Lee's hand when he hit the ground, and they walked arm in arm to speak with those who were sitting out the hunt. ------------------------ Karen had thought she'd have no idea what to do on this hunt. But Cole and Lila had been right, her wolf knew what to do. As soon as they were away from the larger group, she picked up the scent of an animal. A deer she thought. Lila noticed it too. They took off like a shot through the forest. From the staleness of the scent it must have been about twenty minutes ahead of them. The group ran as a pack until Karen stopped. The deer was up ahead. It was a six point buck. He was huge. The pack fanned out upwind of the deer. Karen and Lila would attack from the one opening left. If the deer smelled them he had no where to run where he wouldn't be met by one of the wolves. Once the buck was circled the females slowly started to close in. They crawled on their bellies through the grass. Karen and Lila were far enough out of the circle for the buck to think he had an avenue of escape. The buck heard something. His head came up and he scented the air. Wolves! The odor was thick around him, except to the north. He ran for his life towards safety. The wolves took off after him but his escape was cut off by two snarling wolves, one auburn, one blond. His only choice was to try to leap over them. Karen saw him gather himself to jump and she lunged at the same time, gripping his neck with her powerful jaws. The blood filled her mouth, and she reveled in it. Lila held back, letting Karen do this on her own. She was doing well considering this was her first hunt. The others crowded in closer to watch. ------------------------- "Rhys, why are we waiting, hmm?" Katy had been sitting on the ground next to him, but she wanted to do more than sit. She stood up and walked behind him, her hand never leaving his body. It trailed along his chest and then across his shoulder until she was behind him and her hand stroked his neck. She leaned down behind him to whisper in his ear, "Don't you want me?" Rhys remembered Guillame's descriptions of the Vlkolak women at the Wolf Moon, twenty times a cat in heat. He smiled as he felt her finger nails against his skin. His body was reacting to her attentions. He reached behind him and pulled her down, turning his head to meet her lips with his own. It was a heated kiss, not his usual Katy, but this wasn't a usual night. He had to remember that. She felt hot all over and started peeling off her clothes. She tugged at his shirt to get it off him. She needed to feel his skin. She didn't know why but it was an almost aching need. Once his shirt was off, she pressed herself to his back. She sighed with the coolness of his skin in contrast to the heat she felt. He stood to shed his pants and turned around to face her. "Little one, you were worried about being seen, do you want to move deeper into the forest?" "Why? I want you Rhys, now. I don't care about being watched." She rubbed her body on his. She needed the contact with him. This was an interesting development, one that was not expected but not without it's merits. He smiled down at her, his pure Katy, acting like a bitch in heat. Or worse, a cat in heat. His hand found her hair which he grasped tightly as he bent down to kiss her again, this time expecting the heat that passed between them. "I do want you Katy, my wolf wants you." He stepped back for a moment. She watched him closely as he shifted and she was soon faced by the large black wolf. She got on her knees and put her arms around his neck, holding onto him and hugging him hard, whispering in his ear, "I want you Rhys." The wolf slid his tongue across her neck and collarbone, then down between her breasts. He lapped quickly at each nipple which made her gasp in surprise. But she didn't move. His tongue delved lower, across her belly to between her legs where he took a long intake of breath. Her scent was thick with her arousal. His wolf wouldn't be able to hold back for long, and certainly would not be able to be as gentle as the human Rhys would like. His flicked his tongue through her slit. She tasted amazing. He wanted to taste more. His tongue slid in farther. She shook with desire. She wanted him, needed him. She couldn't wait. She dropped to her hands and knees. She knew what was expected of her. She looked at her wolf as he moved behind her. She looked over her shoulder at him. "Please, Rhys, don't keep me waiting. Please." She felt his tongue tasting her again. She was so swollen, so ready. She was dripping, and he savored every bit of her delicious nectar. He couldn't wait to taste her again and again over the rest of their lives. But for now, he would make her his. His tongue slid from her pussy to her ass. She shivered underneath him. His cock was hard as a rock. His human half wanted his wolf to be gentle. But his wolf was on fire with lust for his mate. There would be no holding back. He lifted up and took hold of her hips with his paws and moved his cock in line with her wet pussy. He slid the tip in and gave her just a moment to get used to it before sliding in farther. His wolf was confused when he hit a barrier. And then he remembered, she was a virgin. He pulled out until just the head of his cock was inside her and then plunged forward, holding her hips tight. He felt himself break through her hymen as she screamed his name. "Rhys, Keep going, don't stop, please, don't stop." She spoke in a breathy whisper. There was a little pain but Katy had never felt anything like this in her life and wanted to feel more. He filled her in a way she had never imagined was possible. The wolf could feel his knot forming and pushed deeper into his mate, stretching her around him. He heard her loud moan as he seated himself inside her. He held her tighter and pistoned in and out. He could feel her body tensing. The wolf knew she was close. He started licking her back as he continued to thrust inside her. When he reached her neck he lapped at the pulse, calming her underneath him before sinking his teeth into her tender flesh. She felt his tongue and she moaned as he licked the sweat off her back. When she felt his teeth close around her neck she almost leaned into him. She screamed with pleasure as he bit down and convulsed with her first orgasm. Her whole body shook as he continued to fuck her. When he finally let go of her neck, she felt his tongue lapping up the blood until it slowed it's flow. And then she felt his thrusting become more frantic and his paws holding tighter, the nails digging into her skin. Rhys howled to the full moon as his semen flooded his mate's tight virgin tunnel for the first time. He pulled her to the ground and held her tight against him as they waited for his knot to recede. His tongue lazily licked the sweat off her smooth skin. She loved the feel of his fur against her bare back. She opened her eyes and saw the pack members wandering around the clearing. She'd forgotten they weren't alone. But it didn't matter. All that mattered was him. She suddenly realized she could hear things much more clearly. She heard the flames licking the wood, the occasional pop. She heard conversations going on around her. The colors were sharper, even though it was now dark, she could see so much better than ever before. She felt the fur behind her disappear and her mate's bare skin touching hers, his arms circling her body. A female walked by them about twenty yards away. She felt a low growl coming from her chest. Rhys laughed softly as he stroked her shoulder. "Don't worry little one, she doesn't want me. You are the only one for me, and I for you. Forever." One finger played with a strand of her beautiful red hair. He felt his knot shrinking and sighed as he felt his cock leaving her tight sheath. He turned his attention to the bite wound on her neck. It was beautiful. He couldn't help but smile at his mark on her. "Rhys," Katy turned to face him. "I feel her." She was smiling. It was amazing to feel the presence of another in her mind, but more than that. Everything was new, seen through the panther's eyes instead of her own. It might take some time to get used to but she was looking forward to it since she'd be with Rhys. A second after that thought she had an overwhelming need to bite him. If she didn't one of those other females might try to claim him for herself. He was beautiful, they would all want him. She pushed him to lay on his back. Rhys saw the change in her face, in her eyes. Her eyes had always appeared fairly cat like to him, but now, the pupils had changed. Instead of round, they were slits. He laid on his back as she straddled him, sitting on his chest. He could smell their mixed fluids leaking onto his chest from her swollen pussy. He smiled up at her feral face. Katy was inside but he was looking at the panther now. She was in control. Her long red hair surrounded her face and spilled over her breasts as she looked down at him. He brought his hands up and pushed her hair behind her ears. He wanted to be able to watch her face, watch the panther. Her mate looked at her lovingly. She wanted him, she needed him. She leaned down and kissed him hard, her tongue pushing into his mouth and meeting his, fighting for supremacy. She let go of his mouth and slid down to his neck, feeling his pulse. But it wasn't time, not yet. She kissed his neck and down his chest, licking his nipples. She could feel his cock, hard again already. She smiled to herself. This is what she did to him. She lifted up until his cock head was at the mouth of her gaping hole. Virgin or not, she knew what to do. She reached down for his cock and aimed it at the opening and slowly slid down onto him. He groaned as she took him into herself. She was so tight. He had to grit his teeth not to cum immediately. He looked into her face and could see the pleasure she was taking from him. Her eyes were closed but he knew it was still the panther that controlled her. She rode him, moving up and down on his cock, as his hands moved across her body. He cupped her breasts, pinching her nipples until she gasped and opened her eyes in surprise. He smiled into his mate's face, meeting his panther really for the first time. He started to thrust up into her, pushing them both closer. His knot grew and he pushed it inside her, smiling at the growl she gave as it seated. She saw his eyes dilating, he was close, she could feel his hard cock throbbing inside her and the knot that stretched her. She leaned over him, her breasts brushing against his chest. Her lips found his neck and the pulse beating in time with his heart. She flicked her tongue to taste him. He was hers, he would always be hers, and every female would know it as soon as they looked at him. She felt her canine teeth and they seemed sharper than before. She smiled as she took hold of his neck and bit hard, blood pouring into her mouth. She felt her mate's cock spurting his seed deep inside her as he bellowed. She held the bite until his cock stopped spasming inside her. She let up and licked the blood until his wound healed under her tongue. She looked at it for a moment, the scar was visible to all the bitches that might want to take him from her. They would never be able to now. His arms held her tight as he turned them to their sides. His hands never stopped moving as he stroked her soft skin. He smiled when he heard his mate purr. "So you like being petted little one?" But he didn't speak it, he spoke to her through their new bond. She continued to purr as she sent him her answer "yessss." He laughed quietly to himself. They laid there together, ignoring the movement all around the clearing. Too soon his cock slid out of her and she slid out of his arms. Katy moved away from him and got on her hands and knees, putting her arms out in front of her and stretching her back as she purred again. The panther wanted to take over. Katy agreed to lay down as the panther leapt up and came forward. As quickly as the wolves shifted, the panther changed. She again stretched and purred louder than Katy had. Her tail twitched and curled around her. Her long whiskers felt the breeze and wriggled in response as she tried to sense the direction. Rhys watched in awe as his little one morphed into her panther form. She was long and sleek and beautiful. Her coat was the exact same color red as her hair, her eyes the same green. And her scent was the same, mint and cinnamon. She walked to her mate and pawed him with her huge feet but kept her claws sheathed. He could see them and could imagine the damage they could do if she wished. He stroked her coat, and she leaned into him, purring again. "You're so beautiful little one." He looked up for a moment and saw Guillame watching them. At first his wolf was angered, but Rhys was sad for him. He had lost his mate. He reminded his wolf that Guillame was their mate's ancestor and no threat. Katy watched as Rhys shifted and the black wolf and red panther walked side by side into the woods. They wanted some time together, alone. Guillame watched Katy and Rhys and for a second was consumed with jealousy. But this was not Orsolya. There was no reason for jealousy. But she was just as beautiful and it made him miss his mate even more. He was so intent on watching them he didn't notice the female who approached him from behind. Wolf's Pet Ch. 36 Julia leaned in close and whispered in Guillame's ear. "I decided to stay behind in case you wanted to..." She never ended the sentence but reached out her tongue and flicked it along the shell of his ear. He turned and his eyes roamed up and down her beautiful body. She had already discarded her clothing. "A run would be invigorating." He quickly disrobed and shifted, waiting for the female, and then took off at a dead run through the woods. He led and he had no idea where he was going, but he was glad to be away from Katy and Rhys. It was difficult to watch them together now. His head knew it wasn't her, but his heart was aching. Maybe Julia could help him to take his mind off her. Alistair and Jenna had watched Katy's transformation with awe. Alistair had never seen a Werepanther before. He looked at his mate lovingly, his hands never leaving hers. "That is what you will become my dear. Are you ready?" He stroked her cheek as she looked into his eyes and smiled. "Yes Alistair, I'm ready. And please, don't worry, I'm not as fragile as you think I am. You don't have to hold back." She held the hand that still touched her cheek and smiled up at him. She couldn't wait to be his forever. Her whole life had come down to this. Everything that had happened in Gary's caves had been meant to be to bring her to this point. If Gary hadn't found her, she never would have met Alistair. They had eyes only for each other as they touched and kissed tenderly. She knew exactly what to expect and although for a fleeting moment she had a flashback to the cave, she quickly pushed it out of her mind. She was here with her white wolf, her champion, her mate. He would never hurt her like Gary had. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. They didn't notice the horrified looks of those around them when they saw the large bruises and cuts all over Jenna's body. Most had no idea what had been done to her in the caves and hadn't seen her many injuries. Several gave thanks to the moon for protecting her and leading Alistair to her in time. She got on hands and knees and smiled when she saw the white wolf behind her. She would be living her dreams. She would live what had kept her sane during the time in the cage. She gasped when she felt his tongue tasting her. Her voice was raspy as she spoke to the wolf. "Alistair, please, hurry, I need to feel you inside me." She had to feel him now! He lifted himself to cover her and slid his hard cock into her incredibly wet passage. In one motion he was filling her completely and he began to pump in and out of her. His paws held her tight. He could hear her moans of pleasure and it caused him to move harder against her. She was right, she could take more than he had imagined. His knot was ready and he pushed it into place. He could feel her body quivering around his shaft and knew she was close already. He pulled himself higher and lapped at her neck. Finding the spot he wanted he clamped down with his teeth, her warm blood released into his mouth. Her body bucked underneath him as she cried out. His body responded by emptying himself inside her. He released her neck when her spasming had ended. He pulled her to the ground and held her against his body. He could feel her chest rising and falling with each deep breath as she concentrated on relaxing. She giggled as he licked her skin. She moved away from him when his cock had receded and turned to face him. She had a devilish smile on her face as she looked at his cock, still wet with a combination of his semen and her fluids. She dropped her head and licked at his cock, tasting the testament to their mating. She lapped at it and closed her mouth over his cock to suck him back to life. She heard his groan and looked up to see his head thrown back, eyes closed, as he relinquished all control to her. Very quickly his cock was filling her mouth and hard as a rock. She began to purr as she moved up and down on him. He let out a strangled moan. He struggled to speak through the immense pleasure he was receiving from her. And if she purred one more time with his cock in her mouth they wouldn't be able to finish mating until later in the night. "Jenna, don't tease me my dear, I'm not a young wolf anymore." He tried to smile but it was impossible. She gave one more long slow pull on him and then moved up his body to throw a leg over his hips. Her dark brown eyes looked up at him and he immediately saw the change in them. He also noticed that some of the bruises on her body had begun to fade. His hands slid over the healing lacerations. There might not even be any scars soon. He smiled up at her. She slowly lowered herself onto him and began to move. She liked it best when he was deep inside her. She moved as gracefully as a cat, or a panther. She could feel his cock pulsing inside her. The panther in her mind told her that it would be time soon. She nodded to herself. She slid slowly off his cock, and then dropped back down, then rocked back and forth, enjoying the sensations. When she felt his knot she ground herself down on him until he was fully inside of her and locked. It was time. She smiled down at her mate and he saw her incisors were longer than he remembered. His hands never stopped their movement over her skin. She lowered herself and he bared his neck to her, his heart pounding in his chest. He felt her teeth tear into his flesh, and roared, thrusting hard, feeling his cum jettisoning into her body. His thrusts slowed and she released the bite. He shuddered when he felt her tongue licking the blood. He wondered quickly what the panther's tongue would feel like on his body. He pulled her down to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. She purred loudly into his ear. He stroked her raven black hair and spoke to her for the first time through their bond. "We will be together forever now Jenna." The purring was louder as she answered him. "Forever my white wolf." She held tight to him, not ever wanting to let him go. Gary would never enter her mind again. What he'd done to her was evil. This was wonderful and special. She was disappointed when she felt him leave her pussy. But within a few seconds she felt something else. She wanted to run. She wanted to climb a tree. She wanted to see what else she could do. She looked at herself but she was still human. The Panther wanted her time. It was her turn. She rolled onto the ground and onto her hands and knees. Alistair watched as the last bruises faded to nothing and the lacerations completely healed. And within seconds, he was facing an impressive black panther. She flicked her tail from side to side as she looked at her mate. She approached him and slid her rough tongue along the side of his face. He laughed and stroked her soft coat, even softer than her long hair. She butted her head into his body, nearly knocking him down. Alistair shifted quickly. The white wolf slid his body alongside his panther mate. She turned and ran off, her graceful strides carried her swiftly across the clearing, the white wolf easily keeping up with her. She found what she wanted, a tall tree and leaped into the air, catching the bark with her sharp claws about eight feet up. She scrambled up to a branch high above the clearing. This was what she wanted, she needed to be high. She looked down at her wolf, staring up at her. "How long will you stay there? I really can't join you there you know." He couldn't believe how easily she had made her way so high. "I'm sorry, I just had to see the world from up here. I'll be right down." Her tail waved in the air behind her as she laid on the branch. She hoped there were trees where Alistair lived. She suddenly realized she knew nothing about where they would be living. But it didn't matter, home would be where Alistair was. She saw the pack watching her in amazement. Wolves couldn't climb. She smiled to herself. "I'm on my way down love." Alistair waited patiently as she made her way back down the tree, leaping the last ten feet to the ground. She slid her long body along his, purring the entire time. She never dreamed of being a panther. This was so much better than she'd ever imagined. "Do you want to run?" Alistair would do whatever she wished, except of course climb a tree. "No, not right now, maybe later. I want to be here when the hunters return. I want to see how Karen did." She found a nice patch of grass and laid down, her tail wrapped around her body. She lazily groomed herself as her mate laid next to her, leaning into her body. "She's so beautiful." Lee was awestruck by the black panther. She felt Carr's arms around her. He rested his chin on her shoulder as they watched Jenna and Alistair. Konstantin held Tracy as he tried to calm her fears. "See? They are fine. There was no pain, only pleasure." He whispered in her ear as she trembled in his arms. "I-I can't in front of everyone." She shook like a leaf. As much as she wanted him, she remembered the time at the caves and what the wolves had done to her in front of the pack. She couldn't take that again. The silver haired Were stood up and put out a hand for Tracy who grabbed hold. He smiled at her as he pulled her to her feet. "Then we find somewhere private. We'll return to the group after you've shifted. I'll not have you thinking about anything but me, můj anděl." They walked towards the woods. "What does that mean?" She was going to have to learn his language or it would drive her crazy. But she'd have a lifetime. "Můj anděl, it means my angel. You are my angel you know. You've saved my life Tracy. I never thought I would find a mate. I'd given up trying years ago. Werewolves are extremely sexual by nature, but the wolf wants to find it's mate, and after a time, really doesn't care about the act anymore if there is no mate, and no cubs. That is what they live for. That is the true meaning of our existence." He pulled her close when they reached a stand of trees away from the group. They could just barely hear them anymore. Konstantin knew he'd have to be slow and gentle with his little blond panther. She had been subjected to Gary's perverse idea of pack life and knew nothing else. He would show her how pack life could be, how it would be for her. Luckily for both of them, the Wolf Moon acted as an aphrodisiac for her and took a little of the edge off her fear. If not for that, he doubted they would mate for months at the very least. He looked down at her and stroked her face slowly, bending down to touch her lips lightly. He would take his time. Tracy was torn by her fear and her sudden lust for the large male in front of her. But she didn't need to be afraid of him, he wasn't Gary or Paul. She couldn't help but be drawn to him, to want him. She didn't want to fight that feeling but in the back of her mind, she couldn't let go of the memories. But his hand felt so good on her skin, cooling where she was so hot all of a sudden. And his lips were so warm and inviting. He wasn't cruel like the rogues who had hurt her. He wasn't going to take what he wanted. He was waiting for her. She sighed and melted into his arms. When he heard the sigh he smiled to himself. His wolf wanted to take over but he held him back. It was too soon, she needed time. They had all the time of the full moon. --------------------------- The male hunters had returned to the clearing with their kills. They had several deer, a few boar, and an enormous elk. They dragged them over to the Omegas waiting near the fire who would take over the preparation for the meals. Carr congratulated the Betas on a fine take. They howled in unison at the compliment. Those who were un-mated ran off to find a companion for the evening. Those who's mates were still hunting watched to the south for the pack to return. Carr felt Cole's agitation. He could see him pacing, he just couldn't seem to hold still. "She's fine, Cole. If something had happened, I would know." The wolf looked up at him, nodded his head, and walked to the edge of the clearing, and waited. Carr shook his head as he found Lee. "Over-protective." "Oh and when I led my first hunt you weren't worried at all? I heard from Cole later that he had to stop you from coming to look for us." She stood, arms crossed, with a stern look at her mate. "OK, OK, I stand corrected, I was just as over-protective. It's a good trait in a mate." He grinned and pulled her close for a long, deep kiss. He wanted to shift so badly right now, and take her here in front of his pack, but he had promised the Doctor. They heard a triumphant howl come from the southeast and all eyes were in that direction as the females arrived. The auburn wolf was dragging the largest carcass, the six point buck. Each of her hunting pack had their own kill with them which they delivered to the waiting Omegas. Cole was waiting for Karen. He was so proud, he could barely contain himself. His tail was up and wagging. When she reached him, he licked her face, tasting the blood from her first kill. She was a magnificent wolf. She was everything he'd ever hoped for. Karen was full of energy after her first hunt. "Cole, it was amazing. I can't wait to hunt again." She ran circles around him, her tail waving in the air. She was practically prancing. But there was something else she needed to do. Her wolf knew what it was. She wanted her mate. Her playful mood morphed into one of seduction. She turned to Cole and dropped to her elbows, then leapt away when he moved towards her. "Pet, the pack is watching. You know that, right?" Not that Cole cared. The pack was waiting for the leaders of the hunt to celebrate their kills. They would mate in front of the pack. He circled her carefully, waiting for her to make a wrong move. "I don't care, I deserve the attention, don't you think? My kill was bigger than most that the males brought back." There was a giddiness in the tone of her answer. Like she was on a high. Every time she thought he was going to make his move, she shifted direction. He thought he could catch her, but she'd show him. The pack watched the two wolves like it was a dance. Everyone knew where it would lead, but it was mesmerizing to watch. Cole smiled to himself. Karen's wolf thought she had the upper hand, or paw. But she was wrong. He would be the victor of this battle. And he couldn't wait. He studied her every movement. She moved well for a new wolf, no clumsiness, light on her feet. But her scent permeated the air around them, lavender and licorice filled his brain. He had to shake his head to clear his mind. She'd gone into heat! He'd forgotten Guillame had said the women would go into heat during the Wolf Moon. He had to stay in control of himself or she would be the one in control. He seemed to be able to immediately counter any move she made. But maybe if she made a break for it. He looked like the hunt had tired him out. She might be able to out run him on open ground. She lifted her head to look for an open lane to run. Ah, she was thinking of running. Now he had her. When she made her move he was ready for her and blocked her escape. Now he had her. His paw came down over her back and she was trapped. He moved to her side and shouldered her into an open space in the clearing. She was his. He waited for her to realize it. Some of those watching weren't sure if Karen was going to give in. A few of the females were laughing, those that knew Cole best. Maybe it was time he got his comeuppance. It was time for a female to take the lead. She was fighting internally. She wanted to try to run again, but her wolf said she must submit to her mate. It was wolf instinct and she had to give in to it. She was no longer human. She had to let human instinct go and embrace that of a wolf. She was a wolf now. Karen loved Cole more than anything, she was his, she would submit. The auburn wolf laid on the ground, baring her neck and her belly to her mate. Her dark brown eyes followed him as he approached her and sniffed her from tail to nose. She felt his jaws close around her neck and knew she was his forever. His green eyes sparkled as he held her to the ground. When he let go, he stepped back, waiting for her reaction. Would it be her wolf in control or the human? Karen got to her feet and dropped her head to the ground, her haunches up, pointing towards her mate. He moved in close, his nose touching her. He laughed to himself when he heard her whine. Now she would have to wait while he played. Her tail moved aside for him and he licked her swollen, wet pussy. She pushed backwards into him, but he moved away. He flicked his tongue out again and she whined louder. "Stop teasing me Cole, you've won." She whimpered, begging him to take her now. She needed to feel him. "I won the day I walked past you on the street Pet." He lifted himself up onto her back and hooked his front legs in front of her knees to hold her in place and his cock thrust into her wet,tight channel in one motion. She was so ready for him there was no resistance. He drove himself into her again and again, low growls coming from deep inside him. He wanted to force himself as deeply as he could inside her. His knot was ready almost immediately and he forced it into her, seating it well. This was the first time they would mate when there was a chance of her becoming pregnant. His wolf was well aware and wanted to be sure they had cubs soon. She growled with pleasure when she felt his knot. She couldn't believe how ready she was for him. Was it the moon? She felt him thrusting and could feel her body so close to cumming. He moved up over her back until his mouth was poised over her neck. She felt his teeth in her flesh and howled her pleasure which intensified when she felt his seed flooding her womb. His thrusts were frantic as he emptied load after load. He held her tightly, and when he heard her howl he was overcome with an even higher level of his lust, something he'd never felt before. His wolf was intent on fathering cubs and continued to cum into his mate. As he felt the last of his seed flowing into her, he howled his satisfaction to the Wolf Moon. He pulled Karen to the ground to wait while they were tied. He thanked the moon for bringing him such an amazing mate. Without her, Gary may have succeeded. He licked her mouth as they laid together. The pack was satisfied. The leaders of the hunt had mated and everyone was just sure she would have cubs in the fall. The mated hoped they would have the same luck tonight. Those that were unattached were envious and wished they could find a mate. But in the meantime, a playmate would do. The three panthers and their mates made their way to a quiet area away from the fire. The males sat, heads cocked, what were their mates up to? The panthers stood in a close group, their mates next to them. They realized, they were bonded to each other, as well as to their mates. They were an eye opening sight. Black, red, and blond panthers, sitting close like they were in a conversation. No one knew at the time, they were. "How can we speak with each other?" Katy hadn't expected this. She looked at Rhys who looked as confused as she. "I wasn't expecting it, but it could come in handy. I have to say, this is more than I ever dreamed. Things seem so much different now. And I'm getting visions, of the future I assume." Jenna had so many dreams when she was human, but she was always asleep. She was awake and seeing the future now. Was it the absolute future? Or just a possibility? Were there things that could be changed? And she wasn't just having these visions about herself. She looked towards the compound. She was so glad that one vision was of Sheila, happy with the Doctor. "There is so much new life here tonight." Tracy was glancing at the females in the clearing. She smiled to herself. She used to have a subtle feeling that let her know that a woman was carrying before, but it had been heightened now. She felt each individual cub. Even those who had been conceived this very night. She liked being a panther. She sighed as she thought about how gentle Konstantin had been with her, how patient. After tonight, he could let his wolf take more control. He couldn't hurt her now. She knew how much he loved her, how much they needed each other. She couldn't wait to tell him he would be a father. But would he believe her so soon? Wolf's Pet Ch. 36 Carr approached the Panthers slowly, soon joined by Xylon and Sandalio. They stood a short distance away, watching the amazingly beautiful animals as they seemed to be deep in conversation. Carr hoped the panthers would help to save their race. And the women. If Cole hadn't found Karen when he did, what would have happened? He looked around at his pack, at his mate, laughing with the Omegas. He smiled in her direction but the smile quickly turned to a frown. What could have happened to his pack? Xylon turned to Sandalio. "I think our Councils need to take control of finding the remainder of these panther descendents. They will be the future of our packs. So many more could be mated." He looked at Carr's pack and had a thought. "Are there any male descendents?" Carr answered absent-mindedly, "I'll have Ben work on it." Cole didn't want to let go of Karen, even though his knot had receded. They both shifted, Karen turning to face her mate. She stroked his face, she couldn't believe how happy she was. She couldn't believe how much her life had changed. If she hadn't met Cole, she would have belonged to Gary. Cole felt her trembling and held her tight. "You never would have belonged to Gary! You were meant to be mine, pet. The moon sent you to me." ------------------ Thank you all for reading Wolf's Pet. I hope most of you enjoyed it. I don't hold out any hope that everyone did. But I enjoyed writing it and I will write more. But for now I'm going to take a break. Please feel free to email me suggestions for sequels. And don't forget to vote!