Dominant Species

“The radiation is killing you all, and I can’t stop it unless I do one thing. I want to bite you and make you a werewolf. That will help you heal.” Marcus waited until the thirty-some people in the clinic reception area settled down.

“Bullshit.” Marvin Thorne yelled out. “There’s no such thing as werewolves.”

Marcus looked at him as he pulled off his shirt and shucked his shorts. He was standing behind the reception desk in front of the assembled townspeople with radiation sickness; the ones who had lost their sight were getting updates from those who could still see. He knew the shift would change his leg and let the prosthetic go, so he let his wolf come forward in front of them.

There was a shocked gasp, and then the reactions started. Some stared, others were frightened, the rest fascinated. Marcus moved out from behind the desk on three legs. As he moved around the room, he looked at each person. They could see the intelligence behind his remaining eye. Some shrank back while others reached out to touch his fur. He made a circuit of the room, then went behind the desk and shifted. “Do you believe me now?”

“Well, suck me dry and call me Dusty,” Marvin said. “It’s true.”

Marcus smiled as he pulled his shirt on and put his leg back in his artificial limb. “Yes, it is. I’ve been a werewolf for over a decade now. You all know me. You know what kind of man I am. That didn’t change when I got bit. It just gave me a few extra things, like faster healing.” He let that sink in. “You are all dying of radiation sickness. I can’t cure it with human medicine. The people in the rooms behind you were going to die. Most of you have already received a lethal dose of radiation. It is going to kill you slowly and painfully. The lucky ones are in a coma and don’t feel the pain.” He looked at them; they were shocked and angry at what was happening.

“There is one thing that can help that I can do for you, but it is permanent. When the werewolf bites, your body changes and regenerates. It allows the damaged organs to repair themselves, giving you a chance to survive. Changes to the eyes give you wolf night vision may fix blindness.”

“So why are we even talking about this? Bite me now.” Louise’s arms had swollen, and she was coughing up blood. “I don’t care what I become. It beats dying.”

“So, as a werewolf, you gain strength, sight, a better immune system, and faster recovery time from injuries. We also age slower and live longer. That’s the good part. On the bad side, the change isn’t pleasant. It takes about three days. You will get a high fever, and the first time you shift to wolf form will be quite painful. After that, shifts are painless. You will also gain a wolf, a voice in your mind that will be your constant companion. That wolf needs a leader, a Pack to relate to; it’s how they live. A lone wolf will go crazy and may attack people, so we live together under an Alpha pair. There are thousands of werewolves in this country and hundreds of Packs.”

“So there are more than just you?” Marvin looked at him intently; you could see he was trying to figure out who else was like that.

“Yes. If you choose the change- and I will not bite you without your consent if you can- you would join with another Alpha or me. The Pack will help you adapt to your new life. It’s like a big family.”

Josi struggled to hold on as Reggie was moving at top speed through the outskirts of Salmon. “I wish I could talk to you. I need to know what is going on,” she thought.

She felt a push in the back of her mind; closing her eyes, she focused on the sensation. Finding the source in her mind, she tried to grab it mentally when it began talking to her. “You can talk to me, love. Now that we are mated, we have a mental bond.”

She smacked his chest. “You could have told me,” she said out loud. “We could have talked all the way here,” she thought.

“It takes a while to get started, my mate. I was going to explain it tonight, but you figured it out on your own. That push you felt was me asking to speak mentally. To talk to me over the bond, you think about sending your thoughts to me.”

“What if I don’t WANT to talk to you because you’re being mean to me or something?”

“Think of it as a connection point. If you don’t want to talk, you disconnect it like you are ending a phone call. Once you join the Pack, you’ll be able to speak with the Alphas or other Pack members the same way. When someone wants to talk to you, you’ll feel that push in the back of your head. You can even speak to multiple people at once. It’s the best way to communicate in wolf form, but we use it in all forms.”

She snuggled back into the soft fur on his neck. “So, what does it mean that Marcus’ pack bond broke?”

He made a hard right on the road before he answered. “Worst case, it could mean he was dead, but I linked with Rachel. She still feels him through the mate bond, so that wasn’t it. He won’t talk to her, though. He has his walls up to everyone. So he chose to leave us, to leave the Pack, and no longer have Richard as his Alpha.”

“Why the hell would he do that? He loves your Pack; he was so proud of it when he described it to me!”

“That’s what we are about to find out.” Reggie ran them across the lawn to the clinic’s back door, stopping at the loading dock. The tractor and trailer were waiting for the next load of victims to load.

Josi hopped off and ran inside. Finding a shelf with clean scrubs, she tossed a pair to Reggie as he walked in behind her. Josi couldn’t help but watch him change; he was not bashful about nudity, and Josi loved seeing his body. She sighed disappointedly when he pulled the scrub bottoms up and tied them.

“Later, baby. Let’s find Marcus. Rachel is after me since he won’t open up the bond to her.” They opened the door to the back hallway of the clinic, and what they saw floored them. “Holy shit.”

Josi looked around; there were people on every horizontal surface. People with severe burns, swelling, bleeding, and all unconscious.

And all with fresh bite marks on their shoulders. Reggie was shocked. “He bit them!”

Reggie moved through the rooms, his anger building as he went. Changing just one person was punishable by death under their laws, but changing dozens upon dozens, none of which were awake to consent to this? Madness! “Dad is going to blow a gasket. No wonder Marcus broke the bond! There is no way Alpha would allow this.”

“It’s not so bad, is it?” Josi followed him towards the front. “They were going to die anyway. Now they have a chance, just like my friends Britney and Bethany.”

Reggie stopped and turned to her. “It’s one thing to turn a mate. That’s natural law, and the Council will understand. They have their mate to help them through the change and keep them from the madness. This?” He waved his hand around. “What happens in a few days when they wake up? No mate, no Alpha? If even ONE of them goes crazy, it could take out the rest of the town. They are a threat to us, our families, and our Pack. I’ve seen it before, Josi. That’s why the rules are there.”

“It’s still not wrong for him to try, Reggie. He’s a healer; it’s what he does.” She kissed him gently. “It’s the right thing. Everything is changing. Those who can’t adapt won’t survive.” She pulled away and led him towards the office area. As they approached the door, she could hear talking. It was interrupted by a woman’s scream.

Reggie jumped ahead of her, nearly pulling the door off the frame as his Alpha powers surged forward. He focused on the source. A young woman was sitting on the floor, bleeding from her shoulder.

And his brother-in-law was in wolf form, licking at the fresh bite.

“MARCUS! STOP!” He raced forward, grabbing his brother-in-law by the scruff of his neck. Reggie picked him up and tossed him ten feet towards the door. His body landed hard, skidding into the door as his paws fought to get purchase on the floor. Marcus growled and then shifted, his naked form revealing itself to the assembled group.

A group of thirty or so people, most with visible bites, watched the two men face off.

Reggie was on him before he could get up. He grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the wall. His hands shifted slightly, claws extending into his skin. “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?”

Marcus should have been scared, but he had been a warrior for a long time. This wasn’t the first physical confrontation he’d been in, and this was his mate’s brother. She wouldn’t want him seriously hurt.

Instead, Marcus smiled at the challenge. He relaxed his hands, waiting. When Reggie relaxed slightly, Marcus smacked both sides of Reggie’s head with his palms. The impact dazed Reggie and allowed Marcus to break free of the hold. He stomped on Reggie’s left foot, grabbed his hair, then pulled his face down to his rising left knee. Blood sprayed from his nose as he fell to the ground.

Marcus moved away from his brother. “Calm down and talk to me, Reggie.”

“The Alpha will kill you if I don’t first.” Reggie moved his broken nose back into place, then rushed forward again. The warriors crashed together in a flurry of fists and elbows.

Josi watched in horror as the two fought with partially turned hands and feet tipped with sharp claws. Reggie’s size, strength, and legs slowly overcame Marcus’ experience. Reggie got on top and started to pound his face with bloody fists.

Josi feared Reggie would beat him to death if she didn’t stop this.

She ran across the room and launched herself onto his back. In his rage, he didn’t recognize her; he had blocked the bond so she wouldn’t feel his pain. What happened next, Reggie would regret for the rest of his life.

He spun, his elbow swinging towards the person on his back. It crashed into her cheek and split it open. She cried in pain as she flew off him, rolling a few times before stopping as her back hit a chair. Reggie froze, his face opening in shock as he realized what had just happened.

Marcus sat up, working his neck side to side as he tried to clear his head. He ignored the pain and the blood of his beating, focusing only on the crumpled form in front of him. He started to move to help her, but Reggie held him back. “No! She’s mine. I’ll take care of her.”

When he turned back, the injured townspeople in the room had already reacted. The woman who Marcus had been licking helped Josi up into a chair. Others put themselves in between her and Reggie. He growled at them. How dare they keep him from his mate! He moved closer, trying to see between them. When he opened the bond, he fell to his knees as the pain and hurt flowed through.

“Doc, I need your help. She’s going to need stitches.” That was enough to get Marcus moving; the group parted to allow him through. “Jesus, Marcus- he did a number on you.”

“It’s nothing; it will heal soon. Josi, how are you feeling?”

Josi blinked a few times. “Dizzy. He clocked me, didn’t he?”

“I’m sorry, baby.” Reggie was despondent over hurting her. “I didn’t know it was you.”

“Well, if you hadn’t behaved like THAT, I wouldn’t have had to jump in there. You may be my mate, but Marcus is my friend AND your brother-in-law. What do you think your sister is feeling right now? He may not be speaking to her over the link, but you can bet she felt the beating you just put on him through the bond.” She looked at the people around her as Marcus went to get a stitch kit. She was holding a gauze pad to her cheek

Reggie stood up and moved to her, but the glare she gave him stopped him cold. “Josi, please. Let me hold you. My wolf is going nuts about this.”

She held his gaze, and then her instincts took over. She growled deep in her chest, the sound surprising them both. Josi stood up and went toe to toe with him. “No. YOU lost control. You hurt your brother-in-law and me. We found out what we needed to know; Marcus is all right, and we know what he has done and why. Now YOU need to fix this.”

She took his hand and led him to the loading dock. “Go home, Reggie. Talk to your father. Work this stuff out before the sun rises.”

“I can’t leave you here. You’re still bleeding. I have to know you are all right.”

“I’m not going to be all right,” she replied, “until this rift in the Pack heals. And I’m not leaving, either. Marcus will patch me up, and I need to help him here.” She pushed him to the door. “Don’t come back until you are ready to apologize to everyone here.”

He tried to fight, but her eyes and her bond agreed; he had to go, even if it went against every instinct he had.

He knew she was right. He had to make his father see reason. Marcus made any other solution impossible.

If he disagreed, Richard might kill everyone in this clinic except his mate.

Josi sat on the desk, trying not to move as Marcus dabbed the cut on her cheek with alcohol and used butterfly strips to hold it closed. She was still pissed at her mate. Reggie attacked her friend without cause and hurt her in the process. He repeatedly apologized until she blocked him out.

Marcus was tired, and his remaining eye was getting a little glassy as he worked. She was worried about him. Reggie had explained how painful the break from the Pack was. He looked hollow, like a part of him was missing, which saddened her. Right now, she and Marcus had a bond link, but not a Pack. “Marcus, have you checked in at home? What’s going on there?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve been too busy and don’t have time for arguments.”

Josi frowned. “That’s not good. Rachel must be worried sick about you. What must Raven think is going on? Do you want her grandfather to tell them what happened, or will you come clean to her RIGHT NOW before she goes supercritical?”

He picked up the wrappers and threw them away. He had already checked on the mating bite, and it looked good. “Not the best move, huh?”

“I’m newly mated, but even I know that flowers and jewelry won’t get you out of this hole. Rachel is your mate, Marcus. She deserves to hear everything from you, especially since your actions today will directly affect her and your daughter. What do you think went through her mind when she felt you break the pack link? Do you know what this could do to her relationship with her father or brother? You might have signed your death warrant by going against the will of your Alpha, and Rachel will die too!”

Marcus sat down in the chair. “He wasn’t my Alpha when I did this.” He closed his eye and let out a sigh. “When I was first in Afghanistan, I had more balls than brains. I did some stupid shit that put me in danger. When you do that, it puts your teammates in danger too. I never thought about it until Master Sergeant Dill pulled me aside one day. He asked if I was trying to get killed because I’d succeed one of these times. There’s a difference, he said, between dying for something and just plain dying. ‘Corporal, you have to decide if this is a hill you’re willing to die on.’ Would it be worth the risk, or was it just stupid?”

Josi jumped down and looked in his eye. “I understand you. You never lost your human morality when you became a wolf.”

“Nope.” He looked up at her. “When I was here earlier, I couldn’t just walk away; I couldn’t let it happen. These are friends, coworkers, and patients. How could I let them die when I could heal them?” He let his head hang. “Richard was my Alpha, but he’s wrong. THIS was my hill. I know I made the right choice.”

Josi put her hand on his cheek and lifted his face to look at her. “Then tell her that. She loves you, Marcus, but you need to let her in. She’s on your team.”

Marcus smiled. “You’re right.” He stood up, looking around at the people around him. “I need to rest, but I’ll link to her now. Assuming I survive the conversation, can you wake me up in a couple of hours?”

Josi smiled. “Sure. I’ll keep an eye on things and help where I can.” She let out a deep sigh as she looked around; of those who could choose, all had taken the bite. “What should I expect?”

“Not much for the next twelve hours. The fevers won’t start until tonight. You should see some improvement in them as the change heals and regenerates their tissues. There are cases of bottled water in the back room, along with some food. Keep them hydrated and fed. If they are bleeding from the throat or stomach, water only. Let the people who can help, help.” He looked around; there wasn’t any open space on the couch, so he pulled off his scrubs and went wolf, moving to a corner. He turned around three times, then lay down, resting his head on his paws. A few more adventurous patients came over, petting his fur or resting their heads on him. They didn’t know why yet, but he felt safe.

He closed his eye and dropped the wall blocking him from his family. “Rachel… I’m sorry.”

He felt her fear, loss, and joy coming through the bond at once. “Marcus? Honey, are you all right?”

“I am now.” He paused to gather himself. “I’m sorry, Rachel. I had to do something. I went against your father without asking you first. It’s bad enough that I’ve ruined that bond, and I didn’t want to take you down with me.” He explained what he had done and why. When he finished talking, he waited for the anger. Now that he was without a Pack, he wouldn’t be allowed back in his home. His friends would shun him, and his family might get kicked out. It all depended on how pissed the Alpha was.

Rachel finally spoke to him, and with it came a renewed push of her pride and love. “You did the right thing, Marcus. You wouldn’t be the man I fell in love with if you didn’t help them.” She sniffled a little. “The man who would risk helping an injured wolf in the mountains could make no other choice.”

“So you’re not mad?”

“No, I’m furious at you for shutting me out when I was worried sick about you. I’m mad at my brother for attacking you and pissed off at my father for putting you in this position. He should know better, and he knew about what Alpha Calvin did.” She paused. “I have to go. Reggie is back, and he’s telling Dad everything. We have a Pack meeting shortly to discuss it.”

“OK, I want to sleep for a few hours. I’ll check in when I wake up, all right?”

“Sure, baby. We’ll be packing.” He could feel her sadness over the bond. “Find us a place to stay in town, love, because I’m not staying here.”

Reggie ran hard to get home since the rising sun played with his eyes. He knew from Marcus that it might be months before the ozone layer regenerated, and they could be out all day again. The good news was that the solar radiation threat had diminished enough that being above ground and protected from the sun would be acceptable during the day. He could tell because the radiation poisoning cases weren’t getting worse.

He had passed the information along to the Pack, who was glad to be able to leave the safe rooms they had been in the past few days. They had quickly closed all the drapes and covered all the windows to keep the residual UV out, but being able to sleep in bedrooms and beds again was a big morale boost compared to the crowded conditions of the shelters.

Reggie ran into the compound where he and his Pack lived, the houses between the river, the mountains, and the associated farmland. He stopped in the trees and took care of business; the toilets at home still worked but took work. Since they were well out of town, they had a well and septic system. They even had a hand pump well that still worked, along with buckets from the river. You had to haul in a five-gallon bucket of water to get two flushes, so the wolves tended to use the forests for their more natural uses.

Reggie ran towards his father’s house, shifting as he jumped up on the porch. He went naked through the front door and ran to his room on the second. As his parents called for him, he returned in basketball shorts and a T-shirt.

He walked downstairs again to the Alpha’s office; opening the solid oak door, he walked in and took a seat on the comfortable chair in front of the imposing cherry desk. Richard was sitting in his executive-style leather chair, one custom made for his large frame, his mate Lisa perched on his knee and snuggled into his side. “Where’s Josi?” She looked at him quizzically; newly mated wolves never let their mates out of sight.

His shoulders sank as he looked up. “Up at the clinic with Marcus. I left her there.”

Lisa’s face fell. “What in the HELL did you do, Reggie?”

“I hurt her.” Tears started to well up in his eyes, causing Lisa to rush forward and embrace him. He sobbed on her shoulder as he hugged his Mom tight. “I lost control, and she got hurt.”

“Maybe you better start at the beginning, Reggie.” Richard wasn’t in a good mood; the Pack hadn’t reacted well to Marcus breaking his bonds.

“I took Josi to the hot spring. It was going great; she had already accepted the ideas of mates and werewolves because of her time with Marcus and the North Fork pack. I marked her and completed our mating.” He smiled a little. “She’s amazing, and it was the best night of my life. We were coming home when I felt the bond with Marcus break. I knew he was going to the clinic, so we changed direction and headed there instead.”

Lisa went back over to calm down Richard, her hand on his back. “Richard wanted to go, but I talked him out of it.”

“So we got to the clinic and came in the back. The place is packed wall to wall with humans, most of them dying.” Richard nodded; he had seen it. “Before I saw Marcus, I saw what he did. Those people, there must have been a hundred of them.” He took a deep breath and looked up at his father. “He bit them. He bit them ALL.”

Richard flew from his chair. Lisa had to catch herself from being tossed to the floor by the sudden move. “THAT SON OF A BITCH!” He roared his anger, his fists shaking as he fought back the shift. Lisa moved in, hugging him and nuzzling the mark on his neck to calm him down. It took a few minutes before she calmed him enough that he could sit down and focus again. The Pack had felt his rage, and she had been dealing with their concerns as her mate settled.

Lisa sat in his lap and looked back at Reggie, who was waiting with his face in his hands. “So what happened then, Reggie?”

“We went to the front with the people who were still conscious. Marcus was in wolf form; he was still biting people. I ran forward and pulled him off, then we fought.” He paused and looked at the floor. “As we were fighting, Josi jumped on my back to try and stop me. I didn’t recognize who it was, and I threw her off. My elbow split her cheek open.”

“Is she all right?”

“I think so. Josi threw me out. My mate told me to go home because she was staying there to help Marcus. He said he would patch her up.” He put his head in his hands. “My wolf has been going nuts.; he’s pissed that I hurt her and more pissed that we left her there. She won’t answer me over the bond, either.”

Richard looked up. “You have a link with her now?”

“Yes, but she’s blocking me or at least not answering. Marcus can still contact Rachel.” He grabbed his hair with his hands and stood up. “I ran back here, and I can’t go back and get her until sundown.”

Lisa stood up and hugged her son tightly. “It will all work out, honey. She will come back. Your wolves will always make sure of that.” She led him to the door. “You look like hell, though. Get some sleep, and keep trying to talk to her.”

Richard watched as his son walked away until Lisa closed the door and went back and sat in his lap again. She settled into his arms, feeling him still pushing back the anger. “What do we do, love? He’s our son-in-law; we can’t let our family get ripped apart!”

Richard shuddered. “I made it clear to him where I stood and what Pack law was. He was the one who decided to play God and do this. Reggie should have killed him.”

“HE’S YOUR DAUGHTER’S MATE!”

“He’s dead to me now.” He set his now crying mate on the chair as he got up.

“He used to be human, Richard. He’s bound to look at this differently than a born wolf.”

“He was Pack; he had a wolf and a rank. He accepted all that when he was changed. Marcus knew what he was doing when he did it. If he wants to make Alpha decisions, he can be his own fucking Alpha.”

Lisa was shaking with sorrow now as she watched her family self-destruct. “I know he did it wrong, but I understand why. He’s a healer; it’s what he does.” She looked up at him. “You knew how bad it was, didn’t you. You never told me what you saw when he took you to the clinic.” His silence told her everything. “Those are our friends, our neighbors dying up there!”

“They aren’t werewolves! They are human and should stay that way, just like Marcus should have stayed that way. I don’t know what the hell Luna was thinking. She should keep the mate bond among wolves; humans are too weak to fit in.”

Lisa looked at him with horror. “How can you say that? Both your son and your daughter have human mates. Are you saying Luna made a mistake with them? That somehow they aren’t worthy of them?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. This shit wouldn’t have happened if Rachel had found a good wolf in another Pack to settle down with.”

Lisa couldn’t believe it. She loved Marcus, and Josi had the spirit and will to be a good Alpha female in the future. She couldn’t wait to meet her wolf.

Her life was falling apart. She got up and moved to the door. “Are you sure, Richard? There are things we can’t take back, things we regret for the rest of our lives.”

“I know. I’m the Alpha; it’s MY job to uphold Pack laws. Marcus knew it was wrong, so he broke the bond first. I didn’t rip apart the family. HE did.” He walked away, leaving her alone on the couch. Lisa broke down sobbing.

Opening the Pack link, Richard spoke to everyone. “Marcus Mendez has betrayed his Alpha and his Pack. He changed humans without permission, an act that is against Pack and Council laws and my express command. He is rogue and should be killed on sight by any Pack member who finds him. All fighters are to meet at my house at sundown; we will rid this territory of him tonight.”

Cheyenne woke up refreshed in the late afternoon. She gently disentangled herself from Willow on the small bed.

Willow stretched, rolling onto her back as the wolf pup between her legs whapped his tail. She scratched his ears as he lay back down. Pups felt safe with anyone in the Pack, and since they were new, the two humans had become a favored place to sleep.

Cheyenne quietly got up and walked over to the next bed. Eric watched Britney and Bethany as Derek slept on the floor next to them. “How are they doing?”

Eric smiled and looked up at her. “The fever should be breaking in a few hours; they are both strong and will come through this. I can’t wait to see their wolves.”

“What do you think they will be like?”

“They will be like my best dreams come to life.” He looked down at Britney; she could see his love for her in his eyes. “Sleek and light of color, fast and strong. My wolf can’t wait to meet her and make her ours.”

“Ugh.” She grimaced a little. “I want to see her change, but I don’t think I’m ready to see THAT yet.” Pack members weren’t shy about their sex lives, and there was plenty in human and wolf form; they just tried to give each other respectful privacy and looked the other way. She had become accustomed to the nudity and the activity. It helped that no one was hitting on her or expecting her to join in. The single ones were waiting for their mates. She wanted one too.

Cheyenne looked down; the bucket he was using to wipe them down with a washcloth was nearly empty. “Let me get you some cold water.”

“Thank you.” Eric looked up at her. “I’m glad the girls have friends like you. Please know that, wolf or not, you always have a home here with us.”

Cheyenne gathered her long black hair into a ponytail, then grabbed the bucket. Putting her hand on Eric’s shoulder, she gave him a gentle squeeze. “Thank you for saving my friends. You will always be family.” She smiled and turned away, heading to the corner where a 250-gallon container held the drinking water in the basement of their shelter. She nodded to the women taking care of the thirteen townspeople in the earlier stages of the fever.

On the way, she grabbed the Solo cups she and Willow were using, as they would need to drink and do their teeth before everything started happening. When she got to the container, a naked young boy stood there with his sippy cup. “Dwink pwease Miss Sai-Anne?”

“Of course, Billy.” She filled his cup, and he drank from it as she filled the others.

“Dank you.” He set his cup down and shifted back to his fur form. He ran across the room and jumped back on the bed, snuggling under Willow’s arm. The emotions snuck up on her. It reminded her of her little brother when they were young. That made her think about home, making her cry as she set the cups and the bucket down on the small table. She felt strong arms wrap around her from behind, and she relaxed into Megan.

“Hey, I’m the one who’s supposed to be all emotional and crying at the drop of a hat,” Megan joked as she relaxed her arms so Cheyenne could turn around. “Are you all right?”

She nodded. “Just thinking about my family.” She let her arms fall until she touched the sides of Megan’s baby bump. “Are you not letting Mommy get her sleep, little one?”

Megan laughed. “It isn’t that big yet, but I woke up with an insane urge for Mexican food. I mean, who wants a spicy breakfast burrito?”

“Pregnant women whose mates will do anything to keep them happy.” She looked over to where Al was digging through the food cabinets and the coolers; she could see salsa and tortillas on the table. “It sounds pretty good. Hey, I have some questions. Would you mind talking for a bit while he’s cooking?”

“Not at all. I’ll have him make enough for all three of us.” She looked around, knowing how sensitive wolf noses were, and shook her head. “He better make enough for everyone. Once that food starts cooking, he’ll wake up the whole Pack.”

“It’s good for the men to cook, don’t you think?” Al glared at them, then went back into the cabinets and grabbed more ingredients. Soon he had eggs, cheese, and a bunch of sausage on the table. “They can do more than kill it and bring it home to keep their woman happy.” She brought the cup to Willow’s bedside, then handed the bucket to Derek. The girls were still feverish, but she knew it was normal.

Cheyenne moved back to where Al was starting to fire up the propane stove in their makeshift kitchen. “Anything I can help with?”

He glanced over to the table where the camping coffee pot was. “Can you make coffee?”

She rolled her eyes. “I was a barista at Starbucks by the college.” She started to fill the pot with water and put it on a burner. “Beans?”

“No fancy stuff here. Folger’s is in the cabinet.”

“Oh my God, you people are so in the dark ages.”

Megan snorted at her as she walked away. “Would it make you feel more at home if I ordered a Grande, Quad, Nonfat, One-Pump, No-Whip Mocha?”

Cheyenne turned around with a red can in hand. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those high-maintenance bitches who don’t tip.” She stared her down, then they both cracked up. “Besides, you’re pregnant, and coffee isn’t good for the baby. How about I get you an apple juice?”

Soon the basement was filled with the smell of frying sausage and eggs. Al got help from several other Pack members as they put breakfast together. Willow joined them; she didn’t even look up until after her first coffee. “I’m not a morning person,” she apologized.

“No problem, girls. Now Cheyenne, what did you have questions about?” Megan put her burrito down as she looked across the table at them.

“Werewolves.” Willow had looked up and answered first. “Cheyenne and I are thinking about being turned; Alpha has said he would if we wanted.”

Cheyenne held her hand over hers. “We’ve seen how humans have fared in this, but if we change now, it means even longer until we can search for our families. And if we wait?”

Al looked at them with sorrow in his eyes. “You might not find them.” They nodded. “On the other hand, if you leave now, what are your chances of making it? And if you do make it, how will you get them to safety?” They looked down at the table. “And if you make it there, would you want them to become wolves as well?”

“I want them to live,” Cheyenne said. “Right now, living means being a wolf. Humans have no chance.”

“So, you must be wolves to save them,” Al said somberly. “How else will you get there and back? You are part of our Pack if you want to be, and your family will be welcome. You can have a life here. Be part of the rebuilding of a new society.”

“Do you ever regret being a werewolf,” Willow asked?

“No, I live among humans and always thought they were missing out.” Megan looked around. “We live longer, heal faster, have better senses, stronger bodies, and mates.” She squeezed Al’s hand. “If it hadn’t been for the Alpha Council rules that strictly limited turns, I’d have asked all my friends to turn.”

“And it’s not just physical stuff,” said Al. “Werewolf society is more stable, more of a family. We have clearly defined leadership and roles; we rally together and support each other. We also have stable relationships with other Packs; after all, that is where many of us find our mates. I found Megan at a pack in Colorado while visiting relatives.” He leaned over and kissed her gently.

They moved over for Alpha Calvin and Luna Kelly as they came over with their plates. Willow and Cheyenne looked at each other before they both nodded before Cheyenne spoke. “Alpha, we’d both like to be changed.”

“And we’d like to do it in a way that allows us to get to our families as soon as possible. I know Britney and Bethany will want to get their families back. Josi needs her Mom. How should we do this?”

Kelly smiled and took their hands. “I’m glad you came to this decision. We’ve come to care for you two a lot. We understand your worries, but we want you escorted by experienced wolves who can help you avoid detection.”

Calvin nodded in assent. “I think tomorrow night would be a good time to do this; we can have a formal ceremony with the Pack. If you were to head for Salmon Pack as soon as the twins finish their change, you two could ride on the boys before your fever hit. The run will help the girls get used to their wolf forms. Alpha Richard can help you through the change, along with Josi. You stay in Salmon until after your change, then continue to Pocatello.”

“That sounds good,” Derek said as he sat down. “The girls won’t rest until they have found their families. The faster we do that, the sooner we have them safely back here. I don’t think things will get better on the road with time.”

“Plus,” Eric added, “this time, we only have to carry ONE of you. My back STILL hurts.”

Willow chucked her napkin at him in mock outrage. “I can’t BELIEVE you just called your mate fat! When she wakes up, Britney will want a piece of you!”

“And you can bet I’ll get a piece too!” The table erupted in laughter, setting the tone for another day.

Reggie was almost to his room when he realized he had forgotten to ask his Mom how best to get Josi to allow him to link her so he could apologize. He knew she was busy with Dad, so instead of using the link, he walked back to their office. He was almost there when his mom’s voice stopped him.

“HE’S YOUR DAUGHTER’S MATE!”

“He’s dead to me now.”

Reggie paled; he didn’t know it was THIS bad. Rachel was not going to take this well. If he acted like that, she would have to make a choice, and he knew which one HE would make now that he had a mate.

“He used to be human, Richard. He’s bound to look at this differently than a born wolf.”

“He was Pack; he had a wolf and a rank. He accepted all that when he was changed. Marcus knew what he was doing when he did it. If he wants to make Alpha decisions, he can be his own fucking Alpha.”

“I know he did it wrong, but I understand why. He’s a healer; it’s what he does. You knew how bad it was, didn’t you? You never told me what you saw when he took you to the clinic.” Reggie shivered outside the door; he had seen it, and he knew. “Those are our friends, our neighbors dying up there!”

“They aren’t werewolves! They are human and should stay that way, just like Marcus should have stayed that way. I don’t know what the hell Luna was thinking. She should keep the mate bond among wolves; humans are too weak to fit in.”

Reggie was in shock as he heard this, his fists clenched, and he barely resisted the impulse to barge in there to defend his mate.

“How can you say that? Both your son and your daughter have human mates. Are you saying Luna made a mistake with them? That somehow they aren’t worthy of them?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. This shit wouldn’t have happened if Rachel had found a good wolf in another Pack to settle down with.”

Reggie’s wolf was forward in his mind; he wanted blood. He pushed his wolf back, knowing this wasn’t the time or the way. It took him a few seconds to get control of himself before he walked back down the hallway to his room. Closing the door, he sank onto the carpet, his head in his hands. It all became clear to him- with his father and Alpha feeling this way, there was no way he would raise his family in this Pack. He had to leave, or he had to challenge his father for his position.

He reached out over the bond for Josi, but her walls were still up, and he couldn’t get through. He needed her right now. The decision would affect them both, so he had to talk to her first. Giving up, he was about to reach out to Rachel when the Alpha’s announcement came over the Pack bond.

“Marcus Mendez has betrayed his Alpha and his Pack. He changed humans without permission, an act that is against Pack and Council laws and my express command. He is rogue and should be killed on sight by any Pack member who finds him. All fighters are to meet at my house at sundown; we will rid this territory of him tonight.”

His wolf howled in anguish. Reggie was close to his brother-in-law, and he didn’t deserve this. He could be banished, but to kill him was not justice. It was revenge.

It was a weakness.

Reggie mulled it over. Using the Pack was the move of an Alpha scared of a challenge. If Marcus wasn’t a threat, banishment would be enough.

He had called Marcus weak, but he was not. He was a fearsome warrior before he was changed. Despite his handicaps, he was a fearsome fighter when threatened. He was a healer first, but that didn’t change that he was a dangerous wolf in a fight. And his mate was a force as well.

“RACHEL!” Reggie blasted over the bond. It opened to him; the family bond allowed him to feel some of the anguish she was in right now.

“Reggie…” She could barely compose herself; she was crying so hard.

“Uncle Reggie, why is Mom so sad?” Raven’s link broke his heart. The little ones weren’t on the Alpha’s broadcast, and she had no idea what was happening to their family.

“Your Mom needs a hug right now, all right?” He shut down the bond with Raven to focus on his sister. “Rachel, you heard the announcement, right?”

He had to wait for an answer. He could feel pain over the bond, and it was breaking his heart. “Why… why would he do this to me?” Killing her mate was the equivalent of killing her; even if she didn’t die because she needed to raise Raven, she would never be the same. Widows were just shells of what they were before; the loss ripped away any ability to have happiness and love again. Many chose to follow their mates to the moon instead of leading such a life.

“He’s afraid, sis. He’s afraid the Pack will line up behind Marcus if he were to give him a chance to speak. This way, he can frame it as Marcus going against the Pack, not going against him as Alpha. He won’t give him the honor of a challenge.”

She wailed again over the bond; this was tearing her family apart. He waited until she had recovered a little before continuing. “I overheard some things Dad said after I left. Dad thinks humans are inferior. Even changed humans aren’t as good as born werewolves. He said none of this would have happened if you had found a nice wolf from another pack to settle down with.”

Sorrow was replaced by anger. “Luna doesn’t make mistakes. Marcus is a good wolf, a good man. I want no other. Who is he to think he can make that distinction?”

“He said the same about Josi, sis. He doesn’t want his line polluted with humans.” He paused. “I can’t stay on as his Beta and heir knowing what he feels about my mate. I have to do it.”

“You aren’t strong enough yet, Reggie. If you step into that circle, he will kill you.”

“I’m hoping it won’t go that far.” Reggie paused for a moment. “I know Mom is against this. She is fuming that Richard is doing this to her family.”

“Well, I can’t wait around to find out. I’m going to my mate. If Dad wants to kill him, he’ll have to go through me.”

“He must get through me first, Rachel. I will stand with you, even if it costs us everything.”

She paused. “I love you, Reggie.”

“I love you too, sis. We’ll get through this.” He closed the bond before he finished his thought. “At what cost, I don’t know.” He laid down on his bed; closing his eyes, he kept trying to get through to Josi without success.

Meanwhile, Rachel had gotten off the floor in front of her couch. She hugged Raven as if her life depended on it. The scenarios went through her head, but they were all bad. If the Pack turned against him at Richard’s order, nothing she could do would save him.

“Marcus?” she pleaded over the link.

“Rachel, love, what is wrong?” He sounded like he had just woken up, which he had.

“It’s the Alpha. He issued a kill order on you. The Pack will be coming for you tonight unless we can stop them. You have to run, Marcus. If they all show up, I can’t stop them. You need to run and run NOW.”

She felt his anger, then hopelessness. “Why, baby? Why would he do this?”

“He thinks humans are inferior and turned humans aren’t much better. You disobeying him challenged his authority. Reggie thinks he is afraid of an open challenge, so he’s using the Pack instead.”

There was a long pause before he replied. “I can’t leave here, baby. This town needs me to care for them. If I leave them behind, they will die.” There wasn’t an answer because he knew what the answer was. “I belong here.”

“Take them with you. Do whatever you need, but get out of there today. Cover your skin, put on thick glasses, whatever it takes, but get OUT OF THERE NOW! Baby, I couldn’t take it if you were gone.”

“You’re right, of course.” He pinched his nose as he thought. “I’ll do what I can. What about Josi? Does she know?”

“No, she’s got her walls up, and Reggie is going nuts not being able to talk to her. You must take her with you, love. Reggie may challenge Dad. If he dies, Josi will need someone to bring her wolf through this.”

“And if Richard wins, she’s as good as dead anyway.” He gritted his teeth. His act of defiance was going to topple this Pack like a Jenga tower on a clumsy move. “I’ll take them to North Fork; Alpha Calvin will take them in.”

“I’ll meet you there tonight. While Dad is gathering the warriors, Raven and I will leave.”

“Love, you don’t want to be in the way. He could take you to force my hand.” He sent his love. “We both have things to do, honey. Get some rest; it’s going to be a long night. I love you.”

“I love you too, baby.” She closed the bond and searched for another link. “Mommy?” She could feel her pain.

“Rachel, baby? I’m so sorry.”

“Mom, we know. Reggie heard what Dad said after he left the room.”

“By Luna… oh no!”

“Yes, he knows. You have to stop him, Mom. Marcus and I are leaving. We can’t stay here and let him do this. If you don’t, Reggie knows what Dad thinks of Josi, and he will leave or challenge him for the Pack.”

“Baby, this is MADNESS! I can’t lose you all!”

Rachel sent her love but also her determination over the bond. “Find a way to stop him, Mom. If you don’t, you won’t have a family tomorrow.”

Marcus got up and shifted. There would be no sleep for him any time soon. He dressed quickly, moving back with a slight limp to the treatment rooms in the clinic.

“Doc, you all right?” Mrs. Perkins was turning voluntarily.

“No, Agnes, it’s not all right. I have to go figure some things out.” He walked through the doors to the exam rooms and down the hallway to the loading dock. Marcus had to step over the people who weren’t up and about. The bite was helping their healing. Even those close to death were starting to heal now. The problem would come tomorrow when everyone started the fevers.

He found dark Ray-Bans in one of the offices and a bandana he used to cover his nose and face. Then he took a blanket and covered himself with it before pushing open the door to the loading dock.

The tractor was there with the trailer for the dead bodies behind it. Marcus walked around it, thankful that the building was still shading the area. He did the math, even getting up on the trailer. No matter how he figured it, the answer was the same.

There wasn’t enough room for everyone.

Even if he packed them like sardines, he could only get about half of the one hundred and seven people out of danger. Tractor speed could get them to North Fork before sunrise, but he could never get back for the rest before sundown.

Math. It always wins, he thought.

He went inside and sat on a crate in the loading dock, trying to figure out a way out of this mess. Josi came through the door a few minutes later. “Doc? What’s going on? Agnes told me you got up and left.”

“You don’t know? Haven’t you talked to Reggie?”

She looked at the ground. “No, I’m still pissed off, so I’ve kept the wall up.”

He looked at her with pity in his eyes. “Go, talk to your mate. Trust me.” She looked at him wide-eyed, then left him. Ten minutes later, he still had no answers, but Josi returned with red eyes from crying.

“Holy shit,” she said. “What do we do?”

“I don’t know yet. All I know is that we HAVE to save these people, even from our own. I need to keep you safe. Reggie has enough going on without having to worry about you.” He held out his hand, and she sat next to him, leaning into his side as she fought to control her emotions.

Finally, she looked up at him, staring into his good eye. “Marcus, what does it mean to challenge the Alpha?”

He hesitated, but she was his mate. She needed to know. “Challenges are not common, but they can happen. If a wolf believes he is stronger and will be a better Alpha than the one they have, he can try to replace him. To make the challenge stick, he needs the support of at least one in four members of the Pack. Those adult wolves need to line up behind him as he makes the challenge at a Pack meeting. The challenger dies if a quarter of the Pack won’t stand with him. It’s a way to ensure that challenges aren’t made frivolously or by someone that isn’t worthy of leadership.”

She paled as he continued. “If the required number is there, the Alpha can concede, and he becomes the new Alpha. The problem is the new Alpha can kill or banish the old one. The other option is to enter the challenge circle. Once you are in, only one can leave.”

“Thunderdome?”

“That’s one way to put it. The two fight in wolf form until one dies, and the victor is the Alpha.”

She sat against him, letting it sink in. “It’s a lot to risk, isn’t it?”

Marcus hugged her to his side. “It is. Just making the challenge can be tough. The Pack has grown up under Richard’s leadership. They won’t shift support to him unless he’s leading them down the wrong road. That’s what Reggie has to do, convince them their Alpha is wrong. He needs to sound out those people in the Pack and ensure he has the support he needs.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

“Then he only has two choices. Accept his father’s decisions, or leave. If he leaves, he gives up his right to succeed his father, forfeits all his property, and must flee with his family. Just like I have to.”

She hugged his side. “Could you challenge him?”

He laughed. “I suppose I could. Physically, I can’t beat Richard. He’s strong, an experienced fighter, and has both eyes and legs. I’m a healer, not a fighter.” He looked up at the door. “Those people need me. I was out here trying to figure out if I could take them north with me. The North Fork pack would take them in, but it won’t work. There’s not enough transportation for everyone. Even if I could drive up there in the daytime, I can’t get them all there in one trip. I can only fit fifty in the trailer, and nothing else in town is running.”

“So what do we do?” She looked up at him with concern etched on her young face.

“What’s this ‘oui’ stuff? Are you French now?” She elbowed him. “You aren’t doing anything. Now that I know I can’t leave, you must get out. I’ll send you up into the mountains to meet Rachel and Raven. You can all request sanctuary with Alpha Calvin.”

“What about you? Are you just going to stay here and get killed?”

Marcus laughed. “No, I’d be in a lot of trouble with my family if I went and did that.” He put his sunglasses on. “I have to go see some people. I’ll be back before dark. Can you watch things here?”

She nodded as he got up. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Reggie is lucky to have you. You are strong, a born leader, and you care. Never lose that.”

He pulled the blanket over him and pushed through the door into the sunlight. Josi closed her eyes; she had a lot to figure out, but part of it was why that sounded like a goodbye to her. She reached out to Reggie through the bond. “Reggie? Love?”

“My Josi… why are you so worried?”

“I talked to Marcus, and he explained what you were talking about when you said you might challenge the Alpha. Reggie, you can’t do this because of me. I’m not worth it.”

Reggie’s love surged through their new bond to her, its warmth filling her. “You are worth anything Josi, even my life. It isn’t all about you, though. I could live with a father who resents the woman the Goddess selected as my mate. I could ignore his comments that you weaken the Pack. I know you will make him eat those words, for when your wolf comes, she will be a strong one.”

“Still…”

“No, love, it’s about doing what is right. I was mad about how Marcus did it, but now I know why he did it. Trying to convince my father of it was futile. Marcus is a better man than me. I will fight for you. I fight for what is right in this world.”

She was so proud of him that it hurt. “Marcus said you want me to leave with his family.”

“Yes, it’s important that you be safe so I can focus on the challenge. Let Alpha Calvin know what is going on, and stay with your friends until I come for you.” He sent his love over the bond again. “And make no mistake, I WILL come for you. Nothing and no one will stop me from being with you.”

“You better. I have plans for you, Reggie. One night with you is nowhere near enough for me.”