

The Odin

Book I

Olivia Barrington-Leigh

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2014

All rights reserved by the Author

Smashwords Edition License Notes

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**Warning:** Adult Reading Material. Book contains strong language and sexual content.

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# Chapter

# 1

The thick underbrush and crowded trees came to an abrupt end and opened into a field that was beautiful even in the darkness of night. Adrenaline and self-preservation gave the man a burst of energy that was probably his last. The wound across his abdomen darkened the waistband and crotch of his pants. He held one hand on the wound while the other pumped at his side as he ran. In his younger years he'd ran track, was on the football and baseball teams. He'd kept in shape after graduation and now, twenty years later, it wasn't titles, trophies or medals that kept him moving, he was running for his life. He didn't make horror movie mistake 101 by looking back while he ran, he waited until he'd crossed the open field unscathed before he stopped. The night air was a chorus of crickets, cicadas, frogs and the occasional owl. There was no rustling and better still, no sounds of footsteps. Taking several hurried, but deep, inhales and exhales, he pushed off the tree he'd leaned against and started to run. He knew these woods like the back of his hand, had played in them as boy and then used them as a shortcut as and teenager. Half a mile was all he had to go before he reached the rail yard and after that, his childhood neighborhood. Familiar territory or not, it was pitch black and every low hanging branch pulled at his shirt, every vine tangled his footsteps. He held his arm in front of his face and swiped away leaf covered limbs as he made his way; thankful for every step that didn't end in a trip or worse, a fall. His breathing came hard and fast, and the pain in his middle could have been from the running or the claw marks that shredded previously wash-board abs that were the envy of all the men his age and some that were a few years younger. He wasted a much needed breath, as he cursed when he twisted his ankle. The trees were beginning to thin and he could all but taste the smell of the rail yard up ahead. Favoring the foot that sustained the minor injury, he pushed himself not to slow down. The rail yard wasn't exactly the end of the chase; it'd be abandoned this time of night but it was that much closer to a major street and that meant people. As the trees became sparse and the ground cover changed from grass to hard packed dirt, the man could see the first of the tracks when he heard the sound behind him.

He could be silent...if he wanted to be. He was, after all, a predatory animal. Stalking meant stealth but that was for another time. Besides, what fun was in that? He liked the effects of a noisy pursuit, the sounds and smells. Heavy breathing quickened his pulse and excitement tightened his body as saliva filled his mouth. He heard his prey's heart, a drum announcing his position, so loud and strong it was a pulse upon his skin. He tasted its panic; it coated the back of his tongue. He smelled the fear that seeped from its very pores. It smelled...delicious. Sometimes there was screaming, sometime begging or praying; and then there were his favorite, the fighters; those few souls that smelled both of fear and...determination. It was like two ingredients that shouldn't go together yet when mixed just so became a delicacy. He stopped, raised his head and scented the air. Closing his eyes he marveled at a sweeter smell. Blood. His body hummed with anticipation; he could all but taste his reward.

The moon was a sliver in the sky. It offered little aid in town and even less once the artificial lights of civilization were left behind for the small patch of woods that separated downtown from the nearest neighborhood. Not that it was needed but the woods offered a brief reprieve of the smells of the city. Concrete, car exhausted, tar, and a slew of others riding the wind, were replaced with the smell of earth and trees. He loved outdoors, loved the freedom that comes when running. It was almost as exhilarating as the hunt. Almost.

The open patch of land was unexpected and any other night he would have took time to enjoy the field. The sounds and smells of night were thick, the hot humid wind blowing not bothersome just another thing to be enjoyed, but he had prey to catch. He saw the blood on the trunk of the tree before. Fresh and vivid in his superior night vision, but the wound was gushing and drips lined the path the man had taken. The metallic taste of it in his mouth was better than any visual trail. He could hear the progress of what he pursued, just up ahead, moving fast. Impending death will do that to some people. He leapt into the air, covering the twenty feet that separated them and landed on the man's back. He went down hard and rolled so he could look into the face of death. His scream was short. No throat, meant no sound.

The motel was old, single story, and the kind of place everyone but old school truckers and poor people avoided. It was right off the highway in a part of the country that promised nothing good. The parking lot was gravel, the walls were cinderblock, the carpet matted and stained and the promised HBO was shown on a big backed TV that had an antenna. It was the perfect spot for horny teenagers, low income affairs and serial killers. No one saw the man emerge from the wooded area behind the motel. Curtains were pulled in every window and the office had a hand written sign stuck to the glass door with duck tape that read, back in five minutes. The man knew the attendant hung the sign up at midnight and took it down at five...sometimes six, the next morning.

Cold air raised goose-bumps on his skin as he opened the door. The light offered when he flip the switch was dim and yellow. The room smelled like industrial cleaner but didn't look clean because everything was old and shabby. The mauve and forest green comforter sported a crisped edge cigarette burn below the pillow and the bedside table's veneer was wrinkled and bubbled in the places that weren't missing. He crossed the room toeing off his shoes. They were the only things that had been saved. The light in the bathroom offered a brightness that made him squint as his eyes adjusted to the assault.

There had been no water on his trek back and he hadn't bothered with trying to clean off the evidence of his crime in any other way. The blood started as splattered dots on his forehead, covered the lower half of his face and then soaked him to mid-thigh; plastering his t-shirt to his body and sticking his jeans to his legs. His hands were bloody and dirty, and his arms were streaked in the stuff. He pulled the shirt over his head before peeling off the jeans. The reflection was of a man who could be and was often times mistaken for military, former or current. His seven foot frame was a sculptured work of art. Biceps that bulged, forearms corded with veins, thick thighs and strong calves. His hairless chest and abdomen were carved pectorals and a defined rippled eight pack. It had been enough blood to color the skin beneath the clothes and his chest rose and fell rapidly as he grabbed the thick length of his erection and a sound that was somewhere between a grunt and moan escaped him as he began to work himself. He stopped long enough to spit in his hand to loosen the drying blood that had become tacky and he leaned over, placing a hand on the mirror as he watched his hand work. The muscles in his neck tightened and his body became stiff as he came, his release hitting the mirror in thick ropes and left a trail to the yellowed Formica vanity. He went to the shower; turning on just the hot water and waited until steam began to fill the small bathroom before stepping in. He put both hands on the square tiled surface in front of him and looked at the water as it ran red and then pink before he grabbed the bar of soap. Lathering the blue and white swirled bar, he started with his hair and worked his way down until he'd reached his feet. The water ran cold by the time he finished. The bedroom was cold and he passed the bed headed for the window on the other side of the room. He opened the curtains and lay down on a pile of pillows on the floor. He stared at the barely there moon, drawn to it always. In body and soul.

With the sun already on the wrong side of the sky to make any real use of the day the man stood up completely nude in front of the window. There was no one out even with it being a few hours till dusk. He walked to the large duffel at the bottom of the bed and pulled out a pair of jeans and green on green plaid button down shirt. Checking the shoes one last time for any stray drops of blood before putting them on; he laced them up and pulled his hair up in a knot on top of his head. He opened the door hanging the do-not-disturb sign on the knob before taking a look around to make sure no one was watching. He walked to the side of the building where the ice machine was the only noise and it sounded on its last leg and entered the woods. Headed in the opposite direction as he had come from last night he began to run. Strong legs carried him through the woods and he ran sure footed through the thick undergrowth of the forest. He was a nocturnal creature by habit but being in the tree thick woods made the daylight hours acceptable. He hated when his work took him to cities. He'd been raised in seclusion and lacked most social skills. It didn't help that he didn't really like people. Well, he liked them, but not in a...traditional sense of the word. It was something he'd never had to worry about until recently, but he'd made the transition better than he'd ever imagined. Master must have known something he didn't.

The man who'd taken him hadn't raised him, he'd trained him. The thoughts that recently started to plague him reared their ugly head and no matter how fast he ran he couldn't outrun the mutinous feelings. It was his first time away from home unsupervised and in the six months he'd been away he'd start to think of a life where he was free. Free of Master, free of assignments, free of the death that followed him...just plain free. The sound of construction snapped him out of his daydream and he focused on the job he'd been given for he may have thoughts of freedom but he was not. Masters yolk was strong, and leash long, reaching across an ocean. He slowed to a brisk walk until he saw a tree with a low hanging branch that he could grab. He climbed with the grace of a cat and sat on a thick branch. He could see the house but was confident no one could see him unless they were looking for him, and no one in the construction zone was.

The square shaped structure was more a compound than a home. The frame was reinforced steel, and the glass doors weren't tempered but ballistic grade. It was going to be a damn fortress when completed. It made it harder to infiltrate, but not impossible. Besides, he wasn't there to kill the owner. Last night's little activities were a trap and he was simply suppose to ensure the authorities looked in the right direction and report to Master when the shit it the fan. So far it hadn't worked but now that his target was taking up permanent resident it seemed more likely. He was the new kid on the block, capable of what the cops would find if they hadn't already and if the police didn't question the newcomer the local Wolfe Hunters would.

He stayed in the tree until the workers packed up their tools and stowed everything for the night. He was about to leave when he heard an approaching car. He settled back down and watched a sleek, black, luxury sedan clear the tree lined road that dumped into the area surrounding the house. He watched as his mark exited the car followed by a giant of a man, who stood just as tall as the treed man but had nowhere near the bulk. They walked the house and the surrounding areas under construction. After an hour they returned to the car and drove off. The assassin didn't waste time climbing down; he jumped from his perch and ran in the direction of the motel.

This life of freedom, the new and endless possibilities of what if, crowded his mind until it was impossible to think of anything else, including the direction his feet went in. He didn't worry too much. He often ran that way, with no direction, no destination. It was good to feel the earth under his feet and the sweet smells of summer perfuming the air. The chance of getting lost was nonexistent and twilight announced the day's end by the time he'd made it back to his room. He entered it just long enough to remove his last decent pair of clothing.

# Chapter

# 2

In five years of working for the company Diana rarely left her office. Three times to be exact. Three times, she had been forced—yes, forced, to leave the building. She dealt with vendors and sales reps, installation crews and trucking companies, foremen and the occasional VP of this company or that. All without leaving the sanctuary of her office, and certainly never...ever...ever, leaving the building. She was the magic behind the scenes. She moved mountains and parted seas. If mountains were deadlines and seas were sixty, sometimes seventy hour work weeks. All done via telephone, email, texts and the occasional meeting held in her office. She left the face to face to those who needed their egos stroked or backs patted. She was just fine being the man behind the curtain. Besides, who wants to kiss an ass when there was the option to chew one instead? Rough and tough she could do. Be it a yelling, angry installer or belligerent, pompous job-site foremen, Diana ran with the big dogs and she'd become one hell of a bitch. She could yell just as loud and get just as angry as the next man. Today's emergency, the fire that needed to be put out, wasn't an angry installer or fuming foreman. She wasn't striking the very fear of God into a dispatcher about a lost or delayed shipment. Today's problem was an angry homeowner. And that was an entirely different kind of beast.

Ninety-nine-point-nine percent of their business was commercial. The point one that was residential was usually personal favors or friends of the owner. Diana knew the horrors of working with homeowners from the general managers. Matt and John shared many a story with her on the nights they ended the workday at their favorite watering hole, The Pour House. Unlike the other residential jobs her company took on, this was not a friend of the owner, or even a previous client; this job was taken on entirely due to the amount of money the owner was willing to spend. Diana had overseen the project herself. She'd ordered, tracked and inspected the material. She'd scheduled her best installers made sure they had every tool and sundry made available to them. So why was she heading out to no-man's land? John was on loan to their sister shop in another city because two of the managers were out sick and Matt was on his honeymoon. Lucky fucking bastards. So, as she searched through the abyss of her garbage bag sized purse on the hunt for sunglasses, she was trying to make the switch from being the ass-chewer to the ass-chewee.

The lead installer, Martin, called shortly after arriving on the jobsite about the measurements in the bathroom that was being installed today. Changes had been made from the blueprints provided resulting in a material shortage. Of course the owner was ranting and raving that it was not his fault and of course he expected someone to pull extra travertine out of their ass. Diana gave up on the sunglasses and took the exit that put her on a two-lane highway that led further out of the city into a rural area where she undoubtedly would get lost in her attempt to find the house. Martin gave detailed directions but when you were that far away from civilization, street signs were replaced with markers. Before she reached her destination she was going to leave the blacktop of the modern world and take a dirt road, be on the lookout for a large tree with a split trunk, turn right at a fork that was split by an abandon wood house and try not to miss a side road almost completely overgrown. To make matters worse, her cell phone was almost dead and she'd left her charger in the company truck that was now several hundred miles away with John, not that it mattered; there was no cell towers in no-man's land.

The dirt road she turned on was well packed. The tree with the split trunk was an easy spot, the house turned out to be a church and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Ed standing on the side of the road. She would have missed the turn off completely if not for him. Maybe the day wasn't as bad as it seemed.

Ed was short for a man. Hell, he was just short. Diana could lick salt off the top of his head. But what he lacked in height he made up in personality. If there was a smile to be had, Ed was giving it. He waved at Diana when he saw her car coming down the road and pointed to the bike trail she was suppose to drive on to reach the house. Ed, like all the workers, was a hot, sweaty, rumpled mess by the end of the day but each morning he arrived with his faded and sometimes stained jeans or khaki's and company t-shirt pressed. It was only a little after ten so Ed was neither hot nor sweaty but his pants had lost their razor edge creases.

"Hey Ed," Diana said as the installer opened the passenger side door and got in. "Thanks for coming to find me. I would have gotten lost."

"Yeah, well, this place was a pain in the ass to find the first time we came out."

Most installers worked in teams of two but Ed worked alone. He was good in his trade which was why Diana had scheduled him to work with Martin and Jack. Another reason for the fat bankroll for the project was the timeline. The guys were working almost twelve hours a day to get it done. They were good men and good installers and Diana was mad all over again thinking about the unreasonable ass-wipe she was going to meet.

"How bad is it?" She asked, ready to talk shit with Ed. She needed to release some of her anger. She'd have to be calm if she was going to calm the owner. The last thing she needed was her temper to get out of control, which it often did. She was told she had no filter for her mouth and she needed to work on her delivery when it came to expressing herself. She thought it was all bullshit.

"Not too bad," Ed said smiling. "The wall in the master bathroom was moved five feet and we need six more cartons." He would have been smiling if he'd needed a truckload of material. Nothing seemed to get on his bad side.

"Why did he want to see me?" Diana gripped the wheel and swore under her breath as she tried to maneuver her car down a road clearly meant for, at the very least, a Smart Car. How the hell were the installers getting their vans and trucks down the tiny strip of dirt was anyone's guess.

"He's just one of those kinds," Ed said.

One minute they were driving along a dirt road so narrow Diana was sure the grabbing branches of the trees were sanding the paint from her car, the next they were dumped into the open front yard and drive of the house her guys were working in. The curse on Diana's lips fell flat and her eyes widened slightly. If there was breath in her lungs she would have said, "Wow." It wasn't a house, it was a compound. A single level structure that was the biggest private home Diana had ever seen.

Diana closed her mouth and pulled in next to Martin's white van with Ed laughing beside her. She suddenly felt way underdressed in her jeans and white cap sleeved t-shirt. She hadn't worn any make-up and her hair was in a sloppy bun at her nape. She yanked the elastic tie out as she walked to the front of her car. She was still trying not to gape when she saw Martin and his helper through a set of open doors.

"Thank you for coming out Diana," Martin said stepping aside allowing her to pass.

Diana didn't have a favorite color or food, maybe not even a true favorite book or movie. Smells were her thing. Fresh cut grass, the smell of cooled asphalt after a short rain on a hot day, leather and sawdust; she actually paused in the doorway, closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath before walking further into the house. Diana loved the smell of new construction. Loved it the way some people loved the smell of fresh baked goods. Her eyes went to the hardwood she was standing on. Diana may have been there for a complaint but there was no reason not to inspect the job while she was there. They walked the rooms where the flooring was done, Martin showing off his skills and Diana inspecting said skills. Not that she had to worry about Martin's work. He was way harder on himself than she or the owner or the other managers could ever be.

Diana stood up dusting the knees of her jeans off after Martin's quick demonstration of the new locking system on some vinyl composition tile in a laundry room the size of her bedroom. It was the first time her company worked with the material. "This is great Martin," she said.

"Yes, it is, but the problem is not in the foyer, great room, hallways or spare bedrooms. The problem is in the bathroom."

The voice was arrogant in a way that made nails on a caulk board sound like Yo-Yo Ma. Diana took a deep breath and smiled reassuringly at Martin who had become tense. She turned around to face the owner hoping that she could make him happy while pleasantly shifting the blame away from her company.

The man standing behind her was the tallest and darkest man she'd seen in real life. He had to be at least seven feet if he was an inch. He was wearing a pair of faded jeans and a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. The shirt had to have been custom made because arms that long didn't fit into things that came off the rack. The jeans had that fit that an extra ten minutes in the dryer would have made too tight. They hugged thighs and calves that matched his upper body, and flared out just a tad at the bottom. His dark skin could only be described as black and so smooth women and toddlers could envy it. He was handsome - good looking - fuck it—he was gorgeous and he wasn't wearing shoes. There was still exposed tackstrip in some of the rooms where the carpet hadn't been laid and those big feet were in trouble if they stepped on it. It was on the tip of her tongue to say something but the look of complete annoyance, walking the thin line to anger, told her it wouldn't go over well.

"Hello, I'm Diana Ward, operations manager," she said instead. Diana watched the large man cross the open space of the room with a grace few men have. It was sexy in a predatory way.

"Alexis Broussard." His handshake was strong and brief, "If you would follow me." No please, no, nice to meet you; just an about face and the expectation of compliance.

"We're paying you a great deal of money and expected someone to foresee these types of problems," he said over his shoulder as Diana, Martin, Jack and Ed followed him to the master bathroom.

The bedroom was the size of the small three bedroom house she lived in. The hallway Alexis led them down had large walk-in closets on each side. The bathroom was the size of a one bedroom apartment. The dark grey flooring had not been cleaned after the installation and was covered in a film from the grout. The man leading the way didn't seem to mind. He left large foot prints in his wake before stopping in front of the offending space.

Diana looked at the strip of bare concrete sub-flooring Alexis stood in front of for a moment before she turned to Martin.

"Why don't you and the guys finish up what you were working on, I'll find you before I leave." Diana saw the tension leave Martin's body. His shoulders relaxed as he took a deep breath. Martin was not confrontational at all, he trusted Diana to take care of Mr. Broussard. Why did she feel like she was preparing for battle?

"All the flooring is scheduled to be done by week's end," he said before she opened her mouth.

"I understand deadlines Mr. Broussard and believe me, we are going to do everything in our power to fix this," Diana said.

"I want your assurance that the flooring will be done by Friday."

"I can't promise you that."

"Then what good was it for you to come here?" He said raising his voice. "We've spent almost half a million dollars with your company. We deserve better service than this."

What an asshole.

Diana tried to rein in her temper. Everything about the giant man said he was use to getting his way and he wasn't above bullying to get it. Too bad Diana didn't like bullies. Some people may have even gone as far as to call her a little bit of one.

"Mr. Broussard, I assure you the service you're getting is the best to be had. No other construction company can offer our level of skill," Diana said, her voice getting a little loud.

"I find that hard to believe as I am standing before an unfinished floor that was scheduled for completion this very day."

"I can't take the blame for that Mr. Broussard, and find it hard to believe you could expect my company to know that changes were made after the blueprints were provided to my office."

"What I expected was additional material to be ordered for emergencies," he said taking a step towards Diana, invading her personal space. She had to looked up because she refused to move.

"Martin measured the room and called the office immediately after discovering the problem before speaking to your foreman. I called the manufacturer in an attempt to get what was needed for the job. There are lots of things to take in –"

"I don't need your excuses. I need the job done," he said cutting her off. Diana gritted her teeth and took a deep breath while he spoke. He was being completely unreasonable and she was fast realizing she was not going to be able to make him see reason.

"Be that as it may Mr. Broussard, the job is not going to be done today. It may not even be done by this weekend. I won't know until I hear back from the vendor. But I will do everything to make sure it's done as soon as humanly possible."

"Unacceptable," he said.

The one word left her speechless. It was as if he really did expect her to conjure up the rest of the material out of thin air. Diana felt like screaming, or just walking off and leaving the angry giant standing in his unfinished bathroom – right after kneeing the jackass in the balls, or maybe punching him in the stomach.

"Alexis, calm down." The voice behind her came just as Mr. Broussard shifted, preparing to take another step towards her. She got the vibe he wanted to grab her by her upper arms and shake some sense into her, make her see things his way. What the fuck?

With Alexis Broussard she noticed the clothes, his faded jeans that were designer and manufactured that way, not worn to the pale blue and gently raveled edges. His skin, so dark, was impossible not to notice and all that height. But if she had to give a police sketch artist a description he'd be a well dressed shadow. The man who just entered—his image was going to be burned into her retinas for the rest of her life.

His furrowed brow, which held a little bit anger and a little bit confusion, were thick. His nose was just shy of being wide. His full lips were pulled down at the corners slightly but didn't hide the fact that his mouth was wide. The kind that could give a killer smile...or kiss. His eyes were what pulled all the rest together to create the perfect face. They were the color of twilight, the darkest blue Diana had ever seen. His ebony hair fell past his shoulders in shiny, silken waves. He looked powerful and domineering in a way only distinguished men could look. Diana's breath stopped when she turned. It restarted in a gasp she hoped was silent when her eyes moved past his face traveling down his body, took in the sight of his naked chest. He had the body of a long distance runner or maybe a swimmer. Hair covered his chest and then thinned into a line that traveled the distance between his abdomen and, have mercy, got thicker as it neared the waistband of his pants that were hanging precariously low on his hips. Even the man's feet were beautiful.

"Jean Rene, you know we have a schedule," Alexis said from behind Diana, snapping her out of her very unprofessional daze. He was so close to her she could feel his body heat. If he took a deep breath his chest would touch her back.

"I've heard this woman's argument," the new comer said, "I'm Jean Rene Laurent." His French accent rolled the r's in his name and was exotic as the man that stood at the entrance of the bathroom.

"Diana Ward." She wasn't one to get all googly-eyed when a good looking man entered a room but hell, the sexy Mr. Laurent was throwing off had her almost weak kneed.

He had the same sexy gait as the man to her back. He smiled as he crossed the room, extending his hand. God, he had dimples. Diana raised her own and was shocked when he brought it to his lips and kissed it. He didn't bend or lose eye contact. He looked at her the entire time and Diana felt almost hypnotized by his gaze.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Ward." Diana heard Mr. Broussard give a grunt that spoke volumes of his disapproval from behind her, snapping her out of the spell Mr. Laurent had put her under—again.

"Alexis why don't you check on the progress of the cellar," Mr. Laurent said, never taking his eyes from Diana, "Now."

Alexis walked out of the room without a backwards glance. Mr. Laurent was still holding her hand, although he'd lowered it from his mouth. His hand was hot, but not sweaty, and calloused, even though the house made her think manual labor was not something he had to do. He released her hand and the return of that killer smile had her clamping her teeth together or her mouth would have dropped open.

"Forgive Alexis, he has a bit of a temper," he said, breaking eye contact and looking down at the problem that brought Diana from her office. "I apologize for not calling your office with the changes that were made. How long will it take to get the additional material?"

Diana stared at the profile of Mr. Laurent and had the irrational and almost uncontrollable urge to run her hands through his hair or maybe down the length of his arm, or perhaps but her hand on the small of his back. She was quiet for so long he looked back at her. Turning his head slowly, bringing a hand up to tuck his hair behind his ear.

Diana licked her lips really, really, really hoping she hadn't been standing there with her mouth open. She cleared her throat before saying, "I can't say without speaking to the vendor. I have a call in now to find boxes that were quarried from the same place Mr. Laurent."

"Please, call me Jean Rene," he said. His smile was so not professional pleasant, maybe it was a French thing. "May I call you Diana?"

Diana caught herself nodding and added quickly, "Of course."

"Diana is the goddess of the hunt in Roman mythology. I have seen strong men back down from Alexis with just a hard look. You seemed to have been holding your own with him."

Was it Diana or did he seem pleased?

"She was also the goddess of the moon and had the ability to talk to animals," she said a little breathless. God, what the fuck was wrong with her. She soooo didn't need to be flirting with this man.

"Indeed," Jean Rene said, and the air changed with the one word.

There was sexual tension so strong it almost made Diana take a step away from him...or towards him. His bare arm was almost touching hers and she fought every muscle in her upper body not to just lean over so their skin could touch. The tilt of his head, the slight curve of his lips and look in his eye, had conquest written all over it.

"I'll call the vendor when I get back to the shop and find out if what's needed has been found. I need to know what you'd like me to do if there's none available."

Jean Rene sighed and looked back at the stretch of unfinished flooring. He seemed to be really weighing the options. "Re-order the entire job if what is needed cannot be found."

The next part Diana didn't want to bring up. The man had understood the problem but when additional cost came into play people sometimes lost their understanding. "I can waive the cost for what's left, but if the entire floor has to be torn up and re-laid I'm afraid I'll have to charge you," she said.

"Of course, just let me know when you have found the solution to the problem and we will go from there."

There was a moment where the two of them stood looking at each other. Sizing each other up? Imagining the other naked? Hell, Diana had no idea. What she did know was that the need to touch his skin was becoming so overwhelming that she fought to move around the fog that covered coherent thought to find her words.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to check on the installers before going back to the office. It was very nice to meet you Mr. Laurent," she said.

"And I you, Diana," he said, "Let me give you my number so that you can reach me directly. We wouldn't want you to get Alexis,' he smiled, "It may be too much on his ego."

Diana cocked her head to the side, "Why?"

"I fear that Alexis may think he lost his challenge with you," Jean Rene said with a small laugh. "His pride is damaged."

Diana stuck out her bottom lip and very sarcastically said, "Well we can't have that. Should I apologize to him?"

Jean Rene laughed; a full belly laugh that threw his head back and shook his shoulders. "Wonderful," he finally said when he'd stopped laughing enough to speak. Diana wasn't sure what was wonderful and she didn't ask. Instead she smiled at him as the last of his laughing fit went away. "Go, find your men. I will meet you in the foyer when you are ready."

The house was one story but it was a damn maze and there were other structures being built behind the main house. Diana found Martin in what was either a guest or a pool house. There was no pool, but there was enough open space to install one. The installer was on his hands and knees with a large orange sponge wiping down the section he'd just grouted. He was by himself and the space was almost done. He stood up as Diana approached.

"Did you get everything square away," he asked, dropping the sponge in the bucket next to him.

"I think so. I met with Mr. Laurent. He was way more understanding than Mr. Broussard. He wants to redo the entire bathroom if we can't find a match. How long will it take to tear out and reinstall," she asked.

"Two days—one if they let me work into the night."

Diana knew "into the night" could mean nine at night or two in the morning. "I'll let them know when I find something out." Diana patted Martin on the shoulder.

"Thank you Diana for coming out. I know how you hate it, but I'm glad it was you."

Diana knew what the installer meant. Out of all the managers she was the one to side with the workers first.

"Not a problem Martin, see you later."

Diana went back to the main house by cutting through the courtyard. The house was built in a large open square and had more glass than solid walls. Red clay tiles were already installed around the perimeter of the courtyard and the middle was stamped concrete. In the center was a large circular area left bare. Diana could see how beautiful the completed design was going to be. She imagined wicker furniture with large pillows. Walking across the courtyard she caught sight of Jean Rene in the foyer looking through the open doors at her. He'd put on a shirt. The closer she got the tighter her chest got. The man was a damn work of art; a statue of some Greek god brought to life. She crossed the threshold with butterflies in her stomach.

"Here is my card. Call me," Jean Rene said.

She tried not to read between the lines on that one as he handed her the card, which was really hard seeing as he was using his free hand to hold hers. When he let go it was a caress that made goose-bumps race up her arms. Diana wet her lips and swallowed before speaking.

"I'll let you know as soon as I find out anything."

He opened the door for her and they stood in front of each other. Diana didn't know what stopped her from moving from the spot she seemed rooted to. But they'd both stood there too long, until embarrassment finally got her moving.

"Have a good day Mr. Laurent," she finally managed.

She was in her car before she had the courage to look back. He was standing outside the open door looking at her. She smile and waved before backing her car up. She could see him in the doorway in the rearview mirror until the first bend in the road.

Jean Rene stood in the doorway with his beast right below the surface of his skin. It was calm but made its presence known the moment it caught the scent of the beautiful woman who still held him spellbound as he waved good-bye to her retreating car. He'd stayed out of the construction of the house, left everything in Alexis's capable hands. How Diana was handling Alexis when he entered the bathroom had put a smile on his face. His giant friend didn't discriminate, he was an equal opportunity intimidator, and the sound of the woman standing her ground called him as much as her scent. The closer he got to the bedroom the closer his beast rose, until he consciously had to rein it in. His smile faded as he entered the bathroom. There stood Alexis, invading the woman's personal space and she, with her head thrown back to look the seven foot menace in the eye while she spoke, was not backing down. Her feet slightly apart, her fingers curling and uncurling as if she were staying her hands from striking out at Alexis and not looking intimated at all. His beast became an electric current across his skin, stealing his breath and raising the hairs on his arms. When she'd turned to face him he felt like he'd been sucker punched even though his body remained still. In his long life, no woman had stopped him so completely, his words, his body, his mind.

"It is not a good idea Jean Rene."

Of course Alexis didn't think it was a good idea. Jean Rene wanted to reassure him but he could not. There was something about the small fiery woman that called to him. He was saved from an unpleasant conversation by the arrival of a delivery truck; a fifty foot trailer, followed by several cars and trucks full of men to unload and set up furniture.

."Look, Ms. Reed is here to personally see to the delivery of our thing." Jean Rene smiled brightly at Alexis. He could feel the muscles in the man's body tense. Brenda Reed was an interior designer. She was a good looking enough woman; taller than Jean Rene by a couple of inches at six feet and with an insane crush on Alexis who made it his life's mission never to bed a human woman.

"I'll leave you to show her around the house. I am sure she will enjoy a tour with you so much better," Jean Rene teased as he went to meet the woman at her car.

She was her usual immaculate self, dressed in all white. The blouse was sheer and she wore a camisole under it, the tight pencil skirt looked difficult to walk in but she managed just fine. On her feet was a pair of white stiletto, strappy sandals that made her four inches taller. Her blond hair was so light it looked almost white in the bright sun of the front yard. She smiled at Jean Rene as he approached. Jean Rene thought Alexis a fool for not taking the woman, who so obviously was willing to give him, at the very least, casual sex.

"Jean Rene, how wonderful to see you," she said.

He kissed her hand and smiled, "Brenda, you honor us with a personal delivery of our belongings."

"I couldn't resist seeing the house such fine things were ordered for," she said, but she wasn't looking at Jean Rene. Her gaze was over his shoulder.

"Alexis will be more than happy to show you the house. I am certain the two of you can get everything squared away. I'm on my way to the rental to start packing." He turned and winked at a not so happy Alexis.

"Good morning Ms. Reed," Alexis said. His hands were in his pockets. It was his tell. He felt something for her, even if it was only sexual in nature. Would a single touch be enough? One touch becoming the man's undoing, unleashing something never to be undone. A thing there was no coming back from. It should have worried him that Alexis felt he wouldn't be able to control himself with beautiful Ms. Reed. Instead he just wished his friend would get laid. Perhaps it would better his mood.

Jean Rene drove the back roads into the city to the rental house with nothing but the thoughts of Diana Ward on his mind. He didn't have her number at work and had purposely not asked for it from Alexis. If he had, he would have already called her and how desperate was that?

His body was on autopilot as he drove, because he sure didn't see the road in front of him. His mind's eye was filled with her image. He'd already committed her scent to memory. She was shorter than him, five three or four if he had to guess. Her skin was the color of caramel and her hair was a wild halo of curls that fell just past her shoulders. The entire time he'd stood next to her he was at battle with his body not to take her in his arms. He wanted to feel her skin on his. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his cell phone.

"Mr. Laurent, It's Diana," she said without waiting on him to speak first.

He smiled as he answered, "That was quick Diana. I hope it is good news."

"It is," she said and he could hear the smile in her voice, and didn't that just make his heart skip a beat. "My vendor was able to find what we needed and I'll have it in my shop by tomorrow evening."

"Wonderful Diana," he said, his smile getting bigger. What was it about this particular woman that made him want to smile? "You are a great asset to your trade and company."

"Thank you Mr. Laurent," she said.

"Please, call me Jean Rene, Diana." The single sentence was almost a plea and before he could stop himself he added, "Have dinner with me."

The silence on the other end was long enough for him to think she was going to say no, and then that maybe she'd hung up on him until he heard the soft sigh. He wondered how her breath would feel blowing on his body, maybe in his face as he made love to her. He shook his head to clear the image.

"I don't think that would be a good idea," she finally answered.

"Is it frowned upon to date clients by your company?"

"It's more my rule."

"Then we'll have dinner after the job is complete and final payment has been made. I'll no longer be a client then." He was not going to take no for an answer. There was another pause as she thought it over. His mind was racing with other ways to get her to agree.

She finally answered, "Alright, but only once your check has cleared the bank," she said, a teasing in her voice he found himself liking.

Fierce _and_ fun. His beast liked the combination. "I look forward to meeting you again under non-professional circumstances. Thank you for calling."

"You're very welcome, have a great day."

"You too Diana," he said and the line was silent.

Jean Rene drove to the rental house he and Alexis lived in while the new house was under construction. He and his best friend had packed up the year before and moved to America, leaving all their belongings behind. They toured the country looking for the right place to call home. He couldn't remember what made this little town stand out more than the rest, but suddenly he was glad that it had. Alexis was worried about him and the young Ms. Ward. Maybe he even had a right to be.

# Chapter

# 3

No one knew the origins of the werewolf. Sure, there was the whole virus thing and for the most part that was true. The bite of someone carrying lycanthropy infected the victim, but no one knew how the first person was infected. Did the beginning of the species start with a human or a wolf? It was a bit like the chicken and the egg. There were others, but this was the most logical explanation as far as Thomas Wolfe was concern. Then there were all the misconceptions surrounding them. The virus was passed through a bite only, so you were safe if you were scratched by a werewolf's claws. Well, safe wasn't exactly the right word, but you get the point. Silver didn't kill them unless you shot them in the heart or the brain, but hell, what wouldn't die if shot in the chest or head? Werewolves were strong, but not comic book strong, they could not pick up cars, or jump or fall insane distances. They were stronger than humans and could jump higher and fall further in their human form and further still in a wolfman form, but they had the strength of the natural animal in full wolf form. It was the wolfman form that you had to watch out for, when they had the ability to walk and stand, and their hands sported claws and strength that could decapitate a man with one swipe. Luckily, no one had seen the half-form in decades, now there were only the large dog size wolves to track and kill.

No one knew when the first werewolf appeared but Thomas Wolfe new exactly when the first werewolf hunter arrived on the scene. Five hundred years to be exact. The family business passed from generation to generation until the Wolfe family line produced men that were up to the task of the hunt. No, there was nothing superhuman about them, but the men were pretty impressive in size. Thomas, his brothers, nephews and cousins all worked out like a motherfucker to get the physiques needed to fight werewolves. They trained nonstop to master the skills and gain the agility required to conquer their enemies. At six-five, Thomas wasn't even the tallest of his brothers. He was the biggest when it came to weight and the strongest and being the oldest he was the head of the American branch of werewolf hunters. His cousin, Alfred Wolfe, oversaw one of the many European branches. There were more werewolves in Europe than America so there were several. Alfred was on the line ranting and raving about the move of Jean Rene Laurent to the United States.

Legend said Laurent was the first, but Thomas thought that was a line of bull. What else could he think? Unless he was willing to believe the man was more than five hundred years old. And even given his line of work Thomas didn't believe that. Sure, he'd met some pretty old werewolves, but werewolves aged and with age came death. The pictures his cousin emailed him showed a man of thirty...thirty-five tops and in his experience that meant the Frenchman was probably forty, maybe forty-five, but five hundred. Please.

"I expect you'll be paying him a visit as soon as possible," Alfred said.

Jean Rene Laurent was the Holy Grail of werewolves, thought to be _the_ Jean Rene Alphonse de Laurent, from the time of the first Wolfe Hunter. Although hunter was a bit of a stretch now, the Wolfe family was more like the police or maybe an agency. Oh sure, there was the occasion lone wolf that needed to be put down, or a young one that got out of his moon room and needed to be captured, but like everything else, werewolves had evolved. No longer were they mindless beast killing everything in their paths when the moon hung big in the night sky. No longer were they hunted and killed on sight. A truce had been made three hundred years ago. They were a secret race with all the pack mentality of the real animal. They looked after each other, helped those turned adapt to their new life and often times supported them for years until the newborn could rejoin the civilized world.

"Your email said there is only one other wolf with him, Alexis Broussard," Thomas said pinching the bridge of his nose. Europeans could be so damn pretentious. "I'm not sure why you're so adamant on me paying him a visit personally."

"Thomas, really, Laurent is the oldest werewolf in existence, the oldest person in the world. That alone should be enough to make you want to visit him," Alfred said.

Thomas knew Alfred hated that Jean Rene had moved to America. Not that he blamed the man. Alfred had been trying for years to find a reason to kill him. A truce may have been made, but Alfred still held to the old ways. It didn't take much for him to find a reason to put down a wolf. He'd swallow his damn tongue if he knew Thomas's home was being fitted with a moon room. He was a werewolf hunter, had taken the same vow as Alfred to protect humans from the mindless beast that hunted human flesh, but times had changed and Thomas had more than one werewolf he called friend. He also knew that sometimes shit happened, unforeseen circumstances that left a werewolf unable to reach his home. It seemed wrong to kill a person because he got stuck in traffic.

"Jean Rene needs to know that we are still watching him," Alfred said, his accent so thick Thomas had to guess at half the words. "Can you do no better than the end of the week? It's Monday Thomas. Maybe I should send one of my men to the States. One that is more accustom to a European wolf," Alfred offered.

Thomas didn't let the sweet talk fool him. He didn't need some old school, loose cannon in his home or hometown. The last thing he needed was Alfred's "man" to come to town and kill every jaywalking werewolf within a fifty mile radius. The thought of it was enough for the threat of a headache to become the real thing.

"No need to send backup Alfred. I'll move some things around and get out there today. I'll call you later and let you know how everything went," he said and hung up the phone before Alfred had a chance to say anything else.

He stood up from his desk, grabbed his keys and headed for the door. No time like the present. He'd told Alfred that he would call him once he visited his new wolf but he wasn't under any kind of delusion that Alfred wouldn't call him back first, probably tonight. He opened the door to his office. The sound of construction was loud. He would check on the progress of the four moon rooms before leaving, maybe ask his wife if she wanted to ride alone. He passed the game room his three sons and their cousin were playing video games in. Thomas Jr., called Tommy, Wesley and Lawrence all looked like their father; their cousin, Neal, was Thomas's nephew, his middle brother's oldest boy. All were over six feet, all built like their fathers and their fathers before them. When the Wolfe men got together they looked like the defensive line of a football team. He didn't stop to speak but headed for the kitchen. The house didn't have a basement and the moon rooms were going to be above ground. Good thing their house was in the middle of nowhere. The walls would be reinforced concrete, the doors, heavy steel, but they weren't sound proof and the last thing he needed was a neighbor complaining about howling and growling, although his day job would explain it.

As bad as his cousin had worked his nerves he couldn't stop the smile that surfaced when he saw his wife. Lillian Wolfe was as beautiful as the day he married her and he loved her more with the passing of every single day. If it was hard to find the right woman in the regular world it was damn near impossible when your night job was hunting werewolves and that little tidbit of information was not something you held back from a spouse. How could you when any given full moon night you may come home scratched up to hell and back, covered in blood with your clothes almost ripped completely from your body. Not to mention all Wolfe children started training about a second after they took their first step.

"Going to check on the construction?" she asked as he took her in his arms and kissed her.

"I am. Would you like to join me?"

"I would," Lillian answered, giving his ass a playful squeeze before stepping away from him. "How's Alfred?"

"He's Alfred," Thomas said. "I'm going to swing by and say hello to a new wolf. Would you like to meet the oldest werewolf in existence?" If his sarcasm wasn't enough, he threw in an eye roll.

"How can I refuse, I'll tell the boys we're leaving and meet you out back."

Thomas watched as Lillian walked across the kitchen headed for the door he'd just entered. She was probably going to grab a light jacket because her top had tiny spaghetti straps. He couldn't help notice how her jeans hugged her hips and derriere, her feet were bare and her toenails a deep blood read. How had he gotten so lucky? He was still shaking his head in wonderment when he stepped out into bright summertime sunshine.

****

Laurent's house was in a nice enough neighborhood. It was one of those that had a guard house but no guard. Thomas could never figure out why the newer neighborhoods built the useless building. The structure had enough windows for him to see that it was empty. Not even a chair should someone ever occupy it. Weird.

He drove down a street where new money had made homes as big as his own. His house had been in his family since before electricity existed. The two story brick house Jean Rene lived in had a large porch and square white columns. The double doors were open and a car was parked in the circular drive with the trunk and both back doors open. Thomas got out of the car, met his wife at the front and took her hand. The man in question was coming down the foyer by the time they'd reached the porch.

"Hello," Jean Rene said. He didn't look surprised to see them. He'd heard them arrive of course. He placed the stack of clothes he was carrying on a bench. "How may I help you?"

"I'm Thomas Wolfe and this is my wife Lillian," Thomas said, "We're here to welcome you to the neighborhood."

Jean Rene kept the pleasant expression on his face. Thomas knew the man knew exactly who and what he was and the reason for his visit.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Wolfe, Mrs. Wolfe," he said. "I've heard good things about you from the local wolves. It was one of the reasons I decided to move here. But I am not sure why you would come out to pay me a visit. Surely you know I have no pack of my own."

"Yes, well, my European office informed me of your move and I was in the neighborhood," Thomas said.

"And how is Alfred," Jean Rene asked. "I am sure my unexpected move did not sit well with him," he said with a smile that made Thomas laugh.

"It sounds like you know my cousin well, and you're right, Alfred suggested that he send a man out who is more in tune with the 'European werewolf,'" Thomas said making air quotes with his hands.

"His views are not shared by the entire Wolfe family," Lillian said.

"Thank you Mrs. Wolfe. The words are very much appreciated from someone who was attacked by one of my brethren. Such forgiveness makes you all the more beautiful."

Lillian blushed at the compliment and Thomas had the over whelming urge to shake the man's hands for recognizing what an exceptional woman his wife was and punch him in the throat for the flirting. The attack had left Lillian with scars on the left half of her face. She'd been lucky it hadn't blinded her. Beneath the blue jean jacket the scars covered her neck and most of her shoulder.

"Thomas killed the wolf responsible for my injuries, but I've come to know many wolves and call more than one, friend," she said.

"I would like to be counted amongst those you call friend. My wolves and I will bring no harm to the citizens that you protect."

"Wolves...Alfred said it was only you and Alexis Broussard," Thomas said.

"I have two more wolves arriving on Monday," Ponce de Leon and Gene Hawkins, they are both three years born," Jean Rene said.

"Three years is pretty young. Is your place equipped to handle them next week?"

"My new residence is equipped with several moon rooms. I do not have a pack, but any new wolf will be welcomed in my home," Jean Rene answered. "The house is almost complete, and you are more than welcome to come by next week. I could introduce you to my wolves and you can inspect the moon rooms," he offered.

"You keep referring to them as your wolves but insist that you're not a pack," Thomas said.

"We'd love to," Lillian cut in, accepting the invitation. She seemed excited about getting to know Laurent and he'd denied her nothing since they met and wasn't about to start now.

"Any wolf within my home is my responsibility," Jean Rene answered before turning to Lillian, "I will contact you with the date and time Mrs. Wolfe."

"Please, call me Lillian," his wife said, forcing Thomas to add, "And you can call me Thomas."

"Well Lillian and Thomas, now I have a reason to look forward to next week. I will also invite the local Alpha. It has been ages since my last dinner party and the old fashion gentleman in me misses dressing up for dinner," he said offering Thomas his hand.

Thomas shook it and then resisted the urge to knock out a couple of man's teeth when he kissed Lillian's hand. He damn near growled himself when she commented on how nice Jean Rene seemed when they were back in his truck headed home.

They were pulling into the driveway when Thomas's cell rang. He answered the call and put the phone up to his ear instead of activating the Bluetooth. It was the sheriff's office which meant work. Thomas front job was a capture and release business that specialized in the big cats, wolves and bears.

"Wolfe Trappings," he answered and pressed the garage door opener. Lillian didn't wait on him; she got out of the car and let him talk business.

"Thomas, its Brooks, I have a body I need you to look at." Brooks Foster was the sheriff. He was one of Thomas's oldest friends and had no idea what he really did for a living. They'd met in kindergarten. His children called the man uncle. He was a lifelong bachelor and Thomas often times felt bad for his friend. He wasn't bad looking, kept in shape and didn't have any bad vices that Thomas knew of. Every single woman his age had tried and failed to snag him. As far as Thomas could tell, Brooks just liked being alone. They spent a lot of time together and while the man was definitely no gigolo, he did alright picking up chicks when he wanted to. Of course pickings were slim in their small town.

"It must be pretty bad if you don't know what it is," Thomas said, putting the car in reverse and looking over his shoulder to back out of his drive.

"Yeah, it is."

Thomas heard something in his friend's voice that he'd missed. He was really shaken up by whatever it was he was calling Thomas on. Brooks didn't hunt werewolves but he could have if he knew they existed. He was as good a tracker as Thomas and just as knowledgeable about wildlife. "Talk to me Brooks." Thomas broke the speed limit as soon as he was on a straight piece of road.

"The wounds are primarily around the throat and head. It seems to be a lone animal. The body is completely untouched. I've never seen an animal stop at the throat and face and then quit."

"Maybe something came along and scared it away," Thomas offered, switching his phone to Bluetooth. At the speed he was going he wanted both his hands free. It was full day out but that didn't always stop deer from crossing the road.

"Maybe, but still," Brooks said. "I haven't thrown up at a crime scene since my first, but I almost threw up on the damn body today," he finished.

"I'll be there in twenty minutes," Thomas said. "I'll meet you at the morgue." Thomas hung up the phone and called Lillian to tell her where he was headed. Fucking A. Thomas didn't want to think it, but couldn't help it. Jean Rene Laurent and Alexis Broussard had been in town a couple of times in the last six months and moved there permanently in the last month and now they had an attack so bad and so unidentifiable that he was being called in. Coincidence? Maybe—if Thomas believed in them.

Thomas nodded at the guard sitting on the stool just inside the emergency room entrance. There was no one in the chairs that made up the small room and Thomas went straight through the swinging double doors. He waved and nodded to several people on his way to view the body. The last set of doors had frosted glass and Brooks stood next to them waiting on him. The two didn't shake hands, but pulled each other into a half hug half handshake that good friends do.

"You ready for this?" Brooks asked and Thomas be damned, the man looked ill already. It must be bad.

"Lead the way."

The morgue was small, but state of the art from a recent remodel. There weren't any sliding drawers but a walk in to store bodies. There was an empty metal table pushed against the back wall and in the center of the room was the body Brooks had called Thomas in on. The coroner stood near the covered head of the corpse looking a little green around the gills himself. When he and Brooks gloved up the man pulled the sheet back.

Thomas stood next to the table looking down at the body with one hand cupped over his mouth and nose. The clothes had been removed and the body had already been cleaned. What smells the disinfected didn't kill the cold of the room got rid of. So no, he didn't smell anything bad. He was just fucking puzzled as he looked at the remains of the victim.

The nose and upper lip was gone, eaten or torn away by teeth, as was the throat. The chin was completely intact. Thomas leaned down to get a closer look, poking the edges of the wound at the throat. The white of the spine was bright within the ruin gullet.

"Well," Brooks finally said, "Any ideas?"

Thomas shook his head slowly. "None," he said after a moment. "Where'd you find the body?"

"In the woods, we found a campsite not far. There was no ID, but the clothing and other personal belongings suggest that he was a vagrant. There was a tent patched with duct tape and some of the lines were replaced with different kinds of rope."

Thomas looked at Brooks and then the coroner. "Bill have you ever seen anything like this?" Bill Carpenter was young and new to the area. Thomas didn't know the man well enough to call him even an acquaintance. He did wonder why someone from San Francisco would pick his patch of bum-fuck to move to. He'd never asked the man, it wasn't his business.

"No Mr. Wolfe," Bill said.

"What the hell," Thomas said more to himself than the other two men in the room.

# Chapter

# 4

Diana opened the door to the three bedroom home she'd spent most of her life in. Her grandparents had bought the house in the sixties, their only child, her mother, had brought Diana home from the hospital to this very place. Throwing her keys on the kitchen table, Diana pulled the elastic band from her hair. What a damn day. She had spent all of it thinking about one Mr. Jean Rene Laurent and their upcoming date. She couldn't remember a time when she was so unfocused. Kicking off her shoes and peeling off her jeans right in the front room, she headed for the refrigerator. The house was built before the time of central air and heat, or maybe it was a feature her grandparents couldn't afford, at any rate, it was damn near stifling in the place on a hot summer's day with all the doors and windows shut tight. Diana opened the window above the sink after grabbing a beer for the fridge and looked at the overgrown mess of her back yard. Every year she promised herself it would be the one that she would clear the area and make herself a real backyard. The house sat on enough land that she could install a pool and still have enough left for a landscaped yard. Pipe dreams. Her cell rang and she rushed to where she'd kicked off her jeans. She smiled as she answered the phone.

"Mr. Laurent," she said in her best business voice.

"Diana."

She put her hand on the wall and leaned on it. She told herself it was most certainly not an attempt to settle herself from the man saying her name. But it left her breathless. A caress on her sweat dampened skin.

"Is there something wrong Mr. Laurent?" There was nothing business in her voice. It took on all the characteristics of the man on the other end. She was playing with fire and way outside of her league, hell, they weren't even playing the same sport. Jean Rene was all polo and cricket. She was more dodge-ball and kickpin. Pushing from the wall Diana pulled a chair from the small dinette set and sat down before her legs failed her.

"No, nothing is wrong," he said.

Diana held the phone and waited for him to tell her why he'd called, but the only thing she heard was his breathing. It was obscene in the best possible way and she closed her eyes. She could almost feel the warmth of it on her skin. God, this was so wrong.

"If there's nothing wrong, what can I do for you Mr. Laurent," she said with her eyes still closed. The silence in the passing seconds spanned an eternity and made her think nefarious thoughts of the many wicked things she wanted to do with the man on the phone. The hand running up and down her thigh was his, the breeze coming from the open window, his breath on her skin. "Mr. Laurent." Her voice gave away what she was thinking, the two words sounding like something passed between two lovers.

"Let me see you," he finally said.

Diana shook her head, not quite ready to get burned yet. If she went to him, or he came to her, it was going to end up all one-night-stand, and although she was already panting at the thought of what lying with the man would be like, she enjoyed this little game. There was no doubt in her head—there would be sex. She'd be lying to herself to think anything different.

"No," she answered, taking another deep breath. "We've negotiated the terms of our first date." The laugh on the other end of the phone was something she could fall in love with; deep, masculine. It was a laugh that told her that she was in trouble.

"Are you always this difficult Diana?"

"Are you asking me if I'm playing hard to get Mr. Laurent?"

"No...but...are you?"

"Maybe," she answered, sitting back in her chair. Diana pulled a leg up and sat her chin on her knee. She felt like a school-girl talking to her crush. She smiled as she said, "Anything worth having should be a little difficult to get."

"But some things are just meant to be Diana."

Every word was trying to steal her breath; every sound breaking her resolve.

"What things Mr. Laurent?" she asked.

"Will you not call me Jean Rene?"

"When you're no longer a client."

"I think I like this game," he said laughing, his words deep and throaty, too bedroom sexy for their own good, "I will follow the rules set from our—negotiations, but know this Diana, I mean to win." And with that, the call ended.

Was it a promise? A warning? A threat? Hell, foreplay?

Diana sat the phone on the table and went to run a cold shower. She didn't know if she was washing the heat of the day or the heat from his words from her body. Maybe it was a little bit of both.

Diana smiled as she entered the waiting area of her office building. Jean Rene was standing with his back to her looking over an array of awards mounted on the wall. The tile was done. Martin had finished the job no more than an hour ago. John did the final inspection and hadn't even made it back to the shop yet. Jean Rene was dressed in white linen and tan leather loafers that screamed money. His hair was pulled back in a ponytail and Diana was able to admire the rearview of the man standing before her.

"Mr. Laurent," she said smiling as he turned, hoping he hadn't caught her looking at his ass.

"Diana." He took her outstretched hand and kissed it. The sound of his voice saying her name sent shivers down her spine. Who didn't love a French accent? "I've brought payment in full for the job. Your men are finished and your manager has inspected the job and called it complete.

Diana laughed at the man's persistence and was a little more than flattered. She was not bad looking, but she knew the specimen before her could have any woman he wanted. "The flooring is complete, but not the rest of the work. The second crew will be there tomorrow morning into install the rest of the bathroom fixtures."

A mischievous smile if she'd ever seen one blossomed on his face. "I have no doubt everything will be perfect," he said, "Which is why I am paying the balance in full," he said pulling a check out of his pocket.

"Well thank you for that vote of confidence and I accept your payment," she said taking the offered check.

"You will be taking it to the bank today, yes?" he asked.

"I'm sorry I can't deposit the check until the job has been invoiced and the invoice won't be generated until we receive the work order from the installation crew on Monday morning. The earliest this check will be deposited will be next Friday," she said and shrugged.

"Oh dear," he said, crossing his arms across his chest with a look of disappointment on his face. "Is there nothing I can say to get you to change your mind? The job will be complete by tomorrow and I will be unavailable come Monday for the next full week. Go out with me Sunday Diana."

There was no way she was going to say no, but she wasn't ready to stop the flirtatious teasing. She furrowed her brow and gave him a stern look. "I'm sorry Mr. Laurent, but until the terms of the agreement are met, I cannot. What type of woman would you think me if I didn't keep my word?" The look of sincerity, puppy dog eyes and a little bit of poked out lip made her fight not to laugh.

"I would think you a very kind one for taking pity on a person who has just moved to your fair city and is desperate to make a new friend," he said.

Diana pretended to think it over. Took a deep breath. Tapped her finger on her bottom lip. "Very well Mr. Laurent, I suppose me breaking my word for such a reason is a forgivable offense,"

"Ah, thank you Diana, I'll pick you up Sunday morning at eight."

"Wait...what?" Diana said, caught off guard by the time. "What type of date is at eight in the morning," she asked.

"My kind," Jean Rene answered.

"But-" Diana started.

"Oh no, negotiations are done. Our date begins with breakfast," he said.

"Well played Jean Rene. I'll have to remember that about you."

"Remember what?"

"That you don't play fair."

Jean Rene grabbed his chest as if shot in the heart. "You wound me with your words Diana."

"Wounded or not, I'll have to keep an eye on you," she said laughing.

"I look forward to you keeping your eyes on me," he said kissing her hand again, "Until Sunday."

When Diana turned the front office staff was looking at her. Yeah, that's right. Her feet barely touched the ground as she went to the accounting office to give the check to one of the women working. It was one o'clock Friday. In two days she was going on a date with the hottest man she'd ever seen.

The press of his beast so close to the surface was partly to blame on the full moon; the rest was the woman he'd just left. His skin felt tight and hot, he rolled the windows up and turned the air conditioner on full blast. He hadn't lost control since he'd been a child but it was something about Diana Ward that had his beast's attention. When he pulled into the front drive of his home he was still perplexed. Jean Rene took a moment to look into the sky after closing the door to his car. He closed his eyes and took a deep cleansing breath, loving the smell of the land. Opening his eyes and shaking off the last of the magic casted by Ms. Ward he went inside to check on Alexis.

The inside of the house was now furnished. Alexis had been left in charge of looking for a new place to live and handling the contractors and crews, but it was all Jean Rene when it came to the design of the house and its furnishings. He'd been born and raised in a great stone castle with dark and heavy furniture, nothing like the house he entered. Floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass pocket doors ensured the woods surrounding the house could be viewed from any spot in the house. There wasn't a dark piece of wood in the place; most of the furnishing was white, and fluffy. It was feminine in design and décor.

Toeing off his shoes at the front door he scented the air and headed in the direction of his second. Alexis had been with him a long time, had been part of the only pack Jean Rene ever formed and refused to leave his side. They were friends, regardless what the giant thought. He entered the basement to find Alexis putting wine on racks. Pass the wine room stood six open doors, each with four inch thick steel doors.

"I spoke with Hawkins and Ponce," Alexis said without turning.

Jean Rene leaned against the doorframe, but didn't speak. Alexis was upset about Diana, he'd sensed something in her as well. He knew this was the giant's way of doing his job, protecting Jean Rene, which was the only reason he wasn't upset. Diana was not their kind and remaining hidden from the human world was the number one rule.

"The staff will be here Sunday evening, and everything has been ordered for the dinner party on Monday."

Jean Rene had to call Sam Benet, local pack alpha, and invite him to the diner. Politics had always made him weary, but a thing he hadn't been able to escape once he landed in a spot with an alpha wolf. He'd met with three alphas since his arrival and twice had to leave before any challenge could be made. He and Alexis were both powerful, and other powerful wolves were sometimes threatened by it. It was enough to make him sigh—long and loud.

"Perhaps it will be better this time," Alexis said and turned around. "Maybe you should have spoken to Benet before building the house, if you insist on being less then what you are."

Jean Rene pushed off the wall, his beast growling at Alexis words, although the man made no sound. Alexis head bowed at the neck. The man was more than a foot taller, but he was no alpha to Jean Rene, no wolf was.

"Forgive me," the giant said.

Jean Rene took the first step in Alexis's direction and watched the mighty man kneel. It was a thing Jean Rene thought he'd never get use too. He'd almost ordered the man away from him when he disbanded the pack. In the end it had been loneliness that had stopped the words. He had been alone for so very long. Friendship was never something he thought he'd find in the man knelt at his feet, obedience—yes—a kinship—unbelievable. He rubbed the man's bowed head and Alexis rolled it beneath his palm. Jean Rene petted Alexis, letting him know his apology was accepted.

"There is nothing to forgive Alexis."

The man raised his head. "I swore an oath to protect you."

Jean Rene nodded, "I know." He cradled Alexis's cheek before running it the length of the man's neck and resting his hand on shoulder. "Everything will be alright."

Alexis stood up; taking steps back so Jean Rene didn't have to look up to look at him—too much. "Of course," he said. But Jean Rene saw the doubt in his face.

"I'm going," he said leaving his disapproving second. He didn't want to fight with Alexis.

True, the man offered friendship but there was more than one type of loneliness and what Ms. Ward offered Alexis couldn't provide.

Jean Rene started unbuttoning his shirt as soon as he cleared the wine room and he was carrying it by the time he got to the first floor. The smell of new filled his lungs, new construction, new furniture. It wasn't a bad smell, but what he wanted waited outside the glass house he'd built. Crossing his bedroom he threw his shirt on the bed before shucking his pants. The doors in the room were opened and invisible in their recesses. He pushed the gossamer fabric to one side and crossed the threshold into the wooded area in only a few steps.

Pine and oak trees grew a thick canopy that shaded the area. Pine needles carpeted the ground as he made his way. Hundreds of smells were a whisper on the wind as he walked the property around his home. A mile or so from the house he decided to free his restless beast.

****

It wasn't the charcoal grey suit, crisp white shirt and crimson red tie that set him apart. Nor was it his height, or the thickly accented, clipped words he spoke. Power has a way of making people stick out, regardless of the package it's wrapped in, and everyone knew the man who stepped in the cool interior of the small town bank was powerful. Most of the bank's patrons wore well loved jeans, and sweat softened button down shirts. The boots on their feet and hats on their heads were dusty. They all looked at the stranger when he entered and gave him a once over even as they waved and nodded their hellos. A woman almost too old, and thin gold band said she was much too married, gave a flirtatious smile as he approached her and with a lot of extra sway in her hips showed the man to the desk of the bank manager after he told her the reason for his visit.

The bank manager suit was black, as well worn as the jeans of the customers that entered and exited. The bad fit and shiny elbows added to the overall lacking of the potbellied man who stood and introduced himself.

"Good morning Mr. King, I'm Curtis Bailey."

The hard r's and slow drawl was enough to give the man pause. The words sound foreign. He shook the offered hand before sitting opposite the small desk. He was ready to complete his transaction. He was still getting his sea legs when it came to interacting with people in a way that left them alive.

"I would like to purchase the property on route 33, located at mile marker 45. Funds are available for transfer in this account," he said taking a card from his inside pocket and sitting it on the edge of the desk.

The bank manager had to stand and reach across the desk to pick up the card. He smiled as he settled back into his chair.

"Certainly, the Burke's place has been on the market for ten years, Cindy and Bill will be happy to hear someone's interested." The man smile faltered when it wasn't returned. He cleared his throat. "The property is priced at a hundred and seventy eight thousand dollars. Now there are several ways you can go as far as financing goes—"

"No financing, full payment can be drawn from the account."

The back manager's smile returned, "Of course."

Hours later Maximus King exited the bank and went to a nondescript four door sedan in black. He drove to the newly purchased property. The turnoff was so overgrown it was non-existent but he didn't stop. The house sat on a small island of hard-packed red dirt and looked like a strong gust of wind would blow it over. From its sagging porch and swaying roof to the cracked and chipping paint and missing screens it looked inhabitable.

Maximus had been given keys but after trying to work it in the rusted lock he put his shoulder into the door and forced his way in. The house was dark and musty. The furniture left in the front room was old and as ragged as the house. The second room had a mattress in the middle of it and discarded beer cans and snack food wrappers litter the floor around it. The room after was a bathroom, and the last was the kitchen.

Maximus stripped off the suit and laid down on the mattress, a cloud of dust coated the air. He didn't mind, the dust or the filthiness of the mattress, he was too relieved to be out of the suit.

He'd been instructed to acquire something permanent now that his mark had done the same. His master wasn't please with the job to date but now that the Frenchman had finally found a place to settle down he was as confident as Maximus that his work would lead a trail straight to him.

Maximus body hummed with power. He watched the sun slowly leave the sky and the power of his beast warmed his body. Spreading his arms and legs wide he slowed his transformation. It could be painless but the pain of becoming a wolf made him feel...alive. With the first pop of a breaking bone Maximus turned on his side, his body covered in sweat, his breath sawing in and out of his chest. He threw his head back as his arms and legs broke and his face rearranged. His hair grew thick over his body until fur as black as pitch covered it. A thousand scents and sounds excited his wolf's heart. He was a slave but in this form he was always free. There were no masters, or single room cells, no beatings that tore the skin from his body, or hunger or thirst. The wolf was still the man, but the animal took the driver's seat when in full form.

The black wolf entered the woods a shadow among shadows. His panted breath was quiet even with the rapid pace in which he ran. No branch touched his fur; his padded paws were rarely earth bound. His body was one moment a tight ball and the next a long sleek line. He was silent, the stealth the man did not use, the wolf put to use. These were not city streets and those in the woods would be weary of the dark, watchful of things that went bump in the night. He ran and ran, until his lungs kept pace with his heart and then ran some more. The wolf was on a hunt but freedom always came along for the ride when his feet flew. Man nor Beast or Wolf knew things such as joy or happiness, they only knew death. Master had made sure of that. He'd been stripped of everything save the monster that promised only an end, quick and painless, or slow and agonizing.

The scent of prey changed his direction and he slowed until his movements were barely movement at all. His body low, his head lower, he kept pace with the man walking on the side of the road. Although the area offered no street lamps, the headlights of traffic periodically illuminated the dark and he didn't want to attack in the open. He could kill more than one, could kill countless, but he didn't need that kind of battle even if beast was up for the challenge. The man eventually came closer and the wolf stopped as he stepped within the thick crop of trees not five feet from him. He took a step, then another. The man was preoccupied, focused on relieving himself. Wolf waited for the right moment and then pounced. The scream was loud but wolf didn't worry, they were miles away from the closet home. The man dug his hands in the thick coat of the wolf. His eyes bulging, the sweet smell of fear covering his body was as real as the perspiration that covered his brow. Wolf sank his teeth into the flesh of the man's neck. The taste of blood in his mouth, the smell of fear in his nostrils, the fight—pointless and to short, was too much and wolf became beast. The monster ripping from the body of the four legged animal like an exploding sun. Beast wanted to feast but Man stepped in and stopped him.

Maximus knelt over the dying man, his hands on his thighs as he leashed the creature that was as much part of him as his wolf. His beast had become increasingly difficult to handle in the last few months. He was the most powerful in form and was becoming as powerful in mind; taking over at the most inopportune times...like know. There was a job to be done.

Maximus stood; his face and upper chest cover from the spew of blood from the neck wound that had been still spraying like a geyser when he took his human form but was now a slow trickle. He lifted the man and threw him over his shoulder, moving deeper into the woods until he came to a spot he was sure the man would be found in. He straddled the corpse, placed his hands on the dead man's chest, curled his fingers and ripped fabric and flesh, opening a line down the chest until the man's heart and lungs and part of his lower abdomen was open.

Maximus fell forward, catching himself before he fell on top of his work. Beast wanted more, wanted the slick saltiness of blood in this throat, the feel of meat in his mouth. Pushing off up Maximus rolled off the corpse. He lay next to it breathing heavy as he battled the demon that was...him.

****

Breakfast was at a restaurant Diana had been to once or twice and never would have guessed opened for breakfast. Not knowing what the day would bring, Diana wore a sundress and sandals but also brought alone a change of clothes that included jeans and sneakers. The restaurant was next to a large park and they took a walk on one of the many trials and ended their trek right as the day was getting too hot. The second part of the date was a foreign film. Diana didn't know if she'd like it. The only foreign films she watched featured ninjas, samurais and bad dub. The highlight of the date was his house. What a difference five days made.

The main house had eight bedrooms; two were master suites, one on each end of the house. The small house that Martin had been working in when she went to say goodbye was actually servant quarters. There was also a guest house that she hadn't seen and a pool house. The pool was scheduled to be installed in two weeks. The floor-to-ceiling windows and doors facing the courtyard were bare and all opened. Only the bedrooms had curtains and they were sheer enough to see through. The furniture was all brand new, but the space felt under furnished with its open floor plan. The courtyard was her favorite. An extension of the interior of the house, it was just as she imagined with wicker furnishing and large potted plants. It was a tropical paradise within the square formed by the house. The center that had been bare when she'd been there on Monday had a fountain with flowers planted around it. She could spend the rest of the day sitting in the courtyard.

"I don't know how you'll ever leave," Diana said sounding every bit as spellbound as she was. The laughter behind her was a caress on her skin, she turned as Jean Rene handed her a glass of wine. "It's breathtaking," she said. "It's two o'clock in the afternoon, what do you have planned until it's time for dinner?" Diana followed Jean Rene and took a seat opposite her date at a small round table that mosaic top was a depiction of the moon.

"I thought we'd spend the rest of the afternoon getting to know each other."

Diana took a sip of her wine. "So that's three hours of talking about ourselves?"

"By the end of the night I want to know everything about you."

Jean Rene had taken off his shoes at the door and so had she. Diana sat back in her chair, eyed the man across from her and tried to figure him out. He was partial to white and the material that covered his body didn't hide what lay beneath it. His hair was loose and he was always pushing the soft curls out of his face, and damned if that wasn't sexy. He was quiet but seemed open at the same time. He didn't hog the conversation and really seemed to listen to what she had to say. It'd been the perfect first date so far. Jean Rene sat across from her with all the confidence in the world, his legs crossed at the knee, one hand rested in his lap, the other holding the stem of his wine glass. He was so gorgeous he was almost hard to look at but her eyes did a slow sweep nevertheless.

"Where's Alexis."

"Out for the evening."

"Hot date?" she asked. She thought back on her only encounter with the man in question. Nothing about him said dating material but there was someone out there for everyone.

"Hardly," Jean Rene laughed.

Diana didn't pry although the laugh made her curious. She took another sip of her wine before attempting to clear the air. "What are your intentions Jean Rene?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what's your end game? What do you hope to accomplish with all this? Is this the beginning of you really getting to know me, or is this an elaborate booty call?"

Jean Rene gaze was so intense she could feel the heat from her seat. She wasn't opposed to either of the options, she just wanted clarification on where the night was going. She'd felt drawn to him the second she laid eyes on him and as the day progressed she'd stayed her hand more than once. She wanted to hold his hand or touch his face. It was like her body had a mind of its own, and it desperately wanted to rub itself against the bronzed perfection across from her.

"What would be an unacceptable answer?"He asked with a tilt of his head.

"Oh, I don't know...kidnapping, torture...murder would definitely put the brakes on our all day date,"

"And here I thought I would keep you until Stockholm Syndrome took effect," he said.

"Your house is certainly beautiful enough for anyone to want to stay," Diana said looking around. "Maybe I'll take kidnapping off the list."

"Here's to kidnapping," he said and raised his glass.

"And Stockholm Syndrome," Diana added, as their glasses met in their flirty toast.

Jean Rene didn't think he'd ever get tired of the sound of her voice, or learning every detail of her life. For four hours they sat in the courtyard until four empty bottles sat on the table. By the time it was time to start dinner Diana was tipsy. They went to the kitchen and together hunted through the freezer and refrigerator and Diana suggested that they order pizza and drink beer while watching television. Every man's dream date. No one delivered to the sticks, so they drove back to town for the pizza.

They ended up skipping television and continued talking. Jean Rene stayed as close to the truth. Tonight was about her and she answered any and every question he asked and filled in the rest on her own. By nine he knew she had been raised by her mother and never met her father. Her mother had died three years ago and she'd moved back into her childhood home. She was an only child and she'd worked for the construction company for five years. Her last serious boyfriend was two years ago and she'd pretty much gave up on dating in order to advance in her career. She didn't have a favorite color, her birthday was October thirteenth, but she refused to say how old she was no matter how much he begged. He'd guessed late twenty, or early thirties. She had a strange sense of humor that was kind of dark, but had a quick wit that matched his. She was a hard worker and took a lot of pride in her job performance. She loved what she did and had a deep respect for the installers that worked at her company.

He listened as she explained that if she won the lottery she'd live on an island because sometimes the world seemed to have lost its mind. She didn't read the newspaper or watch the news because it was too depressing. She didn't volunteer but she was kind and giving. She carried cash to give to panhandlers, stating that she didn't care if they were drunks or drug addicts because if she was homeless or destitute enough to have to ask a perfect stranger for money, doing drugs seemed a reasonable escape from a life so lonely and scary. She arm-wrestled him for the last beer, saying she was pretty strong for a girl and laughed uncontrollably when she loss. And she had an appetite and wasn't afraid to eat.

Everything in him wanted to claim this woman. At every opportunity he would touch her, but not like he wanted, only quick fleeting touches when what he really wanted to do was to curl up in the chaise lounge that she sat in and pull her into his arms. He wanted to lose his hands in all her wild hair or rub his hand up and down her arm. But mostly he wanted to release his fangs and sink them in her shoulder and leave his mark on her skin. His gums itched from the need.

Jean Rene watched as she walked around the fountain a little wobbly in her drunken state. She smiled at him when she was on the far side before turning and going to a flowering tree in the corner. She'd gathered her hair up and put it in a loose bun low on the back of her head. The messy style was both cute and sexy.

"I think I'm a little intoxicated," she said in a low voice. When Jean Rene came to stand next to her he saw that her eyes were closed.

"I'm afraid you are correct," he said standing close to her, the scent that called to him a barely there perfume that somehow filled his nostrils.

"What time is it?" She opened her eyes and stared into his very soul.

"Midnight." He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, it was as soft as he imagined. He ran his hand down her neck, across her shoulder and down the length of her arm.

"I need to go home," she said but turned and leaned against him. He opened his arms and wrapped her in his embrace. He buried his nose in her hair and took in her scent.

"Stay tonight?" he whispered against her hair. "I'll be the perfect gentleman."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and took her own deep breath, "Okay," she said softly. He stood still while she took several more inhales, making the skin on his neck hot and moist as she exhaled through her mouth. Man and beast were holding on by a thread.

He picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. The entrance to his suite was only a few feet away from the place they stood. He walked through the open door into the hallway leading to his bedroom and slid open one of the doors. He pulled the covers back with her still in his arms. She was asleep before her head touched the pillow or maybe passed out. He stood for a moment watching her before sitting on the edge of the bed and stared long enough, hard enough, to commit the image to memory. Her hair was still in the loose bun she'd haphazardly put it in earlier, and he'd wished that it wasn't. He wanted to see the natural curls splayed out over his pillows. He'd never thought of ears as being perfect but somehow hers were and they were not pierced. Her skin was a shade darker than his, like coffee with a little cream in it. He wondered how she managed not to date anyone since her last boyfriend, although he could see how many men would be intimated by her. Her profile showed one closed eye with a lace of long thick eyelashes and a nose that was as perfect as her ear and the rest of her. Her mouth was full and lush, lips that were meant to be kissed, to be tasted and relished. His eyes went down the line of her throat and then lower until he got to the swell of her breast. She'd unbuttoned the top two buttons and his hands ached to unbutton the line running the length of the dress until she lay before him naked but he had promised to be a gentleman and someone as old as he could surely keep that promise. He shifted slightly in order to see lower. The bottom of her dress lay across her upper thighs and he raised a hand to touch the perfect skin. Anticipation and more than a little lust, made him shaky as his hand hovered inches above the uncovered flesh. Biting his bottom lip he lowered his hand until it rested just below the hem of her dress and ran it down the length of her leg. He didn't know if the roughness of his hands made her skin seem that much softer or if she really did feel like satin. He'd touched plenty of women, none felt as good as she. She stirred in her sleep, her dress riding high until he could see the white of the panties she wore. It was too much. Jean Rene got up quickly and covered her.

He crossed the room and opened the doors leading out into the side yard allowing the night breeze into the room. He loved the smell of nature but he also needed to clear his head of her scent. It was over-riding his good sense and made him think of breaking his promise of being a perfect gentleman. What had he been thinking bringing her to his room? He could move her, or he could sleep in one of the many other guestrooms but he recognized the lie in the two thoughts. He wasn't going anywhere. Even with her fully dressed and fast asleep he was going to lie beside her. It was a test of strength. No woman had affected him this way; made him want them so badly that he actually had thoughts of running. The next day was Monday, he assumed she had to work and after a thirty minute hunt he found an alarm clock, and set it for five, figuring that was as early as anyone should have to be at work. He undressed quickly and put on a pair of pajama bottoms and climbed into bed. He turned off the lamp and laid for the next three hours listening to her steady breathing, letting it lull him into his own peaceful sleep. He'd planned on seduction and a night filled with passion. Instead he'd been given a night full of laughter and fun. Somehow he felt it ended on a better note.

Diana woke up a little fuzzy but not hung over. It was still dark outside and she was in mid-stretch when she realized that she wasn't in her own bed. It wasn't the softness of the sheets, although they were way softer than anything she had ever lain on. It was the pillow her head rested on. She stopped stretching and put her hands down, crossing them over her stomach. She was still dressed. The soft sound of breathing had her turning her head and she was struck stupid by the beautiful man lying next to her. She'd known that he would be fine under his clothes; she simply wasn't prepared for how fine. He was lying on his back, his face turned towards her. His hair covered most of his face leaving only his very kissable lips exposed. His upper body was bare and she wondered if he was naked. Diana had a moment were she expected panic to set in but there was only curiosity and a want—no—a need, to see what this man looked like naked and to feel his body on hers. She turned on her side lifting up on one elbow. Even fast asleep she could see the definition of the six pack of his abdomen.

She slid closer to him, moving slowly and hoping not to wake him up. She closed the small space between them like she was attached to string and he was reeling her in. She didn't touch him, didn't move his hair, she leaned down and pressed her lips to his. She had a nanosecond to take in the texture and feel of his lips before she found herself on her back, with the light brush of lips turning into something...wild. Even in her surprise she didn't stop the kiss, she rode it as Jean Rene owned her mouth. Strong arms pulled her closer and he settled between her thighs. She wrapped her legs around his and pressed her core into his groin and moaned into his mouth when she felt his erection. The grip he had on her hair tightened almost to the point of pain but rode on the waves of too much pleasure to cause discomfort.

She ran her hands up his back until one slid up the nape and into the silk of his black curls. As soon as she regained normal brain functions she'd have to remember to be jealous. Jean Rene rolled his hips and she broke away from the kiss to take in a deep breath because what he was doing was stealing her ability to breath. His lips left her mouth and ran down her throat leaving her panting and achy. The sound he made was frightening and sexy at the same time. A deep rumbling that started not as a sound but a vibration in his stomach and chest that spread until it reached the lips that were kissing her collarbone. It was a growl. The moment he made it the action in the bed went from hot and heavy to still and silence. One hand was still deep in her hair but had lost none of the tight hold. The other was curled around her waist and was still holding her hard. His lower body was still, but his erection was long and thick and pressed against her tight. His head was buried in her neck and she wondered if maybe the kiss had started while he was still asleep and he just now realized the situation wasn't a dream. She felt guilty. She'd molested the man in his sleep.

Diana ran her hands up and down his back and tightened her legs around his. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

"Why," he whispered and damn if he didn't have a fantastic morning voice. It was raspy and rough and masculine in a way that made her think that Jean Rene may be a little dangerous. Sure his physique said he could open a can of whup-ass like nobody's business, but in that one word she heard something that frighten and excited her.

"For molesting you in your sleep," she answered. There was a moment that she thought he was going to let her go. When he would release her from arms she wanted to be in and wasn't that a strange thought to have about someone she'd only met twice.

"Diana." His breath was hot, like his skin. So hot, it was feverish. In the warmth she felt safe and protected, she felt like it was where she needed to be, where she belonged. It was a feeling and revelation that took her breath away.

She wrapped her arms around him tighter. When she moved her legs further up to wrap them around his waist he groaned and shifted his own hips, rubbing his erection against her. He relaxed; the tension in his back and shoulders slowly going away and he kissed her gently, so tenderly on her neck that she turned her head to the side to expose more of her throat. He kissed her down her throat to the place right above her shoulder and bit her. She cried out as her body was consumed with a pleasure she would have thought impossible from a bite. It wasn't a sharp pain, but a building of pressure as he closed his teeth on her skin slowly. Added with the torturous play going on below the waist Diana found herself digging her fingernails into his back. The pain of the bite was cut with the pleasure of his erection grinding her into an orgasm. Her breath caught in her throat and she wanted to scream because there were too many clothes separating their skin from touching.

"We need to stop Diana," Jean Rene said, with his lips pressed against the spot he'd bitten.

"No," she whispered and tilted her hips to press harder against him.

"Diana...please," he begged.

Please stop? Please he wanted more? She didn't know. She didn't even know if she cared, because the only thing that mattered was what she wanted and that was to have him inside her. It mattered like nothing else at that moment. Desire was burning her hotter than his fevered skin. Jean Rene kissed her once more before rolling Diana on her stomach; his hard body pressed the length of hers from behind. One hand held her head firmly down on the mattress the other reached under her dress and ripped her panties from her body. The pleasure of having something so wild done was snatched from her as he entered her. He pulled out until their bodies almost separated and she actually whimpered at the thought. He was long and thick and filled her completely. She raised her ass in the air to catch him before he withdrew all the way.

"Diana, please, you shatter my control," he said from behind her. The arm that was wrapped around her waist, holding them close together was pulled from beneath her and he steadied himself on it before rising up behind her. He used his now free hand to grab a cheek of her ass. "God you're so beautiful," he said before he started to move again.

Diana opened her legs wider as his hips rolled and thrust behind her. Her mouth was opened but the screams lay buried beneath the pleasure her body was enduring. Jean Rene slow strokes changed and with it came two things: the second growl of the night and knowledge that he was holding her in place; stealing her ability to move. Seconds before she would have happily laid there for an eternity as long as he stayed buried deep inside her but he had not earned the right to take her so easily. Diana had no idea where the idea came from. She'd had a few lovers in her time. She'd never been into rough sex. It had been pretty vanilla from the first time to the last. But the need to make him earn the right to hold her so submissively was just as strong as the need had been to have him inside her.

It happened so fast Jean Rene was almost thrown completely from the previously docile woman beneath him. He could hardly breathe when he entered her. It was torture to ease inside her when everything in him warred for him to take her rough. He held her in place so he could keep his control. The soft skin that his hand was on suddenly tensed and there was muscle beneath it he never would have guessed at. She reared back and then moved forward and he slid free of her in agony. But she couldn't get far because he still had a handful of hair. Not that it stopped her from trying to get away. He was dumbfounded for a half a second and then his wolf took control. It made no sense that this human woman was making him prove his dominance. It made no sense that he was being tested and yet, he wanted to take her all the more, wanted to claim her, to mark her as his own. All common sense was obliterated and he was like a new wolf, powerless to control the beast within the man.

Diana tried to roll on her side but he grabbed her shoulder and pushed her back to the bed holding her down. She'd somehow managed to get her legs closed and they were clamped tight between his spread thighs. He growled in frustration at her denial of what was his. He moved his hand to the middle of her back to hold her in place and tried to spread her legs with one of his knees but her legs were locked. Needing to feel the press of her skin on his, he lowered his body and pressed the length of his to hers. He rolled his hips sliding his erection along the crease of her ass. He put his arm around her waist and lifted her upper body, his left hand still in her hair.

Diana came willingly until she was on all fours and then pushed her body back, pressing his erection painfully into her backside and then driving forward fast. If the grip he had in her hair hurt it wasn't enough to deter her from the fight. He held her on all fours by her hair and grabbed his erection and prepared to reenter her body, but she bucked and moved and continued to deny him. He gritted his teeth, the need to be inside her was maddening.

Jean Rene was strong for a man, but he was more than just a man, he was a werewolf. No human was stronger and definitely no woman. His body started to hum like a tuning fork as the beast the lay within slowly rolled awake. It was like greeting a dear friend. He loved being a werewolf. He was not torn or conflicted by who and what he was. He enjoyed every facet of being the beast that people feared in the still of night. The arms and legs that were strong enough to hold her in human form thickened, the muscles becoming bigger, his limbs lengthened. He got control of his beast right before the soft down of hair covered his body. He felt his teeth elongate with the beast so close to the surface and finding strength he would have thought impossible pushed them back into his gums. He pushed Diana's head down on the bed and when she tried to lower her body he grabbed her around the waist keeping her ass in the air.

"I'm going to take what's mine now Diana," he warned her. He pressed his thighs tight against hers and released her waist. When she tried to move he tightened the grip in her hair until a small yelp came from her but it was too late. There was a lesson to be taught and hard ones seldom come without pain. Sometimes its physical, sometimes its mental, sometimes it's even spiritual. She'd said it herself, nothing worth having was easy and she was defiantly worth having. The sounds she made beneath him only hardened him further. Not quite the growl of an animal but so fucking close he took a second to smell her to make sure she wasn't his kind. Her scent was all human and the most intoxicating thing he'd ever had the pleasure of smelling. Her natural scent and the smell of her arousal shattered the rest of his control.

He grabbed her leg and pushed it open and entered her roughly causing her to scream, in pleasure or pain he didn't know, but he couldn't stop. He drove into her hard until he was seated and then leaned over until his chest curled around her back. He hammered into her until sweat coated his body and there were only the sounds of their skin meeting, his occasional growls and her moans of pleasure. When he felt his body tighten, getting ready for his release he held her tighter to him and yanked her head to the side exposing a line of throat, his eyes zeroing in on the spot where her shoulder met her neck. As the first wave of his release rushed from his body he felt the walls of Diana's sex contract almost painfully as she came—he bit her.

# Chapter

# 5

Her emotions and the thoughts rolling around in her head was making her dizzy, of course that could also be from the orgasm that she'd just had. The senselessness of her actions was buried in a fog of pleasure her body was still experiencing with Jean Rene's teeth in her skin and his erection buried inside her body. They were both covered in sweat and breathing hard. Diana had matched Jean Rene frenzy strokes until the first press of his teeth on her neck and then she'd become completely still, like a switch had been flipped. The growls that came from his throat and the first hot stream of his release entering her body had excited her in a way that she didn't know existed for her. Her scalp hurt from all the pulling, she was sure she was going to have more than a couple of bruises, and the place where he'd bitten her was a throbbing pain.

"Oh my God, Diana, I am so sorry," Jean Rene said from behind her. He'd lifted his upper body from hers and held her hair away from the spot he'd sunk his teeth in.

"Mmmm," It wasn't exactly a word but the only sound she could make right now.

"Are you okay?"

Diana nodded, the pain was not unbearable where he'd bitten her. Before now Diana thought pain during sex was something she wouldn't enjoy but she felt so damn good he could bite her anytime.

"Diana can you speak?" he asked, now with a little laughter in his voice. It was so much better than the concern that was just there. She shook her head to answer his question which made him laugh harder. There was something in it that spoke loud and clear of a prideful man basking in a job well done, and he'd certainly done that. Diana's eyes were still closed when she felt the first lick. Jean Rene stopped before his tongue cleared the bite and his mouth shut with an audible snap. But licking it had made it feel slightly better.

"Don't stop," Diana managed to say without opening her eyes. She sighed when he licked her again. With each stroke of his tongue Jean Rene's hips rolled. He was still buried in her body, still hard, entering and retreating in long slow strokes. "That feels so good," she moaned. He stopped licking the bite but not the slow rocking of his hips.

"What does," he whispered in her ear.

"You do. Please don't stop," she answered.

"Never."

Maximus eventually lost the war and relinquished control to his beast. He was a quick study and the longer he denied that part of himself the worse it would be. Once already beast had force his monstrous form over the human one for two days when he was denied. Beast went about the second part of tonight's work easy enough, sometimes running, other's walking and sometimes he took to the trees. He liked this new place. There was no Master and no threat of pain and suffering but most of all there was freedom. The word was now a mantra in his skull. Repeated constantly in his waking moments and then as he slept.

Beast had stopped and cleaned his body in a stream, the water cooling his heated skin. He climbed a tree close to the completed house and the scent riding the wind made beast frown. His nostrils flared as he tried to figure out what it was. Not fear, or pain, not even excitement. It confused him, and with confusion was anger because it was pretty much the only emotion beast had. Through the sheer curtains of the house he could see the Frenchman. He was in bed with a female, they seemed to be fighting. This, beast understood, this calmed him but not the sounds that the Frenchman's opponent made. There were sometimes cries but not the kind he was use to hearing and then there were moans. Again, they weren't the same, it was not pain the female was feeling. The growls from the man who kept his human form were those of dominance. So it was some sort of challenge taking place. Beast knew the Frenchman's beast was strong, almost as strong as his, but only almost. Still, he was more powerful than the tiny woman and beast didn't understand why he didn't just kill her since she continued to fight but then he bit her and she finally lay still beneath the man. Beast nodded, yes, this was right, but the scent was like a swarm of bees in his head. He bit back a growl, he was not completely mindless. He knew Man was on a job for Master. He couldn't endanger Man, it was his job to protect. It was what he did.

He watched as the man licked the bite in slow gently licks and listened to the sounds he'd never heard before. Then he saw the man began to fight again, only his body did not move fast, but unhurried, a slow wave above the woman. His deep throated growls were not menacing and while the woman moved beneath him he knew she was not fighting back but...aiding, the man. These things did not make sense, but he was powerless to not watch. The man body stiffened, his hips moving in jerks until he lie motionless for long moments before moving from the woman but instead of finishing her, he pulled her into his arms, stroked her hair, her arms, kissed her face and the bite he'd given her. Beast's own hand rubbed his shoulder, his arm; his palm smoothing the coarse fur. It was...nice. As the sound of their breathing slowed and then fell into a rhythm that Beast knew was sleep his mind raced. Was that what awaited him in a free world, not pain but gentleness. A fight that did not mean death and the smell that made his body hum in a way that was confusing and frustrating but unlike any rush of power he'd ever experienced before. He climbed out of the tree and went home. He'd been following the Frenchman for six months; he'd never seen him with a female before. Maybe she would hold the key to completing his assignment. For this he needed Man to take over and that was fine because Beast needed answers and like all things, he meant to have what he wanted.

Maximus transformation was quick and seamless. With each step he slid back into his human form, his hair receding from his body, his face flattening, his teeth retracting. Claws shortened until there were only hands and no longer hung to his knees. He shrunk in size, from ten feet to his regular seven all within the time it took him to walk up the three rickety steps of his back porch. He pushed opened the door and went to the small closet in the bedroom, pulling out a pair of blue jeans and a plain white t-shirt. He slid his feet into a pair of leather flip-flops and grabbed the keys to the truck he'd traded the car in for from the dresser top. The truck had started life red but now was a dull, muted mauve. There was no air conditioner, and the passenger side window didn't work but the cab was big and Maximus liked the space. The truck started with a roar before settling. Maximus drove back to the road leading to the Frenchman's house and pulled over about two miles from the drive. When he saw the black car leave he almost didn't follow because he knew it to be one the man sometimes drove but the wild mane of hair told him the woman drove so he pulled back onto the black top and followed her. Maximus thought of the things Beast thought about while he watched the couple. Man knew about as much as Beast when it came to what was viewed from the branches of the tree, but Maximus had figured out it was a mating between the two. The Frenchman had claimed the woman. For some reason this made him...uneasy. Maximus had never had anything of his own, had never thought about the husbands or wives or children he'd taken at the instruction of Master before. He'd seen men and women fight, to live, to protect each other or their children, but in a fight, a kind of frenzy took over him and he sometimes lost time. One moment in the thick of things, the next, covered with blood and gore, the only thing left standing. He'd never seen tenderness, had never witness what he'd seen through that gauzy fabric last night.

He followed her to a neighborhood with a dead end street, which he didn't follow her down, instead turning left. He'd park and double back and find a spot to observe, and while he watched, he was deep in thought, because with his uneasiness came...doubt.

Jean Rene's hand was still in the air as the car took the first bend and was no longer in sight. He knew Alexis was behind him but he wasn't quite ready to face his second yet. In all his time he'd never taken a mate and in all that time he'd never dreamed of taking a human one. It was both terrifying and exhilarating. He'd tried telling himself that the bite was not what it was, but he'd broken her skin. His saving grace was he'd bitten her with human teeth and the mark would more than likely heal and fade. But he didn't want it to. He wanted his mark on her body, wanted it more than he'd ever wanted anything else in the world. His chest damned near puffed out as he watched her stroke it so lovingly in the mirror after she'd gotten out of the shower.

He'd bled her. Letting the beast so close to the surface had made him bigger and stronger his whole body over, and the already impressive length and width of his erection grew. He hadn't taken her easy but she didn't seem mind. Taking a deep breath and releasing it he turned to Alexis. The concern on his face was surprising. He'd thought the giant would be angry. "You've mated with the human." Not a question. "I've been with you a long time. I have followed you into battle, trusted you with my life and would give mine so that you may live. This is something I cannot protect you from. What will she do Jean Rene, when she finds out you are wolf?"

Jean Rene didn't answer. There was no guarantee that he had marked her as his mate but it was just a matter of time. He'd been attracted to her from the first moment he'd picked up her scent in the house, he was already feeling possessive and even now, standing in the door, he felt like going after her. His body was drawn to hers and he had the uncontrollable urge to always touch her. Alexis had every right to be worried. Hell, he was worried. Mating was for life. Until his mate died he would want only her.

"I don't know Alexis," he answered truthfully. "But we don't have time to worry on this thing now. We have to be at the airport in little under an hour. Let us get dressed."

Alexis didn't move and the two of them stood looking at each other. Jean Rene still standing outside and Alexis just inside the doorway. A look of pain, from Diana's possible rejection of him was right on the surface of Alexis's face. The man rarely showed any, other than aggression. He was worried about Jean Rene and it made him love the man all the more. They were human but also animals and animals found comfort through touch. Jean Rene raised his hand, laying it on the man's neck, rubbed it until he felt some of the tension leave the giant's body. It was all he could offer. Diana was as good as his. They both knew it.

Diana had enough time to run in the house, change clothes and dash back out to the black Mercedes and make it to work on time. She would have driven her own car but she'd parked Jean Rene's behind hers and didn't have the time to play musical cars. He'd made love to her as he licked the bite over and over until they both had second orgasms. He hadn't bitten her again but turned her head so that he kissed her while they each rode their wave of pleasure. She'd showered at his house and put on the change of clothes she'd brought the day before. She was sad to be leaving and sadder still when he told her that the extracurricular activities had made both of them late. He offered her the use of one of his cars and walked her to the black Mercedes that she was driving. He'd given her a kiss that stole her breath and promised to call her as soon as his early morning business was done. On her drive to work she thought about what had happened between the two of them.

The only parts of her body that wasn't sore and achy were her hands and feet. Each small movement brought a pain and with that pain, the memory of what they'd done. She was rubbing the bite mark and smiling like an idiot when she pulled into work. John was getting out of his truck that was parked in its usual spot in front of the building.

"Wow, nice fucking car," he said and whistled as he walked over to inspect it.

John was a few inches taller than Diana and had the boy next door cuteness that made a woman's head turn when he entered the room. His personality matched his looks. He was a good guy, through and through. His easy smile was one that had to be answer by one's own.

"Someone's making mucho bucks." Diana knew that John had a car fetish, although he tended to like old muscle cars.

"It's not my car," Diana said standing back and admiring the shiny black machine with her co-worker.

"Rental?" he asked "You need me to look at your car again?"

John had worked on her car a few times. He never took her money instead he insisted on her paying him in beer and pizza. She'd keep him company. They usually ended the evening drunk. Diana didn't have many people that she called friend but John was one.

"No, it's a friend's," she said as Martin walked up from the yard. He was getting loaded with his job for the day.

"Is everything okay with Mr. Broussard's job?" Martin asked.

John face lit up with understanding and he lifted an eyebrow before laughing.

"Yes everything's fine with the job Martin. He loved everything you did and complimented your work and dedication," Diana said.

Martin gave a confused look at the two of them. "Oh, okay," he said and walked back to his truck parked at the dock.

"You slept with the giant," John asked between chuckles. "Martin told me you lit into his ass."

"I did not light into Mr. Broussard's ass, I just didn't back down from him," Diana said, "And no...I did not sleep with him."

"But Martin-" John started.

"It was Laurent," Diana cut him off.

"Ah, that's makes more sense." They walked together towards the office doors. "So I guess I don't have to ask how your weekend was," he teased, holding the door open for her.

"No, but I can ask about yours."

"Emily's good, I think she may be the one."

Diana stopped in the middle of the hallway leading to her office. "John you're such a romantic." John was in the middle of a bitter divorce. His current, and hopefully soon to be ex, wife was a bitch in the truest sense of the word. He'd met and started dating Emily about three months ago. "I'm so jealous," she said.

"What do you have to be jealous about? I've seen lover boy's house and a few of his other cars," John said smiling at Diana, "No one lets a quick piece of ass drive away in a hundred thousand dollar car." He left Diana bug-eyed at her office door as he went out into the warehouse.

Diana spent most of the day with her thoughts never wandering far from Jean Rene, not just the sex, but the man and the day and night they'd spent talking. He'd drilled her until she felt she'd told him every single thing about herself while he remained a mystery. She knew the basics. He was thirty eight years old, both his parents were dead and he had no siblings. He'd recently moved to America but she didn't know the why of the move and didn't know how he made his money. What if he was a drug dealer, or a sex-slave trafficker, or in the French mob? Okay, she'd never heard of the French mob, but that didn't mean there wasn't one. Her wandering mind was put on hold as she reached for her ringing phone. She answered without checking to see who was calling.

"Diana," Jean Rene's voice was like silk on her skin and a soothing balm to her nerves. The panic was washed away and replaced with emotions so strong they were foreign to her.

"I've been thinking about you all day," she said. Her voice was not her own. It was low and seductive. What the hell was wrong with her?

"Good thoughts I hope," he said.

"Always." Diana shook her head to try to clear it. She needed to focus and figure out what attracted her to a man she'd only met twice. It was the same thing that had also made have sex with a virtual stranger, so the need to know was urgent on an almost critical level.

"Diana?" There was a hint of concern in his voice.

"Jean Rene, can I be honest with you?" she asked. There was a long pause on the phone and a silence so complete she looked at the display of her phone to make sure she hadn't lost the call. "Jean Rene?"

"You can always be honest with me Diana," he finally answered.

"You frighten me. What happened between us this morning... All I can think about is how fast I can get back to you and how much I want to be with you, and that's not right." Voodoo was rearing its ugly, she didn't know if the French had voodoo any more than if they had a mob but Cajuns spoke French so the association was there.

"Why not?" His voice was neutral as if he was afraid of saying the wrong thing.

"Because I hardly know you, because a week ago I didn't know you existed. Because my body aches and I like that it does. It's like you've marked me or possessed me and while my common sense tells me I should be panicked at the idea of someone owning me so completely after such a short amount of time there's a different part that says it's perfectly acceptable."

"What part?" he asked. "What part says it is okay to accept me and what I want to give you Diana," he said in a low voice.

Diana chest went tight at the words and she started to breathe faster. The bite on her neck started to ache, a deep throbbing that matched her pulse. "My heart Jean Rene," she said. "My heart says I'm safe with you."

The whole conversation was sounding a little too young love for her. Diana had never been that foolish girl to rush into a relationship, blinded by what ifs and possibilities. And _what_ exactly was he giving her?

"You are safe with me Diana," he finally said. "I have thought about you as well and worried once you were away from me you would change your mind on what is obvious."

Afraid of the words, but powerless to stop herself from asking, she opened her mouth and asked in a low voice, "What is it that you want to give me Jean Rene? What is obvious?"

"I want to give you everything, and the obvious is that we belong together," he answered.

"After one night?"

"Yes"

"You sound certain,"

"I am"

"But for how long Jean Rene? We've only just met. We hardly know each other. How long will you want to offer me everything? How long will you feel that we belong to each other?" The thought was ludicrous and not at the same time. Of course she belonged to him. She had since he'd taken her in bed. Her skin tingled with the need to feel his touch. Her heart almost hurt and her stomach had butterflies when she thought of him.

"Toujours, ma chérie," he said.

"What does that mean Jean Rene?" she asked, her words airy and low.

"Forever."

Jean Rene's wolf didn't like the idea of Diana second guessing his claim. Only an eternity of self control kept the beast below the surface of his skin but didn't do anything about the power of it, and it filled the small space of the car's interior giving the air an electric charge and making the hair on his body stand up. It was this power that all werewolves recognized in an alpha and Alexis sitting next to Jean Rene shifted in his seat before rolling the window down, as if trying to dissipate the strength of the ancient creature. Jean Rene closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths before leaning his head back on the headrest. Behind closed lids he saw brown skin and black curly hair on white linen, another deep breath triggered the smell of passion filled air and the then the memory of the feel of her skin. He thought these things would further aggravate his wolf but it calmed it and the two; man and animal relaxed—some.

The airport wasn't busy. Another plus for living in a state that "city" was under three hundred thousand. There were a few people in business suits with black, hard case carry-ons, but the majority appeared to be people coming home or visiting. They spotted the two they were picking up as soon as they appeared at the top of the stairs next to the security check point.

Gene Hawkins appeared to be a fit fifty but had actually survived an attack three years ago at sixty five. His salt and pepper beard was trimmed low and neat and his snow white hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Faded blue jeans hugged muscular thighs and the rolled up sleeves of his white shirt showcased equally muscular forearms and biceps, His eyebrows were still the darkest of all the hair on his head and face. They were black, bushy and shadowed a pair of deep set ice blue eyes.

Ponce de Leon, who was seventeen, age was a chameleon. He could look as young as eighteen or as old as twenty five depending on how he wore his hair and dressed. Today he looked a solid twenty one. His six foot three frame was slim, but skinny didn't mean weak. He'd been a werewolf for a little over two years and the kid's beast was already as strong as Alexis. His dark brown hair was a respectable length and would have made him look older if he had been in a suit, but his track suit, a little too big, complete with a pair of white sneakers that looked the size of small cars knocked his age back down to legal drinking age. His grey eyes, which sometimes looked blue or green depending on what he was wearing, were framed by thick black lashes and had a spooky transparent look to them.

Both the men were alphas and both were extremely powerful. It made them dangerous and lucky that they'd made it through the last few years without killing someone. Werewolves under five years old could become rogue. The two approached Jean Rene and Alexis; Ponce with a smile on his face, Gene's expression was pleasant enough, but not as trusting as the young man next to him.

"Mr. Laurent, I didn't expect to see you here," Ponce said, switching his bag to free his hand. Jean Rene took the offered hand and couldn't refuse a smile of his own. The boy had been a run away when he was attacked and living on the streets panhandling for money. Even after the hellish home raising and tougher street rearing, the boy had kept a good attitude and a smile. Instead of becoming a bloodthirsty beast, which would have caught the attention of the local Wolfe Hunters, he'd saved the change and dollars people gave him and purchased a length of chain and a lock and chained himself to a tree during his first change, and every one after. He'd taught himself how to control his beast. But there was nothing romantic about being a werewolf and the bite didn't guarantee wealth, two years later he was still homeless, staying at a shelter when Jean Rene passed him on the street. An alpha wolf will know another and the power coming from the boy had stopped him in his tracks. Ponce had actually raised his lip and growled. He'd never been around another alpha and his sudden need to show dominance confused the aggression right out of him. Jean Rene had taken the boy to lunch and explained, and then he'd paid for a room at a motel until he could make permanent arrangements.

"Good to see you Ponce, you have stayed out of trouble I trust."

"Yes sir."

"Hawkins," Jean Rene said turning to his other house mate.

Gene Hawkins had been out hunting when he was attacked. He'd locked himself in the root cellar of his farmhouse located miles from his nearest neighbors. A lifelong bachelor and self proclaimed recluse, Hawkins was perfect candidate for a lone wolf, but that's not how the chips landed for the man. He was more aggressive than Ponce and the first time Jean Rene and Alexis ran across him, it had been a fight for dominance. He was too powerful to be left alone.

"Laurent," Hawkins said. The skin contact raised Hawkins wolf and his grip on Jean Rene's hand tightened, but Gene fought an internal battle with his wolf, pushing it into submission, recognizing Jean Rene as the alpha of the group.

"Excellent," Jean Rene said to Hawkins. Of course he never would have agreed to allow the man on an airplane if he didn't have better control than the day they'd met. Hawkins nodded once and released Jean Rene's hand.

****

Thomas hadn't worn his tuxedo since his brother's, oldest daughter's wedding. It was a classic, had set him back a couple of grand and he hated wearing it. Lillian was in the shower and her dress hung on the back of the door next to his penguin suit. Who the hell had a black-tie dinner on a Monday? Thomas had been to the local alpha's home several times over the last fifteen years and the man was as by-the-book as they came to werewolf etiquette and not once had he asked Thomas to dress up. He had a whole new respect for the man.

The water cut off and moments later Lillian walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel that stopped at the top of her thighs. He almost groaned at the sight of her. She was so breathtaking he almost had to glance at her sideways to dull the sight of her enough in order to breathe. He stood up and went to her and she smiled at him. Her hair was wet and tiny beads of water ran down her shoulder. The scars on her collarbone and shoulder stood out against the rest of her otherwise flawless skin. He ran his finger down the scar on the side of her face and she closed her eyes breathing in deeply. In the beginning, after they'd healed, she'd tried to hide them from him, but Thomas wouldn't stand for it. Each scar, every last one of them, was a reminder of the miracle of life. Her life and their life together. He'd kissed them over and over while she cried and then again with her body lost in pleasure as they made love. He kissed them every day. She'd given him three sons and a daughter. They were strong men any father would be proud of and his single girl was just as badass. Lillian was as strong as any Wolfe man. She kept the endless line of men that came through their home in order and she held no ill feelings towards werewolves and for that he was truly amazed.

"How did I get so lucky," he asked, as his finger lowered from her neck to caress the scar on her shoulder.

"It wasn't luck, my love, but fate that brought us together. We were meant to be," she said opening her eyes. "I love you Thomas...now get in the shower."

Thomas pouted but followed instructions. He knew when he could win with Lillian and he was going to lose this particular battle, but he meant to win the war when they got home tonight.

Thomas walked around the car and opened the door for Lillian. He laid a hand on his chest to double check that he had the photos of the body he viewed last week. He planned on catching the alpha and Jean Rene when the women weren't around.

Jean Rene Laurent's house was hidden in the backwoods of their county. The house was huge. Every door and window was open and every damn light was on in the place but with the money Jean Rene had Thomas guessed the man didn't have to worry about his electric bill. They passed the alpha's car. They were fifteen minutes early but the last to arrive. They walked into the opened front door and Thomas could see everyone out back.

The host of said soiree was speaking to the alpha, Sam Benet, and his wife, Susan. There were three other men in a group to the right of Jean Rene. Thomas knew the tallest was Alexis Broussard. Alfred had sent pictures of him. The other two had to be the wolves Jean Rene mentioned last week. The entire group turned and looked at Thomas and Lillian as they crossed the threshold leaving the house and stepping onto the red tile of the outside area. He and his wife were the only humans there.

"Thomas, Lillian," Susan Benet was the first to break from the group and walk towards them. She was one of the friendliest, most huggin'est people Thomas had ever met. The woman didn't meet a stranger, like maybe she didn't get the memo she was suppose to be a bloodthirsty savage. "It's so good to see you again," she said pulling Lillian into an embrace and kissing her on both cheeks.

"Lillian, you are even more beautiful than I remember," Jean Rene said and kissed her hand. "Please allow me to introduce everyone." The three men standing slightly behind him stepped forward. "This is Alexis Broussard."

Thomas could only imagine how big his wolf was. An average size man's wolf was the size of a large dog; Alexis would be the size of a pony he bet.

"It is very nice to meet you Thomas and Lillian Wolfe." Thomas shook the man's offered hand and watched as he had to bend almost in half to kiss Lillian's

"This is Gene Hawkins," Jean Rene said.

Please to meet you, came out, Please ta meetcha. The southern drawl made Thomas like him a little more—that, and the fact he didn't kiss Lillian's hand.

"And finally, Ponce de Leon." The kid that stepped forward was no older than his middle son from the looks of him. Of course, werewolves didn't age like humans; he could've been as old as thirty.

"Very nice to meet you," he said. His accent was Cajun, a mix between the slow southern drawl of Hawkins and Jean Rene more seductive roll of words.

After introductions were made, the two women were left to talk while the men went to view the moon rooms.

"It was nice of you to invite us to your home for dinner and volunteer a view of your place," Thomas said. The stairs leading down to the underground rooms were wide enough to accommodate them both. They were followed by Alexis and Sam and then Hawkins and Ponce.

"One of the greatest achievements is the understanding between our two peoples. I am glad to show you that I take the safety and well being of human and werewolf life seriously," Jean Rene said as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

No money had been spared in the place. The lights were automatic and came on seconds before they reached them and the bulbs shone bright white. The first room was a wine cellar, but past it were six steel doors. There was a small window covered in thick, wire reinforced Plexiglas in the center of each door and a slot lower on the door big enough to slide a tray through. The inside of each cell was bigger than a prison cell and the entire floor was covered in straw. In the far corner was a hook hanging from the ceiling and lower on the back wall, in the center, was an eyehook with a length of chain made of the thickest links Thomas had ever seen and with a metal collar.

Thomas went over and picked up the collar, "Is this really necessary," he asked thinking his own moon rooms may not be up to par.

"Better safe than sorry."

Jean Rene showed Thomas all the rooms but all were identical to the first. There weren't locks on the door but sliding bar closures at the top, middle and bottom of each.

"I've seen a few moon rooms, but what you've got is pretty impressive," Thomas said. They were all standing at the end of the hall. It was the perfect time to show the pictures. He went to put his hand in his inside pocket and saw Alexis move. He stopped immediately.

"I have some pictures in my pocket I'd like to show you," he said clearing up the misunderstanding.

"Of course," Jean Rene said giving Alexis a stern look that backed the man up... a little.

Thomas opened his jacket wide, allowing Alexis to see him put his hand into the pocket. He took out the pictures and handed them to Sam, who was closest.

"My God," Sam muttered before handing the first picture to Jean Rene.

Thomas waited in silence as the wolves looked at the photos. When the last one was passed back to Sam, he gave them to Thomas.

"I've been hunting werewolves for thirty years and tracking wildlife since I learned to walk. I've never seen anything like this. I was hoping one of you have," he said putting the pictures back in his pocket.

"I've never seen anything like it. When did you find the body," Sam asked.

"Monday last," Thomas said.

"Well, that rules out us."

"I didn't think it was a werewolf. Not only was it not a full moon but the coroner estimated the time of death at noon," Thomas said and looked at Jean Rene. "How about you? Have you seen anything like this before?"

"I have not."

He didn't have to ask the rest because they were shaking their heads. Thomas breathed deep, hoping that maybe he had been wrong and praying to God that it was an animal attack interrupted. He went back upstairs not comforted by the lie one bit. Two more men had joined the party. Dressed in tuxedo like attire but didn't join the rest of them. Servants. Didn't the mega rich just itch his ass? Jean Rene led the way into the dining room giving everyone seating arrangements at the round table. The two women flanked Jean Rene. Thomas sat next to Susan, and Sam sat next to Lillian. Alexis was opposite Jean Rene and the other two men flanked him. The butlers were named James and Jamie, and Thomas was not surprised when the two men began to serve.

"You're quite a legend in Europe Jean Rene," Thomas said as James ladled soup into the bowl in front of him. "Alfred seems to think you are one of, if not the first, werewolf created." There was a huff across from him from Sam and a muttered, "Impossible".

"I'm aware of your cousin's fascination with my history." Jean Rene said placing his napkin in his lap and looking around the table. "Please...enjoy," he said once everyone had been served.

"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you,?" Lillian asked.

She may be human; she may have stayed out of the field, but Lillian was just as much a Wolfe Hunter as he and Thomas was proud as she helped with his little friendly interrogation.

"Old," Jean Rene said taking a sip of his soup.

"Why the secrecy Jean Rene," Sam said in a not too friendly voice. If he was as strong as rumor had it Jean Rene could challenge Sam for the alpha position of the local pack. Sam had been the alpha for thirty years. He was not challenged purely out of respect. There were probably dozens of wolves that could take it from him, but his group was loyal. Jean Rene was not.

"Let me set your mind at ease. I have no desire to be alpha of your pack or any pack for that matter. I am the dominant in this home because our kind says there must be one, but I do not rule over Alexis, Ponce or Hawkins."

"Thank you Jean Rene for your reassurances," Susan said from Thomas's right. "Some of our wolves are worried. Our pack has heard of the stories Thomas mentioned. You're quite the living legend."

"Only because Alfred Wolfe makes it so," Jean Rene said.

"To not answer the question of your age can mean one of two things. Either you are the legend that Europe claims you to be, or you play with us. A game to keep us guessing at your full strength and abilities," Sam said a little heated; his alpha flying high, "If it is the first, every wolf and human need fear you, if the second, none need to trust you."

Thomas had never been in the middle of werewolf politics before, he was thoroughly enjoying himself. He ate his soup with more gusto as he watched the show. He caught Lillian staring at him across the table and her look was all, _do something_ , but he shrugged his shoulders. It was not his fight.

"Sam, not telling one's age is not just a woman's prerogative. Forgive me Jean Rene for bringing up the subject. It was not my intention to ruin a wonderful evening," Lillian said.

"There is no apology needed Lillian," Jean Rene said taking another spoonful of his soup. "I will tell you this. I am as strong as the legend says but it has nothing to do with my age. My wolf is pure."

"Ridiculous," Sam said. "You flee from Europe to escape one rumor, only to arrive in America to start another. It makes no sense."

"You asked your questions and then call Jean Rene a liar when he answers. Are you that frightened, or are your wolves that easily taken from you? Maybe a challenge would not be necessary for them to leave you. You are Alpha, I recognize the power of your beast but my beast is stronger, as well as Ponce de Leon's." Alexis spoke loud enough for Susan to drop her spoon and everyone's head to whip around to look at him.

Thomas looked at Sam to see his reaction and reply. Hell, he'd have to be invited to more of these dinners. It was the most excitement he'd had in months and he didn't even need weapons. Sam's mouth was opening and closing as he tried to come up with a reply.

"I think it's our turn to apologize," Susan said.

"The hell it is," Sam cut in. Even Thomas knew an apology was a sign of weakness. Something any good alpha could hardly afford. He was finished with his soup and began to wonder when the second course would be served. It was like dinner theater, only better.

"Alright, let's all just calm down," Lillian said. It was the voice she used when she was pulling rank at home. Thomas sat back to watch his wife work her own magic. Alexis may be seven feet of muscled menace, but he'd fight him any day over crossing the tiny woman sitting across from him.

"Since pigheadedness seems to affect werewolves the same as human men allow me to quash this right now so that I can get the second course of my meal." The hair that she'd pulled forward to hide the worst of the scars on her face and neck was slung across her shoulder as she turned her head. She may not hide her scars from him, but she was still a little self conscious in the company of strangers. At the moment she looked every bit the warrior he knew she was.

"Samuel Benet, of the Black Warrior Pack, if it's a pissing contest you're after than you should leave. It's petty and beneath the alpha who has a loyal following of over three hundred wolves." She then turned to face Alexis. The man heated gaze didn't get any cooler and Thomas was about to open his mouth to say something when Lillian held her hand up to silence him without even looking at him. Her own gaze had softened but her voice was strong and loud.

"Alexis Broussard, know that I hear and know the truth in the words that your alpha has spoken on this night." Lillian bowed her head to Alexis.

Alexis bowed in return before speaking. "Lillian Wolfe you are a fierce warrior. I look forward to doing battle by your side."

"Until then, let us be friends and battle no more," Lillian answered.

Each had spoken old school words from a time when wolves were hunted by villagers carrying pitch forks and torches. But that wasn't why Thomas's mouth was hanging open. Alexis had recognized your wife as his equal. Alexis was a full two feet taller than his wife.

Jean Rene said from Thomas side, "You are lucky Wolfe to have such a woman."

"Don't I damn know it," Thomas said. He was almost glowing with pride.

# Chapter

# 6

Diana pulled the sports bra over her head and shimmed the tight fabric over her already covered breast. She was not a petite woman and she needed the support of two bras to keep her girls under control when she ran. Not that she'd been doing much running in the last five years. Okay, maybe since sixth grade. She finally got the strip of tight stretchy material positioned over the first layer. She grabbed the socks that were at the end of her bed, her running shoes off the floor, and headed for the front of the house telling herself Jean Rene was not the reason she was suddenly worried about the extra weight she'd gain since high school. Sitting at the kitchen table, she put on her socks and shoes and grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge. About two years ago she'd joined a gym, gone for about three months and never again. She'd set up the rest of the nine months payment to be automatically withdrawn from her account and signed up for paperless billing so she wouldn't feel shamed when she opened her mailbox and saw the statement. Locking the door and sticking the house key in the tiny pocket inside the spandex, calf length workout pants, she did about five seconds of stretching. Her hand slid over the length of the black car parked on the street in front of her house and she almost turned around to go back in her house to call Jean Rene. She gave herself a pat on her back for not.

Ten years ago the city had built a track in the abandoned field down the street from her house. Other than the local little league football team no one used it. It seemed to be a waste of money but hey, who was she to say how the city spent her tax dollars. It was dark by the time she reached the track but tax dollars had also paid for stadium lighting that stayed on until eight. She had two hours, not that she planned on staying that long. The first lap was walking, the second speed walking and the third was running. She ran half the track before she thought she was going to pass out from lack of oxygen; maybe less than half. Refusing to give up Diana walked the rest of the track and decided she'd reward herself with a bag of chips and a soda from the store that was on the other side of the field. She could walk to the end of the track and exit through the gate or she could take a shortcut through a break in the trees. She decided to take the shortcut. She'd had all the exercise she could stand.

She was halfway through the shortcut when she heard the sound behind her. Every horror movie moment she could think of flashed before her. The path between the field and the parking lot of the store was not long, for a matter of fact she could see the back of the building from where she stood. The problem was the back of the building was deserted and dark. Diana swallowed her heart, or at least tried to, and took a deep breath around it. She hadn't heard the noise again in the few seconds she'd stood there and decided that maybe she wasn't as tired as she thought she was. Legs that were seconds ago rubbery felt strong and the stitch in her side vanished. She'd raised her foot to take off running full speed but was grabbed from behind before taking her first step.

Diana opened her mouth to scream but it was cut off by a hand around her throat. If it could get worse it did when she felt herself being dragged off the well worn path deeper into the cover of the bushes and trees. She could no longer see the path by the time she and her attacker stopped. Breath that smelled of rotten meat made her gag and she tried to breathe out of her mouth. The arm around her waist and the hand around her throat dug in her skin as she flailed about as she tried to escape. She'd never taken a self defense class in her life but she was strong. Strong from years of manual labor; she hadn't always worked in a nice air conditioned office, before than she'd worked at a lumber mill. She'd lost a lot of that old strength but not all. The size of the person behind her told her it was either a man or a very tall woman. The sound of her attacker breathing hard as she fought like a wildcat gave Diana renewed strength.

The person had remained silent since grabbing her but Diana doubted whatever he or she had to say was anything she wanted to hear anyway. She was even kind of glad that her attacker was not a movie bad guy that tells you every move before they made it. Weakening from her struggle, her attacker kicked the back of her knee sending them both to the ground. Fresh panic washed over her as she was forced down on her stomach and the press of an erection against her lower back answered the question of male or female. Diana's vision was filled with a large double-edged knife.

"Scream and I'll cut your throat," the man said from behind her. "Be still or I'll take your eye."

Diana stopped moving. The hand around her throat released her and pin her head to the ground by the back of her neck. She felt the metal of the knife run down her exposed lower back. Her attacker was grinding his erection into her when she heard the first low growl that made her think of Jean Rene. Joy like she'd never known filled her completely. Her attacker, unfortunately or fortunately, hadn't heard a thing. Diana would have released a breath of relief except it wasn't her new lover. A large black dog that was stalking closer to the spot she was currently being assaulted. The low growl coming from the dog's throat finally got the attention of the man on her back. As he got closer his lips curled back from teeth larger than any domesticated dog Diana had ever seen, and she begin to wonder if maybe the creature in front of her wasn't a dog at all...maybe, it was a wolf. And didn't that just make things better?

Diana's attacker was now as still as she was, and she had the overwhelming urge to say something smart, but for the life of her nothing came to mind as she watched the wolf move closer. The animal's body lowered to the ground. Her attacker's knife was no longer in sight, and she wondered if he was brave enough to be waiting for the wolf to get close enough to cut him. The safety of the wolf should have been the last thing on her mind, but the animal hadn't taken his eyes off the attacker since he'd shown up. Diana knew, without doubt, that he meant to help, not harm her. Crazy, she knew, but after the last twenty four hours what was another dose of crazy. The second growl was louder, she could feel her bones vibrate from it.

"Maybe you should back up slowly, he doesn't seem to be going away," Diana said.

The hand on the back of her neck was not holding her down; she could barely feel the weight of it. Her attacker was paying just as much attention to the wolf as it was to him. She half expected for him to yell, "shoo, get out of here," which is what she would have done, but her attacker stayed quiet. Her legs were still spread wide around his thighs, her arms were pinned beneath her chest but she could move them and she spread them out a little so she could push up from the ground at the first opportunity. The wolf looked at her, and with him distracted the attacker put the hand that her body had hidden from the animal up and around, and sure as shit, she caught the flash of metal in his hand. She had enough time to yell but it was all for naught. The wolf latched on to her attacker's arm and started shaking it back and forth, growling and snarling. She heard the snap as the bones in his forearm only because they were damn near on top of her. Her attacker started screaming the second the wolf bit him. The wolf dragged the man off Diana and common sense said run, but instead she looked for the knife to make sure the man didn't have it. She found it half covered next to her knees and looked up in time to see the wolf go for the man's throat. Either the man was paralyzed with fear, or he had fainted, because he wasn't moving at all.

"No, stop!" she yelled. There was no reason for her to stop the wolf other than she had no desire to see a man's throat torn out in front of her. She also had no reason to believe that a damn wild animal would listen to her, but he did. He looked at her and then back at the unconscious man, he threw his head back and howled at the injustice of the denial of a much wanted kill. The wolf turned and walked very slowly to Diana, his head low, tail wagging, and making low nonthreatening noises. He wasn't fooling Diana, she'd seen him at his full height, and knew he was the biggest damn wolf or dog she'd ever seen. The wolf stopped in front of her just out of her reach, lying in the dirt and dried leaves in front of her, whimpering. She was still holding the knife, clutching it to her chest; she lowered her hand, hiding the knife from sight. The wolf kind of scooted forward on all fours, his tail beating the ground.

"Don't bite me," Diana said holding her hand out. She didn't touch him, just lowered her hand to the ground in front of its face. The wolf didn't sniff her hand, he was up in a flash and before she could even think about the knife that she still held in her hand, he was licking her face and neck.

"Good boy," Diana cooed, because what else did you say to an animal that saved you from an attack, and showed you this much love? She ran her hands through his thick coat that was wiry and soft at the same time. She could feel the strength of the animal beneath his coat, and knew he could take her down within seconds. He had, after all, just pulled a full grown man ten feet.

When he'd finished licking her she ran her hands through the fur around his neck. She knew some people had wolves as pets but there was no collar to be found, but it was obvious that this was not a wild animal. She stood up slowly with the animal circling her legs, and leaning his big body against hers almost knocking her down. She brushed the leaves from the front of her body, and looked at the still unconscious man. Even with the wolf there she was too afraid to go near him.

"Stay," she said and the wolf sat down. Definitely someone's pet, she thought as she went back to the path and ran the short length of the store and asked to use the phone.

Blue and red lights lit the back parking lot of the neighborhood corner store. As it happened, the store did have back lightening, but the owner didn't turn them on to save on the electric bill. Fucker.

Not that it would have offered much help in Diana's case, since no one was in the back of the store to see what happened. Diana had been surprised at the calm she'd shown when entering the store. She'd grown up in the neighborhood, but these were not the people of her childhood who stared at her when she entered, like she didn't belong. She explained what happened and took a gang of young men who volunteered to stand watch over the attacker. When she and the six men ranging from mid-teens to early twenties reached the man he was coming around. The wolf that had come to her aid was nowhere to be seen. The ambulance arrived minutes after the police, and Diana told them that the man's arm had been broken. He was fully awake by the time they had him on the gurney.

Chills went down Diana's spine as she looked at the man who was moments away from raping her. The scariest part for Diana was how normal he looked. It was a man she would have smiled at if she passed him on the street. Hell, for all she knew, she had. He kept his eyes downcast and didn't talk to anyone, not the police, or either of the EMT's working on his arm. They closed the back door of the ambulance and drove off with Diana looking at the man through the large double windows in back. Thirty minutes ago he was prepared to cut her eye out, slit her throat and rape her, but now he couldn't look her in the eye.

"Would you like a ride home Ms. Ward?" the officer asked.

The one standing next to her was young. His partner was older. She wondered if they did that on purpose. "No, thank you."

"You're sure? You've experienced a pretty traumatic assault," he said.

"If I don't walk home I'll probably never come out of my house again," she said. "I've fallen off the horse, now I'm getting back in the saddle."

"Good for you Ms. Ward," he said and smiled at her making him at least five years younger. "Here's my card. If you have any questions about your case you can call me."

"Thank you," she said putting the card in the same pocket that held her house key. "I think I'll head home."

Diana made her way through the crowd that had been drawn by the police lights. She looked both ways before she crossed the street, and left the madness behind her. She was twenty or so steps in before she realized just how dark the street leading to her house was, and all of a sudden getting back in the saddle seemed pretty stupid. She'd turned to walk back in hopes of catching a ride home after all when the wolf came from behind the house to the right of her. She dropped to her knees as he approached.

He nudged her under her chin with his muzzle as she scratched behind his ears again. She'd wondered if he'd gone back home but now that he was there again she wondered if the owner wasn't one of those people who took their unwanted animals to a different neighborhood and dropped them off. Seemed the very definition of irresponsible for some jackass to drop off a wolf in a residential neighborhood, but he'd only shown aggression to the one person who deserved it.

"Come on boy. Let's go home," she stood up, and he walked beside her. He was tall enough for her hand to brush along the length of his back as they made their way down the dark road. When she entered into the cul-de-sac of her neighborhood tension she didn't even know she was holding in her back and neck disappeared. Even with the safely of wolf, she was happy to see her house and couldn't wait to get inside and lock the doors.

The wolf came inside like it was his house and plopped down in front of her couch like it was his favorite spot. "Make yourself at home," Diana said.

She went to her phone, and dialed Jean Rene's number on autopilot. It rung three times before she remembered he was busy for the rest of the week. If that wasn't enough of the reason to hang up the phone, the realization that the first person she wanted to talk to, the person she'd called to seek comfort from, was a man she was strangely, strongly attached to after just on date. Her hand went to the bite, and she was lowering the phone when she heard his voice on the other end.

"Hello Diana, are you there?"

"I'm sorry." She was going to apologize for interrupting whatever it was he was doing, but the adrenaline or shock or whatever it was that had kept her together had worn off and she was suddenly crying. Not a full body shaking cry, but a hot rush of tears that came through in her voice. "I know you're busy. I forgot," she tried again.

"What has happened Diana," Jean Rene said, as the wolf came and rubbed his head under her hand forcing her to pet him. She sat down on the floor with her back against the wall, and the big animal curled up between her legs, he laid his head across her thigh so she had easy access to his head.

"Diana, Ma Lune, please, tell me," he said. He accent so thick she could hardly make out his words.

"I went for a run and on my way back I was attacked, but I'm fine, because a black wolf saved me, and then he followed me home, and I know you said you were busy, but do you think I can come see you?" She blurted, her voice hitching every other word or so, regardless of how hard she tried to rein in the tears. She sounded a lot like a two year old, and under ordinary circumstances, she would have given a damn, right now, she just wanted to be held, and not by just anyone.

"Of course, I can come right now."

"No, I'll come to you. I need to bring you your car anyway," she said, still hiccupping her words, a few sniffles added for dramatic effect. She cradled the phone between her shoulder and ear to wipe at her face, while the other continued to rub the wolf. "Can I bring my wolf?"

"Yes, of course. I'll see you soon."

"Alright, bye." Diana hung up the phone and felt a little better already. The reason didn't escape her, she just chose to ignore it. She stroked the wolf, he licked her hand and damned if that didn't make her feel better too. "Come on, boy," she said standing up. She wasn't even going to take the time to change clothes. She couldn't wait that long.

The dinner had just ended and he'd been outside seeing Thomas and Lillian off when he heard the phone ring. The original plan was to get the staff, Hawkins and Ponce settled before bringing Diana over to meet everyone, but he'd already decided to call her before dinner was over. When the phone rang it took everything in him not to run to it in hopes that it was her. As soon as she spoke the first words his wolf stood up. Now his wolf circled in aggravation, his beast raising goose-bumps on his skin, so angered at the thought of harm coming to the woman he'd already claimed, regardless of bite or the indecisiveness of the man it lived within.

Jean Rene hung up the phone as Alexis, Hawkins and Ponce came into the room.

"What's happened Jean Rene," Alexis asked.

"Diana is coming. She was attached and was saved by a wolf." Ponce and Hawkins looks of wonderment were identical. "She'll be bringing it here."

"This should be interesting," Ponce said and took a step back at the look Alexis gave him.

"Why would you give her permission to bring the animal here?" Alexis asked.

Natural wolves and werewolves were not automatically friends. A meeting with a natural wolf could go a lot of different ways. He may be frightened and run away, or he may be possessive and not allow anyone near Diana, or aggressive and challenged one or all of them.

"Because he kept her safe and is keeping her calm," Jean Rene answered. "We'll meet them outside and go from there." Jean Rene said.

"Damn, I don't want to fight a wolf tonight. I just got here," Ponce said turning to leave the room.

"You really know how to welcome a man," Hawkins said laughing.

"America has certainly been full of surprises," Alexis said before leaving.

Thirty minutes later the four of them was outside after the lights of the car lit the front room they were sitting in. Diana got out of the car and came to him before letting the wolf out of the car. He held his arms open and she hugged him tightly around his waist.

"Are you okay ?" he asked, his nose and lips buried in the top of her head.

"I am now." She gave him a quick squeeze before letting him go. "Thanks for letting me visit. I know you said you were busy this week but I wanted to see you. You can drop me off at home."

"What?" Jean Rene was trying to figure out how to get her to stay...indefinitely.

"I feel a lot better, driving always relaxes me," she said. She may have felt a lot better but Jean Rene doubted if she'd looked in a mirror. There were leaves and bits of twig in her hair, the front of her clothes were dusty, and there was dirt on the left side of her face and dark bruising around her throat.

"You'll stay here the night," he said his tone said the sentence was more a command than a request.

"I'm not interfering with your work am I," she asked, and while she may have just said she was ready to go home, he could see tension leaving her body as she got use to the idea of not being alone.

"Nothing comes before you," he said picking some of the debris from her hair. "Ma lune Tu es mon tout," he whispered.

"What does it mean, mon lune?" she asked laying her head on his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her, breathing in the smell of the dirt she'd lain in, and that of the man that lay on top of her.

"It means, my moon," he said holding her tighter, his wolf resting easier now that she was with them.

"Are you going to introduce me?" she asked. Turning her head, but snuggling back into his chest to look at the two newcomers. She so easily forgot the fears that she had just this morning and Jean Rene was joyous that she sought him out to comfort her.

"Gene Hawkins and Ponce de Leon," he said. "I'm sure you remember Alexis Broussard," he added.

"Mr. Broussard," she said pulling away from Jean Rene. "How are you this evening?"

"Very well, thank you Ms. Ward, Jean Rene told us what happened. Are you sure you're well?"

It seemed that their confrontational first meeting had been filed under bygone. She was glad, the last thing she needed was to be bullied by him. He was still full of that quiet menace, but as long as it wasn't aimed at her, she was willing to forgive and forget.

"Yes, shaken but fine." She turned to the two new men. "Mr. Hawkins," she held out her hand.

"Please ma'am, just Hawkins. I'm old, but every time I hear Mr. Hawkins I look behind me looking for my long gone father," he said.

"Only if you call me Diana," she said. He dipped his head and she turned to the last in the group. "Mr. de Leon?" she said extending her hand.

"Ponce is fine," he answered shaking her hand.

"Cool accent, it's almost as nice as Jean Rene's," she winked at him before turning back to Jean Rene. "Would you like to meet my wolf?" She missed the look the three men behind her gave each other and Ponce mouthing, "her wolf?"

"Of course," Jean Rene said.

She kissed him lightly on the lips and left the four men. She opened the car and the large black wolf leaped out, landing gracefully at her feet. He followed close to her side as she approached them. Diana put her arms around Jean Rene, refusing to ignore the need to touch him. She'd come here to be comforted and that's exactly what she was going to do. She'd worry about the why tomorrow. There was something just...right, about the two of them.

Starting with Jean Rene the wolf went down the line of men smelling each of them. No one petted him, and he didn't growl or make a sound. He returned to Diana and lay between her and Jean Rene. She dropped to her knees and actually hugged the damn thing."I think he likes you," she said. "Or at least he doesn't dislike you."

"Do you think it's someone's pet?" Ponce asked, coming over and kneeling in front of the animal. He held his hand out low and the wolf sniffed it. When the boy reached out to pet him, he didn't eat his hand off.

"He had to be, right," Diana said.

"Perhaps," Alexis said, she missed the look between Alexis and Jean Rene.

Twenty minutes later Diana was fresh out of the shower and wearing a pair of Jean Rene's pajamas. The wolf, so far, had refused to leave her side, including when she went to the bathroom to shower. He waited next to the tub until she got in the shower and then relocated to the front of the shower when she closed the glass door, and was now lying at the bottom of the bed.

"He is taking his job very seriously," Jean Rene said leaning against the wall. Diana got the impression the wolf was tolerating the other men. She had no idea why, it was just a feeling.

Diana drew her legs up on the bed and patted the spot in front of her. The wolf jumped up without hesitation. Well weren't they just making themselves at home? He licked her face and laid his head on her shoulder.

"I'll be jealous if you keep that up," Jean Rene said smiling. Wolf didn't take kindly to the words as the growl in his throat vibrated throughout his body.

"Quiet wolf," Diana said pushing the animal off the bed. "Bad wolf."

Jean Rene crossed the room slowly and sat down on the bed in the spot just vacated. The animal watched him, stared a moment after he sat down, then placed his head on his front paws and closed his eyes. He wasn't fooling anyone in the room. He was awake and alert.

"Are you ready to tell me the unabridged version now?" Jean Rene asked pulling her hands into his, holding them lightly and running his thumbs across her knuckles.

"The short and sweet covered pretty much everything," she said. "I'm fine. I just didn't feel like being alone tonight. Thanks for letting me crash here tonight."

"I assure you, the pleasure is all mine," he said the corner of his mouth lifting in a smile she was growing to love. And even though the underlying meaning of the words and memory of what had happen in the very room early made her blush, she smiled back at him.

Diana lay back against the headboard. "I guess we should finish our conversation from earlier," she said with a sigh. Jean Rene nodded, just once, to let her start. She guessed it was only fair, since she was the one having issues.

"I met you once, agreed to a date and ended up having sex with you. None of that is the problem. We're adults, you're almost forty and I'm almost thirty, so it's not like we're two kids. I'm old enough not to believe in love at first sight and soul-mates."

"Why?" Jean Rene interrupted.

"I think that all unmarried women older than twenty-five realized that there's no such thing as happily-ever-after. Sure, you may meet that special someone, and you may even marry him, but the idea that life, married life, is some wonderful, magical, trouble free and eternal union goes away. It's like believing in Santa Clause. When you're young you believe in him, but one day you find out he's not real. Do you feel cheated? Are you angry? Maybe, but eventually you move on. You still celebrate and enjoy Christmas; it's just lost some of its...shine."

Jean Rene was nodding in understanding but he looked a little sad. She had a feeling he was sad for her. "I see."

"What?" she said sitting up.

"Well that was an excellent analogy, but I think you have missed the mark."

"What do you mean?"

"With or without Santa, Christmas still means something. Love is the same way. It is wonderful and magical and for those that believe and when done right, happily ever after is certain," he said.

"Is that a French thing?" Diana asked furrowing her brow.

Jean Rene laughed, "No, not a French thing Mon Lune."

"You can't be real," Diana said looking at the man in front of her, her heart beating a little too fast, her breath a little too unsteady.

"And why not?"

"Because fairy-tales aren't real Jean and what you're saying, the way you're acting...is like every story little girls read growing up, and the romance novels they turn to when the girl becomes a woman."

"I can be the knight in shining armor but I can also be something much darker. I am not perfect and accept that. Santa or no, Christ or no, people love Christmas. Snow White first escaped being murdered, only to be poisoned by her step mother. Sleeping Beauty was be-spelled and her kingdom almost destroyed. Cinderella treated like a slave in her own home. All experienced bad before good," he said.

Diana looked at the man sitting next to her and was mystified. She wouldn't have believed a conversation like this could have occurred anywhere short a romance novel. "So where does that leave us?"

"Only you know that Diana."

It would be easier to think if he stopped saying her name. Every time he did, a little piece of her was lost to him, and the fact that she was okay with it, more than okay, wasn't doing much for her steely reserve. It wasn't that she didn't want to see where things would go with them; it was just that things were moving awfully fast.

"What do you want from me Jean Rene?" she asked in a low voice, looking at their joined hands. There was a part of her that was on board with everything he was saying and offering her. It had nothing to do with his old world charm, or French accent and overall exoticness, it was something deeper. Something that had made itself known the first time they'd met, the part that wanted to touch him while they stood in the bathroom looking at the bare patch of flooring.

"You, only you Diana," he said.

"It doesn't make sense," she said taking her hands from his and laying them in her lap, hoping that lack of physical contact would...dilute the feeling of euphoria.

"Love seldom does Mon Lune."

The words stole her breath but she found enough to say, "You make it sound so easy."

"And you make it sound so hard."

She looked at Jean Rene, sitting so close and yet so far away. He was completely relaxed as she struggled to make sense of the situation, and a decision. He looked prepared to sit there all night if need be.

"You know, you won't win every fight," she finally said. The smile was like waves breaking or the sun rising. He was so beautiful it was almost painful.

"This was not a fight Mon Lune, only me helping you make the right decision," he said. "Now that we have that all taking care of, I need to speak to Alexis before coming to bed." He kissed her eyelids, her cheeks and then her mouth, just a brush of their lips, a whispered promise of things to come when he returned. "I'll be right back."

She watched him leave the room, then down at wolf, whose head was up. He was looking at her. "He's a little bit pushy," she said to the animal. There was a low rumble and then a short bark. Agreement? She thought so.

# Chapter

# 7

Maximus jumped from the tree landing on the ground without making a sound. The open doors and windows carried the conversation of the two to his hiding place. He'd followed his mark across the country; unable to get any of the crimes he'd committed to stick to the lone wolf. The man now had a mate and three other wolves that shared a house with him, not to mention servants. A plan was forming as he made his way back to the house that was little more than a shack. Maximus didn't need a key, he left the house open. There was nothing of value inside. Stripping off his clothes he stepped in the shower and let the cold water run over his body to cool it. The summer months were hot and the nights were no better than the day light hours. He soaped his body and didn't worry with drying off. He laid down on the pillows he'd paid the hotel worker a hundred dollars for and thought back on the house he'd just left.

He'd been raised in a single room cell, a mat of straw as a bed and a bucket for a bathroom. Showers were pails of water brought in only after he'd dirtied himself during a kill or after the experiments Master had done on him. Then it had all changed. The first daylight outing had been filled with terror. Being so openly exposed, he was use to hiding and stalking with the cover of night and shadows to protect him, but his master was right by his side. The second time was better, and by the time he was ready to make the solo trip to a new country panic no longer gripped him. He was still not comfortable around people but he'd built up a tolerance of sorts. It didn't make it any harder to kill. Humans viewed his preferred shape as a monster, he viewed them as things—prey. In the end Master's visits no longer brought pain and punishment, but a strange companionship between slave and owner until he was sent out into the world, given a task that only he could do. Maximus had been proud, to have so much trust put in him. He wanted to please the man who raised him. Tonight he'd seen that not all masters treated their slaves as savagely as his own. The other men in the house walked about freely. They didn't go to one room cells but to bedrooms that had attached bathrooms and had clothes that were clean and fit. Maximus had been left naked until he was a teenager, and the clothes he had been given were always used, and then worn until they literally fell from his body before being replaced. Maybe it didn't have to be that way. Maybe he could be free. The thought stopped Beast. Man and Beast cocked their heads as they pondered. Free.

He was powerful, of this he knew and the yoke of slavery had loosened in the time he'd been away from his master, and the seed began to take root as he burrowed deeper in the pillows, letting the cool cloth and softness offer him comfort in a way he'd never known in his old home. The man soon slept, but Beast lay awake. No animal liked being caged, no matter how tamed.

Brooks called Thomas to view the latest victim at the crime scene to see if he could track whatever was out there mutilation the shit out of people in the surrounding woods. Thomas knew it was bad when he passed an officer and the police photographer a ways back throwing up in the bushes. This body was days old, and after sitting out in the hot sun for God knows how long, the flies were almost as bad as the stench. Brooks was standing over the body, next to the county coroner, who was periodically fanning the body, stirring a thick cloud of flies away for only a second before they returned to feast. Thomas stopped on the opposite side of the body. He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and pressed it to his nose and hunkered down to get a closer look.

The face was intact, but this time the chest was destroyed. The poor son of a bitch had been filleted. His chest cavity lay open, but there was no surgical precision or instruments used. It looked like the man's chest had been ripped open. He could see through the exposed ribcage and saw the lungs and heart was missing.

"What the fuck," he said to himself.

"That's what I said,' Brooks said through his blue handkerchief, in blue, Thomas's was red. The coroner had on a handy-dandy disposal face mask.

Thomas pulled out a pair of latex gloves; the sound of each snapping in place was like a gunshot on the near silent area. The absence of sound was almost as disturbing as the body. "May I," he asked looking at the sheriff and coroner.

"Sure," Brooks said.

Using one finger, Thomas lifted a flap of skin. "It looks like the chest was just...torn, down the middle.

"I agree," the coroner said.

Thomas leaned in closer, his face within inches of the rancid body, his brow creased, his mouth pulled down. He said shifted slightly to get a better look at the neck. He stood up as his stomach did a dangerous roll of its own. Thomas looked at his friend, but the man was staring down at the body. Like his brain could not quite process what his eyes were seeing.

"Do we know if he's local?" Thomas asked.

"I don't recognize him, and neither do any of the other guys that have been out here. No campsite found yet, but his clothes, from what I can see, don't say homeless," Brooks answered.

"I'll walked around, see what I can find. I'll drive over to your office or give you a call if I come across anything," he said.

"Thanks," Brooks said without raising his head.

There were really only three choices, a wolf, a bear, or a mountain lion. Problem was—there were no bear, or mountain lion in the area and the damage he'd just seen sure as shit wasn't a wolf, supernatural or not. Thomas was going to have to ask Brooks why he hadn't called in someone with more experience. The county deputies their own kind of butchering with the damn crime scene. They just weren't equipped to handle this kind of case. For God sakes, the CSI team was made up of: an amateur photographer trying to make extra money to make ends meet.

Thomas followed the vic's tracks to the point he entered the woods. A ways down the road he spotted a car. Thomas walked over to the burgundy Thunderbird and checked the date on the neon green sticker on the passenger side window, already knowing the car had to have been parked on the side of the freeway for at least two days if it'd been tagged for towing. The doors were locked, so all he could do was look through the windows of the car. Brooks's crew may have been incompetent, but Thomas was pretty sure Brooks would have checked the vic's pockets, or at least instructed someone else to, so the ID was probably in the car. Thomas walked in the direction of the exit, checking the area, picking up the story of what happened.. When he got back to the crime scene, yellow tape had been put up around where the body had been, but the body and everyone else had cleared out. He went back to his truck and called Brooks.

Brooks's tiny sheriff's office was located on the first floor in the back of the local jail. The building was fairly new and was considered an upgrade, but Thomas knew Brooks preferred the old building the department had occupied. It was still standing across the street with a group of four other buildings that had been deemed historical, which for some reason meant unusable. It didn't make sense to Thomas, but his opinion didn't matter. Brooks was sitting behind his desk looking through a file. His office was all: desk, two chairs and file cabinets. The desk had stacks of papers and files all over it, a lot of them sporting coffee cup rings. Thomas wondered how anyone could work in all that clutter. But it wasn't his office, and he wasn't Brooks's wife or mother, so he kept that opinion to himself as well. Thomas sat down in the only other chair in the room, his knees almost touching the front of the desk. The room wasn't built with six foot five men in mind.

"I found a car about three miles from the body. I'm guessing it's the vic's. The car's tagged for towing, so you'll need to call Larry and tell him to bring it out back. The doors were locked, so I couldn't look for ID."

"So the vic had some car problems, maybe ran out of gas, was heading to the exit down the road, and was attacked?" Brooks said filling in the obvious, and leaning over to put his face in his hands. He looked tired and old beyond his years. What was happening was really getting to him. Before the first body, the only deaths were natural or accidents in their small town, or maybe someone dying of exposure from getting lost in the woods, but that hadn't happened in like, twenty years.

"Yeah, the exit is only about five miles down the road. But that would mean the guy would have known about it. But whether he knew about it or not, for some reason he left the side of the highway and entered the woods. My guess is to take a piss. I found a single set of footprints leading into the woods, enough to give a man some privacy from passing cars. Then a second pair of tracks joined the fun," Thomas said.

Brooks head snapped up, "So it was human that did...that?" he asked.

Thomas nodded slowly, "I think so."

"What the hell Thomas? What man has enough strength to tear through another man's chest? Who could stomach what we just saw?"

Brooks was small town, hadn't been out of the state in his life. Thomas didn't hold it against his friend. There were plenty of men that could stomach it, but only one type of man strong enough to do it.

Thomas was standing in front of Jean Rene Laurent's home, waiting on someone to answer the door, when the biggest damn wolf he'd ever seen came out from around the side of the house. He had his gun out and was pointing it at the damn thing faster than Quick Draw McGraw. He didn't seem aggressive, and as long as it didn't make a move, Thomas was willing to let it live. The wolf sat down at the corner of the house, staring at him. His tail wasn't waging, but he wasn't growling or anything. He also didn't run away, nor was it acting submissive enough for Thomas to feel comfortable enough to put away his gun.

When the door opened he heard a gasp that he knew was made by a woman, he sure as shit wasn't going to take his eyes off the inky black wolf to confirm. She shocked the shit out of him by stepping out of the house behind him.

"Wolf...inside," she said in a stern voice, and the animal went into the open door next to it.

Thomas put his gun up and turned to look at the obvious owner. The little woman was maybe an inch or so taller than his own wife. Her wavy hair in kinky corkscrew curls that could have only been natural and she wore it in a high messy bun on the top of her head. She had on a bright yellow sundress that straps were thin enough that he could see her bra straps. The yellow was nice against her coco colored skin. She was what his mama called "country thick," but most women would have thought of as fat. Her extra weigh didn't fool Thomas, she looked soft, the way all women did, but that was just testament of her skin, she was solid, and he'd bet there was strength under all that smooth skin.

"I'm Thomas Wolfe. Is Jean Rene Laurent here?" he asked.

The wolf walked up behind the woman and stopped at her legs. She reached down and started stroking the animals head. "I'm Diana Ward, and yes, he is. I'll get him for you."

She escorted him in the place like she owned it and Thomas wondered who she was and why Jean Rene hadn't reported he was having yet another werewolf join his merry band of misfits.

"Please have a seat," she said pointing to the couch. She didn't have to go far. The man of the house was walking down the hall. She met him halfway and Thomas watched as the Frenchman pulled the woman into his arms and kissed her lightly on her eyelids and then cheeks. He said a few low words that Thomas couldn't pick up and the woman and wolf left the two of them.

"You work fast Jean Rene," Thomas said. He had to hand it to the guy; he was good looking in a way that even men noticed it, not to mention filthy fucking rich. "Or did you already know her."

"Diana is new," Jean Rene said and Thomas didn't miss the look on the man's face. If he wasn't mistaking, the woman was more than a passing fling.

"Your mate?" he asked.

Jean Rene didn't answer, instead walked over and the two of them sat down. "It's...complicated," he said once they were seated. "Would you like anything to drink or eat?"

"No, thank you. Is she a local wolf or did you bring her in?" Thomas asked.

"She's local but not a wolf," Jean Rene said taking Thomas by surprise. "And she doesn't know about our kind."

Thomas looked at the man sitting across from him dumbfounded, as he tried to process that last piece of information. After several false starts he final got a sentence out. "You've mated with a human woman before telling her what you are?" Ridiculousness.

"Believe me Thomas, it was as surprising to me, as it is to you," Jean Rene said. And he'd be damn if the Frenchman didn't look baffled. Thomas laughed. Long and hard. He had tears streaming down his eyes and by the time he'd stopped, his sides hurt. Jean Rene sat across from him with a grin of his own.

"I'm sorry, that's just so...so...fucked up," he said between chuckles. "What are you going to do?"

Jean Rene allowed the Thomas to get control of himself before speaking. "Did you come all this way to question me on my private life, or is there something I can do for you Thomas?" He leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs at the knee. Thomas wasn't a knee crossing kind of man. A—he was too big, and b—it was a little too feminine for his taste, he was ankle, knee all the way.

Thomas handed Jean Rene his phone that had a photo of the latest body already displayed. "I was called in this morning after a couple of kids came across that body. Sherriff thought it was an animal attack, but it's not."

Jean Rene held the phone to the side and Thomas knew he was enlarging the photo. He let the man study it without interrupting. Thomas watched through the glass walls as the woman came out of what he assumed was a bedroom with an arm full of toys and the wolf hot on her heels. A second before she entered the great room Jean Rene put the phone down and stood up.

"Mon Lune," he said as he turned to face her. Oh man, he had it bad.

The woman had but on a pair of flip flops and Thomas noticed the bite on the side of her neck. Sometimes it was just way too much information in the mark. The bite was fresh which meant the couple had recently had sex. It was worst that a damn hickey, at least those faded. But the mated werewolves all had them and the women wore it like a badge of honor. Diana may not be a werewolf but she didn't seem to mind getting bit. To each his own was all Thomas had to say to that. He couldn't get down with drawing blood during sex. No matter how good it was.

"We're going out for a bit," Diana said and she was just as bad as Jean Rene. They were like a couple of school kids. Thomas imagined that's what he and Lillian looked like most of the time.

"Will you be going far?" Jean Rene asked.

"Just the front yard, but if I go further I'll let you know," she stood looking at him, a look of uncertainty on her face, until Jean Rene held out his arms. A smile that showed every tooth in her head appeared, like the sun coming from behind rain clouds. Thomas looked away as she stepped into Jean Rene's embrace, it was too intimate for him to keep looking and not feel awkward.

"Be careful Mon Lune."

"It's just the front yard, and besides, wolf will be with me," she said.

Thomas knew Jean Rene was thinking about the photo on the phone. It was miles away but whatever had done the damage could just as easily be lurking in the bushes right outside his home.

"I know."

"It was nice to meet your Mr. Wolfe," Diana said drawing his attention back to the couple.

"Thomas, please, and it was nice to meet you too." He watched the woman leave and only when the door was closed did Jean Rene sit and take the phone. He handed it to Thomas.

"Why do you show me this?" Jean Rene asked, sitting back in his chair, crossing his legs again, his fingers laced with two steepled fingers in front of his mouth.

"We've never had anything like this happen before. I patrol some three hundred wolfs and never have I seen such...savagery."

"Yes, it is," Jean Rene agreed and went silent, waiting on Thomas.

"Since you're arrival I've had two attacks, both on a level of violence that has never been seen."

"So you have said."

"Is it true? What Alfred says about you," Thomas asked. His gut said Jean Rene hadn't killed those men, but he had a job to do. If he was what his cousin claimed, and he was the oldest, then maybe, he was also stronger. Werewolves, even in human form were stronger than humans and capable of the carnage.

He didn't answer the question, instead he said, "Have you spoken to Sam?"

"Not yet, I'm headed there next," Thomas tucked the phone back into his pocket. "I'm going to ask Sam if he could help me try to track this thing. Maybe ask Brooks, our sheriff, about bringing backup to the next crime scene to see if a scent can be picked up."

"You sound as if another attack is certain."

"Expect the best, prepare for the worst," Thomas said. "Two murders within a week is two too many. The crime scenes weren't that far apart. If it was a wanderer he would have moved on, if he's local, then we're only waiting on another body. This kind of thing doesn't go away on its own." Thomas was willing to drop it, for now, but he was going to get some help. If anything came back pointing to the man sitting across from him he'd kill him. Just like that. No taking him in for questioning, no trial, no jury. Thomas was judge, jury and executioner. It was his sworn oath, a vow taken over and over by every Wolfe descendant for five hundred years. He was developing something close to a friendship with the man, but in the end, he'd do his job. He couldn't have a rogue werewolf running loose. No matter how polite he seemed, or good his food was.

"Well let me know if there is anything we can do to help," Jean Rene said standing. He walked Thomas to the door and held it open. Both men looked out into the yard were Diana was throwing a ball and the wolf was retrieving it.

"He's not a pet," Thomas said.

"No"

"But he's not wild."

"No"

"What is he?" Thomas asked turning to face the Frenchman.

"I honestly don't know," Jean Rene said still looking at his mate and the wolf.

"What do you mean, you don't know, he's your wolf isn't he?"

"No, he's Diana's. She was attacked and he saved her from a man meaning to rape her. He follows her everywhere, and when she's not here he disappears into the woods until her return."

"I'll be damned," Thomas said. "You call her my moon."

Thomas watched a slight smile appear on Jean Rene's face. "Yes."

"Tell me if this is too personal, but I'm just wondering, it's my understanding that your kind mate for life. If you tell her about what you are, and she bales, than what? It seems odd that you would mate with an unknowing human. If you tell your secret and she freaks, than she'll be out in the world knowing werewolves exists. I thought that was against your own laws." Thomas almost felt sorry for the guy by the time he got his question out. It was obvious that they loved each other, obvious that Jean Rene was in love with the woman regardless of how long they'd known each other, or if he'd admitted it to her, or himself.

"We do mate for life, and I have tied myself to her until her death if she should reject me. I would not be able to mate another. It is not common for a wolf to tie him or herself to a human but it is not unheard of. I imagine it is hard for your people to find spouses."

"It is. It takes years, sometimes a decade."

"But you were fortunate enough to find your mate and marry within a year because of her attack," Jean Rene said turning away from the woman and facing Thomas.

"I was, but I know how lucky I am. I'm not sure Lillian would have been so understanding without the attack. Learning that the shit in fairy-tales and folklore are real can be a bit trying on most people, man or woman."

"For sure," Jean Rene said. "Diana brought my beast most unexpectedly. I would not have purposefully mated with a human, but I was powerless. I am powerless when it comes to her."

"So Sam's going to introduce the infamous lone wolf to his pack?" Thomas said changing subjects.

"Yes, tomorrow evening."

"Good luck to you." Thomas patted the Frenchmen on the shoulder, as he walked to the car he hoped it all worked out. He didn't know what Alfred's problem was, he really liked the guy.

*****

He'd been following the human female for almost a week. She'd spent almost every night with the French wolf. For a matter of fact, if she wasn't at work, they were together. Maximus wasn't the kind of person anyone would forget, so he'd been careful as he followed her. Only once had she seen him and she'd smiled at him. The simple action stopped Man, Beast and Wolf. No one had ever done that. They said hello, the dipped their heads, but always they looked away quickly, as if the nature of what he was, what he was capable of, and did, was in plain sight and in a way, it was. From his size to his gait, he carried a dark aura around him and people picked up on it, their subconscious protecting their physical bodies from a threat, but not the woman. She'd looked him straight in the eye, locked gazes with him for no more than a second, but felt like an eternity, and smiled. It was not just a curve of the lips, but one that had shown a lot of teeth, and transformed her face into something...lovely. He'd been following her every since, always staying out of sight, always in the shadows. And she had a wolf that protected her, a natural animal. He'd had to stay further away, he didn't like it, but if there was a heart inside the chest of the monster that stalked the woman, there was a place in it for his animal brethren and he did not want to hurt the creature. Besides, he saw how she loved it. She played with it, stroked it, talked to it, and the wolf was loyal, and would kill for her. Not because he was forced to, not because he would be punished for disobedience, but because he wanted to. He was...free.

Freedom.

As he'd observed the woman with the black creature and the other wolves that were like him, the twinge brought from the thought had turned into a full body assault. It rode his body like his Beast, always there, always just below the surface. He was powerful, more so than even the small Frenchman he'd been sent to frame, and certainly more so than the woman, yet with all his power, he was little more than someone's property. The longer he watched, the clearer the answer became until it was obvious what he had to do, and as if it was written in the stars, she went home without any protection.

Maximus parked the truck on a stretch of road a street over from the house she lived in. The neighborhood was quiet, no children playing in the street and the houses all looked empty. He turned on the hazard lights, popped the hood and got out of the car. Throwing the hood up, he propped it in place with the metal arm. He leaned over the perfectly operational engine for a moment, looked around as if stumped as to how to fix it and then took off walking, when he was directly behind her house, he cut across the street, and entered a break between the houses into a nest of trees that would lead to her backyard. He couldn't see her, but he didn't have to. He knew her scent. She was in there. As he waited, visions of the last week were on repeat in his head. Beast and Wolf were excited, and for once, there was no fight for dominance from Beast, whatever Maximus planned on doing, Beast was on board. He was right there, tingling Maximus's skin, giving him goose-bumps, raising the hair on his arms, but he stayed put. Maximus would go to her in his human form, the one she'd smiled at so sweetly.

He heard the front door of her house open and then saw her small body. The French wolf had battled her many times and while the fight always left him confused, it too had become a contributing factor in his thoughts of freedom. Her scent was changing, mixing with the wolf she lay with, he was marking her, claiming her. Soon, she would be his in all ways. It was a different type of ownership, one that was stronger even than the one on Maximus. He didn't know how he knew these things, but he did.

Maximus stepped out of the shadows of the tree and took a step into the open yard. His steps were silent as he closed the distance between them. He had tunnel vision; saw only the fall of wavy hair, the small waist, the round of her hips. She was carrying a suitcase in one hand, and her purse was across her shoulder. She was headed to the car. So focused on the woman, he didn't hear the rustling in the trees and when the wolves burst from the woods almost from the exact spot he'd been in, they were a surprise. One, the smallest, a pup, beat its mother to him and while, Maximus would and could kill almost anything without thought, without remorse, he didn't harm the pup, didn't even think about it, he did the unimaginable. He ran.

Diana's house already had that abandoned feel and she'd only been staying at Jean Rene's for four days. Her grass needed cutting and there were cobwebs around the tires of her car because she was driving the Mercedes to work every day. John was teasing her endlessly about a wedding date. She was packing more clothes to take to Jean Rene's, but she wasn't bringing things back, it was only a matter of time before all her clothes and underwear was going to be at his place. She made a mental note to bring some of her things back. She didn't want to give the impression she was moving in. Did she? If she wasn't at work she was with Jean Rene, who didn't have to work because he lived off his inheritance. He'd been born rich...very rich. He'd shown her pictures of some of his homes in Europe one was a castle, and not, as big as a castle, but an actual castle. Complete with a moat and drawbridge. Her life really was becoming a fairy-tale. Smiling, she threw a handful of underwear into the suitcase, she'd considered taking a few things but decided, to hell with it, and packed enough for a week.

She already showered and dressed for her date night with John and Matt. They'd agreed to meet in a few hours for dinner and drinks. She had rather been sitting under Jean Rene with wolf curled beside her, which is why she'd agreed to go. No matter how perfect things were, or Jean Rene was, she needed to keep some distance between them. She'd stopped obsessing about how fast things were moving, but she wasn't quite ready to leave her friends high and dry, or saw a reason to do so. Checking her hair and make-up one last time, she moved around in the mirror hunching and relaxing her shoulders to make sure the shirt didn't move to reveal the bite mark on her neck. Jean Rene didn't always break the skin when he bit her, but he almost always bit her during love making and she realized today it was going to be a permanent mark. Pre-Jean-Rene-Diana would have been pissed. Post-Jean-Rene-Diana actually liked the mark. She loved knowing that he'd put it there, and liked showing it off when she wasn't at work. It was a mark of ownership, and try as she might, to reason away or doubt what they had, she belonged to him: mind, body and soul. The very idea of being so...owned, by a man should have scared the shit out of her, but it didn't. For a matter of fact she didn't think anyone else but Jean Rene could have pulled it off. Matt had been telling her for years that she was too mean to marry. She was strong willed and a strong woman, to be sure, but it felt good and right to allow Jean Rene the level of control she'd given him. It was old school dominance. The kind from a time when a woman only worried were pleasing her husband and making sure the household ran smoothly. And wasn't that what her life had become? The two butlers, maid and cook called her Milady. Jean Rene never called her Diana anymore, only Mon Lune. Hawkins and Ponce called her Ma'am. Alexis was the only one that called her Diana in the house, but even he said it with a respect she would have not thought possible after their initial meeting. Grabbing the suitcase off the bed, she left her house and went to meet her friends from what she was beginning to think of as her old life. She locked the door and started up her sidewalk, headed for the car parked on the street. She was halfway to the car when she heard growling and snarling behind her and then the sound of a tussle. She turned around almost losing her balance to see two animals she knew were wolves chasing a man into the wooded area behind her house. What the fuck?

She ran to the car, leaving the suitcase in the grass were she'd dropped it. She got in and locked to door but didn't start the engine. She called Jean Rene who answered on the first ring.

"Mon Lune, I wasn't expecting you to call so soon," he said.

Just the sound of his voice calmed her. She was shaken but not panicked. "I think I was just saved by wolves again," she said.

"What happened?"

Diana explained what little she did see, which made for a short story, but by the time she was done the two wolves had come from behind the house and sat down in front of the car. "They're back," she said.

"The attackers?"

"No, the wolves." The bigger of the two was a grey wolf and the smaller had similar makings but coloring was darker.

"Are they like your wolf," she heard Jean Rene ask.

"I think so," she said, opening the door. The wolves didn't move and neither did Diana once she was out of the car. They stretched out at the same time. She took a few hesitant steps to the front of the car.

"What are you doing?" Jean Rene asked.

"I'm walking towards them." She kept her voice low, pleasant, stress free, like she wasn't walking up on two wild animals.

There was a string of French words that Diana was pretty sure were curse words before Jean Rene spoke English again. "Be careful Mon Lune," he said softly.

It amazed her how much care and concern he always but in his voice when he spoke to her. But now was not the time to think about the fact she was in love with Jean Rene.

The thought stopped her in her tracks.

"Mon Lune?" he said.

Diana stood at the front end of the car, holding her cell phone in one hand, breathing way to fast. Two wolves were looking up at her from the ground after running off an unknown person who was sneaking up from behind her. It was the second attack on her in over a week and all she could think about in that moment was the realization that she was in love with the man on the other end of the line.

"Mon Lune?" Jean Rene said, his voice urgent and almost panicked.

"I'm okay Jean Rene," she said breathlessly.

"Why do you sound like that," he asked, and she could tell from his tone he was worried. She stood there a minute trying to remember the one or two times she thought she was in love. Once when she was a teenager, and once in her early twenties, both paled in comparison. What she felt for Jean Rene was on a whole other level. It was grown up love but more than even that.

"I love you Jean Rene."

"Mon amour, mon lune, I did not think I would hear the words so soon," Jean Rene said a little breathless himself, which made Diana smile. "To hear it makes my heart soar, and you will allow me to love you when you come home, but right now, there are more pressing matters at hand," he said.

Right. Diana took the last step and cleared the car and bent down and put her hand out. The two wolves came forward on all fours and sniffed her hand. They didn't lick her like the black wolf, but seemed friendly enough. "I think they're okay Jean Rene, I'm going to bring them home." And didn't it make her all warm and fuzzy to refer to his house as home.

"Yes Mon Lune, come home," he said. "Je t'aime, I love you."

"I need to call John and Matt and cancel, but I'll call you back from the road."

"Be careful."

Diana pulled into the front of the house with everyone and the black wolf waiting on her. She barely opened the door and the two wolves jumped across the seat and the black wolf rushed forward. Diana went to Jean Rene as they played in the front yard. He pulled her to his arms and she was so content she sighed deeply.

"It is true...you love me?" he whispered in her ear, his breath hot on her skin, giving her goose-bumps and sending a chill down her spine.

"I do," she said against his skin, she ran her nose along the line of his neck. She breathed in his scent, the woodsy, outdoor-y, masculine fragrance that was all him, not cologne.

"Then we need to talk," he said.

Diana pulled away from him. She couldn't read his emotions other than he was serious about whatever he wanted to talk about. "Okay," she said and went to step away from him but he pulled her closer into his body.

"It is not bad Mon Lune, or rather, it does not have to be," he said.

Diana left the people and the wolves behind, wondering what would put such a serious look on Jean Rene's face. They didn't stop in the great room, nor did they go to the bedroom, he took her to the library. He led her to a chaste lounge and pulled a large leather bound book from the shelf and sat it on the table next to her. No writing marred the smooth front, but even closed, she knew it was old. Jean Rene stood in front of her looking nervous, which made her nervous.

"What is it," she said.

"There is no easy way to say it. I have been trying to think of a way to make this less...shocking, but in truth, there is none. So, I think I will show you first, and then go from there," he said. Jean Rene started taking off his clothes and Diana wasn't sure what he meant to show her but she knew his body almost as well as her own. There was absolutely nothing he was going to show her she hadn't already seen.

"Jean Rene—" she started.

"Non, Mon Lune," he cut her off.

He took off each article of clothing and folded them neatly, putting them across the back of a chair next to him. By the time he was complete nude Diana was actually draped across the chaste lounge enjoying the impromptu strip show. Jean Rene's body was beautiful. Well muscled but not bulky, Diana's eyes wandered from the top of his head to his perfect feet. He was a shade or two lighter than her, but his skin was not tan, he had brown in his heritage somewhere. His hair fell in soft waves around his face, just past his shoulders. He was mouthwatering.

Diana watched with lust and longing in her face, until her began to grow right in front of her eyes. Her hand covered her mouth to stifle a small gasp as his arms and legs stretched. His fingers elongated and his nails grew into claws. The hair on his body became thicker and without touching it, she knew it was coarser. The sharp angles of his handsome face rearranged to make room for longer teeth. Everything changed but his eyes, they remained the same. Standing before her was a damn werewolf.

# Chapter

# 8

Diana stood up, but before she could walk around the table Jean Rene held his hand up. "Wait, there's more," he said. His voice was deeper, rougher and the words were somehow thicker coming around the mouth full of teeth.

This second change was beautiful, magical and horrifying all wrapped into one. The first had been smooth and seemingly painless as far as she could tell. This one left her weak kneed and worried about Jean Rene as his bones broke and re-mended, the muscles in his neck were tight and Diana could see the effort it took for his body to shift shapes and she wondered if he didn't yell out in pain in order to make it easier on her. Tears were in her eyes as she watched him fall to the floor after his shins were no longer able to support the top part of his body. His face looked like pulled taffy as it began to push outward to form his muzzle. The hair on his head retracted and what was on his body grew longer. Diana stood there for what seemed like eons until before her, stood a beautiful grey wolf. She stood on the other side of the coffee table with her mouth open and tears streaming down her face and her body bow tight from her fight to stay in place. Her first instinct was to go to him, to comfort him. And how crazy was that? She should have been running for the hills screaming, but instead she only wanted to take away the pain of his change. The black wolf had an eerie sense of intelligence for an animal, but he was still just and animal. The wolf before her was Jean Rene, and she knew if she spoke to him he would understand her, that he was inside this new form.

Diana went to the wolf and dropped to her knees in front of it. "Oh Jean Rene," she said holding his massive head in her hands. "You are so beautiful Mon Loup," she said. She'd looked up the how to say: my wolf in French, thinking she would call the black wolf by that name, but kneeing in front of Jean Rene she knew which was really hers. The black wolf may one day leave her, Jean Rene would not. Showing her what he was cemented the fact and any doubt of what they had or the possibilities of tomorrow were wiped cleaned the moment he stood before her in half wolf, half man form. And didn't her heart just about break at the thought of them spending the rest of their lives together. She kissed his wolf mouth and rubbed her face against him. She closed her eyes and hugged him around his neck. She sat next to him while his body changed in reverse, her hands on the shifting shape as he changed from wolf to man. He laid his head in her lap and she rubbed his hair as his breathing slowed. She knew he wasn't in a weakened state but needed to be close to her. That was fine with her, she felt the same way.

"You are in so much trouble," she said.

He was back in his clothes. Even with the shock of seeing him change, trying to talk to him when he was naked was just too damn distracting. Her mind was racing and she didn't know which question to ask first, but he beat her to the punch.

"I am happy you responded well," he said. When they first came into the library he looked worried and so very serious. He'd thought she was going to bolt and that made her smile because to be completely honest, she wouldn't have guessed she would have been so calm watching a person change into first a wolfman and then a wolf in front of her. "There is so much to tell you, Mon Lune," he said pulling her into his arms. She went willingly and turned her face upward to kiss his lips. "I feel I have waited an eternity for you."

Her face was pressed against his neck and she kissed it. She hugged him tighter and let out a deep breath. No matter what happened she knew that if they could make it through this, then everything else was going to be easy in comparison.

"I have questions," she said.

"Before you ask, I want you to read the book I took from the shelf. Sit, and learn about my kind and then come to me with any questions you may have," he said softly. He reached over for the book. Diana hadn't really appreciated it's thickness. She straightened from him and took the book in her hands but didn't open it. Jean Rene stood up and opened the set of doors leading outside. She didn't think she'd seen a door or window closed since she'd been staying over.

"I'll send Tabitha in with you dinner. Read first, question later," he said coming back to her and kissing the top of her head. "Je t'aime Mon Lune."

"I love you too Mon Loup," she said.

He smiled down at her, "Your wolf?"

"My wolf," Diana said looking at him, her voice taking on the tone of finality that his so often did when he spoke to her.

He didn't answer, but bowed, it started with a dip of his chin, followed by the lowering of his head and finally bending at the waist. It looked old world and formal but was it an acknowledgement? He looked at her long minutes before offering a slight smile and blew a kiss at her before leaving her all alone with the book in her lap. Right. Read.

Diana sat and read for hours. She read the sun down and it rose with her still reading. Tabitha, who was Jamie's wife, brought her dinner and the woman checked on her throughout the night. The wolves kept her company, sitting around her feet, the smaller of the two leaving occasionally through the opened door. She never left the room. There was a half bath so she didn't even have to leave for that reason. Diana was pouring a cup of coffee from a fresh pot that Tabitha had just brought in when the door opened. She looked up and smiled.

"Just checking," Jean Rene said.

He'd showered, had on a pair of white drawstring pants and was shoeless. She wondered if she would ever get use it, would she ever get use to the idea that he was hers. Probably not. She smiled at him, because he looked a little worried, like he was still waiting on her to bolt at any moment.

"I'm fine," she raised the book, "Still reading." He nodded and closed the door softly.

Twelve hours later she was done. She stood up and stretched. The book had answered a lot of questions but replaced those with new ones. She opened the door with three wolves around her feet and went to Jean Rene's bedroom. He wasn't in it but she took a moment to wash her face and brush her teeth. She considered a shower but other than reading the night away she hadn't done a thing to warrant a bath. She smelled under her arms to double check. She'd taken out the hair tie sometime in the night and her hair hung loose around her. Her hair wasn't that much longer than Jean Rene's but his was silky and wavy, hers was coarser and curly and wild. She ran her hands through it because to comb or brush it while dry resulted in an afro. She stepped away from the mirror in order to see her whole reflection.

The long black maxi-dress empire waist hugged her breast and showed some cleavage but wasn't vulgar, the skirt was two layers of gossamer soft and sheer material. In the sunny bathroom she could see the silhouette of her body through the diaphanous fabric. The bottom covered her feet since she wasn't wearing shoes. She'd washed her make-up off and didn't have any jewelry, because she didn't own any, she didn't even have her ears pierced. On one side was the black wolf, on the other the grey, and in front laying at her feet, the smallest of the bunch. Diana knew that the grey wolf was the black one's mate and the smaller their pup.

"Magnifique," Jean Rene spoke from the door. Diana and the three wolves all turned to look at him. She held her hand out to him and he joined her. He'd changed into jeans and a white shirt since she'd last seen him and yeah...he still took her breath away.

"We're a pretty good looking couple," she said.

"A perfect mated pair," he agreed.

Diana stroked the mark on her neck, "You marked me the first time we made love." She remembered all the pausing, after the growl and the bite and again, when he'd licked the bite, all parts of who and what he really was, a side that he had been trying to hide, but she'd brought out.

"I was not my intention. I am sorry."

"Don't be, I'm not," she smiled at the shocked expression. "Let's go for a walk. I've been sitting too long and I still have questions."

He took her hand and led her outside, like the rest of the house, even the bathroom sported ceiling-to-floor glass panels that were pushed back into their recess making the house feel like you were living outdoors. The day was young but hot already, but the trees grew right up to the bathroom and blocked out the sun rays. Thick pine needles carpeted the ground they walked on. They walked awhile in silence, a comfortable one, just enjoying the day, their surroundings and each other.

"How much land do you own?" she asked.

"Seven thousand acres," Diana stopped and stared at him. He laughed." It seems like a lot but it is only a little over ten square miles.

"How much land does your castle sit on," she asked.

"Sixty four thousand," he said. Diana looked at him with her mouth hanging open. "I own lots of land," he said pulling her arm so they could continue their walk. "Tell me, what questions do you have for me?"

"Were you bitten or born a werewolf?"

"Born," he said pulling her into his side. She wrapped her arm around his waist, it felt right, like the spot was made for her. She'd felt that way since their first day. It had been easy to be around him. No first date jitters, no awkward silences. It hadn't been love at first sight, more like two people finally finding each other.

"How old are you?"

Jean Rene didn't answer the question. Diana hugged him a little tighter to her body. Werewolves aged slower than humans, he'd told her he was almost forty, looked closer to thirty-five and was probably fifty. None of that mattered, not now, not ever. He guided her to a down tree and she sat while he looked down at her. So much love in the look that it too, took her breath away. She knew her expression matched his. And to think days ago she was a nonbeliever. She never knew love could be this way, so...all consuming.

"Let me tell you my story." Diana nodded. Jean Rene took a deep breath, said a few words in French while he walked away and started pacing before looking at her. "There are many werewolf legends. The early ones simply say we are born, others say our shape shifting is the result of a curse. I do not think anyone really knows. Stories turned into folklore and myths over time. I was born to human parents. I had two other brothers and a sister, none were werewolf. My mother told me I changed into a pup days after my birth. She was hysterical when she went to her newborn's crib to find a wolf pup. My father came at the sound of his wife's cries. He picked me up and I changed back into my human form. It was a story that they learned to laugh about as I grew older, and my older brother was fond of tell the story whenever we were together up until his death. I am different from every other werewolf I have ever met in this regard, and it is a secret I have kept for...a long time."

"Because born werewolves have at least one or more wolf parents or they are the survivor of a werewolf attack." Diana said.

"Yes, but there are other secrets I keep as well. I am able to take the form of a wolfman. This was not uncommon among my kind, but only the strongest are capable of this, or was, for none have been seen in centuries."

"Why keep that a secret?"

"Because alpha wolfs would be afraid. They wouldn't allow me to live on their lands. Werewolves, like real wolfs, often fight over territory, or we use to, now it is more like a constitutional monarchy. An heir is named, and the rules and laws that govern each pack are voted on."

"So there's no one true king or queen," Diana asked.

"Not anymore, but there were hundreds of years ago. The royal family was murdered."

"You changed last night, but it wasn't the full moon."

Jean Rene smiled. There was too much nervousness in it. She was all in; nothing he could say would change what was between them. "I was born in the spring of fourteen ninety eight."

Diana opened her mouth and then closed it. Opened it again and then closed it. She stood up and then sat back down. "You're five hundred and fifteen years old?" Jean Rene nodded. "So werewolves are immortal?" He shook his head. "But you are?" she said, her brow dropping and her lips pulling down in a confused frown.

"Let us just say...I am resilient. I believe I too can die from a proper wound."

"If you haven't had a proper wound in five hundred years..."

"True, but I have never been beheaded and that kills just about everything."

"Well, you have a point there," Diana said. "So you're a five hundred year old werewolf, born to human parents, that has two wolf forms and can change anytime you want?"

"Correct."

So five hundred was a little older than fifty and it made no difference. The only thing that mattered was they had found each other. That he'd found her after so long only meant that what they had was special on a different level. She was unwilling to let him go when she thought him human, but now, knowing what she knew, the thought she had while reading about the werewolf seemed all the more right.

"So when will you turn me?" If Jean Rene had been a crying man Diana thought he would have cried. But her words had stopped his tears, and his words. He stood silent, until he rushed to her. His strong embrace was enough for her to know just how much it meant to him that she wanted to be a werewolf, when he finally found his words he kept repeating, Mon Lune, over and over again.

****

Diana took that bath after all. She and Jean Rene bathed each other and sat in the large claw foot tub for over an hour. Neither saying very much, just watching the sun go down through the open doors and sheer curtains in the bathroom, but when the last light of day left the sky were they in bed. Diana's heart was pounding away in her chest as Jean Rene kissed her down her body. Her back arched when the kisses reached between her spread legs. Jean Rene placed one across his shoulder, the other he held open as he licked her sex with his flatten tongue. Just when she was about to become undone he stopped and crawled back up her body. He kissed her deep and hard before breaking away from her lips and kissing her chin and neck. He kissed the bite as he entered her and she cried out at the invasion. Diana lifted her hips to meet his next stroke that buried his erection as deep as her body allowed.

In order for Jean Rene to make her a werewolf he would have to be in one of his beast forms. They agreed he would bite her in his half form. There were two competing excitements battling within her, thrill of becoming like him, and the anticipation of the bite that would change her life and make her truly his. He pulled free of her body and she felt empty and cold but then Diana felt the hair on his thighs grow thick and the muscle in his legs get bigger. The change was slow and smooth like before. The smooth skin of his face was now scratchy with hair as he kissed her breasts.

"I can hear your heart beating. Would you like me to stop?" His voice had changed but she knew that his teeth had not, because his words were clear. She opened her mouth to answer but he picked that second to lick and then suck her nipple and all coherent thought ceased as her brain shorted out from the pleasure. She looked at him as he devoured her flesh, pulling the taunt peak with his mouth, flicking it with his tongue before planting a kiss on it.

"No," she managed a second before he moved to take the second one in his mouth. "Don't stop."

His head was lowered so she didn't see his teeth grow, but when he raised his head to look at her there was something wildly erotic about the tips of his fangs so close to her breast. She shuttered beneath him as he took her breast in his mouth, the tips poking her flesh. All things grew and became thicker on Jean Rene in his change and Diana felt the heavy erection pressed on her thigh.

"Please," she moaned, her head was thrown back at the sight of the tip of his fang drawing blood and his tongue lapping at the red swell right before it grew big enough to run down her body. She was impatient...again, and it was not his bite that she asked for. She was deliciously stretched to the limits as he pushed the bulbous head of his erection inside her and every inch he worked in her body was a fight she was happy to lose. A slow rocking, each push and pull unhurried, every stroke filling her completely, and she cried out as Jean Rene made love to her unable to mute the sounds of the pleasure only he could give her. Jean Rene held the top of his body from hers on his elbows but the weight of him below the waist pinned her to the bed. His breaths were heated pants as he brought them closer to an orgasm.

"Amour de ma vie ," he said. His speech thick and voice rough from his longer teeth and being so close to release.

She didn't know French, had no idea what he'd said past the first word: love. But there was no language barrier, it was in his face. "I love you," she said a second before pleasure washed over her and Jean Rene teeth sank into her shoulder.

In the movies, love is enough to dull the pain of getting four inch long teeth sunk into your skin. In real life—the pain is excruciating. Diana screamed as the piercing pain caused her eyes to water. Jean Rene wrapped his arms around her and sat up, pulling her with him. She clung to him, her arms draped across fur covered shoulders, and her legs split by fur covered thighs. He opened his jaws, releasing her shoulder and started licking it. After a moment he looked at her with such worry in his eyes she wanted to give him reassuring words but it hurt and if he asked she wasn't going to lie. His teeth were back to normal and he kissed her softly all over her face until the pain was at a manageable level and she could speak. The pain was retreating with every second, turning from a sharp shooting pain to a dull throb and then pushed to the back of her mind as he started making love to her. He held her tight and she planted her feet as he manipulated her body with the arm around her waist and the hand cupping her bottom while driving into her with upward thrusts, each drive stealing her breath.

Diana stood in front of the bathroom mirror looking at the angry red bite. Her shoulder was stiff and achy, the bite hurt like a son of a bitch. She was dripping on the tile because she'd just gotten out of the shower and when she'd tried to dry the spot she thought she was going to black out from the pain. There was a soft knock on the bedroom door and Diana wrapped the towel in her hands around her body and headed for the door before it woke Jean Rene. Matilda, the cook and housekeeper, stood there with the same stern expression she'd worn since she'd met the woman. "Good morning Matilda," Diana whispered.

"Good morning Milady," the woman said," I brought this for you." The woman held up a black piece of material that looked like silk.

"How did you know?"

"My family has worked for shape shifters for hundreds of years. I know bites are painful and irritating and I don't remember washing anything of yours that is strapless."

"Where did you get it?" She asked getting a little chocked up at the woman's thoughtfulness.

"I made it from a sheet and a bit of elastic. It's not much, but it'll keep you covered until your alpha can get you something more suitable." She managed to sound both caring, and a little perturbed that Jean Rene hadn't forethought this particular problem.

Diana wanted to hug the woman, but she was in a towel and she didn't think Matilda was fond of hugs. "Thank you Matilda."

The woman waved her hand at Diana, dismissing the words of gratitude, letting Diana know she was only doing her job and walked away. Diana closed the door and pulled off the towel right there. The makeshift dress covered her from under her arms and ended on the floor.

"I like you in long dresses. It makes me think of a time long gone," Jean Rene said from the bed. He gave her a treat by rising to his knees. He was still naked. When she was standing in front of him, he touched her upper arm but not the bite and Diana saw the pride in his face. "I'll send Tabitha out for some things," he said leaning forward and licking her wound several times, slow sensual laps of his tongue that made her close her eyes and breathe deep. "It'll be a few days before the pain is completely gone. Is it very bad?"

"Yes," she said. "But I'll live."

"I am going to Sam Benet's house tonight and would like to introduce you to the local alpha and his pack." She stepped back so he could get out of bed and followed him to the bathroom with her eyes glued to his ass. The shower was turned on and Jean Rene yelled over the sound of the running water, "I'm being presented to the pack to ease their minds on a possible takeover." He stepped into the shower with his back to the stream and leaned his head back to wet his hair.

Diana sat down on a stool that was at the foot of the tub before she fell down. "So his pack thought you were going to challenge Sam for his alpha position."

"Yes," Jean Rene said. Diana was mesmerized by the sight of his wet, slick body. "Join me Mon Lune."Diana blinked and felt the heat rise in her cheeks at being caught staring at him and not at his face.

"I've already bathed." she said.

"Then let me dirty you, and then clean you again."

He didn't have to ask her twice.

# Chapter

# 9

The two talked for hours. Diana in Jean Rene's arms, their hands offering comforting strokes. Diana rubbed Jean Rene's hair while he licked the wound on her shoulder. The wolves paid them visits throughout the long morning as Jean Rene answered all of Diana's questions. He was almost fifty when he met another of his kind and they'd fought. Jean Rene won, but didn't kill the other man, although back then that's how things were done. The man was a turned werewolf and the horrors he shared with Jean Rene shook him to the core. Jean Rene's father had been a very wealthy marquis. The castle Jean Rene owned was the one he'd grown up in. His parents could have killed him; instead they loved him, and raised him as both human and wolf. His human consciousness remained when his beast rose. He knew he was human but had the instinct of the wolf his body had turned into. He hunted and killed and wanted to eat raw meat, but never humans. Diana asked if he'd ever killed anyone. No judging, just curious. She hadn't even given the whole turning into a bloodthirsty beast part much thought. He had killed plenty in his lifetime but never to feed, only in self-defense, kills from other werewolves challenging him. In five hundred years he had never found another werewolf who was birthed to human parents or as old as him. He was an anomaly among anomalies. But he thought there were others out there like him, hiding the nature of their true beast.

There was a soft knock on the door. "Come in," Jean Rene said after checking to make sure they both were covered. Neither had worried with clothes. Diana didn't know how she felt about having company with only a thin sheet to cover her nudity but she didn't say anything.

Alexis came in with a bowed head and dropped down on one knee at the foot of the bed. The bed was tall, one of those that a small stool was required for shorter people to even get in, but even on bended knee the man body showed from mid-chest. "I've come to pay respect to the Accalia of the Nuntis Pack."

Diana sat speechless for a moment. "Thank you Alexis," she finally said after Jean Rene didn't say anything and the giant continued to bow. "Please...um, rise." she added when he didn't move.

Alexis stood up and was it Diana, or did the man seem nicer. He was still seven feet of menace but something had changed in his eyes, the way he stood, his very aura. He no longer looked a second away from snatching her head off.

"Accalia is she-wolf in Latin, a title given to my packs alpha mate," Jean Rene said. "I disbanded our pack many years ago. Alexis, who was my second, refused to leave my side and still follows the pack rules and laws where I—and now you—are concern."

"There are others," Alexis said and just like that the new calm that Diana saw in the man was gone.

"Did you need anything else Alexis?" Jean Rene snapped. Diana was left wondering what the hell was going on and planned on asking when they were alone.

"Sam Benet called and asked that you arrive an hour early. Thomas Wolfe has asked for a meeting with the two of you."

Jean Rene looked at the clock just as Tabitha appeared in the doorway carrying so many shopping bags her arms were at right angles. She did what Diana thought was a damn curtsey before speaking.

"Milady," she said, sitting the spoils of her shopping at the foot of the bed. She left, backing out of the room, closing the door behind her.

"What was that all about," Diana asked.

"It seems that everyone has decided to revert back to the old ways," Jean Rene said getting out of bed. He threw the covers from his body but was sure not to expose Diana's.

"What does that mean?" She asked holding the sheet close to her as she sat up straighter.

It was Alexis that answered as Jean Rene went to his closet. "It means that it is time for Jean Rene to stop running from what he really is. It means we have a queen for our king."

"Enough!" Jean Rene yelled from behind Alexis. The man was once again on his knees and the two newest wolves on the bed started to whimper, the smallest next to her she could feel trembling.

"Mon Loup," Diana said. She didn't yell but there was the possibility of it in her tone.

Jean Rene looked at her and in that moment she saw the beast behind the beautiful man. She saw the reason why the seven foot giant and the wolves around her acknowledged his power. Only the black wolf was different. The stood up and moved to the head of the bed and sat down next to Diana. No whimper, no growling. The small wolf trembled, the black wolf vibrated. He was powerful too, and at that moment, he no longer knew if Jean Rene was friend or foe.

"Alexis you can go now," Diana said in a soft voice never taking her eyes off Jean Rene.

"You cannot dismiss him Mon Lune, he is my wolf to call," Jean Rene said. "You are accalia but I am lykos."

Diana looked at the kneeling man and saw the corner of his mouth turned up in a grin. She didn't know what was so damn amusing but both them were starting to piss her off. Alexis's eyes were downcast and she was pretty sure they would stay that way, so Diana pushed the small wolf from the bed so she could move. She was naked but even that wasn't enough to make her stay in the room with the two jackasses in the room. On the ground next to the bed was the shirt Jean Rene had taken off the night before and she grabbed it up to cover her body. She fumbled with the last button as the sound of a low growl filled the room. It was joined a second later by another. She looked up to see Jean Rene, who'd moved from the opening of his closet and was now standing in front of Alexis, he was the source of one growl, the other was the black wolf. He'd moved and was now between Jean Rene and Diana. His body was low and he was ready to pounce the second Jean Rene took another step.

"Wolf," Diana called to him and he didn't hesitate, he turned and came to her. "Alexis may be your wolf, and he may have to listen to you but these are mine," she said stroking the black wolf standing at her side and the smaller female on the other.

"You are as much my wolf as Alexis," Jean Rene said.

Okay. It was feeling like their first fight, not even twenty-four hours in and they had already found something to disagree on, even if she didn't know what in the hell was going on. But between what she'd read and Jean Rene's filler she knew that their bond was eternal, and it was something about that kind of finality that made you just let shit roll. She'd never been one to let anyone win without a fight if there was one to be had. She wasn't an angry person but she'd always been aggressive. "Yes, I am," Diana said her words just as heated as Jean Rene's. "I am yours in every way, your woman, your mate, your lover, your wolf to call as you put it. I love you. But you're angry at Alexis for speaking the truth, a truth that you were trying to keep from me."

Diana went to Jean Rene not afraid of the power being thrown like summer heat off asphalt. She laid her hand on his chest and he grabbed her forearms in a crushing force that was just shy of painful but if he thought she was backing down that easy he was wrong.

"You're hurting me," she said in a calm voice. Instantly his grip loosened and some of the heat in his gaze melted away. "You are alpha...lykos, Alexis has called you king. None of these words mean tyrant or have I misunderstood what I've read and what you've said to me so far?"

There was a pause before he answered and there was heat in his gaze that matched his words. He was alpha and she was dangerously close to challenging his dominance. "No," Jean Rene said.

Diana put her arms around his waist, giving him a hug, tucking her head beneath his chin and rubbing her face on his chest. He put one arm around her and the other went to her head were he rubbed her hair. She felt the rest of the tension leave his body. "Don't bully the people who love you," she said.

"If you would please give us a moment Alexis," Jean Rene said.

Diana heard but didn't see the man get up. "Of course," he said from behind her. Diana heard the door open and then close. Jean Rene took a deep breath before taking a step from her. She let him move from her arms.

"Do you know why I call you mon lune?" he asked out of nowhere. Diana shook her head. "My body is not tied to the moon. I can take my wolf form anytime I want. I am maybe the most powerful of all werewolves in existence, but my brethren, the rest of the race I call my own, are powerless against the call of the moon. Some fear it, some worship it...only you have that power over me," he said.

Diana was flabbergasted, but it wasn't the first time the words of the man standing in front of her had made her giddy and speechless with his declarations of love for her.

"For you, I am powerless but stronger. I am frightened, yet fearless. I am votre loup, your wolf, but I am also alpha. I am no one's second, not even yours. It is the nature of my beast."

Diana tried to be angry, thought that maybe she should even be offended, but she understood the hierarchy in the animal kingdom males ruled the roost. She got it.

"Jean Rene, forgive me the interruption, but it's almost time for us to leave if we're to be on time for the meeting with Sam and Thomas," Alexis spoke through the door.

"I'll get dressed and when we get home you'll explain to me the secret behind Alexis's words," she said. She ignored the growl behind her.

****

Diana rambled through the bags of clothes Tabitha left at the foot of the bed until she found a strapless bra and a stretchy top maxi-dress with a colorful design that looked like a Jackson Pollock painting. Twenty some odd years had taught her that her hair could not be tamed but could occasionally be beat into submission with a bottle of leave-in conditioner, a brush with a head the size of a bucket, and a lot of muscle. Too bad she'd just showered and lain in bed all day. She looked like a cross between a crazy bag lady and Mother Nature if she'd been a crack head. She'd tried tying it back but it looked worse so she lost the battle and just let it be. If it was one thing she hated it was being rushed so she was cursing to herself as she buckled the sandals when she heard the front door open, which meant that someone was loading up. They took two cars to Sam Benet's because the wolves refused to be left behind. She didn't know if it was because of Jean Rene's earlier actions but when she'd tried to get in the car the black wolf had grabbed the back of her dress and wouldn't let go. The black wolf and his mate were now in the back seat of the Mercedes and their pup was in the car behind them riding with Alexis, Hawkins and Ponce. Jean Rene had been mostly silent since their almost fight in the bedroom and she was nervous so their ride was quiet. Jean Rene took her hand and brought it to his lips about ten minutes into the trip. If she loved him any more she was certain her heart was burst and she'd drop dead. The Benet's lived on a compound. When they first entered the large opening after driving down a dirt road the first word that came to mind was cult. There were several large homes forming a semi-circle. The space between them was big enough for Diana to see hundreds of people. Jean Rene said he was being introduced to Sam's pack she just hadn't realized how big his pack was.

"Are we safe?" she asked, watching the people who had stopped what they were doing and was now watching them; many moving from the wide-open space beyond the houses and crowding the circular drive. By the time the car stopped there had to be at least a hundred people around them, it was definitely very children of the corn.

"They are just curious," Jean Rene said taking her hand. She peeled her eyes from the sight and turned to look at him. "I'll keep you safe." The black wolf behind her barked to second Jean Rene's words.

Jean Rene and Diana opened their doors and exited the car at the same time. When Jean Rene opened the back door there were a few gasp as the large wolves got out of the car and came to her. The smallest wolf almost knocked Ponce down as he exited the second car. Diana saw varying looks on the faces of the people surrounding them: awe, unabashed anger, fright. Sure Jean Rene was supposed to be some legendary wolf but they were outnumbered, so the fear didn't make sense to her. The door to the building they'd parked in front of opened and an older man and woman came out followed by Thomas Wolf and a second woman.

"Thank you for coming early," The older man said to Jean Rene but he was looking at Diana and the three wolves that surrounded her. There was more than a little bit of anger in his gaze. "We didn't have the pleasure of meeting your female wolf at dinner on Monday," he said.

Diana looked at Jean Rene. A, she didn't understand why this man was mad at her and b, she didn't know why she should have been at the dinner he referred to.

"Diana is new wolf and my mate," Jean Rene said. Diana didn't miss the look of surprise on the face of three of the people that stood before her. Thomas didn't look surprised at all. It was the older woman that broke the tense silence.

"Congratulations Jean Rene," she said. When she made a move to approach Sam threw his arm out. Diana couldn't blame him. The fool woman was about to approach three wolves.

"They won't hurt her," Diana said.

"These are your wolves to call?" Sam asked. He seemed confused.

"They are," Diana said. She didn't really believe the wolves were hers, but she wasn't about to get into the logistics of why they were with her. The smaller wolf moved from in front of her and stood next to his mother and the two lay down. The black wolf sat on her other side.

Sam lowered his arm and the woman came to Diana. She didn't look worried or scared, she didn't even approach slowly, just walked straight up to Diana and hugged her; one had around her waist the other around her shoulder, mindful of Diana's bite that was looking a lot better but was still bright red, a little inflamed and still tender and sore as hell.

"Welcome –" the woman said and paused.

"Diana," she finished for the woman.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Diana. I'm Susan Benet."

"There's business we need to discuss. You and Lillian can get to know Jean Rene's mate better while we talk shop," Sam said.

"Of course Sam," Susan said. She moved to stand on Diana's side.

Jean Rene and the rest of the men in their group moved to join Sam and Thomas while the woman next to Thomas walked over to Diana and Susan.

Jean Rene look was all, _are you okay_ , and Diana smiled to reassure him. "Go take care of business Mon Loup," she said with a wink.

He smiled and bowed his head to her. "Gentleman," he said turning to Sam.

"Her wolf," Thomas said laughing. "I wouldn't have thought you so easily trained.

"She's not the only one with a trained wolf Thomas, stop teasing," the woman standing next to him said. The words made a few men chuckle, a few laugh outright and a spot opened up on Diana's list of possible friend in her new life. The big man didn't take offense he smiled so lovingly that Diana almost sighed.

"Yes dear," he said. She wondered if the woman would get the whole, me alpha, you accalia speech too behind closed doors.

The men all turned to go in the house. Diana saw Alexis give Thomas's mate a small bow before turning bringing up the rear of the group going to take care of business. Diana turned to the women that she'd been left with.

"I'm Lillian Wolfe," the tiny woman said after all the men had gone in. "It's very nice to meet you."

Diana shook the woman's hand. "Nice to me you, and you too Susan," she said.

The large sitting room was one that Diana could appreciate. It mirrored her taste of shabby chic. The walls were brilliant white, large overstuffed couches and chairs covered in fabric that had fat roses in red and pink and brilliant green leaves were scattered around the room. The wood furniture painted white had a distressed finished. There were fresh flowers in countless vases and large colorful rugs under each seating area. Lillian and Susan sat on a couch across from Diana.

"How long have you been mated," Susan asked.

"Just last night," she answered. She was prepared to be drilled by the two women. It was only fair. She had her own list of questions.

"Wow," Lillian said. "We had dinner with Jean Rene on Monday. He didn't mention anything. Why weren't you at dinner?"

"I wasn't invited," Diana answered. Lillian looked confused, Susan looked a little angry. Diana felt the need to defend Jean Rene so she added quickly, "I didn't know Jean Rene was a werewolf until the day before yesterday." Now the two women looked shocked. Shit.

"Wow," Lillian said again and leaned forward. "Do you mind if I look at your mark?"

"Um...no," Diana said.

The woman came around the coffee table that separated the couch from the chair she sat in. She hesitated for a second before stepping over the small wolf that was sitting at Diana's feet. She leaned down close to inspect the bite. "I always thought there was something so sexy about the mating mark of werewolves," she said.

Now it was Diana's turn to look shocked. "You're not a werewolf?"

"No, my husband is the local hunter," Lillian said backing away from Diana and returning to her seat next to Susan.

"Hunter?"

"Yes, Thomas's family is the oldest of the werewolf hunters." Lillian laughed at Diana's expression and how her head was swinging between looking at her and Susan. A werewolf and werewolf hunter's wife sitting side by side. "I guess Jean Rene hasn't had time to fill you in on everything."

Diana sat a lot of the time trying to remember to close her mouth as she listened to the history of the Wolfe family, a family whose business, for hundreds of years, was to track and destroy werewolves. Then of the truce that was called by the long dead king of werewolves with Thomas's long dead ancestors. Lillian and Thomas operated the local cell but headed all that were in the United States. Europe and any other countries that had a considerable number of wolves also had cells.

The men were in a similar room but in darker colors of browns and dark jewel tones. Sam offered drinks and every man had a beer. Sam and Thomas sat together, Jean Rene and Alexis sat across from the two while Ponce and Hawkins stood behind the love seat occupied by them.

"Your mate..." Sam said and left the sentence hanging.

"You have questions, I'll answer if I can, but know much of what has happened between me and Diana is surprising even to me," Jean Rene said. "Diana has been subject to two attacks. The first was an attempted rape. The black wolf saved her. The second we're not sure what harm was meant, but while she was leaving her house a person was stopped from sneaking up from behind her by the other two. This was two days ago." Jean Rene said.

He waded into dangerous waters in way of explaining how he was able to change forms to bite Diana as a wolf. He had Thomas's cousin Alfred to thank really and the stories about how powerful he was would at last play in his favorite. A full moon is only full for a second or so, but to the human eye it took up to three days for the moon to loss the appearance of being full.

"I can turn a full day before or after the full moon," he continued. He knew it was going to make him seem even more powerful to Sam but there was nothing he could do about that. "I formed a true mating with Diana last night."

Yeap, Sam was mad. Jean Rene understood not showing fear but he was really getting tired of Sam's attitude.

"Back up there a little buddy," Thomas said. "I just visited you and she didn't know you were werewolf when did she find out?"

"The day of her attack," Jean Rene answered.

"Well, damn, she sure was understanding," he said.

"I am lucky to have found her." Jean Rene knew then that he had found a new friend in Thomas Wolfe.

"Your numbers are half to form pack," Sam said.

Jean Rene read between the lines. It was not uncommon for packs to live within the same lands but it was at the behest of the stronger alpha. Sam was waiting on Jean Rene to ask permission to form a new pack on his lands. "I have no intention on forming a new pack Sam. But you will be the first to know if I do," Jean Rene said.

"Alright boys, let's get back to the real reason I asked you here," Thomas said.

Thomas produced a file that Jean Rene had not noticed and passed it around. The folder was full of crime scene and autopsy photos. "After I asked the sheriff to get the state police involve in the two murders that we've had, he was sent information on other murders fitting the same profile.

"Jean Rene how long have you and Alexis been in the states," he asked.

"Almost a year," Jean Rene answered, passing the folder to Sam.

"There were three murders in California, five in Arizona, two in Montana and ten in Louisiana," Thomas said.

"You think we've done this," Alexis said standing up.

"No, but I think whoever is maybe following you," Thomas said. "The question is why?"

"To frame Jean Rene, of course," Alexis said sitting back down.

"I don't think so. If the person following Jean Rene knows he's a werewolf he'd attack closer to the full moon and in a way that would leave little doubt what killed. This person kills all times of the month and the grisly scenes left behind had done nothing but left everyone wondering what the hell could have left such carnage," Thomas said.

"Unless Jean Rene is lying about how powerful he really is," Sam said, he threw his file on the coffee table in front of him.

"I do not know what to say," Jean Rene said "The murders would not have been known to me if you had not told me. As you know, I have been in all these places. Montana is the only state that we visited while trying to find a new home that did not have a pack or hunter to check in with."

"So you're saying none of the other institutes told you about recent murders that started once you arrived," Thomas asked. Jean Rene shook his head. "I haven't checked with the others but I will when I wrap up here.

"Sam I was going to ask for a couple of your wolves to help but Jean Rene, since this seems to be about you, can I borrow one of your men?"

"Of course, Hawkins will help," Jean Rene said without asking or even looking at the man standing behind him.

"Perhaps Diana's attacks are also linked," Alexis said.

Jean Rene hadn't thought of it and from Thomas's look, neither had he. "How so?"

"She carries your scent and the two of you have been inseparable almost since you met. Maybe it is not only about framing you but also about hurting you."

"I don't think they're linked. The first attacker was easily taken down by the large wolf, the second got away from two. That's the one I'd be worried about," Hawkins said.

"I agree with Hawkins," Thomas said. "Not many people would have been able to get away from two wolves chasing them."

Jean Rene's beast was not happy. The person killing in the shadows was not human, even if he was not wolf. Not all monsters changed form. He'd been protective before they mated now he was damn near homicidal at the idea of harm coming to her. As of yesterday evening she had become the most important thing in his life.

# Chapter

# 10

The meet and greet took place in back of the main house. The group walked a half mile or so until they reached a large tree. The ground beneath the branches was bare, from lack of sunlight or from it being a regular meeting place.

Sam and Susan stood front and center with Jean Rene and Diana standing to their left and a little behind them, Alexis, Hawkins and Ponce behind them. Thomas and Lillian stood to the right. The wolves Diana brought were pacing around the group. Three hundred faces looked at the group. Diana didn't think a race, age, or nationality was left out the pack was so diverse. Diana was feeling a little claustrophobic. The branches of the tree were so thick, they formed solid ceiling above them, and the mass of people were so many, they formed a wall. The only light to be had was allowed by the too thin line of space provided between the heads of the people gathered around and the low hanging branches of the tree. Jean Rene put his arm around her as the black wolf rubbed his head against her thigh. They both seemed to know she needed comforting.

"I won't keep us with a lot of long-winded formalities. There has been talk about Jean Rene Laurent moving to our lands. More than a few of you came to me with your concerns. Mr. Laurent has come to speak and has offered to answer any questions or concerns." Sam turned to Jean Rene who stepped forward.

"Thank you Black Warrior Pack for having me." Jean Rene spoke like a visiting foreign dignitary being presented to a cabinet. "Allow me to introduce my family and mate." He turned and held out his hand, "My mate, Diana Ward." There was no smile on his face but he winked with the eye that was away from the crowd. He introduced the rest without turning but Diana could feel them as they came to stand at their backs.

"It has been a long custom for werewolves to help each other in a time of need and my home is open to any wolf."

This was the first Diana had heard of the custom. The thought of a bunch of unknown werewolves coming and going was a little unnerving, but hey, she'd signed up for it the moment she'd agreed to the lifestyle.

"Are you the first werewolf?" The question was asked by a little girl no older than ten. She wore a pair of jean shorts that were going to be too little in about a week and a halter top that had thin straps that tied at the neck. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail that needed to be redone; tendrils had escaped the band holding back curly brown hair that was sun-bleached gold at her temples. She looked like she played hard and looking at the scratches on her body and scabs on her knees, a tomboy.

Jean Rene smiled at her. "No young one. I am not."

"But you're old," the girl asked.

"Yes,"

"Diana liked the girl. She cut through the bullshit and got right to the point. Nothing like a kid to ask the important shit. Diana was sure everything out of the girl's mouth was overheard from her parents or another adult.

The girl seemed to think on the next question. "Your mate is new," she finally said.

Jean Rene looked at Diana and gave her the opportunity to answer since the question was about her. "I am. I was just..." Diana paused, "We were mated last night," she finally said. It was mildly embarrassing talking about something that involved sex with a ten year, old but what could she do?

The little girl looked at Diana long enough that she wandered if she was done before she spoke again, "May I touch one your wolves," she asked.

"Cassandra," An older boy next to warned, her brother for sure. He was long and lanky, all arms and legs, his hair was the same texture and almost as long but he wore it loose. He was maybe twelve. His khaki shorts were raveled on the bottom and dirty but his shirt looked clean, like his mother had insisted on him putting it on for company. He wasn't wearing shoes. Both children looked a little wild.

"Stop being such a wuss Richard," she said before looking at Diana for her answer.

"You may."

The little girl took a step forward before Richard grabbed her arm, which she snatched out of his grasp. She walked slowly forward holding her hand out low in front of her. She stopped before she reached the black wolf sitting at Diana's feet. The black wolf extended his head without standing; the girl stepped closer until his nose rested in her hand. He sniffed it a couple of times and then licked her, but he never move, offering reassurance that he meant her no harm. The little girl, gaining confidence when the black wolf didn't bite her hand off, took the last steps to him and petted him with her free hand.

While still petting the black wolf Cassandra looked up at Jean Rene, "Are you going to challenge our alpha or fight any of the other wolves?"

"Cassandra!" This time a woman called out to the little girl. Diana felt sorry for the woman. She had that look of every parent when their kid did something embarrassing in front of important company, but Jean Rene answered.

"No young one, I would not challenge your alpha or start any conflict with any of your strong wolves," he said.

"But you'd finish it," the girl said. Jean Rene nodded once. "My father is a strong wolf," she said and Diana saw her puff out her chest in pride. She thought her dad was faster than a speeding bullet, jumped buildings in a single bound and ran faster than a freight train. "He says being the biggest does not mean you are the strongest and strength alone does not a ruler make."

"Your father sounds like a very wise man," Jean Rene said.

"Forgive her Mr. Laurent," a man to the right of them said. He was certainly strong looking. But hell, so were all the men at the meeting. "She's young and..."

"The young will speak the truth when others will not, and I am more than happy to answer her questions. Do you have any more questions," he asked looking at the girl.

The girl stopped petting the wolf and straightened her spine. "I am Cassandra Beck, daughter of Lucas Beck, beta wolf to Samuel Benet, Alpha of the Black Warrior Pack and his wolf to call," she said full of pride and power. Diana knew then that being female didn't mean being weak. Miss Cassandra Beck was a handful for her parents.

Lucas Beck rushed forward and grabbed his daughter's arm and pulled her from where she was standing in front of Diana. "She's strong willed and quick tongued Mr. Laurent," Lucas said looking down at his daughter, "A trait that is both a blessing and curse."

"She has simply told me where she stands within your pack and my place for her if I should challenge her family. It is an honorable trait, nothing apologize for. She is a strong wolf." And damned if Diana didn't think the little girl grew a few inches in height at the compliment.

"You have been honest with me Cassandra Beck, daughter of beta Lucas Beck, wolf to call of Alpha Samuel Benet. I will offer you no less. I am Jean Rene Alphonse de Laurent, Lykos of the Nuntis Pack. I am loup solitaire, lone wolf, for none are more powerful. I stand before you with my Accalia, my queen, with the promise that I mean no wolf here any harm if they do not mean me or mine any, but I will protect what is mine, as any good alpha would. I am no one wolf to call little wolf, nor have I ever been in my long life. I would not see battle only friendship if allowed."

How three hundred people could be so quiet Diana had no idea but the understanding between the Black Warrior Pack and Jean Rene Laurent came from the conversation between the five hundred year old werewolf and little girl. She nodded her head, her expression way too serious for her age. There were no other questions.

Three hours later they were in the car heading home. Jean Rene held Diana's hand as they drove. He couldn't help stealing quick peeks at her while he drove, but each one grew longer and longer until the peeks were glances and those grew to staring. By the end he was looking more at her than at the road.

"What?" she finally asked.

"You always looked like wolf," Jean Rene said.

"Um...thank you," she said with a little laugh.

He brought her hand up and kissed it. Their fingers were laced together and she brought them to her lips and kissed on top of his. "So tell me why you were so angry with Alexis this afternoon."

Jean Rene squeezed her hand for a second. "Alexis thinks I am king," he said.

"Well you did just call me your queen," Diana said.

"Not king of my home but werewolf king." Jean Rene laughed at Diana's open mouth expression. "Our king and queen and their children were killed by Thomas Wolfe's European ancestors. It was almost enough to break the truce between the two. The offending hunter's death is the only thing that stopped a war between the European wolves and the Wolfe hunters. There were those that thought I was the rightful king. There was a time when I didn't hide who I was. It didn't occur to me that I should. My age and name became known to all werewolves. One reigning king even had me brought before him. I swore to him I had no interest in the throne. He allowed me to live, but only after proving to all European wolves he reigned over, that he was the one true alpha by insisting on a fight. Like so many other, I lost. I truly had no desire to rule. I just wanted to be left alone but the king was a tyrant, and nothing less than barely living suited him. After he had beaten me to his liking, he had me held and tortured for one full month."

"Why would you allow him to do that to you?"

"Because to not, would have meant taking his place."

"And that would have been bad why?" she asked.

Jean Rene sighed. "My parents and siblings and all the rest of my family were dead. I had not found any other like me. I was alone. We'd, werewolves, had learned to hide better; older wolves were taking in new wolves in to help them through their transition. Werewolves didn't need a king. They were doing fine on their own."

"So why does Alexis think werewolves need a king," Diana asked.

"Werewolf politics are different in Europe. America is such a baby in terms of age. The wolves that moved to the new world were new themselves. The time when the werewolf was hunted and killed on sight, the one where werewolves really needed to be feared were stories even to them. There are a few rogues here and there, but America has never seen the true nature of our beast."

"And Europe still has these types of werewolves," she asked.

"Yes, there are those that believe that we shouldn't have to hide. We are the strongest of all species, this is true, but humans have the numbers. Alexis think that the only thing to get control of those werewolves is a king," he said, "And queen."

"So you ran?" Diana asked.

Jean Rene brow furrowed at her words. "I did not."

"Yes Jean Rene you did. And I agree with Alexis, you probably are the king or at least should be the king."

"Diana I have no desire to be king. My life is with you and making sure you are safe."

"And what of the wolves that are caught in the crossfire?"

"Diana..."

Diana had always been the champion for the little man. She'd stood with her workers on so many occasions when they'd been wronged. It didn't matter if it was an angry client or the owner of her company. "No, with power comes responsibility. I understand you were alone and I may not be your kind, but I'm yours. You're not alone anymore. And if I'm enough, then I would help any way that I can to bear the burden of ruling the European wolves. You cannot just let a bunch of innocent people be butchered."

They pulled into the front of the house and Jean Rene turned off the car. The black wolf was leaning over the seat, his head resting on Diana's shoulder.

"It seems I was wrong," he said.

"About what," Diana asked.

"I am someone's wolf to call," Jean Rene said. "You have given me much to think about, but do you know what you are really asking for. I cannot reign from America, we would move to Europe, leaving all you know behind. And not only the people, but your entire life and way of living, because it is vastly different over there, and I will not lie, there will be danger."

Diana leaned over the console. She'd felt her life shifting since he'd come into it. She known change was coming, and while she'd never guessed in a million years how much, she knew that this was right. "My life was never going to be the same, and you weren't blessed with timelessness just for me. Alexis was wrong, you weren't hiding, you were lost," she said placing a hand on his cheek. He dipped his head, rubbed his face into her palm. "But now we've found each other and together we can do this."

"You humble me Mon Lune, with your strength." He closed the inches that separated them and kissed her, just a quick brush of their lips. "We'll talk about it more inside." He opened the back door and the black wolf tore across the yard growling and snarling. Alexis stopped at the mouth of the drive and jumped out of the car. He opened the back door of his car to let out the other two. Ponce and Hawkins didn't wait on Alexis to drive the rest of the way, they ran to Jean Rene.

"Get Diana downstairs. Guard her with your lives if you value them," Jean Rene didn't wait on an answer he took off after the wolves.

Jean Rene kicked off his shoes without breaking stride. He unfastened his belt and pulled it from the loops and changed into his half form before it hit the ground. His thicker muscles ripping his clothes at the seams, the pants fell and he grabbed the shredded remains of his shirt and threw it aside as he ran. The moon was only two days passed full and lit the night. Not that Jean Rene needed it. Being werewolf heighted his senses in his human form, his half form heightened them further. He could have tracked the wolves in pitch black. No root would trip him, no limb or vine would touch him as he made his way through the thick woods.

The wolves were not growling or snarling but running. Jean Rene could hear the sounds of their pursuit. Whoever, whatever they chased had not been caught which meant whatever it was, it was fast...more than human fast. Jean Rene caught up with the wolves and took the lead, ahead he could hear the sound of a bigger body breaking through the brush of the woods. He knew it was two legged and knew that he was not winded. Jean Rene could hear each breath and the person breathed easy even though Jean Rene knew they were running full speed.

The person veered off to the right and his group did the same. Jean Rene caught a glimpse through a break in the trees but it was gone too fast for him to make out much more than the color black and judging from the build, the person was male. When the person took to the trees he followed, all doubt of what he chased ending. It was wolf, but more importantly, one as strong as him and he was chasing for new reasons at the thought. The wolves were below, keeping up on the ground but Jean Rene never gained on the beast he chased, nor did he ever catch even a glimpse of him after the first. The crashing of the bigger body in front of him came to a halt and Jean Rene was forced to stop so that he could listen for the mystery man's next movement. After long minutes that dragged out forever he dropped to the ground. The natural wolves smelled the ground, were circling and running a short distance only to return. They'd lost the scent. Jean Rene listened but didn't hear anything. There were those few seconds where he wasn't sure if he'd scream or cry. So close. He could feel the power of the beast; it had been like passing through warm waters. He walked the area waiting to see if the person was truly gone or just waiting on an opportunity to jump down and run. An hour later he gave up. He walked back to the house surrounded by Diana's three wolves. Alexis was standing outside. The glass was not the first line of defense of the house, Alexis's form was human but he would have taken care of any human threat and a lot of werewolves too. Jean Rene approached his friend still in half form. The threat to his mate refused his body the ability to change back until he set eyes on her. He'd never told Alexis the true nature of his beast, but his friend didn't look surprised at his change, he had a very approving half smirk on his face.

"Lykos," he said bowing at the neck.

"Go to hell Alexis," Jean Rene said laughing around teeth that crowed his mouth. Alexis opened the door for Jean Rene who ran to the cellar. Ponce and Hawkins look was almost too funny not to laugh at but later, after he'd held his mate and saw her safe.

"Mon Lune," he yelled so that she could hear him through the five inch thick steel doors. The sound made everyone in the hall cover their ears. The doors had locks on the outside as well as one on the inside. The door swung open and Diana ran to him. He caught her as she flung herself into his arms.

"Are you okay? are you hurt? I was so scared." She clung to him, her arms around his neck and legs around his waist. She released his neck and held his head in both her hands and kissed his face. "Are you hurt," she asked and paused long enough for him to answer this time.

"Non Mon Lune. I am not hurt."

"What the fuck," Ponce said.

The door to the moon room next to the one Diana had been in opened. James, Jamie, Matilda and Tabitha came out and faces matched Ponce's and Hawkins's.

"I have some explaining to do," Jean Rene said, "But first let me get dressed."

Maximus had watched the mating from his perch outside the French wolf's home. He'd missed the wolf minute changes the first time he'd joined with the woman but there was no mistaking the changes that had occurred the night before. He'd turned into...beast. It had taken strength and restraint that he didn't know he had not to jump down and go to the couple as they mated behind the thin cloth that separated them from the night and Maximus. He'd been following the wolf for months and never had he seen the change and the thought that he was as powerful as Maximus...it was the last piece needed for him to claim what was rightfully his. He stayed in the tree the entire next day, his muscles locked in place as his life so far replayed in his head, a life first, filled with pain and then with obedience. He knew Master was not like him, had no beast or animal, but he was strong in other ways. He'd broken Maximus when he was young and neither Man or Beast, or Wolf had ever tried for freedom. They hadn't even thought it, until now.

He was deep in thought as the sun rose, still in it when it went down and when the car returned hours later he had left his perch but hadn't left the spot at the base of the tree. The black wolf head straight for him and Maximus found himself on the run again only this time he was being chased by what he'd hounded for the better part of half a year and he was strong, but not as strong as Maximus, or fast. He lost him in the trees, dropping to the ground in a well padded area, his dismount devoid of any noise and with a giant leap; the muscles in his thighs and calves threw his body twenty feet in the air and yards from where he landed. He hid within the thick branches of the new tree. He watched the French wolf on the ground as he circled with the natural wolves hunting for him. He'd become a statue, even his chest barely rose and fell. The wolfman below was unlike Maximus, he retained a human quality in his change. He still mirrored the man behind the beast. This was not the case for Maximus. He was a full blown monster, his body taking on the characteristics of an animal on two legs. His chest tripled in size, his face a pointed, snouted, fur covered thing, his arms long enough to almost sweep the ground, his legs containing extra joints and feet clawed as much as his hands. No, they were not alike in all ways, but enough—enough for Maximus to change his mind on his instructions, enough for Maximus to take his freedom.

Once he was sure he was alone, he moved through the trees until he was far away from the house and the wolves. He ran in his beast form, forgetting about his truck, he needed to think and nothing cleared his mind like running. Tonight he was also attempting to outrun the part of him that had only known one thing and was hesitant. There was no fear of the unknown because Maximus feared nothing, simply a decision that needed to be made between Man, Beast and Wolf. He climbed the stairs of the shack ripping the door from the hinges, reaching his room in a half dozen great strides, his body changed from beast to man somewhere between steps six and seven. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a shirt, stuffed his feet into shoes and went out the front door. There was no phone in his house, no electricity either. He ran again, keeping his human form until he reached the truck, it was exactly where he'd left it with the hood up and keys in the ignition. He closed the hood in passing, opened the door and climbed into the cab. He stopped at the first place that offered what he'd been in search of. Master had tried so hard to make him blend in, teaching him the way of the world outside the small cell he'd lived in. In the end he was lucky that Maximus was able to walk among humans without leaving a trail of death and destruction in his wake.

Maximus pulled the receiver from the payphone and dialed the number he'd memorized. The line clicked than rang until at last the man was on the phone. He didn't wait for him to say anything. There was nothing he had to say Maximus wanted to hear and really only one thing to be said. His grip was tight, he could hear the plastic strain beneath it and he had to speak fast or risk destroying the device and having to hunt a second.

"Free."

The word was guttural, almost not a word at all, but it was all Maximus managed before the phone all but disintegrated in his hand. Letting his arm fall to his side he repressed the urge to throw his head back and howl. The yoke of slavery lifted but the weight of freedom bore down on him just as heavy. He had never known anything else. He'd seen a different life in the short time he'd watched the French wolf and the woman but was it in him to pull off the same? They had each other while he had no one. They were civilized while he was not, and then there was the problem of his driving need to kill. Yes, he'd been tortured, made to do what no child should see or read or hear, let alone do, but in truth...he liked to kill.

The truck pulled out of the gravel parking lot sending a spray of pebbles in the air. He forced himself not to drive like he ran because if he was pulled over he knew there would be death. With him, there always was. He was free, but not. No longer a slave, but still held captive, liberated of a master, but still a servant. The headlights were all the light on the dark road and it appeared endless. No turn offs, mailboxes, nothing but an infinite stretch of blacktop not even marred with the center lines to divide traffic. It mirrored his new life. It was empty.

Sam, Susan, Thomas and Lillian were called. Everyone was gathered in the great room. The staff was standing, even though Diana had offered seats. They were too old school and Diana promised to work on that. Alexis had called the two men while Jean Rene got dressed. Thomas and Lillian had arrived first. They were on their way home and had to pass the turn off to Jean Rene's house on their way home. Sam and Susan arrived about ten minutes later.

"There was someone here waiting on us when we arrived home. Diana's black wolf chased after him as soon as I opened the door. The other too and myself joined the pursuit."

"Did you see him," Thomas said.

"How is that possible," Sam asked at the same time.

"He took to the trees and I was unable to locate him. After an hour of looking I came back to the house," Jean Rene said to Thomas before turning to Sam. "I was able to catch and keep up with the wolves because I changed into half form."

"Bullshit," the older wolf said. "I don't believe you."

"It's true, sir, I saw it with my own eyes," Tabitha said. "And I," said Jamie. "As did we," James said for both him and Matilda.

"Lies for your employer," Sam said and stood up," Come on Susan we're done listening to this arrogant..."

"Sit down Samuel," Susan said. Sam looked first shocked then angry and he opened his mouth but the look on Susan face shut his ass right up and he sat down.

"Go one Jean Rene," Susan said.

"I withheld a lot of information about myself. Things I've not told anyone, ever, until last night when I told Diana," Jean Rene said. Diana sat next to him, her back straight looking every bit as regal as she was about to become. Jean Rene took a deep breath and held his hands up. Before their eyes his fingers elongated and nails turned to claws. Susan and Lillian gasp, Sam looked ready to blow a gasket, the corner of Thomas's mouth was pulled up in a cocky grin.

"Well I'll be damn. Alfred is going to shit a brick," he said.

"I was born of human parents over five hundred years ago. I can change my form anytime. I have not come across another of my kind, not one, who was born of humans, or have my abilities, or as strong as I...until tonight. Whoever awaited us in the woods was in half from also."

"Oh my," Lillian said.

"I'm not sure how much Alfred has told you of what is happening in Europe with the werewolves there or how much you Sam have been in touch with pack leaders overseas, but the wolves there are on the brink of letting the world know we exist and I fear that we will once again be hunted by frightened humans," Jean Rene said.

"Alfred said his wolves are not as civilized as American wolves," Thomas said.

"We always thought it was more Alfred wasn't as civilized as we are," Lillian said.

Jean Rene smiled, "That much is very much the truth Lillian and maybe if we had more like Thomas he plight of the wolf in my homeland would not be so dire."

"Why are you telling us this Jean Rene, I thought this little meeting was going to be about the latest attack on your mate," Sam said. Susan put her hand on his knee and squeezed it.

"I am taking Diana home, to my estate where I know she will be better protected. I am also proclaiming myself Lycaon."

"Wolf King," Thomas said.

"Why you son of a bitch," Sam said standing up again. "Not four hours ago you gave a very pretty speech about not wanting to take over my pack and now you're taking over all packs."

"Sam you are alpha of your pack but in this house Jean Rene is lykos and you will show him the respect his title affords him." Diana said.

"Now you just wait a damn minute Ms. Thang," Sam yelled.

Diana stood up because if that was the way he wanted to play—then game on. She may not have been a mated wolf but for a hot damn second, but she'd had to put many a man in his place and if Sam Benet thought he was coming in her house and playing top dog he had another thing coming. Diana wolves came in from the other rooms as if she had called them and Jean Rene moved over to accommodate the large grey wolf who sat at her feet on the left, they smaller wolf was on her right and the black wolf in front of her.

"I am Diana, Accalia of the Nuntis Pack, wolf to call of Jean Rene Alphonse de Laurent, Lycaon, wolf king. Challenge him if you'd take his place," she said.

Sam narrowed his eyes and Diana met his gaze. "You've learned quick Ms. Ward. But you haven't turned once into wolf," he said.

"And that change nothing Samuel Benet, Alpha of the Black Warrior Pack," she said with just as much venom as Sam. "Pride is not always a bad thing, but don't let yours get you killed."

"You standing up and speaking has made this your challenge, not your mates," he said, "Even in human form I think I can take you."

"No Mon Loup," Diana stopped Jean Rene from speaking. She didn't need to look at him to know the growl in the room was coming from him. "I have my own wolves to call Sam do you think they will just sit by and watch you hurt me?"

"That's not how the game's played Diana. Once challenged, it is between only two."

Diana knew every time Sam called her Diana it was an insult. He said it like he'd say the word bitch. She didn't care what he called her as long as when they were done he added Ms. in front.

"Be that as it may, do you really think my wolves would allow you to harm me? They'd tear you to pieces or eat what was left of you after your Lycaon finished with you. It is my challenge and I won't back down but know that you are dead no matter who wins," Diana said.

"Sam, please," Susan said. She was looking at her husband.

"Jean Rene agreed to this because I asked. He has hidden what he truly was because he didn't want to put up with people like you. This is not the fight that I want. Jean Rene and I are going back to Europe to stop the werewolves that threatened every wolf, not just overseas but here as well. Do you think that once werewolves are found out to be real, people will assume that they only live in Europe?"

"I don't need a king or queen," Sam said.

"Sometimes shit's bigger than you Sam. And if you don't see that, then you're way more arrogant and self-absorbed than you think Jean Rene," Diana said.

If looks could kill... Sam stared at Diana and then shifted his heated gaze to Jean Rene before looking at the three wolves at her feet. She didn't know if he was weighing his options or coming to terms with her words.

"Please Sam," Susan said again. Diana felt bad that she'd made the woman worry when she'd been so nice to her just hours ago but this was so much bigger than the few people that was in the room.

"She is Nonakris, wolf queen, and you have challenged Samuel Benet. Do you accept her challenge?" Alexis said his deep voice a threat in and of itself. She knew if the shit hit the fan it wasn't just Jean Rene and the wolves that would be fighting. The thought made her want to turn and look at the giant who'd tried to intimidate her the first time they'd met, but she didn't. She stared at the problem in front of her. Sam gave her dagger eyes but slowly lowered to one knee. He didn't like it, but she didn't need him to like it, she just needed him to fucking bow.

"My apologies Diana," the asshole said through gritted teeth.

"I do not accept your apology," she said.

"I'm sorry for offending you and Jean Rene. It won't happen again," he said.

"You're right, it won't," Diana said getting more pissed off the longer the jerk pussyfooted around with giving the apology and acceptance he knew she was waiting on. But she wasn't the one kneeling and she'd be damn if she was letting him up before he gave up the goods. "The apology is not acceptable and therefore the challenge still stands Sam. Either get up and fight, or apologize."

Sam head remained bowed and Diana was about to get the party started by slapping him. Her hand actually itched at the thought.

"Forgive me Nonakris for the disrespect of the Lycaon," he said. Diana gave him extra points from not sounding like he'd rather eat shit than say the words.

"Thank you Samuel Benet of the Black Warrior Pack, your apology is accepted."

Sam popped up like a jack in the box and looked at her. He had enough sense not to make the look dirty but Diana knew he was still trying her. Asshole was in a staring contest with her. She fought the urge to sigh and cross her arms and say, "really Sam." Instead she met his gaze. No one said anything. Susan didn't plead for him to sit. Jean Rene didn't interfere. All three of the wolves had lain down. Everyone seemed to have settled in to see how the fight would end, because although Sam had apologized the ass was still trying to one-up Diana, but she'd played with boys for too long to fall for Sam's petty bullshit, and he was going to sit down first if she had to stand there and stare his ass down for the rest of eternity.

"Enough Sam or you risk challenging Diana again," Jean Rene said from his seat.

Sam sat down still looking at Diana until Susan touched his arm and he finally broke eye contact. Diana sat down next to Jean Rene. She thought he would take her hand or pull her into his side, but he didn't touch her.

# Chapter

# 11

Diana was operating off two hours of sleep. The flight to France was nine hours not including the three hour delay in New York. She was too anxious, too excited and too worried sleep. No one knew who or why Diana had been targeted. Jean Rene had left Ponce de Leon and Hawkins with Thomas to help with his investigation but with Jean Rene leaving, if his theory was correct, the murderer would follow him back overseas. If that was the case, Jean Rene offered a place for Ponce and Hawkins to come to France but both declined, opting instead to join Sam's pack.

Jean Rene had stopped sugar-coating things with Diana and sat her down to explain what he thought would happen once he returned home. He had declared himself king and there were likely to be many challenges until rumor could catch up with legend. In the week that it took to get everything settled and ready for them to move, Diana had to quit her job, pack up her house and said good-bye to her old life in a way she hadn't imagine. John was actually bright eyed with tears as he hugged her outside her house. He'd come to her home on her last day surprising her because they'd said their goodbyes at the office four days before. Ponce and Hawkins were there as guards as well as the three wolves. It took a lot of finagling but she convinced John that Ponce and Hawkins were movers and the wolves pets...she thinks.

Alexis had been busy calling the Nuntis Pack and to Diana's dismay it was only nine men. How were nine men supposed to keep Jean Rene safe? Of course if they were nine men like Alexis, then maybe. Jean Rene was busy getting the castle opened. He'd not lived in it in for over two hundred years. She couldn't imagine owning a castle and not living in it. And her wolves? They didn't come. Jean Rene had made arrangement for the animals to be shipped but this morning when they packed up the car and was heading out, when she opened the back door the black wolf didn't get in. The three of them came to her and she knelt in the dirt and cried as she hugged each one goodbye. Silly, she knew, but she'd come to think of them almost as children. They licked her face and stood aside as she got in the car and then ran into the woods surrounding Jean Rene's house. He held her hand while she cried most of the way to the airport.

The car turned off the main road onto a pebbled road lined with manicured trees that were old and big with limbs hanging low enough that Diana wondered if a truck could pass without roof damage. What was it with car damaging roads and her man? The sight of the castle stole her breath even though she'd seen pictures of it. It was the biggest building Diana had ever seen. It was right out of mid-evil times, all white brick with an elaborate roof-line. The castle had four towers, over four hundred rooms and close to three hundred fire places. Diana tried not to look like a tourist but she failed terribly and Jean Rene laughed as she tried to compose herself. It took everything in her not to roll her window down and hang her head out of it. The car rolled to a stop between two men dressed in matching livery. There was a line of staff waiting at the front entrance. Diana had prepared to be culture shocked but it was like she'd stepped into a different era. She smiled at the man holding the door and he bowed at the neck. Jean Rene waited at as she came around the car and then took her hand, drawing it to his lips to kiss it.

"It'll take getting use to Mon Lune," he whispered in her ear before an older gentleman stepped forward. The man had the same expression as the one on Diana's side of car: polite but serious. They must all have gone to the same school she thought, and bit back a smile. She wasn't use to this way of living but she didn't want to embarrass herself, or Jean Rene.

"My name is Watson, I am the butler," the man said. Diana was still not comfortable calling anyone a servant. It was the American in her. "This is Simms, your valet," he said and a man slightly younger bowed at the neck and said, "Milord."

This is Ms. King, the housekeeper and Ms. Bellamy, your lady's maid," Watson said and the two curtsied.

Thank you Watson, if we could wait on the rest of the introductions, we've been up for quite some time and we'd like to have a rest before dinner," Jean Rene said when he realized that Watson intended on introducing the key-staff right then and there.

"Of course Milord," Watson said.

Jean Rene led Diana into the house and she nearly swallowed her tongue. "Oh my God," she whispered. She didn't know if she'd ever do anything but whisper in the place. It was too much. Too beautiful, too grand, too...much, and in her opinion, due reverence. She didn't know if she could ever "get use to it" if she lived a hundred years.

Jean Rene led her up the main staircase that ended just as Diana was about to ask for a pit stop. He walked slow, giving her a chance to take in her surrounding until they came to a set of double doors that looked big enough to fit an elephant through.

The furnishings were large, heavy and ornate. The bed had curtains around it. The fire place was big enough for Diana to walk into without bending over. Jean Rene led Diana to the bed and she followed as if hypnotized. He gently pushed her shoulders until she lowered to the bed. He knelt at her feet and took both her hands in his.

"Mon Lune," he said softly.

The first wave of what she'd signed them up for was hitting her and she was overwhelmed. Sure, they'd talked about it. Sure, she'd seen pictures of the castle. Yes, she understood her life had changed from the moment that Jean Rene stepped into that bathroom with the unfinished floor. But this was...this was...unbelievable.

"Mon Lune," Jean Rene repeated and Diana looked down at him. She wasn't hyperventilating, but that was only because she was still trying to breathe again from the sight of the outside of the castle. "Are you well?" Diana shook her head and Jean Rene laughed and sat down next to her on the bed hugging her tight. "Let's lie down for a bit and rest from our trip," he said and pulled Diana into his arms.

"Was this your parent's room," Diana asked after looking up at the ceiling of the bed for God knows how long.

"Yes."

"God Jean Rene it so..." she said and could go no further.

"I know, it is a bit much."

'It's just so much. I don't know what I thought, but this..."she said waving her arm around, "Was not it."

"Some of the wolves are very old fashion. They follow the old ways and we have to play the part Mon Lune. I know that it is overwhelming but you will need to play catch-up very fast," he said pulling her tighter against his body. "Many will mean you harm once they realize they cannot harm me. You must make them fear you."

"Fear me?" she said turning to look him in the face.

"Yes, it is unfortunate your wolves would not come, for you to control them may have been enough to keep many threats at bay. Their loyalty to you is legend."

"What do you mean?"

"Only gods truly had wolves to call; Odin, Lycaon, for you to have three that followed you that were not trained but wild. That Mon Lune is legend."

"Maybe we can find more here," she suggested.

"Perhaps," Jean Rene said. "But until then, you must take your place as my queen. You will be as ruthless and unyielding as I, even if it goes against your American and human sensibilities. Powerful wolves are long lived, so when I say they follow the old laws you have to think of a time before airplanes and cars, a time before electricity and telephone. A time when beheading in front of large crowds of cheering people was fitting punishment for crimes that needed nothing but the word of a rich man to make it happen."

"I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe, Mon Loup," Diana said.

"As will I mon amour."

****

Diana had fallen asleep and when she woke up she had that moment of not knowing exactly where she was. It was almost dark when they had arrived and because of the time change she lay in bed trying to get her internal clock on the right time. Was it late night or very early morning? Giving up, she got out of bed. She wasted as much time as she could by checking out the rest of the bedroom. There was a large bathroom... a really big bathroom with a large claw-foot tub in the middle. There was no shower that she saw and a small door where the toilet was hidden behind. The floor was not wood, but stone. The space was sparse but held a certain charm. After closing the door she went to the other end of the room and opened the door to the right of the fire place. It was a closet that could or could not have always been a closet. It was big, but she'd seen as big, on those television programs that showed the houses of the rich and famous. The door to the left of the fireplace was some kind of storage room.

There was furniture and paintings covered with drop cloths. The floor was covered in a hundred years worth of dust...correction, make that two hundred years of dust. Diana found the light switch just inside the door and the chandelier was like the rest of the lighting in the house. Either the original had been outfitted for electricity or they were damn good replicas. She was putting her money on the first. She walked through the room touching the back of a chair and running her hands over the dust covered top of a long dark wood table. When she got to the end she grabbed the edges a cloth covering a fairly large pictured and pulled it off. Dust coated the air thick enough to wear and Diana waved the hand not holding the cloth in front of her face and then sneezed once. Her hand was still covering the lower part of her face when she saw the picture. It was of Jean Rene. His hair was cut short and close to his head. A line of white ruffle showed around the neckline of the high neck, puffy sleeved, gold and red jacket that had a row of buttons down the front and stopped at the black rope like belt although the shirt continued on past his hips. The rest of the jacket opened in an inverted v. The pants were pleated bloomer looking things, the same shade of red as the jacket. The shoes were flat with a strap across the top. He was still gorgeous. Still so beautiful that it made her heart hurt. Diana didn't cover the picture back up, she planned on having it displayed somewhere. She couldn't wait to find others of him and his family. She could see for herself what his family looked like and the idea was so exciting she found the courage to stop waiting on Jean Rene to return. After all, he'd told her she'd had to play the part. She'd have to be feared. And how was she to do that if she couldn't even work up enough courage to leave the bedroom...her bedroom. She opened the door, straightened her spine and stepped out into the hallway. Closing the door firmly behind her she turned and almost screamed. Ms. Bellamy had appeared like a damn ninja. Diana was sure she hadn't seen the woman when she stepped out of the bedroom.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you Milady," she said.

"That's alright Ms. Bellamy, I'm a little skittish right now," Diana said knowing it was not the fearlessness that Jean Rene had in mind but hell, give her a minute, she'd just had the bejezus scared out of her.

"May I accompany you?" she asked.

Diana smiled, "I'd like that." The woman did a little curtsey and waited for her to lead the way, which Diana had no idea which way she was heading in. Was she going to look for Jean Rene, or was she just going to look around? "Do you know where Jean Rene is?" she finally asked.

"Milord is with Master Broussard in his office."

Okay.

Standing there probably looking as foolish as she felt, her stomach decided for her by giving a most unladylike growl that made Diana wish the floor would open up and swallow her whole.

"You've missed dinner. Let's get you something to eat."

"Thank you Ms. Bellamy," Diana said. "And please take the lead; I have no idea where I'm going." Ms Bellamy was walking pretty slow and Diana couldn't figure out if it was the woman's normal walking speed, if she was trying to give Diana a chance to look around like Jean Rene had done, or if she wasn't comfortable taking the lead.

"What time is it," Diana asked.

"A little past midnight," she said as they approached the stairs. Ms Bellamy stepped aside so that Diana could hold the banister as she walked down the stairs. "Milord and Master Broussard dined earlier, but food is waiting for you."

"Ms. Bellamy, what does a lady's maid do exactly," Diana asked.

"Think of me as your personal assistant," she said.

Diana really had to stop being flabbergasted by every new room she went into. Okay, it was a castle, every room was going to be big and elaborate and rich and filled with history and make her think she had stepped back in time. She took a deep breath and walked into the dimly lit dining room where a large candelabrum was burning long tapered candles. At the end of the table, to the right of the head of the table was a place setting. Standing ramrod straight, like a sentry, was a young man in liveries that looked like he had been standing there for hours and would stand there for hours longer. He stepped forward as Diana approached pulling her chair out for her.

"Milord requested something simple for tonight," Ms. Bellamy said. Diana didn't know if she was tattling on Jean Rene, but she definitely had a hint of disapproval in her voice. Like the very idea of eating anything other than full course was faux pas. Diana didn't even want to think what a full course would entail. At midnight, could she even think about the time it would take to eat it?

"Thank you Ms. Bellamy. I agree with Jean Rene. A full course would have been too much, we arrived so late as it was," she said.

The butler returned with a covered dish and sat it down in front of Diana. He uncovered it and Diana's mouth watered: rosemary chicken, new potatoes and asparagus. All of a sudden Diana was so hungry shoe leather would have been an acceptable meal.

"Thank you...um," Diana said to the retreating young man.

"John, Milady," he said.

"Thank you John." Diana picked up what she hoped were the correct utensils and started to cut a piece of chicken. "Will you let Jean Rene know I'm in the dining room please Ms. Bellamy," Diana called to the woman as she reached to door leading out.

"Of course."

And with that, she left Diana alone with John, who took his post back at the sideboard. Diana ate in silence with John refilling her wine and water glass without being asked. Diana looked around the room in front and to the sides of her as she ate. The silverware was sterling, the glasses were crystal, and her plate was china. She wondered if Jean Rene and his family had use the same. Were these items more than five hundred years old? John was taking her plate when Jean Rene and Alexis walked in.

"Mon Lune," Jean Rene called to her as soon as he crossed the threshold. He was halfway to her when the scream stopped her rise from the chair. It was bloodcurdling and long.

Jean Rene started to run with Alexis on his heels. Diana head whipped around as they passed behind her and poor John looked like he didn't know what to do. Stand guard, or run for the hills. She didn't blame him.

"Come on John," Diana said and took off in the direction of Jean Rene and Alexis.

She went through a narrow room that had a long run of countertop that looked like granite on both sides and cabinets above and below it. That room dumped out into a hallway that had a set of wooden stairs and a doorway beyond that. The room they went through had a long plain wooden table with endless chairs pushed beneath it. She turned left and ran through a kitchen that would have put any restaurant to shame. There, at the end of the kitchen, was an open door with a group of men and women standing around it. Diana pushed her way through the crowd of people and spilled out into the back of the castle. Jean Rene and Alexis were standing in front. Alexis was standing next to the previously screaming woman who had gone into the night to empty the trash, the tied bag lay at their feet. Jean Rene was a little in front of the two and Diana took a step forward but someone grabbed her arm.

"No Milady, it's not safe." It was John. Bless his heart he looked ready to shit his pants, but he had followed her outside when the rest stood in the doorway.

Diana turned around to see if his words were true. Alexis and Jean Rene had yet to move and the woman was no longer screaming, how dangerous could it be. Diana didn't know if the staff knew about Jean Rene but she had faith he'd protect her and she also knew he knew she was outside.

"It's okay John," she said kindly to the brave boy. John looked torn and uncertain but he released her.

Diana walked to Jean Rene who held his hand out behind him. She stretched her arm out and took it as soon as she was within reach. "Mon Lune, your wolves have arrived," he said in a quiet voice as she stepped beside him. And boy, had they ever.

Three wolves stepped into the cobblestone area. If she hadn't known better she would have thought they were the ones she'd left just yesterday, they looked so much like them. But there were subtle differences that she noticed right away. Their coats were thicker; one was shorter, one wider across the chest. Beyond the three that were standing in front of her Diana saw more. She took a step away from Jean Rene and then another. He let her hand go as she approached the closest. He lowered the front half of his body to the ground as if bowing, and then raised it and his head, throwing it back and howling. The rest joined and the sound was deafening.

Diana ran her hand through the fur on his head and walked past him to see the rest. He fell in next to her as she greeted the other two. She walked pass those two and stepped off the cobblestone into grass that felt like carpet beneath her bare feet. She counted nine more wolves, making it twelve in all. They all came to her at once, crowding her, brushing against her legs and each other almost knocking her off balance. She turned to look at Jean Rene. Only he and Alexis had smiles on their faces. The staff looked every bit as horrified and confused as the sight warranted.

It was a good thing their bedroom was the size of a small apartment because it took a lot of room for twelve wolves to stretch out. Diana smiled as she stretched, waking up to the mumblings of Jean Rene as he made his way through the pack of wolves.

"Mon Lune must the stay in the bedroom with us," he asked. Diana propped herself on her elbows and laughed at Jean Rene, who was stepping over wolves like he was trying not to step on land minds.

"I suppose not every night," she said. At the sound of her voice a beautiful grey wolf jumped on the bed and Diana rubbed her head absentmindedly.

There was a knock at the door and Jean Rene stopped with one foot in the air for a second before putting it down causing him to straddle a large brown wolf. "Come in."

The door opened slowly and a very nervous footman peeked in. He opened the door wide enough to enter but didn't, he also didn't take his hand off the doorknob, in case he needed to slam it shut quickly.

"Milord, there is a Lord Black here to see you. Master Broussard is with him until you and Milady can dress for receiving company."

"Thank you William," Jean Rene said, "we'll be down as soon as we can."

"Of course Milord," William said and bowed at the neck quickly and closed the door.

"Let the games begin," Jean Rene said from his place straddling the wolf.

"Already," Diana said getting out of the bed. "We just got here." She tried for it not to sound too much like she was whining.

"Thomas called Alfred to inform him of my return and that I was naming myself king. No doubt word has gotten out. I would have expected Alfred Wolfe to meet us here yesterday," Jean Rene said walking to the bathroom.

"Do you know who Lord Black is?" Diana asked. There was another knock at the door before she could follow him. "Come in."

Ms. Bellamy opened the door and looked just as frightened as William but got points for stepping into the room and closing the door. "I've come to help you dress," she said.

"Um...okay," Diana said and watched the woman make her way to the closet she'd found yesterday. Diana went into the bathroom were Jean Rene was lathering up a brush.

"Do you know who Lord Black is?" she asked again going to the other sink to brush her teeth.

"No but let us hope it is someone who is on our side," he said.

"Lord, please...please, let it be someone on our side," Diana prayed. Jean Rene laughed at her while he soaped his face.

Ms Bellamy picked out a long dress with a fitted bodice and tiered skirt in black. Diana had no idea where in the hell the thing had come from but she let the woman help her put it on trusting the woman. This was her world; Diana was not a visitor but new to it. She wanted to do some intricate updo on Diana's hair but Jean Rene said they didn't have that kind of time. Diana begged to differ; she was all for letting the asshole who had enough nerve to come at the ass-crack of dawn wait. Jean Rene stepped out of the closet wearing a grey suit that he managed to make look both causal and dressy. The white shirt was heavily starched, the tie at his throat was the color of the sky on a clear blue day and the French cuffs sported a pair of silver cufflinks. Diana would never doubt Ms. Bellamy's attire choices. They matched perfectly.

"You look beautiful," he said. Diana looked down at herself. The dress was lovely, but the man standing in front of her made her feel almost plain or would have if not for how Jean Rene was looking at her.

"Thank you, you don't look too bad yourself." He turned around giving her a full three sixty. It was enough to make breathing a battle and her heart work double time in her chest and butterflies to take flight in her stomach. Her insides were in chaos at the sight of him.

"You like Mon Lune," he said in a low seductive voice that made her want to send Ms. Bellamy out of the room with a message that they'd be detained for at least an hour...maybe two.

"Very much Mon Loup," she said a little breathless as he swept her into his arms.

"Make him fear you my love," he whispered against her neck. "Send him from our home cowering in such fear he'll never return to hurt you. Show him you are Nonakris."Each word was a hot caress on her skin that ignited her. "Make him fall at your feet and worship you as the queen that you are," he said before he bit her. There was no pain in the bite and she moaned at the pleasure that swept through her body like a tidal wave. She gripped his arms to help her continue to stand. The long sensual lick of the bite was enough to make her tremble in his arms. God...what a fucking pep talk. Diana had all but forgotten Ms. Bellamy but she had moved away from them and standing at the door. She threw both sides open and the twelve lounging wolves all stood up at once, walking out the door in twos and threes. One large grey wolf walked next to Jean Rene. Diana escort was a large white one. Jean Rene put Diana's arm in the crook of his and they made their way to Lord Black and Alexis.

They entered a room that could have been a den or a library. Whatever, it was yet another room the size of some people's entire home. Alexis and their company were standing in front of the chairs they had been sitting in before Diana and Jean Rene entered. The bulk of the wolves had beaten them to the room and Lord Black was at the end of getting his facial features back under control. He was dressed in a suit but unlike Jean Rene and Alexis he looked stiff in his clothes, like he wasn't use to wearing them, and was that a damn bowler hat Diana saw sitting on the table next to the chair he was sitting in. Jean Rene escorted her to the small settee that was in front of the chair Lord Black was standing in front of. He didn't sit, but stood beside her, it allowed the white wolf to sit with her, while the grey one sat next to his feet. The rest sat, laid and stood around her. Lord Black had regain much of his lost composure by the time she was ready to start talking. He sat down crossing his legs at the knee and placed manicured hands in his lap.

"Rumor has it the infamous Jean Rene Laurent has proclaimed himself wolf king."

"Lord Black, forgive me, but you have me at a disadvantage," Jean Rene said.

"I am Aldolfo Black, Alpha of the Grey Wolf Pack."

"And what business brings you to our home unannounced, Aldolfo," Diana asked. Lord Black was defiantly not on their side. Her prayer hadn't been answered.

"And you are?"

"You may call me Nonakris," she said rubbing the white wolf sitting next to her.

"Ahhh, queen of the wolves," he said. The man looked at Jean Rene. "Really Laurent, you must think very low of the European wolves if you think this is going to fly."

"I think that many wolves are endangering our very existent by breaking our carnal law. If the pack alpha will not rein them in, then someone must."

"And you are this man?" Aldolfo asked.

"I am."

Lord Black sighed heavily and tilted his head to the side and looked back at Diana. "And you are the woman that he would have us believe is our queen. I am old, young woman. Many moons have passed since I was turned. Your animals are impressive, but it will take more than pets to convince the wolves that you are anything other than a newly turned plaything of Laurent's."

Aldolfo words were meant to be offensive but Diana wasn't half as offended as the wolves. The slow growl that with one and spread, until Diana could feel the vibration in her feet.

"I am the Lycaon's wolf to call, but I assure you Adolfo, I am no one's plaything. If you have not come to join us or make challenge, then I don't see what other business you could possibly have with us. But let me be very clear, join us or no, the next insult that passes your lips will be your last. I am Nonakris, a new wolf, but your queen nevertheless."

On cue the white wolf stood up and the several of the ones on the floor started to growl and snarl moving slowly towards the arrogant and disrespectful Lord Black, while others came to sit and stand in front and beside Diana.

"What say you Lord Black," Diana said spitting out the title and name like something nasty in her mouth, "Me and my...trained pets, await your answer."

Adolfo jumped when a wolf that was damn near on his feet barked. "Forgive me Nonakris; I've spoken out of turn."

Diana stood up and Jean Rene hand fell on the small of her back, the wolves that were near Adolfo returned to her. "Kneel Adolfo Black, Alpha of the Grey Wolf Pack and acknowledge your Lycaon and Nonakris." Lord Black didn't waste time; he fell from his seat straight onto the floor. "Go and tell your wolves that their king and queen are here. Let them know our home is safety and shelter should they ever need it. But tell them also that punishment will be swift and we are merciless with those who break the law," she said.

"Of course Nonakris," His voice was shaky but he managed to get it out.

"Goodbye Adolfo," Diana said.

Jean Rene offered his arm, she took it and they left the room, not waiting for Lord Black to stand up. Her wolves were like flowing water, dancing around her feet but just out of the way so that she didn't trip on them. For her first show she thought she did pretty good. The smile on Jean Rene's face was all the confirmation she needed.

****

Diana didn't know if she would ever get use to the pampering. Ms. Bellamy was literally, at her beck and call. There was no need for an alarm clock, the woman had shown up the first day after their arrival with a tray with breakfast, informing her that married women took their breakfast in bed. As Diana sat and ate, Ms. Bellamy busied herself around the room; pulling drapes, gathering the clothes from the night before, laying out what Diana would wear for the day, drawing her bath. It was nice, if you were on vacation. Diana couldn't imagine doing it day after day. She wanted to eat with Jean Rene in the mornings and she was certainly capable of dressing herself. As Ms. Bellamy finished with the final touches of her hair, Diana turned.

"Thank you Ms. Bellamy, you are a miracle worker with my hair." Which was the gospel truth, the woman was a wizard when it came to the wild mane atop Diana's head. Today's style was one of many intricate updos she'd mastered since their arrival two weeks ago. Diana had about a thousand hairpins in her hair but the soft style looked a little messy yet, finished at the same time.

"You're welcome Milady," she said picking up the robe Diana had worn after her bath and the gown she'd had on before that. Draping them over her arm she turned to Diana, "Will that be all?"

"Yes." Diana watched through the mirror as the woman crossed the room she stepped over wolves scattered about like toys left out by a child. She opened and closed the door with a soft click.

Diana took a deep breath and stood, going to the window. The grounds of the estate were beautiful. Green grass that would put any golf course to shame, a rose garden, a maze, gazebos, benches for sitting, even the stables and garages; all things of beauty in this magical world her wolf, and now she, called home. Two weeks had passed since Lord Black's visit. There had been no others, not even from Alfred Wolf, and that was fine with Diana, hell, if they didn't have another caller that would have been just peachy keen, but they were still busy. They were planning a ball. Invitations had already gone out to all the packs that Alexis was able to find and to a few lone wolves as well. The staff in the house was in full battle mode, dusting, polishing, and preparing the rooms that would be occupied by the guest traveling from afar. The first week had been Jean Rene walking around being her personal tour guide. He showed her every nook and cranny of the place and there were a lot of nooks and countless crannies and every bedroom had a name, like the princess suite, or the blue room. Diana closed her eyes as a wave of nausea worked her stomach. The full moon was two days off and Diana wasn't sure who was more nervous her or Jean Rene. She'd been running a low grade fever for the last few days but felt fine, well, mostly fine. She knew that werewolves' body temperature ran hotter than humans and it was nothing to be worried about. She'd always hated being sick and she fought to keep the breakfast in her stomach, where it belonged, instead of going to the bathroom. She swallowed, and swallowed some more, until she won the battle. She was trying not to think about the whys when two figures caught her attention, crossing the vast yard. A wolf, the grey one, was their escort. Even from where she stood, he took her breath away.

Five weeks since the Frenchman had come into her life and turned her world upside down. Diana ran her hand down the front of her dress. Five weeks since she'd first had unprotected sex. Five weeks of him not asking about birth control and her no getting any and now she was two weeks late. Not a long time, but enough to make her worry when she'd never been late before. Diana had filed that little tidbit of information in the worry about later file cabinet. Every day she woke up worried if that day would be the one someone would come to challenge Jean Rene, was that the day someone would try to kill him. She frowned and then smiled because the thought of being pregnant didn't bring anything but good thoughts. She knew he would be pleased so she couldn't help but be happy. Diana saw Jean Rene raise a hand and she waved back at him. Alexis did a low dramatic bow, sweeping his hand out to the side. Diana laughed. Alexis was in better spirits, almost giddy as a matter of fact. It was as if he couldn't wait for the shit to hit the fan. Tomorrow three of the old pack members were scheduled to arrive. They were all that Alexis could locate so far. Diana was about to turn to go downstairs to meet Jean Rene and Alexis when a movement in the shadows of the trees directly behind them caught her eye. She watched in horror as a village of men appeared out of nowhere.

They ran with superhuman speed and Diana knew they were werewolf. She also knew that Jean Rene and Alexis wouldn't make it to the house in time. She didn't waste time yelling, she turned to the eleven wolves at her feet.

"Go," she commanded and looked once more before running after them.

"Watson!" she yelled as she took the stairs two at a time. She held the bottom of her dress up, away from her feet, so she didn't fall down the stairs and break her neck. Watson reached her first, appearing at the foot of the stairs.

"Milady," he said, his face lined with worry.

"Jean Rene and Alexis are being attacked on the back lawn, get everyone to safety. I'm not asking you to fight but if there are any guns or weapons in the house your help is needed and much appreciated," she said running past him. He didn't ask any questions just disappeared down a hall.

Diana was running as fast as she could when the first wave of agony took her breath away and threw her to the ground. She couldn't scream pass the pain as she lay on the floor. When she was at last able to draw breath all she could think about was getting to Jean Rene. She'd seen swords mounted on the wall and she'd planned on grabbing one and going to fight by his side. She could hear it outside, the growls of the wolves she sent to aid him and the sound of flesh being torn and fist breaking bones. She screamed out as a second wave of pain tore through her, curving her spine. She heard Jean Rene call out to her; he'd heard her scream. She yelled, "No!" She knew he'd leave Alexis and while the man was a beast in any form, she could not allow Jean Rene to leave him when he was so greatly outnumbered. She hoped the staff would help but knew it was not ordinary men fighting on the pristine back lawn. She gritted her teeth as she experienced her beast rise. She could feel the fur of her wolf rubbing the inside of her skin comforting and soft before razor sharp claws tried to break her beast from her human form. She curled into a ball on her side but her arms and legs were thrown out as they broke and reformed. She felt like someone had thrown acid on her and her body was melting into a burning heap. She felt the claws as they grew from her nails; she felt her nose and mouth pull outwards to form her muzzle. And just like it began it ended. One second she was on the ground praying for death because surely she was burning in the lakes of hell, the next there was no pain at all. Diana stood up in her wolf form and ran.

Jean Rene was in his half form and was handling his own, surrounded by men who hadn't brought any weapons, or any that she could see. She watched as Jean Rene opened a man's face with one swipe of his claw before she turned to see how Alexis was fairing.

The seven foot man was exchanging blows with a man only slightly shorter and if Diana had to guess, fifty pounds heavier, if only it had been fat that made up that extra fifty pounds. The man was built like a damn tank. A man behind Alexis with a long knife or a short sword was coming up fast on the battling giant. Diana threw herself in the air and sunk her fangs into his forearm. The hot wash of blood that invaded her mouth was the sweetest nectar. Diana's body weight brought the man's arm down as she landed on all fours on the ground. She heard the satisfying crack and felt the snap of his bones breaking between her jaws. Somewhere in the back of her mind she heard the man scream as he tried to yank his arm from her mouth, as she shook her head viciously from side to side, releasing it only long enough to get a better grip on her prey. His arm came off in her mouth and she let it drop to the ground. Because the arm was an appetizer, it was the wound she needed to get to the main course. The man had fallen to the ground and was crawling away from her. She ran into his side, knocking him off balance and went for the kill, burying her teeth into the man's throat, ripping it out and buried her muzzle into her sweet reward. Ripping and tearing flesh until she reached his belly, where the feast really began.

Seconds...minutes...hours, later she looked up. She growled, showing her fangs at the thing approaching her. She was surrounded by wolves that were whimpering and giving short barks. They were crawling forward, their bodies low to the ground, asking permission to join in her feast. Diana growled louder, sank low, preparing to pounce if the half wolf tried to get any closer. The half wolf bent down on all fours and before her eyes began to change, his body falling to the ground, his bones breaking, shortening, becoming full wolf. He was beautiful, grey and black and white. Larger than she was, his growl was louder as he showed his teeth, four inch long, razor sharp canines that dripped saliva as he neared her, not in fear, but as a warning. She stood her ground growling and snarling right back at him. He barked, last chance, submit or prepare to fight for dominance. He was larger, but was he stronger? Diana beast didn't think so, that or he just had to prove himself. She backed away from her food and walked around it, the large grey wolf following her until they had cleared the body. The other wolves fell upon it to finish the feast she'd started.

Diana wolf didn't wait, she sprang forward, but the large grey wolf was ready, he stood on his back legs and their bodies collided. They snapped at each other faces and necks, each trying to find a spot to bite until the large grey wolf's weight was too much for Diana and she fell, but she didn't allow him to pin her. She was up quick and tried to jump him from behind. He swung his body around and grabbed her leg, making her yelp and back away. He gave her no reprieve, he lunged, and jumping high into the air landed on Diana sending them in a roll of fur and fangs and claws until he was on her back. He sunk his teeth into the scruff of her neck, applying pressure until her head was on the ground and the heavy weight of his body held her still. She tried to move and he bit harder, growled low around his clamp jaws. Diana let the tension out of her muscles and stilled her body. He was dominant, bigger than her, stronger than her and she submitted. He let her go but she stayed still. He licked the spot he'd bitten her and then inside her ears, her eyes and around her mouth. Then he nipped at her playfully and jumped off. He wanted to play. They were friends.

Diana woke up lying in cool grass, in arms covered in soft fur. Jean Rene spooned her body and his erection lay thick and long against her back. A soft growl told her he was awake, that and the slow rolling of his hips. He tightened his hold around her, maneuvered their bodies so he could enter her from behind. She cried out as he pushed inside her. His breath came in hot pants that blew her hair like warm wind. Savage sounds left his throat as his body rocked, pushing and withdrawing slow and deep, methodical in every move as he brought her to orgasm within moments of entering her. She was still catching her breath when he moved too fast for her to protest, drawing out of her and kissing his way down her back, he bit one cheek of her ass before opening her legs. She was panting, begging, screaming as his tongue licked, sucked and flicked her to a second wave of pleasure. She rolled on her back, he shifted his body until he lay between her opened thighs and continued to feast on her core. When he crawled up her body he was all human. The soft down of fur that had covered his body was gone but he had the beginning of a beard. "Show off," Diana said as he grabbed one of her legs and placed it over his forearm.

"You are a beautiful wolf Mon Lune," he whispered. She would have said thank you but her breath was taken as the steel of his erection penetrated her. "Fur as white as fresh snow," he said as he thrust inside her quick and deep. "Soft...so soft," he said shifting to the side and driving into her hard enough to make her body move up. He repositioned himself climbing her body and then grabbing a hand full of hair with his free hand, holding it tight, keeping her in place. "So strong," he said tilting his hips up when he'd reached the end of her. "So powerful." His words were strained, his tempo frenzied. Diana met each thrust, each stroke. She wrapped her free leg around his waist and tried to use it to push him deeper inside her.

"My Accalia," he said, "My Nonakris...my moon...my sun...my love...my life." With each word his drove into her harder, faster until she screamed his name and then her agreement.

Jean Rene groaned into her neck, "God Diana, you make me crazy with need. The desire to be buried in your body always rides me."

"Yes," Diana said. She screamed the word until she didn't know if she knew another.

"So wet Mon Lune, so ready for me." Jean Rene kissed her neck and then took her mouth, his tongue going deep, filling it, covering hers, and licking the roof. A tangled dance of tongue and teeth as they kissed and licked and nipped each other lips. Diana could feel him thickening, growing inside her. "You feel so good," he said and then he threw his head back and fisted her hair tight enough to hurt, Diana had a second where she saw his mouth before he brought it down on her shoulder and it wasn't full of straight white human teeth. As his teeth broke the skin, she felt the hot jets of his release fill her body. He tilted his pelvis so the tip of his erection touched the very end of her. His body jerked and she could feel each jump of his erection inside her as he emptied inside her. The bite was forgotten. It only added to the pleasure her body was experiencing. He released her shoulder and licked it. He was still inside her, still semi-erect, each move or shift make her moan. He raised his face from her shoulder.

"Mon Lune," he said rubbing her hair. Her eyes were closed as she enjoyed him, the feel of his body a comforting weigh covering hers. The bite he'd given her was nothing more than a low throb, the feel of him inside her body still thick and long. "Do you know you are with child?"

# Chapter

# 12

"How do you feel about it," she said in a low voice. They had a lot of shit going down. Hell, he'd just had to fight off a gang of men.

He looked at her as if she'd lost her mind. "I am happy my child grows inside your body," he said kissing her gently on the forehead, "But I am worried for obvious reasons," he continued kissing her eyelids."

"I know," she said in a low voice.

"Non," Jean Rene said. He held her face between his palms, "Nothing will steal our joy on this."

She couldn't help the tears that formed and then fell from her eyes. Diana hadn't dated for years as she tried to carve out a tiny place for herself in the world. She had a job that she loved, made decent money, had a few people she called friends. As far as she was concerned her life had been complete. She'd been happy, or so she'd thought, until the beautiful man on top of her had come and shown her what true happiness was. Now she was going to have his baby and it was too much. Yes, there were things, dark days ahead of them as they awaited his first challenge as king, hard days as they established their reign, but there were also days like today. Where they would wake up in each other's arms and make love, or just find pleasure in each other's company.

"Happy tears," Jean Rene said kissing the corners of her eyes.

"How do you know," she said although she was smiling.

"I smell it on you, like spun sugar."

"My tears smell like cotton candy," she said laughing.

He nodded, the curtain of his hair blocked out everything but his lovely face and those hypnotizing blue eyes that she drowned in every time she looked into them. With him by her side, she felt like there was nothing she—they—couldn't do.

"Let's get you home." He stood. Dressed or naked there was always that moment where Diana could do nothing but stare at him for a second. Like the sight of him stole her ability to do anything else but take in his form, and never his face. He stood over her with the sun shining around him looking like a god sent from the heavens. Broad shoulders, muscled arms, sculptured chest and abdomen, thick thighs—he was perfect. He laughed and held his hand out and hers was on autopilot as she reached out to him. He kissed her once she was on her feet, a quick peck, anything longer and they'd be in the grass again.

"How do you feel?" He asked taking the first step, because she could have happily stayed right where they were.

"I feel...good." A little surprised at the revelation, she flexed and tensed the muscles in her arms and legs. Okay, she felt better than good. She felt better than she ever had. Stronger wasn't really the right word, but she felt...she felt... powerful, yeah, that was the word... powerful. "Powerful," she said. She felt invincible, as light as a dandelion seed on a spring wind, as solid as an ageless oak, roots buried deep within the earth's surface and limbs reaching for the heavens.

"How is everyone," she asked, hoping he would have told her if anyone was seriously injured.

"There were no casualties on our side, but I think packs will think twice before sending another ambush."

Jean Rene gave her a recap like a king of old reliving a glorious victory, which was very much the case. While Diana was enjoying her first kill as a wolf, most of the men servants had armed themselves and joined the fight. But it was the wolves that saved the day. Either Lord Black hadn't spread the word, or the neighboring pack that attacked hadn't believed him. Jean Rene's last words stopped her in her tracks.

"Five days," she repeated. "That's a work week."

Jean Rene laughed as she tried and failed to hold her mouth closed. She'd been a wolf for five days and had no memory of it at all.

"Why didn't I turn back into my human form when the sun came up?" she asked.

"I don't know."

"I don't remember anything that happened, did I hurt anyone?"

"No one that didn't deserve it Mon Lune," he said.

"What does that mean?" Diana asked stopping again.

"We and your twelve wolves found the trail of the retreating wolves and killed the whole pack," he said, pulling her gently to get them moving again.

"We?" she asked, hardly believing just she and Jean Rene had killed an entire pack.

"Alexis and the three he found of my old pack joined us."

"Oh God, I'd forgotten," she said of the members of the only pack Jean Rene had been alpha of. As they walked through the woods the wolves joined them, coming in pairs or threes, until all twelve walked with them. Diana saw not too far in front of them something hanging from a low hanging branch.

"Someone left us clothes," she said as Jean Rene handed her one of the black silk robes. It felt like heaven next to her skin.

"Alexis or maybe one of the others," he said drawing his own robe over his shoulders and tying it closed.

"How big was the pack?" Diana continued with her barrage of questions from the time missing from her memory. He put his arm around her shoulder and she wrapped hers around his waist.

"Twenty or so," he answered.

They broke through the trees entering the grounds of the estate hand and hand. The wolves bouncing around there feet, looking every bit the trained pets that Lord Black accused them of being. Diana had cried when she left the wolves in the States even though she had never felt they belonged to her. These were hers.

"There's a room off the bedroom, to the right of the fire place. It's a storage room right now, but I'd like to make it into a room for the wolves," she said.

"I thought it could be a nursery." The joy in his face was almost enough to get her going again. If he was half at good at being a father as he was at being her mate and lover, he was going to put the rest of the world's dads to shame. Her heart was in her throat and she swallowed but only nodded before she used her words.

"Yeah, but we have a ways to go on that."

Up ahead she saw people coming out of the house. A half a dozen give or take. Alexis, Ms. Bellamy, John, the footman, the rest she didn't recognized, she assumed they were the pack that had come to join them. Ms. Bellamy's face was one of calm reserve. The men were grinning like idiots, even Alexis, which Diana would have thought impossible. Sure he'd been more relaxed, but that only meant his scowl only scared full grown men. He no longer struck fear into the hearts of women, children and old people. Now he seemed – approachable, likable, dare she say...happy.

The first person to approach her was a man that looked like he may be stuck between his human and animal form, although he looked more bear than wolf. Red hair that covered almost the entirety of his face was wild and managed to look both, unkempt and clean at the same time. Even before he wrapped her up in big beefy and rock hard arms she knew he'd smell like moss and bark and freshly cut grass. He was wearing a kilt and a long sleeve shirt that had loose puffy sleeves with three buttons down the front. He looked like had stepped out of the time when the castle had been built. He was the only one who looked like he belonged. He bent down low and grabbed her around the waist and picked her up so suddenly she could do nothing but hold on to his massively large shoulders. By the time he stopped spinning her she was dizzy and laughing, his mood was contagious. He put her down suddenly and Jean Rene gripped her elbow to keep her from falling on her ass. The oak she was comparing herself to...yeah, well, she didn't have nothing on the thick, stout, solid man in front of her.

"Nonakris," he said dropping to his knee. He bowed his head and brought his fist to his chest. Hitting it solidly, making the sound of a drum. A sound so deep Diana could almost feel the thump in the center of her own body. "I am Wallace." And his voiced matched his body, thick and deep, a boom of sound that rang through the crisp morning, like a gong.

Before she could say anything to him, another man came forward and Wallace stood and took a step back. This man had long hair, the longest Diana had ever seen on a man. It hung down around his body like a short cloak ending at his waist. Grey eyes the color of molten metal that actually seemed to swim. He was tall but shorter than Alexis, but who could be taller?

He knelt before her, "Nonakris, I am Rob." His voice was low, not deep, but spoken softly. But there was something about him that screamed: danger, more so than even Alexis. Alexis was death coming straight for you, with Rob, it snuck up on you, like an undetected illness—a heart attack or aneurysm—one minute you were fine, the next, dead.

Rob stood and stepped to the opposite side of Wallace. The last man was small and slight and so very pretty that words like: fair and delicate came to mind. Wrong words when you thought of a man, but accurate when trying to describe the man in front of her. He was maybe an inch taller than Diana, with white blond hair and light blue eyes. It was a blue she'd never seen as an eye color. It made her think of the arctic or any cold thing. These ice blue eyes told her that as fair and delicate as he may seem, he was as dangerous as the rest. He did not drop to the ground as the other two had. His descent was full of grace, slow, elegant.

"Nonakris, I am Constantine." His voice made her think of love, or rather the act of making love. Every word, every syllable was a soft caress on her skin. She actually shivered a little. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly. Yeah, this one was dangerous.

He stood front and center, flanked by the other two newcomers: Wallace, grinning like a loon, Rob, looking like a bored serial killer, and Constantine, like he was plotting how best to ravage her body or how to convince her to ravaged his.

"It's so nice to meet you all. Welcome home Nuntis Pack," Diana said.

Ms. Bellamy stepped forward, pushing the men aside. "Milady, I've drawn you a bath and lunch is being prepared. Shall we?"

Diana hesitate, she wasn't sure if she was hungry, although she didn't want to think too hard on the reason why and she wanted to get to know the men that stood around her, who joined Alexis in swearing their lives for Jean Rene's and hers.

"Go Mon Lune, we will freshen up and wait for you in the dining room," Jean Rene said. He kissed her on the top of her head.

"Okay," Diana said, then saw John standing off to the said. He'd come out, but not said anything.

"John?" she said stepping away from Jean Rene and Ms. Bellamy. He wasn't smaller than she or Constantine in build, but his presences at the moment made him seem so, as he tried to make himself small as to not be noticed. Diana smiled at him as she walked to him, offering him comfort and reassurance. There was a moment when she thought he was going to run off. His shoulders hunched as he tried to fold up inside himself and disappear. Diana straightened her own spine, willed him to stand tall and John stood a little straighter. The closer she got the more his confidence grew, until he stood tall with her. He bowed to her from the waist. "I'm glad you're not hurt Milady," he said.

"Thank you John. Thank you for coming to see me home." She laid her hand on his shoulder, noticed the bandage on his neck, almost hidden by the starched white collar of his shirt. "Did you fight?" she asked. He nodded. "Thank you John. Thank you for aiding Mon Loup." Diana kissed him on the cheek. He blushed as only a young man being kissed by a beautiful older woman could, almost scarlet on his neck, cheeks and ears. He nodded again, a quick jerk of his head.

"I didn't get a kiss and I killed three wolves," Wallace said from behind her laughing. The sound was like waves breaking on the shore. It was the kind of laugh that would drown out any others that even thought to duel with its glory. Diana smiled as she turned around.

She reached Alexis first. He hadn't said anything so far. Diana had to strain to look up at him or take a step backwards, but she hadn't stepped back from him the first day she met him and he didn't make her do it today. He lowered himself to his knees. "Good morning Alexis."

The man dipped his head, "Nonakris." His voice was like boulders clashing together in his throat. It was the first time he'd called her by the title and somehow, having the respect of the giant made it all the more real. Jean Rene had given her a kingdom, but Alexis, in a single word, told her she could reign. She laid her hand on his shoulder, felt the strength of the man beneath the fabric of his shirt. His coal color skin was smooth and flawless. She moved her hand up his neck until his cheek rested in her palm, he dipped and rolled his head into it, his skin as soft as it looked. She took her free hand and rubbed the top of his head. She lost time as she petted him.

"Did you kill any wolves?" she asked smiling. She couldn't keep the damn thing off her face.

"Yes, two wolves and two men who came on the first day," he answered.

She put her hands on the side of his neck and placed a kiss on each of his eyes, and on each of his cheeks. "Thank you." And it was not just for his recent kills. It was for refusing to leave her mate's side the long years since he'd disbanded his pack, it was for making sure he was never alone, even if he felt like he had been. Alexis was more than just Jean Rene's second, more than his friend, he was family. "Thank you," she said again. He nodded, understanding the words she didn't speak. He raised his head and even on bended knee was tall enough that Diana's lean was slight as she brought her face to him. His kissed her, his lips a light press, just below her bottom lip.

Next was Rob. "And you, how many did you kill?" He lowered as she approached.

"You and your wolves afforded me only one kill, Mistress."

"Thank you," she said kissing him on the forehead. He kissed her in the same spot as Alexis.

Constantine was next. He gave a graceful bow at the waist, his hand sweeping out to his side. He needed a cape for the full on affect for such a dramatic show, he still pulled it off somehow. "Four wolves, Mistress," he said before lowering.

"Thank you." Four wolves, four kisses, but not on the eyes, that was for those who'd gone above and beyond, and while they were there now, only Alexis had stayed by her mate's side. These were new wolves to her, and their loyalty was going to have to be proven in more than one battle. Diana have him two kisses on the forehead and one on each cheek. He gave his kiss in return.

Wallace made her laugh out loud. "Three I know," she said.

"Aye but a sad day when a lady out kills me in such a glorious battle," he said, falling with all the grace of a great animal fell by a hunter's bullet. The look of confusion on her face made it his turn to laugh. "To watch you fight, it makes one forget that you are new to our ways," he said. "Nonakris, you had the highest kill."

Diana looked over her shoulder at Jean Rene, who was smiling biggest of all. "Ten," he said.

"And a glorious sight it was to see," Wallace said bringing her attention back to him.

She placed her hands once again on broad shoulders to steady herself and have him one smacking kiss on his forehead and one on each cheek. "Thank you."

"It was my absolute pleasure Nonakris," he said. Wallace was not like the other men. He was...wild, at one with his beast in a way that almost made him more animal than human. His dancing eyes, the slight curve of his lip that was a smile always waiting to break free, the thick ropes of twisted hair that hung like red cables down his back and hung around his face and shoulders: all testament of his free spirit. He didn't offer her a soft kiss; he licked her, from the bottom of her chin to her bottom lip, just as a natural wolf would have shown submissiveness.

****

When Diana came out of the bathroom and saw the long flowing gown she told Ms. Bellamy that she'd dress herself. Heading for the closet to grab a pair of jeans and shirt, she almost choked when she threw the door open. When she'd left the closet housed the clothes she'd brought from the States. She wasn't a clothes hog, but she was a woman, and had quite a few clothes, but even with everything hung up, including t-shirts that she would have put in a drawer at home, the closet still looked like it would carry an echo. This closet was now full, packed to capacity. She shook her head as she entered and went to the section that had pants and found a pair of linen pants that flared at the bottom in light pink that would look white if you didn't have anything white next to them. The shirt was a low scoop neck tee in pink as well. On her way out of the closet, she went to a large hanging bag and unzipped it. The gown for next week's ball had arrived while she was out romping in the woods killing werewolves. The very thought made her laugh out loud. She ignored that it sounded a little mad... crazy, not angry.

The gown was strapless. The bodice white, the color darkened into light grey and deepened still until the bottom was black. She'd asked for the special dye job because it made her think of Jean Rene's wolf. Zipping the bag back up, she didn't worry about shoes. She'd never been a shoe person and never wore them unless she was going out. Ms. Bellamy, having been dismissed, had already gone, doing whatever it was she did when she wasn't fussing over Diana's clothes and hair. Diana bunched her hair up on top of her head in a loose messy bun and headed for the dining room. Even if she hadn't known her way around, she could have followed the sound of Wallace's voice. She half expected him to have mead dripping from his beard, tearing into a drumstick the size of a ham when she rounded the corner. She hadn't been looking forward to the ball but with Wallace there she has having second thoughts. When she entered the room all the men stood.

Jean Rene pulled her chair out as she approached. "You look lovely," Jean Rene said before taking his seat.

John made his rounds and had worked his way to her with a decanter of red wine because morning had passed and it was lunch by the time they'd left the back lawn. Diana stopped him by placing her hand across the top of her glass. "Water from now on John," she said.

"Congratulations on the baby Nonakris," Constantine said raising his glass to her, "and Lycaon."

"Thank you Constantine," Jean Rene said taking Diana's hand. "We are so very pleased." Jean Rene lifted her hand to his lips.

Two hours later and they were still sitting at the table, Diana listening and watching the reenactment of the night they raided the pack that had ambushed them. The details...gory, the descriptions...horrifying. Why then, did her side hurt from laughing and her throat hurt from yelling. Because men get riled up about the weirdest shit, and it was impossible to be horrified when the event themselves were delivered in comedic, animated ways, with Wallace insisting on people taking turns playing out each of his kills. Diana had tears streaming down her face when Watson came into the room carrying a silver tray with a letter on it. Jean Rene was wiping his eyes as he reached for it. Taking a moment before opening the letter that Diana noticed was sealed with a big clump of blood red wax. Jean Rene laughter died and the room silenced immediately.

"What is it?" Diana asked. She laid her hand on his arm.

"I've been challenged," he said softly.

"By whom," Alexis asked.

Jean Rene handed the letter to the man sitting on his left. "A Mr. Renaldo Santoya," he said. He squeezed the hand Diana had on his arm and smiled brightly at her.

"Why are you smiling," she asked. He was strong, powerful and ageless, but not invincible. He was resilient. That's what he'd said. They had laughed about a battle that had gone in their favor, but it was one she didn't remember, and one that they had won. She did remember how she felt seeing the men come from the tree line, remembered the terror at the thought of losing him.

"How can you smile?" She asked. She wasn't weepy...yet. She'd save her tears from the actual fight.

"Because he's asked to fight in human form," he said.

"The challenger does not know of Jean Rene's ability to change forms at his leisure," Alexis said with a smile that was anything and everything other than joyful. It was the kind of smile that told you the man liked his kill up close and personal, that he took great pleasure in ending someone life with much pain.

"I am already legend. My name has been whispered words for a long time. They will come to see if it is true with their own eyes."

Okay, either she'd lost time again and missed some of the conversation or she'd missed some of her lesson in the weeks since Jean Rene had turned her. She had no idea what the hell they were talking about.

"It is custom to announce ones intent. It gives everyone a chance to prepare." Rob said.

"Prepare for what," Diana asked. In her head she had it all figured out and imagined the challenges going much like Lord Black's visit. Someone would show up, there would be a fight, and that would be the end of it.

Constantine spoke. "News of the challenge will be sent to all the packs. Mr. Santoya will bring people with him. If he has a pack, he will bring key people: his mate, his beta, maybe the entire pack."

"Oh," Diana said and asked the question that she'd dreaded, but now seemed the time to get it all clear, "And what happens if Jean Rene loses."

"A challenge for king is one to the death," Constantine said.

"I know that." Her words were short and clip. She was angry, well, she was scared, but it manifested as anger and that was fine with her.

"I think Diana is wondering what happens to her, to us, if Jean Rene loses." Alexis said.

"Yes, that's the question," she said looking at Jean Rene.

"They will try to kill you, Alexis and the rest of the pack," Jean Rene said. "Or anyone that they feel is a threat to the new king."

"No," she said in a whisper.

"They will try, but his reign will be short and he will never make it to you Nonakris. The challenge is between only two. Any fight after is a true battle," Wallace said.

Her head was spinning, reeling. She'd wondered how nine men could protect Jean Rene and only three had been found. But they were as deadly as Alexis and she was grateful but three...it was hardly enough to go to battle. No, she wouldn't allow herself to think, to even fathom the idea of him losing. "When?" she asked.

"He has been so kind as to ask to fight after the ball." Jean Rene said.

"So he was invited?" Diana said

"Yes and he will be here with his mate and his beta."

Diana was sick to her stomach and it had nothing to do with her bout of badly timed morning sickness. She was a nervous about being introduced to the countless strangers and having to play politics all night to a bunch a men and woman who were going to be bowing and curtseying all damn night and then cheering at a fight to the death tomorrow morning. And she couldn't make up her mind if she was madder than hell that Mr. Renaldo Santoya had the fucking nerve to show up, or sick with worry about how the meeting would go Lord Black had shown up in a suit and tie with a damn bowler hat, the man didn't look ready to throw down, he looked like he was ready to negotiated a damn treaty. He was rude and had tried to be threatening but in the end, as far as threats go he had been a...non-threat.

Diana sat at her vanity while Ms. Bellamy brushed her hair. Lady's maids rocked. The woman had brushed Diana's hair until it was no longer curly but barley wavy. The long thick tresses stood out from her head at least four inches. It had a deep center part and covered her shoulder completely. Diana made sure that one side was pulled back to show Jean Rene's mating mark. It had healed but the bite was several shades darker than her regular skin tone and raised from the rest of the skin around it. She kept her hand away from it as well as any clothing because touch sent a wave of pleasure so shocking it weakened her knees and stopped her breath.

"You always looked like a wolf,' Jean Rene spoke from behind her.

Diana turned to admire him...her king...her wolf. He was a vision in black and white so crisp it looked like it'd crack and fall from his body if he moved. His bronzed skin made the white of his shirt almost glow. His hair was loose around his face in soft waves. He was...perfect.

"Why do you say that," she asked standing up as he walked to her with his hands behind his back.

"You look wild and dangerous, powerful and beautiful. Like a wolf," he said taking one hand from behind his back and running his hand beneath her hair, cupping the back of her neck and drawing her head to his to meet in a kiss. His lips met hers in a soft brush and then deepened until his mouth pressed firmly on hers and the first swipe of his tongue licked her lips and pressed pass the crest of them and invaded her mouth. A rumble rose in his chest before the growl was released into her mouth. One she happily took as she kissed him. They were both breathless when he broke their kiss.

"Mon Lune," he said, his lips still pressed against hers.

"Mon Loup."

They opened their eyes at the same time and he moved his head away from her face so they could actually see each other. "How do you feel," he asked looking down. Behind her on the vanity was a small tray holding plain saltine crackers and a glass of ginger ale.

"I'm fine," she said kissing his neck.

He lowered his head and bit her lightly over the healed mark, his teeth bearing down just enough to make her moan and then gasp as he licked her.

"I have something for you." His breath was hot on her skin. She'd thought that once she'd changed, once her body temperature matched his, that would change, but his breath, his touch, was still hot.

"We don't have time for that Jean Rene, I have to get dress," she said, even though she would have liked nothing more than to free the erection pressing against her stomach.

He chuckled, the sound sending electric currents through her body clear to her feet. "No, not that...a gift." He brought his other hand from behind him. He was holding silver head band of tiny laurel leaves on a braided rope. He'd explained wolves seldom wore jewelry except for special occasion and never near a full moon; nothing like losing priceless gems because they popped or fell off a changing body. She lowered her head while he placed it in her hair.

"I need to get her dressed Milord," Ms Bellamy said from the doorway of closet.

"Of course," Jean Rene said, but he didn't leave, he went into the closet with her and sat down in the chair in the closet. He reclined and crossed his legs at the knee, his hands a steeple in front of him. The tips of is forefingers pressed against his lush mouth. The heat in his gaze as he prepared to see her dress made her own fire burn. It was intense, a look that bore down on her body until she could feel it pressing against her skin. He took a long deep breath closing his eyes for a moment and she knew he could smell her arousal. She slipped the black silt robe from her shoulders and let it fall to the ground. She stood in front of him naked, completely bare. Not posed, her arms at her sides, her legs slightly parted. Jean Rene had seen her naked every day since she'd moved into his house and he looked at her as if it was the very first time.

"Turn Mon Lune," he said, low, so low she wondered if Ms. Bellamy heard it at all. Why was it, Jean Rene could make her forget other people were in the room. But as she turned she saw two things: Ms. Bellamy was nowhere to be seen, and the closet door was closed.

When her back was to him, she her him whisper, "belle." The word was drawn out and the two syllable word stole her breath. It was orgasm by word. She could hear him taking another slow deep breath and when she was facing him again his eyes were still close.

"I can smell you." His voice was silk on her skin. "I know your body is ready for me...wet... aching for my touch, my kiss."

Hell yeah it was.

"It is the moon, I am the tide. I am powerless against its call Diana." Jean Rene almost never called her Diana, and when he did, he made it sound exotic, almost forbidden. A little like a prayer. She watched as his eyes opened slowly and he stood up. For a moment she wanted to run, afraid of what his touch would do to her. He came to her like a predator stalking prey. Her body trembled as he came to stand in front of her. He grabbed the back of her head and fisted a handful of hair pulling it tight until she growled at him to let him know enough. She was certainly getting use to her beast. She and it got alone very well. His free hand went between her legs and cut her breath off. There was nothing gentle in his touch; he was taking what was his. His thumb circled the top of her sex making her pant until she thought she would become light headed. He worked her fast, holding her head back so he could watch her face as she came. He looked down her body as it quaked in the wake of the pleasure he'd unleashed. He slowly withdrew his fingers and she moaned. He brought his hand up and sucked his fingers. Drawing the two digits completely in his mouth, closing his eyes as if it was a seldom had delicacy, an indulgence.

"Délicieux," he said before kneeling in front of her. Diana had to grab hold of one of the bars in the closet to keep her balance as he pushed her legs part. He licked both her thighs clean. The rasp of his tongue making her grip the bar and press the palm of her hand against the wall so hard she thought she'd bend the bar and punch a hole through the wall. When his tongue swept across her core, he had to hold her up. His hands pressed hard in the skin of her thigh and ass. She knew she'd be bruised, but the hard hold only intensified the feeling of pleasure as he licked every drop of her release from her body. When she came the second time she screamed out his name.

"Méchant loup," Diana said when she was able to talk. Jean Rene was still between her legs, still working her with his torturous tongue. "You have to stop Jean Rene," she said already on the verge of a third orgasm.

"Si je dois," he said kissing the inside of her thighs making her body jerk. "Let me help dress you. Let your bad wolf be good." He went to the dress and took it off the hanger while she worked on stopping her body from shaking. Jean Rene held the dress open and low. How he managed to run his hands up the back of her thighs as he stood was anyone's guess. She held it in place as he rounded her body and he kissed her low on her back and then ran a line of them up it as he zipped her up.

# Chapter

# 13

"My God Laurent, I don't know whether to fuck, fight or defend," Wallace said.

They were met outside the bedroom door by their pack; Alexis and Rob in black tuxedos that matched Jean Rene's, Constantine in white and Wallace in his usual kilt. The party was in full swing. Their pack was going down as one Wallace and Constantine in front, Alexis and Rob pulling up the rear and the wolves a constant wave around their feet.

"What?" Diana said red faced, as the other men laughed at his outburst.

Jean Rene closed the doors as the last of the wolves exited the room. "You are still aroused and smell of your release. Stronger wolves will smell it and want to mate. The men outnumber the woman, so there may be fights for the right to mate." Diana's eyebrow almost lifted completely from her head. "You also smell of child. A pregnant female is to be protected at all cost," he finished, taking her hand and putting it in the crook of his arm.

"So everyone will know I'm pregnant," she said, her hand covering her belly.

"It is a good thing," Constantine said from in front of them.

"What do you mean," Diana asked.

"The smell of your desire for your mate, and that of your young, will let all know that Jean Rene fights for love and that of his unborn child. A wolf is never more powerful," Constantine said.

"Or deadly," Alexis added.

They reached the top of the stairs and all conversation ceased. A sea of unknown faces looking up at them, at her. She'd never felt more exposed, even being surrounded by men and wolves and layers upon layers of fabric. There were quite a few bows and curtseys but there were some that didn't. You didn't have to be on the same side to be invited to the party and some of the attendee's didn't like the idea of being ruled, it wasn't personal, they would have hated any man or woman that claimed the title, and while they may not challenge, it didn't mean they meant to just take it. There was defiance in some of the cold stares that greeted them. Somehow it made a challenge seem not so bad. At least Lord Black and Renaldo Santoya made their intent known. What of those that were not as honorable, those who thought assassination, instead of a public fight. Diana fought the urge to put her hand over her stomach, to protect the unborn child within her womb, but now was not the time to show anything other than a strong, united front. She would not be the one that made them appear weak. Jean Rene pressed his arm that had her hand lying on it closer to his body; a reassurance without looking or using words. Diana steeled up her spine and calmed her nerves. A man stepped forward, his eyes locking with Diana's as they made their way down the grand staircase.

Renaldo Santoya looked exactly like Diana thought he would. She wasn't raciest, but the first thing that came to mind was sleazy Mexican. She was embarrassed at the thought, but was powerless from it crossing her mind. He was every Spanish thug and scumbag she'd ever seen on TV or in a movie starting from his slicked back hair to his shiny pointed toe shoes. Even his rich, thick accent that she would have loved otherwise didn't budge the first impression that Diana had of him. Renaldo was not from Mexico, but Spain. His white tux and black silk shirt made Diana want to rush outside to see if his car had animal print interior. His shirt was Saturday Night Fever low open, and the thick tangle of gold chains made Diana cringe at the thought of the time it must take to remove them, if he took the off. All he was missing was a damn toothpick in the corner of his mouth and a couple of gold teeth. The woman next to him was so opposite Diana wondered if he'd paid the woman. Renaldo was full of cocky confidence that made Diana want to kick his teeth in. He eyed her and with a disgusting curl of his lip he breathed in deep and exhaled while she walked towards them. His mate looked as offended as Diana at the disgusting display. Jean Rene was her anchor, he was her rock. Diana knew without a doubt, the ass-wipe in front of her had not a snowball chance in hell of beating Jean Rene.

"Congratulations on your woman being pregnant," Renaldo said. Yeah, Diana was Jean Rene's wolf but Renaldo made it sound like she was a piece of furniture.

"Thank you Mr. Santoya," Jean Rene said, "To you as well."

Diana looked at the tall woman standing to his right but a little behind Renaldo. She was taller than him by a half of foot. Her dark brown hair could almost past for black, but standing so close to her inky headed mate, Diana could tell the difference, it fell in long soft waves around her shoulders. The woman was uncomfortable in the revealing dress that Diana had no doubt, Renaldo had picked, out but she had the body for it. The deep V in the front stopped below her breast, the sequenced fabric was a second skin that fell to the floor in a small pool around her feet. The split up the side stopped at her hip.

"You are recently mated as well," Jean Rene said drawing Diana's attention back to the Spaniard.

"Si, I won Cecilia when I became alpha of her pack," he said like the woman was a damn traveling fair prize. He eyed Diana again. "Your woman is beautiful. Another reason to look forward to tomorrow," he said.

Diana's white wolf and Jean Rene's grey one growled together. The others were walking through the area. They were house wolves. How about that. The woman took a step back. Renaldo, who Diana had to remember not to call Carlos, looked down as if Chihuahua's were sitting at their feet. Diana took a step towards him. The wolves moved with her and then more arrived...and more, until their group was surrounded. The soft background noise of polite conversation died down until it was utterly quiet.. Her beast just below the surface was just as angry as the ones brushing against her legs, they were circling, waiting, anxious to pounce, to tear flesh. The people in the immediate vicinity took steps back.

"I would rip my own throat out, before I let you touch me," she said in a low voice.

As if the words had giving him permission, or maybe he saw it as a dare. Renaldo tried to reach out and touch her. Jean Rene caught his hand by the wrist and his own beast growled; low and deep, menacing and dangerous. It gave Diana a power she didn't know she possessed. It was as if they fed off each other. She knew that nothing would happen to her as long as Jean Rene existed and that gave her a confidence that was nothing short of arrogance.

"I am Nonakris, never forget it, or you'll lose the hand that tries to touch me next."She backed away from him rubbing the head of the white wolf that was still growling and snarling.

Jean Rene let go of his arm and the man snatched it down to his side. "Until tomorrow," he said and bowed before turning. He grabbed the woman next to him. He held her upper arm tight enough that his fingers almost disappeared into her flesh.

"What will happen if he loses the challenge tomorrow," she asked. The woman was already crying and Diana had a sinking feeling that his embarrassment was going to be taking out on her.

"If there is a beta he will step up and become alpha, or they may disband and become lone wolves," Rob answered.

"Why did they follow him? Why didn't they just leave after that asshole killed their last alpha?"

"Because the pack was made up mostly of women," A man standing behind them spoke. He looked a lot like Renaldo's mate. "Our pack was small. Cecilia was our alpha's wife, she's also my sister. We'd been together for a long time and if we'd left, we would have left together, which would have made me alpha, and a new challenge for Renaldo," The man said. He bowed to Jean Rene and Diana, "I am Sebastian."

"What can we do to help?" Diana said.

The words were out of her mouth before she had time to think. Jean Rene was going to take care of their alpha problem tomorrow afternoon. The challenge had been scheduled for two. The people who had traveled to the party had the added bonus of witnessing Jean Rene's first fight.

"Thank you Nonakris for your offer and concern. I would not ask but it is my sister's life, and I am not too proud to admit help is needed." he said.

"Anything Sebastian," Diana said.

"Renaldo challenged Daniel outside of the full moon, the first that I had ever heard of. As you saw he is not a large man, but he is a skilled fighter, trained in many styles and disciplines. Most werewolves count on brute strength when in our human form. No one thinks of training a body that once a month turns in to a beast whose power sometimes seem limitless," he said. It made sense and was bone chillingly disturbing at the same time. Diana just thought Renaldo was a cocky son of a bitch that had bitten off more than he could chew. Not that it mattered. If Jean Rene couldn't call his beast at anytime, then maybe she'd worried, but right now they still had the upper hand.

"Thank you for that bit of inside information young man," Wallace said. Diana had no doubt that before tomorrow's fight he was going to be taking bets.

"What is it exactly you need our help with," Alexis asked.

"I'd like for one or two of you to go with me to get Cecilia. The young she carried is not Renaldo's but Daniel's. If he had attacked during the full moon he would have known she was already with child. Daniel was dead three weeks before the next full moon and Renaldo had raped my sister many times. He waits for the birth of child."

"At which time he'll probably kill the young, especially if it's a boy, if it is not his," Wallace said. Hearing the solemn words and seeing the somber expression on the redheads face after seeing nothing but smiles and laughter made the news more heartbreaking if that was possible.

"Of course," Diana said.

"Sanctuary stands, even among mated females of the challenger," Jean Rene said.

The saying may be all's fair in love and war, but there were rules in werewolf politics even in times of war. Challenge Sanctuary gave the opportunity to change sides, no questions, no repercussions.

"Did you talk to your sister about your plan?" Wallace asked.

"No, I didn't even think about it until I saw how our Nonakris address Renaldo, and then the Lycaon quick defense of her. If anyone can protect her, I know the two of you can."

"We offer you all sanctuary," Jean Rene said, "Wallace, if you and Constantine would please go and retrieve our guest."

Sebastian knelt in front of Diana and Jean Rene, "Thank you Lycaon. You don't know what horrors you've saved my sister from."

"It's not me Sebastian; it's my mate you have to thank. She convinced me to become Lycaon," Jean Rene said.

"Then thank you Nonakris," he said.

"Please stand up Sebastian," Diana said. "Go get your sister and I'll have rooms prepared."

****

"You're worried," Jean Rene said.

The ball was thankfully over. They had just said goodbye to the last of the guest and the staff was busy cleaning all evidence that there had just been close to three hundred people in the house. Even with a great deal of lights turned on in the bottom of the castle the structure seemed dark.

"I am," she said taking his hand. When she'd imagined where the fight was going to be held she'd thought of everything from a dudgeon located in the bowels of the castle, to a MMA octagon, at the very least the square of a boxing ring. She never envisioned aluminum bleachers set up between the maze and the rose garden, a tent for refreshment and a covered platform were she and Alexis and the mate of the challenger and his beta would view slaughter in relative comfort.

"You hurt a wolf's pride with such doubt," he said teasingly.

"Jean Rene how can you joke at a time like this?" she said. "Tomorrow you'll take a man's life."

Jean Rene was quiet for a moment, "So it's not me you're worried about, but Renaldo? I didn't think you liked him enough to care if he lived or died."

"I don't...but I do. And I'm not worried about him but you," she said. "Not your safety, but how it will affect you."

Jean Rene pulled her into his arms. "I don't understand."

Diana looked into eyes she knew were blue but looked black in the dim light offered by the moon. She smoothed a flyaway piece of hair behind his ear. "You lived a relatively peaceful life once you decided to hide who and what you were. People left you alone, you no longer had to kill or fight, and I came alone and asked you to expose yourself. I've asked you to pick up the baton and be the champion for a race that will fear you once they see how powerful you are." And she knew what fearful people were capable of. Thomas Wolfe and his Wolf Hunters were the ultimate result. Time had moved on, and Thomas not longer hunted and killed werewolves on sight but then there were people like Alfred. She had yet to meet him but he'd stalked Jean Rene enough to send him running across the ocean.

"No Diana, you made me a better man. You made me see that the strong was put here, not to take, but to give back. I ran for so long, was lost for so long, all alone looking for a somewhere to belong and someone to belong to. Now I have everything I've ever dreamed of and more. In all my longing, and searching, never did I think about a family, a woman to love me as I am, or child of my own."

"Jean Rene you're five hundred years old, you can't make me believe that you never once thought about getting married and having babies," she said.

"What I am saying is that I did not think of it, because I never wanted it before I met you."

The admission struck her mute. Her mouth dropped opened. To overwhelm by his words, she shook her head.

"Yes," Jean Rene said softly. Kissing her gently, "Yes Diana," he said in the low, sexy voice that ordinarily made her want to throw herself on him and rub her body on his until she didn't know here she ended and he began. Now it made her cry. Cry at the revelation that he loved her as much as she loved him. "I felt a connection the first time I saw you standing there facing off against Alexis, fierce and unafraid, you rushing to the call of a man, defending him on his word alone. I was fascinated in the comfort you had in your own skin, unafraid to be who you are, even if it made people uncomfortable or you less liked. I lusted for a body shaped like a woman's body should be: soft but strong, thick, luscious, sensual. You are my every desire Mon Lune. My every want and need."

Diana actually swooned. It was the only word that fit. Jean Rene picked her up and carried her across the yard, back into the house, down the hall, up the mountainous staircase and to their bedroom. It took forever and passed in a blink of an eye.

Wallace and Constantine brought Sebastian and his pack back before the party ended in a back way. Cecilia had come by that morning and clung to Diana's legs, crying and thanking her for saving her and the rest of their small pack from Renaldo. The woman didn't want to attend the challenge but Diana had told her it would do her good to watch the man who'd killed her husband and father of her child be brought to justice. Cecilia wasn't sure, but in the end agreed. She gave the woman something to wear that wasn't skin tight and sent her on her way.

Diana's dress was black with an empire waist and cap sleeves and when she looked at herself she thought she matched Jean Rene perfectly. Diana had known a few women who talked about how they took on their boyfriends or husband style, she hadn't understood the why then, now she did. Funny how she always fought for being her own woman with her own money, and now she didn't have a job and she was not only completely owned by a man, but also loved that she was. She wore the silver headband from the night before. A queen needed a crown and as far as she was concern she had hers. Her hair was in its usually tight corkscrew curls and Ms. Bellamy had done an excellent job with it, taking two sections in front making two long fishtail braids that she pulled to the back. She didn't know about wolf queen but she certainly had a whole Mother Earth vibe going.

Jean Rene had gone off somewhere to train or warm up with Alexis and Constantine but promise to be back before it was time for her to take her place on the raised platform. She looked at the clock for the umpteenth time, it was getting close.

Diana was pacing the room when Jean Rene came in. His hair was pulled back in a low ponytail and he was wearing loose, white drawstring pants. He was slick with sweat but it didn't stop him from pulling her into his arms and kissing her fiercely. "I love you Diana."

"I love...I love you too," she said after the fog lifted from the kiss he'd given her. "I have something for you, to wear during the fight."

He released her from his hold and took a step back. There was an excitement wrapped around him, like he was getting ready to go out and play with his friends and his toy was bigger and better than everyone else's. "A lady's favor," he said.

She spent most of her days learning the rules and etiquette of the European wolves which really did operate from a different era. And as old fashion and out dated Diana originally thought it, she actually liked it. There were rules for everything but there was a simplistic honor in it all that was lost in the new world. She opened up her hand and in her palm was a small adjustable coil.

"I knew I couldn't get anything that may restrict you when you change to your half form so this goes in your hair since its stays the same," she said.

"Wonderful," he said eying the simple piece of silver like she'd just presented the Hope Diamond. "Thank you."

Diana took a section of his hair and slid it half way up to the elastic band that held his hair back. She kissed him quick. "En ta beauté gît ma mort et ma vie ," she whispered and kissed him on the corner of his mouth.

"Mon Lune you are an endless wonder," he said.

The day was beautiful. Perfect for a picnic, or a nice walk in the maze, or a lazy stroll through the rose garden, maybe take a dip in the pool, or simply laying around said pool drinking fruity drinks that were served in coconuts with tiny umbrellas in them. The sun was out and the day was one of those that all the colors of nature look exceptionally brilliant and weren't green, red or blue, but emerald, ruby and sapphire. The stands were full, all three hundred people that were invited to the party and then some. It was an historic event.

Diana walked through the crowd of people escorted by her wolves and pack, stopping and talking to whoever approached her or gave her a welcoming look. Children petted the wolves; there was a lot of bowing and curtsying. Jean Rene and Diana had gained the respect and recognition of most of the people that were there. She walked up the five steps and took her seat next to Cecilia. Alexis sitting to her right Constantine and Wallace stood behind her chair and Rob stood next to Alexis. The wolves took up the rest of the space.

There was no announcement at two o'clock Jean Rene walked out of one door and Renaldo exited from another further down. No one got up to say any elaborate speech, and for that Diana was grateful. She laid a hand on her stomach and closed her eyes for a moment, saying a prayer for her mate and father of her unborn child, praying for a quick fight where he was not too hurt in the end. There was no waving, no bowing, no acknowledgement of each other, once they took position on opposite sides of the open area they paused for a moment and the fight began.

The cocky arrogance from last night was gone. The look of determination and sharp focus on Renaldo's face was so startling different from the man last night that Diana wondered if he was the same person. Renaldo moved with a fluid elegance that the fight look more like dance than something that would end with him dead. There were a series of quick jabs and punches, sweeping kicks; low to the ground and in the air. Jean Rene ducked, dodged and blocked them all easily. Diana held her breath because she'd thought he'd come out change into half form and claw the man's throat out, ending it all within seconds, but no, he had other plans.

Renaldo moved forward with his fists up to his face protecting it, his elbows tight and close to his body, stepping forward with his right foot. Jean Rene waited in a similar stance, his body rocking slightly from side to side. Renaldo arm shot out, throwing a punch not at Jean Rene's head, but the side of his body, when he dropped his arm Renaldo's jab was lightening fast, snapping Jean Rene's head back. Renaldo stepped in closer and grabbed Jean Rene by the head and pulled him down in a headlock dropping to the ground and curling into a hold that looked like origami made of flesh instead of paper. Jean Rene broke the hold and jumped up kicking Renaldo in the face as he got up from the ground sending his head whipping to the side.

Renaldo body didn't have the same definition as Jean Rene's, but he was muscular. It was like Sebastian had said last night; the man trained and conditioned his body to fight a human fight when most werewolves saved challenge fights for full moons. Renaldo may have been an asshole, but he was a skilled one. Renaldo kicked out low, connecting with Jean Rene's knee. Diana had a moment when she thought she was going to come right out of her skin when Jean Rene's body turned to the side and dropped from the strike and the other man did a round house kick to Jean Rene's head sending a spray of blood from his mouth. But when he advanced Jean Rene returned the favor with an uppercut that looked like he'd punched the man's head clean off. The force of the blow sent Renaldo stumbling backwards. On and on it went until Diana thought she would go insane. Why didn't Jean Rene just change and end it? The crowd had been worked up and there were shouts of encouragement for both of the fighters who looked like they could fight into the night. They were both bloody and Diana almost wished for a damn bell and a team of men rushing to a corner to offer cold compresses and water. How long was it going to last?

"What the hell is he doing?" Diana leaned over and asked Alexis. She'd had just about enough.

"He's having fun," Alexis said.

Diana was turning back to face the fight when she saw a flash of silver in Renaldo's hand a second before a large cut appeared on Jean Rene's chest. She was on her feet, about to scream, when with the same speed as the first swipe, Renaldo arm came back across the front of his body and Jean Rene's throat opened up. There were screams from the ladies that were sitting in the stands closest to where the two men were fighting. Diana saw several of them had blood splashed across their faces. There were no rules. Not one. Renaldo could have walked into the space with a gun and shot Jean Rene were he stood. The fight was honor bound and weapons should have been declared at the beginning. It was the gentlemen's way. Why anyone thought Renaldo was a gentleman was beyond Diana. Renaldo stood back, the arrogance returning to his face, the cockiness back in his step as he rounded Jean Rene who was holding his throat. Alexis was holding Diana back from jumping off the stage, she was completely and one hundred percent focused on Jean Rene. Somewhere in the background she heard Alexis calling her name and then he was shaking her.

"Diana!" he shouted in her face.

"What Alexis!" she yelled back, angry that he dared turn her attention from her injured mate.

Alexis moved his hands from her forearms and to her wrist and brought her hands up. They were no longer hands but claws. She stopped fighting him and backed away from him a step. He grabbed a strand of her hair, it was white. "You are in half form." he said.

"Jean Rene," was all she had as a reply. She could have turned into a flying monkey for all she cared. She turned back and the crowed was no longer looking at Jean Rene or Renaldo they all were staring at her. Even Renaldo faced her so he didn't see Jean Rene behind him.

Jean Rene's pants started out baggy, but as his body grew they became shorter and then hugged his thighs as the muscles became bigger. His arms grew longer until the tip of his claws hung at his knees. His jaw squared, and his nose flattened, as his mouth widened and his teeth filled his mouth with long canines that made it impossible to close his mouth. Renaldo was missing it all because his back was to his opponent that he had left standing. It was a mistake, a fatal one. Renaldo turned around and Jean Rene mimicked the man's previous movement: brining his arm across his body, sweeping it across the Spaniard neck, but instead of a knife, razor sharp claws opened his throat. He stood for a moment, his blood running down the front of his bare chest the color or rubies. He fell first to his knees, before landing face down in the grass at Jean Rene's feet. Alexis could not have stopped her and didn't even try, as Diana jumped from the platform and ran to her mate. He didn't try to hug her, he stood there with his arms at his sides as she ran her clawed fingers across the already healing cut across his chest. He raised his head so she could inspect his neck. When she touched the scar he grabbed her hand. She knew his thoughts without him speaking. How was she able to change? But her change was not like his. Her hair changed to the color of her wolf, but she didn't grow hair on her body, she was taller and thicker, but not that much different from her human shape. Her hands were the most changed. Her teeth hadn't changed at all. The wolves behind her on the platform howled and the people all knelt to the King and Queen of Wolves.

Diana's change back happened much like her change into her quasi-half form: instant and with her clueless as to the hows and whys. Diana allowed the wolves to feed off Renaldo, because, hey...what better way to say: don't fuck with me, than a pack of growling, snarling wolves feeding on a dead body on the back lawn. Alexis took over hosts detail while Jean Rene and Diana went to their bedroom.

"How is it possible?" he asked. He'd changed as they'd walked through the house.

"I don't know," Diana said looking at her hands and hair. "I wasn't even aware I was changing, I was so focused on you."

"All this time," he said in a low voice walking towards her, "All this time. All this time," he repeated it over and over while touching her hair and her face, running his hands up and down her arms. Then he switched to French, "Mon autre moitié ," he said.  His eyes were glossy with unshed tears. He looked at her body waiting for it to change again. She wanted to give this to him because he had given her so much. She focused, concentrated, thought about her beast. She didn't know what her beast looked like, she hadn't seen her wolf when she turned. She didn't even know what she'd looked like in her half form, but she willed it so. She knew her wolf was white and remembered how her hands looked when Alexis held them up for to see. She closed her eyes and thought about Jean Rene and the night he'd changed for her in the library. It didn't seem hard. He switched so effortlessly. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled and remembered the brush of fur inside her skin as she changed into her wolf, the soft caress before the blinding pain. Jean Rene gasped as she felt her dress become tight across her breast.

Jean Rene's hands were already claws and he put a finger into the bodice of her dress and pulled it away from her body, ripping it down the front. The bra and panties were next.

"Belle... magnifique...parfait ," he said walking around her body. He touched her breast taking them in his hand and rubbing the razor tips of this thumb nail across her nipples. He ran his hand down the front of her stomach and the up her sides. He walked around her raising her hair from her neck and holding it to his nose breathing deeply. He completed his circle and knelt in front of her. She followed his descent and saw that not only the hair on her head had turned white. He smiled before burying his nose into the curls. He stood up and picked her up quickly and carried her to the bed. He ripped his pants off and his erection stood long and hard, proud from his body. He looked at her, his eyes full of awe and wonderment and lust and love. She realized he had never been with a woman who shared his half form. His gaze dropped between her legs and he pushed them open far and wide and reburied his nose in her sex. Gentle he moved his clawed hands from her thighs and opened the lips of her sex and licked her, a long delicious lick that ended with the tip of his tongue flicking her at the top.

"Jean Rene," Diana moaned as she tried to close her legs. He moved his hands and dug them into her thighs to hold her legs open so he could feast on her. He licked and sucked until she raised her hips and pressed her sex into his devouring mouth. His growls vibrating though his mouth sending shock ways through her already oversensitive body. She fisted the comforter on the bed, ripping it to shreds when she came. He climbed her body, kissing his way up, stopping long enough to take each nipple into his mouth and biting down hard enough to make her cry out. She grabbed his shoulders and remembered she had claws only after hearing him hiss.

"Oh God Jean Rene, I'm sorry," she said panicked at the puncture wounds on his shoulder.

"No Mon Lune, not sorry, never sorry," he said, "You've given me everything. Mark my body. I'll wear each one proudly."

His mouth covered hers as he entered her. He rode her hard, not holding back, he ate her cries as he drove fast and deep, each thrust riding the threshold of pleasure and pain. She clawed his back and he threw his head back and cried out. The sound trapped in the middle of ecstasy and hurt. He pulled out of her quick and rolled her onto her stomach and entered her from behind, curling his body around her, holding her in place from the frenzied drive of his hips with a tight grip around her waist. Diana grabbed the head board and heard the wood groan under her strength. Jean Rene pushed her head down into the bed and the changed angle allowed him to drive deeper inside her. He released her waist, straightened behind her and took her savagely in a wild abandon that was on a primal level. They growled and snarled at each other. She fought back and he held her down as he took what was his. He'd bring her to the brink of climax and change positions to keep her from coming. She screamed out in frustration and he howled in victory. He possessed her body, owned it for time out of mind.

Finally, with him sitting back on his heels and her facing him, his arms around her waist pushing her body down hard as he stared in her eyes, she felt him lengthen and become thicker inside her. She threw her head back and panted as her own release built for the countless time. "Look at me Mon Lune. I want to see your beautiful face when you come for me."She faced him again giving him a kiss that was short but nevertheless thorough. "You are mine Diana," he said throwing her down on the bed, and covering her body with his. She wrapped her legs around his waist and as the first wave of her climax rolled through her body he bit her. She cried out and scratched eight lines down his back. He let go of her shoulder, yelled out from her tearing his skin, and then bit her again. They were beasts.

Diana was sore and stiff and squirming. Jean Rene's head rested on one thigh as he licked her lazily between her legs. She'd come about five times since he started. She'd begged, pleaded, threatened, cried, hell, she'd even laughed, but nothing she did made him stop.

There were feathers from the pillows and stuffing from the bedding and foam from the mattress all over the place. The head board was going to need repairing and once she regain some of her sense she was going to feel really bad about destroying a five hundred year old bed.

Diana's body jerked as Jean Rene licked her thigh and he growled and raised her leg that was draped across his shoulder. He plunged his tongue into her sex and her hips had a mind of their own as she rocked them into his mouth. God help her, it was the sweetest torture known to mankind. She was going to be the first person in history to die by orgasm. She wondered if she turned into her full beast if that was enough to stop him, then thought better of it when the thought of a new round of sex in their animal form took hold in her mind. She sighed in relief when he finally moved. She was on her side. Her bones felt like liquid in her skin. She couldn't move. She long since loss her half form, and Jean Rene was no longer in his when he lay down beside her even though she had no memory of him changing.

"I think you licked every inch of my body," Diana said jokingly.

"I did," he said, very seriously. "I wanted to know every inch of it, taste it, feel it between my teeth and touch it with my hand. I wanted...I needed, my scent to cover you, to mark you as mine. You wear my mark and my scent now."

"As bizarre and stalkerish as that sound, I am surprisingly honored," Diana said. Jean Rene laughed and she smiled, "I love you so much. You have my heart and soul."

# Chapter

# 14

As an American, Diana didn't spend a great deal of time pondering on the day to day of a royal household. She didn't spend a lot of energy on worrying about how countries operated under a monarchy. Sure, she was fascinated by royal weddings, palaces and jewelry when she came across an article here or there. Hell, she didn't even keep up with how the United States government operated pass what she'd learned in school and who remembered that shit? There had not been a single challenge made in three months, and in all honesty, no one thought there would be. People were too afraid of the Sun Wolf and his White Queen. With Diana and Jean Rene there were no regent or consort, they ruled together. Diana's word was law, same as Jean Rene's.

They hit the ground running after a brief break from the challenge with Renaldo: a full week end. The Monday after all the people had left the Nuntis Pack sat down for their first round table and came up with: the laws of the land, a taxation system to run the new government, and formed a police and military force. The laws and rules were simple enough. They were the common sense laws and mostly mirrored human laws. The only difference was once convicted and proven guilty, punishment was quick. There was no thirty years of sitting on death row. The whole reason for Jean Rene becoming Lycaon was to stop the potential threat of rogue werewolves outing their race. Those found wreaking havoc in the human or werewolf communities would be captured and put to death.

The taxation was fair, but the hardest to conquer. They sat hours upon hours trying to not add burden to a race of people who were already taxed by a human government. Jean Rene graciously offered to fund the government out of his own pocket for the first year, after that, a yearly tax would have to be paid by all packs based on size and wealth.

The police and military were to be recruited, hired and trained by Constantine. One hundred soldiers would live on the grounds of the royal estate at all times. But the castle was preparing for up to two hundred werewolves to live there for several months. Once trained, a guard or guards would be sent to live among the packs. They would have the authority to kill in the name of the king if the carnal law was broken. The force was called The Odin.

There was no time for patting each other on the back. Constantine was busy trying to find candidates and Diana and Jean Rene were gearing up for a tour. That's right; they were going to visit every city and town, no matter how big or small, which had a werewolf community, and after three months, they were ready, right after paying a visit to Alfred Wolfe.

The original truce or treaty struck between the old werewolves and Wolfe hunters gave wolves three months to inform local headquarters when a pack of wolves were moving into their territory. It was also agreed that the pack had to consist of ten wolves or more. Jean Rene was inviting two hundred wolves to live and train in Alfred's back yard. He'd been absent, hadn't sent a request for Jean Rene to come to him, or shown up at the castle, but their three months were up, and Jean Rene and Diana had no idea how long they would be gone so it was now or never.

Jean Rene was standing at the end of his desk, placing the documents that spelled out all the rules in an accordion folder that he would give Alfred. Diana entered the room wearing a floor length mink coat, fur lined leather gloves and earmuffs.

"God, now I know why people have summer and winter homes," she said shoving her hands into the pockets of her coat.

Jean Rene laughed at her as she crossed the room with her pack of wolves swarming around her feet. In the last three months they were spending more and more time outside and away from the house. But in the last week they'd all returned, as if they knew she was leaving. They were not taking all the wolves with them only the white and grey ones. The others had come to wish them a safe trip. Or at least that's how Jean Rene saw it.

"You get use to it," he said completely forgetting the task at hand and opening his arms to her. It was that way for him. Nothing else mattered when she first appeared. He was at his most vulnerable when he first laid eyes on her. It didn't matter if he'd just seen her minutes before or hours. If he caught her scent, only she existed in the world.

"Once everything is settled in Europe we're totally spending winters somewhere where fur is not required in the house," she said wrapping her arms around him.

"How are you Mon Lune, you and ma petite?"

"Thawing," she answered. Jean Rene's body heat warmed her and she snuggled into him closer. "How can you be so warm when I feel like I'm about to lose at least three of my toes," she joked.

"I make it so," he answered, he laughed but Diana looked up confused. "Our temperature is at its hottest during the transition from one form to the next. I am keeping my body in a constant state of shift...a kind of stasis almost," he said kissing her upturned face.

"How are you doing that and can you teach me. Wait a minute...why?"

The barrage of questions made him chuckle. "Well first, I have been in this body a very long time and I have complete control over it. Second, I'm sure after you're a little older you will be able to do it and as for why..." he said kissing her lips before answering, "I exist only to give you your every want or need. Be it food, shelter, protection, even warmth."

In the three months they'd been there Jean Rene had said things to her, done things for her, that fairy tales wished they were made of them. "I don't deserve you," she said.

'Non, Mon Lune, you deserve nothing less."

"Milord, Milady, the car is waiting," Watson said from behind them.

Jean Rene put the folder into his briefcase. Watson was front and center with his coat and he took her hand as they walked to the front door, where Rob and Wallace were waiting with the car damn near in the doorway it was parked so close to the house. Diana and Jean Rene never went anywhere without personal guards. No one had challenged them but they'd have to be fools not to consider assassination attempts or possible kidnapping. The white and grey wolves were not happy about being left behind...at all. They drove off with the sound of their howls fading as they got further from the house. The drive was over an hour. Diana had never been able to stay awake on long car trips unless she was doing the driving and she was constantly tired since she'd become pregnant. She woke up to Jean Rene gentle coaxing when they were parked in front of an old stone house.

The door was opened as they approached the entrance, and a butler that looked as old as Jean Rene truly was, took their coats before escorting them to Alfred Wolfe. Wallace and Rob were good bodyguards standing side by side at the door while Diana and Jean Rene were seated in large caramel colored, leather chairs. Alfred sat behind a large dark wood desk that was one wax away from having a mirrored finish. The only item on it was a large globe that sat on the corner.

Alfred looked like Thomas Wolfe and didn't. They both had sun leathered skin and just by looking at them you could tell they were use to good old fashion hard work. Both men were over six feet tall, they shared the same hair and eye color. Thomas had laugh lines that made him seem laid back and approachable, the lines on Alfred face made him look cruel and menacing. Diana knew Alfred always believed most, if not all, the legend about him. She knew that he thought Jean Rene was too powerful. He'd been keeping track of the werewolf since he'd taken over his headquarters waiting for Jean Rene to do something to warrant being put down.

"Lycaon...Wolf King...King Laurent, what do you go by?" Alfred said, each title thick with sarcasm.

"We are old acquaintances Mr. Wolfe, call me as you always have. Jean Rene is fine."

Alfred nodded once and turned his attention to Diana. "And you are Diana Ward, his mate. It is a pleasure to meet you at last. I've gotten interesting reports on the White Queen." This said that, while he hadn't visited, he was keeping an eye on them. They'd expected no less.

"It's nice to meet you too Mr. Wolfe, your cousin Thomas and his wife Lillian are our friends, I hope we can call you the same."

Alfred threw his head back and laughed. It was the one every movie villain had. "Friends," he said still chuckling and then smiled at Diana, it didn't reach his eyes. There was nothing good natured in those eyes.

"So you are here to ask permission to form an army," he said looking back at Jean Rene.

"No."

"No?"

"I'm here to make you aware that up to two hundred wolves will be moving into the area, as per the truce requirement. I do not have to ask your permission to do anything."

The sliver of a smile that stayed after the fake laugh disappeared and was replaced with a scowl. It was a look that Diana knew his face spent too much time in. She wanted to get up and offer the man a hug. What in life was so bad that made a scowl your permanent face?

"The truce was made in a time when there was no real organization of the wolves. I can't just let you train soldiers. What would keep you from unleashing them on humans? Every Wolfe male take an oath to protect mankind from you beast."

Just when you thought you'd experienced every kind of racism and seen every type of bigotry, life throws you another species. This was not at all what Diana expected after meeting Thomas and Lillian.

"The truce with your ancestors was with the king of the werewolves in that time. Wolves have policed themselves since they stopped being the beast you refer to them as. We're not mindless animals leaving countless dead in our wake. You of all people should know that," Diana said.

Alfred raised an eyebrow. "You certainly are welled learned for such a new wolf," he said. "But Ms. Ward..."

"Nonakris," she interrupted.

"I beg your pardon," the man said.

"I wished to be addressed as my formal title Mr. Wolfe, address me as Nonakris." Diana met his steely gaze, watched the color rise in his face as he became angrier and angrier.

"I'm not one of your beast and you're certainly not my queen." he said through gritted teeth.

"Neither matter. I've asked to be called Nonakris. It's simple etiquette Mr. Wolfe. You could have asked me to call you Alfred, or Al or Freddy. You didn't and so I follow proper social etiquette and address you as Mr. Wolfe. I am Accalia of the Nuntis Pack and Nonakris of the House of Lycaeus, as well as Diana Ward. You may call me Nonakris."

Diana thought the top of the man's head was going to blow off his body. She could almost see seam coming from his body. He was trying, and failing, or maybe not trying at all, to keep the look of anger and disgust off his face. Diana was from the South. She was black and from the South. Not from the time when Jim Crow ruled, or the KKK was in full force, but the blind hatred seething behind the eyes of the man sitting in front of her she'd seen a time or two and made clear that he was not going to be converted. He was never going to see werewolves as anything other than an animal meant to be killed at his leisure. In his eyes they existed only because he allowed it.

"I see our visit was a waste of everyone's time. We've brought you, as a courtesy, a set of our laws and rules that Jean Rene has put into place since his rule began. We will, in keeping with the treaty, update you of the number of wolves as they come in. Thank you for your time Mr. Wolfe and enjoy the rest of your day." she said. She looked at Jean Rene.

"Good day Mr. Wolfe," he said without missing a beat and held his arm out to Diana.

Alfred stood up and put his hands on the top of his desk. "If you think that this is the end you're mistaken. If you think I'm just going to sit back and allow enough wolves in this territory that would amount to nothing short of a military presence than you're delusional."

"You are head of the local hunters, but not the head of all the Wolfe Hunters. I will be contacting the council and making a request to appear before them."

"If a significant amount of wolves start to show up it is at my discretion to take the necessary precautions to keep the humans in the area safe."

Jean Rene dropped his arm and took a step closer to the desk. "And it is within my rights to protect my people. We are not waging war with you, not plotting to take over the human world. If you send hunters to my home I will defend it. But think long and hard before you storm the castle Mr. Wolfe." Jean Rene didn't raise his voice and Alfred Wolfe didn't say anything else, but it wasn't because he feared the wolf. "Come Mon Lune, our business is done here."

He didn't have to ask her twice.

"I'm sorry Jean Rene, I just got so angry at that asshole," Diana said squeezing his hand once they were outside.

"You were right, we were wasting our time. Alfred Wolfe run his hunters and oversees his territory like a dictator. The wolves are just as afraid of him as they are the rogue werewolves. I've received many letters of complaint and request from pack alphas to meet with the Wolfe council on behalf the werewolf."

"I just feel like I could have handled it so much better."

"Every time you open your beautiful mouth I learn what it is to be king. Your honor and complete devotion to our race is humbling for this old wolf. You are kind and just, but also full of passionate. I am an old legend, you are the new. Forever will our people speak of their White Queen."

"Discrimination is wrong and on that level it's downright evil," she said.

"Werewolves have been lurking in the shadows for hundreds of years Nonakris. We are a proud and strong race of people that have been reduced to folklore and mythology. I would like to think that a time will come when human and werewolf can be true brothers ,but I fear it will not be in my lifetime," Rob said from the front. He turned around in his seat to look at her. His gaze was full of sorrow and Diana took off her seatbelt and gave the man an awkward one armed hug and kiss on the cheek, for him as much as for her.

"Thank you Nonakris. Jean Rene is right, but I think he underestimate our queen. I think humans one day, may speak of her as well."

****

"Haven't you stirred up a pot of shit?" Thomas Wolfe laughed before Jean Rene had a chance to say a word.

"That is one way of putting it," Jean Rene said. Diana was with Ms. Bellamy upstairs. They were getting the last of the packing done. Tomorrow they set off for their first official royal tour. "News travel fast."

Thomas took a deep breath and the next words were serious. "Alfred has everyone believing you're the big bad wolf on the leash of a bigger, badder wolf in the form of one Ms. Diana Ward."

Jean Rene laughed long and hard. The news was bad, but it felt good nevertheless. She'd done what he'd instructed her to on their first day. She'd made everyone fear her. "She leaves an impression wherever she goes."

"Yeah well, heads up, I wouldn't doubt trouble coming your way," Thomas said.

"I would not have thought Alfred would call you. Diana called you and Lillian our friends," Jean Rene said scrubbing his hand across the front of his face, exhaustion nipping at his heels from too much going on too fast. He'd hardly slept since they arrived. It was something he was keeping from Diana and his pack. He knew they were heading into dangerous times and he worried constantly how he was going to keep his mate safe and be a good king and alpha.

"He didn't, I have friends in high places," Thomas said. "Alfred has asked for additional hunters to be sent to his headquarters."

"I thought that he would. It is the reason I called. I would like to get word to the council that I want to meet."

"I'm on it. It'll probably take a couple of weeks to get everything settled. A place and time since the members are spread all over the world. But it'll be held on your home turf since your beef is with Alfred."

"Will you be attending?"

"I'm not a board member but, yeah, I wouldn't miss it for the world. Word of your challenge has gotten to the States. I know you were planning on keeping all this in Europe but it wouldn't do you harm to invite some of the American wolves over."

Jean Rene thought for a moment. His plate was already so full, could he stretch himself any thinner. He never would have guessed American wolves would go for an absolute monarchy.

"I will think about it. I have a second favor to ask, and I will completely understand if the answer is no, but I am trying to avoid an all out war with your cousin," Jean Rene said.

"Shoot."

"I would like you to stand with the wolves when I meet with the council. I know you cannot leave your post for an extended amount of time, but I was thinking you could send a representative that can keep you updated on what we are doing. You can give that information to your brothers in arms, but on the day of the meeting, I am allowed three witnesses, and I would be honored and forever in your debt if you would stand with me."

The long silence on the other end of the phone made Jean Rene think Thomas was going to say no. He was about to say it was okay and he understood the position that he'd but the man in when he finally spoke,

"There has never been a Wolfe stand on the side of the werewolf that I know of."

"Not in my five hundred years," Jean Rene confirmed.

"I'll talk to Lillian and see what she says. If it goes badly we'll be in the same shit creek as you."

"Of course, and thank you for even considering it."

"We'll see Jean Rene. Until then watch your back," Thomas said and ended the call.

# Chapter

# 15

They were three weeks into the tour, had stayed in: hotels, motels, guest houses and guest rooms. They'd been offered the finest of cuisines and plates of raw, bloody meat. They'd shook thousands of hands, kissed hundreds of babies and Jean Rene felt like his face was stuck in a perpetual smile and his arm was going to be forever stiff from the endless waving. How the hell did the queen of England do it? They'd met with pack alphas who oversaw as few as five to ten wolves and lord alphas who oversaw whole secret communities. They were well received everywhere they landed. From fear or respect, it didn't matter. The only thing that did was that no one had tried to kill them...yet.

Jean Rene sat on the edge of the bed with a look of amusement on his face. He knew better than to comment on the scene unfolding in front of him. He felt a tinge of sorrow for Ms. Bellamy who knelt in front of his mate's growing belly with needle and thread. Ms. Bellamy was attempting to move the button on a pair of pants that Diana wanted to wear.

"Dammit," Diana said not helping Ms. Bellamy at all by bending over and trying to see what progress was being made.

"Milady please, be still or I'll poke you with the needle," Ms. Bellamy said.

Jean Rene tilted his head to the side and covered his mouth with his hand as the smile widen and revealed his teeth.

Diana took a big gulping breath to calm her nerves. "Thank you Ms. Bellamy, can you just find me a dress to wear?"

The woman popped up like she was on springs, "Of course Milady."

Diana looked at Jean Rene with squinted eyes. "Is something funny Jean Rene?"

Jean Rene shook his head without letting his hand fall from his face. "Non," he said chocking on the words as he tried to not laugh.

"Put your hand down," she said.

Jean Rene shook his head and pressed his lips tight together, but it was evident, he was already shaking from trying to hold off the inevitable.

"Mon Loup, show me your face," Diana said walking towards him. She would have been more threatening except she had to grab the open waistband of her pants to keeping them from sliding from her body. Jean Rene fell back on the bed and started to laugh.

Diana launched herself on top of him, landing with her hands on each side of his head and her knees on each side of his hips. "It's not funny that my clothes don't fit Jean Rene," Diana said but she was laughing with him.

"No Mon Lune, it is only funny that you try so hard to fit in them," he said. Diana growled at him, a deep throaty sound that made him hard instantly. He was like Pavlov's damn dogs when he heard the sound. He grabbed her and rolled her on her back before she could work up any strength to stop him. He propped himself on one elbow and looked down at her as he rubbed her belly with his free hand. He pulled down the waistband and panties down to expose the soft round belly. "I'd have you naked so that people could see my mate heavy with my child," he said.

How could something so mortifying sound so...so...loving? He made her heart swell at how much he loved her and the thought of them having a baby. Life with him was an emotional, physical and spiritual rollercoaster. Diana placed her hand on top of his head and played with his hair while he kissed and rubbed her stomach. It was a full moon tonight, there'd be no dinner, or banquet, Jean Rene and Diana would join the rest of the pack's wolves on a hunt. Their host ensured Jean Rene it was safe. The local pack had lived in the area for hundreds of years and the surrounding land for as far as the eye could see belong to it.

"Mon Lune," Jean Rene whispered. His ear was pressed to her stomach; she knew he could hear the baby's heartbeat.

"Hmmm," she answered too relaxed and content to form words.

"I think you may carry two babies."

Diana propped herself up on her elbows. "What?" Surely the man had not just said that. She'd been to a few appointments but the doctor hadn't mentioned twins. It seemed like something a person of the medical field would cover. "That's impossible," she said but knew it was true.

"I hear a tiny echo, I'm certain of it," he said. Jean Rene's eyes were closed. The smile on his face calmed whatever panic or worry that had reared its ugly head.

Diana lay back down and resumed her previous relaxed state. One...two...hell, three even, there was nothing to be done about it. They'd already agreed that they wanted a large family. Very large. She saw a second baby as getting a jumpstart on the literal pack of children they plan on having.

When Jean Rene told Diana that they were going on a group hunt, visions of a crowd of naked people standing around waiting on the change to take place filled her head. Werewolves didn't just drop at the first sign of the full moon; some could change a little before or after the last light of day left the sky.

Diana was getting comfortable with her own nudity. She and Jean Rene often stayed in the woods around the castle until the she no longer shifted. The night was spent hunting or just wandering, the mornings lazing in one of the many dens he'd built. Diana thought of them as their romantic getaways. They were built in the hollows of trees, in small caves; some were man-made dugouts, others suspended in the low hanging branches of trees. The bedding was moss covered straw. They spent the daylight hours sleeping each other's arms or making love as they waited for the moon to rise. Diana had a half form that she could take at any time like Jean Rene, but during the full moon she was full wolf. Sometimes he joined her as a full wolf, others, his half form. He said he was stronger in that form which was better to protect her from any hunter or trapper that wandered on the land. He also liked to watch her hunt. When he tried to describe why, the only word he said fit was it was like foreplay. She didn't kill every night during the full moon, but on those nights she did Jean Rene would become full wolf and sex with Jean Rene, no matter what the form was...intense.

In three months Diana now held her human consciousness as a wolf. She had been surprised at how excited she had become the first night she, Jean Rene, Alexis, Wallace, Constantine and Rob had stalked and taken down a large buck. Afterwards the rest of the pack had left and Jean Rene had taken her to a den and lay next to her in his human form; stroking her white fur, whispering to her in French. But a group hunt was the same as at their house. Wolves turned and went out into the surrounding area where they met up with other wolves, forming a pack to stalk prey. The family they were staying with was made up of five wolves and with the sheer volume of land they doubted they would run into another group of werewolves that night.

At twilight Diana felt her body become hotter. Her skin was coated in a light sheen of sweat as her transformation began. Every one since her first, Jean Rene had been there easing her through it. Although she thought it was more for him than her. The first full moon he watched her change was the worst. It was the only time she'd actually tried to stop the transformation. Jean Rene had been beside himself at the pain she was in. He knew the agony she was going through as her bones and body changed from human to wolf. She wanted to help ease the pain in his eyes, even though it was her body that felt like it was being burned alive while being beaten with a bag of bricks. It had taken her too long to change and at some point Jean Rene realized she was fighting the change and he yelled at her to stop. Had begged her in English and French to change and then buried his head in her fur and cried apologies to her. Diana asked if he would prefer not to watch. But werewolves are most vulnerable during the shift. They are unable to defend themselves from attack and he would never leave her during that time.

Diana went to the bathroom fanning herself with her hand and ran a glass of water. She splashed some water on her face and rubbed it across the back of her neck. Changing was a lot like labor, just shorter and way more intense...or at least she assumed it was. She'd know for certain in about four months. Diana went back in the bedroom, hating she'd insisted on the fire being lit because as cold as she had been, she was now close to melting. She was no longer misted but pouring sweat. She paced the room as her body began to tingle, the first sign that her transformation had begun. She kicked off her shoes, wondering where Jean Rene was and a little happy that he wasn't there. She was trying to reach the zipper of her dress when the door flew open.

"I'm here Mon Lune," he yelled before he even cleared the threshold. The look on his face made her laugh. She knew exactly what he'd looked like when she went into labor.

He crossed the room, laying a quick kiss on her sweat dampened forehead before going behind her to unzip her dress. He unsnapped her bra as she shimmied out of the dress and she had to swat his hands away when he tried to help take off her panties. He helped her on the bed, and laid down with her in his arms.

"Il était une fois une truie et ses trois petits cochons ..." he whispered into her hair.8 He always told her fairy tales that featured wolves. The soft comforting words were The Three Little Pigs.

The first pain that was bad enough to make Diana clench her teeth, it was also had her grabbing hold of Jean Rene's back. His mark on her was a bite, a perfect imprint of his fangs, her mark on was a series of long scratches and puncture wounds on his back.

"Yell Mon Lune if you must," he told her. "Scream, there is no shame in it." He said this each time but she couldn't. She knew if she did she wouldn't stop. Her back bowed as the bones in her arms and legs broke, Diana tried to breathe through the dilapidating pain coursing through her body as they reshaped. Her skin felt like she was covered in fire ants and she felt the claws at the end of her fingers dig into Jean Rene's skin. If it pained him any he didn't show it. He spoke in the same quiet voice as before, continuing with the story. The sound of his voice was what she focused on and his arms that held her loosely gave her the strength to keep the screams at bay. She closed her eyes but couldn't work her mouth to bite down as her muzzle shaped. And then she was wolf. It was amazing how the pain disappeared once the shift was complete.

Diana jumped up on all fours while Jean Rene rubbed his hands through her fur. She knew he was inspecting her, for what, she had no idea. Even in her wolf form his hands were hot on her skin, permeating through her thick coat. She watched as he climbed off the bed and strip. She was wolf, but her human self saw the man before her. She watched as his body grew. His legs became longer, his thighs rippled with muscle almost double in size. She watched the inky black hair cover his body and is fingers elongate and nails grow out into lethal, razor sharp claws. He rolled his neck as his lower face changed to make room for his teeth and long canines. He was naked, and while TV and movies made wolfmen sexless, Jean Rene most certainly was not. He hung long and thick and Diana growled at the sight.

"Later Mon Lune, I promise," he said laughing at her. He stopped and tilted his head to the side and came to stand in front of her. Diana sat down at the foot of the bed and Jean Rene pushed her down and put his ear to her belly.

"Trios," he said. His words muffled because he was speaking through a mouth full of very big teeth.. Diana flipped from her back, turning to him and barked before jumping off the bed. "Three," he said again as they left the room to find the other wolves.

Lord and Lady Spencer and their two children Sophia and Harry were to meet Jean Rene and Diana in the courtyard at full dark. They were walking down the long narrow hallway, headed for the front door, when the sound of chaos filled the house. Jean Rene and Diana headed for large den that their family changed. The door before the den was thrown open and Van Helsing stepped out of the room. Why the vampire hunter was in a werewolf house Diana had no idea. The only thing that mattered was the damn crossbow in his hand.

"Son of a bitch," the trench coat, floppy hat wearing man said looking at Jean Rene. His weapon hung useless at his side as he gawked at the seven foot wolfman. Jean Rene reached out and tore the man's throat out. White spine showed through the hole as the man dropped to his knees. His expression never changed.

"Go!" Jean Rene roared as Diana caught sight of more men coming through the broken window of the bedroom.

She ran to the den but couldn't open the door...helllllloooo, paws. She growled and snarled at the injustice of it. She was just about to throw her body into the doors when Jean Rene was there. He sank his claws into the seam of the pocket doors and pushed them back with so much force they would have closed again if he hadn't wedged them into their recesses.

There was a large ginger color wolf already turned, Lady Spencer. Diana knew because she was standing over Harry, whose transformation had just started. She could see Sophia, a small brownish wolf wedged between her mother and the wall. Lady Spencer stopped growling and started whimpering. She was looking into the corner. Diana entered the room and went to stand guard in front of Lord Spencer, whose legs had already started changing shape and fur was growing in.

"Stay here Diana," Jean Rene said.

She growled and then barked at him. She knew he understood she didn't like the plan, but she was his wolf to call and his order had been given. He ran out of the room and Diana was left with the Spencer family while her mate fought to protect them all. The sound of the fight was horrifying and every possible scenario ran through her head: from Jean Rene ripping through the human men who'd stormed the house, to the very same men killing Jean Rene. She was half mad with worry. The sound of his howl caused the wolves in the room to cower. Not a wounded sound, it was a call to any wolf in the area. The growls and snarls coming from him was the only indication of him still living and she thanked God for every blessed one of them. Lady Spencer gave a hesitant look at her boy and then girl before bounding out of the room to help. Harry and Sophia came to stand with Diana, placing their bodies in front of her.

Diana was large. A big wolf, a big wolf to have come from such a small human body, but she was a pregnant female, which meant that the pack would protect her and pups at all cost. Harry and Sophia were sixteen and seventeen, no longer pups. There was a growl from behind and she moved to the side as a great black wolf rose. Lord Spencer was impressive. He took the lead and they all followed him out. There were sitting ducks in the house. It was only by the grace of God that one of the men hadn't already made it to them. It helped that it was at the end of the hall and didn't have any windows, but still they had been lucky. The man with the crossbow was laying face down blocking the hallway. Lord Spencer jumped onto of the body looking in the bedroom the man had come from before continuing down the hall. They passed several bodies as they made their way to the front door. Once outside and into the woods they had a better chance of surviving the night. Diana raised her head and scented the air. She knew that Jean Rene had been wounded and the thought made a low growl rip from her throat as she followed the Spencers out of the house. The front hallway looked like a battle field. Nothing had been saved in the fight. Ever piece of furniture, every lamp, every knickknack was touched. Five bodies that Diana could see lie on the ground, all with varying degree of wounds, but all with their throats missing.

The door was open and Lord Spencer stayed in front while Sophie and Harry flanked Diana. A cold wind stirred their coats. It had started snowing. A howl to their left called them to battle but Diana knew that she was not allowed. She'd have to stay there, which meant Lord Spencer and his children were also staying. It was now their job to protect her. They would stay here while Lady Spencer fought.

Time stood still until Diana saw several wolves come from the direction of the howl from earlier. The wolves paced in circles in front of her. They crowed around Diana, sniffing her, licking her. She growled and snapped at them to get them to give her some space. Not long after she saw Jean Rene. She barreled through the wolves, knocking several of them down. He fell on his knees when he saw her approaching and held his arms out. There was an arrow through his shoulder and he was covered in blood. He wore it like a suit.

"I'm fine Diana," he said. She licked his face, his mouth, his ears, cleaned him so she see him. He scratched behind her ears, ran his hands down her back and rubbed her belly before standing up. She walked next to him while he ran his hands through the fur along her back.

****

The transformation back into human form was the least painful change Diana had ever had she was so worried about Jean Rene. Lord Spencer had led the group of wolves at the house to a den, a cave on the property. Jean Rene snapped the end of the arrow off and pulled it out of his shoulder, gritting his teeth instead of yelling out. The men had retreated, but they weren't chancing them coming back. Diana had spent hours licking his wounds, cleaning them, most were scabs by the time morning came. As soon as her transformation was over she hugged Jean Rene tight to her body. Just like her turn into a wolf, he held her when she changed back and this morning was no different even with all the craziness, even with them surrounded by countless strange wolves, he held her and continued his story as she changed, but there was no comfort for Diana. She'd never felt so helpless in her life.

Hot tears wet her face as she held on to Jean Rene and he let her cry until there were no tears left, only panted breathing as she tried to get control of herself.

"Don't you ever order me from your side again," she yelled. She pushed him from her and stood up. The wolves in the cage looked away, some hunched their shoulders. Diana knew they were uncomfortable witnessing the fight that was about to happen between the two of them. She didn't care. She also didn't care that she was standing naked in front of countless strangers.

"I almost lost my mind with worry Jean Rene," she said hitting his good shoulder hard enough to rock his body to that side. "In all things we do together. Were you go, I go," she said.

"Non Mon Lune. It is my job to protect my mate above all others," he said. His voice wasn't a whisper either.

"I'm a fucking wolf the size of a goddamn pony. I think I can take care of myself in a fucking fight. You ordered me to stay, but then made the call for help. Lord Spencer had to stay with me, while his wife was off fighting. She could have died trying to defend me and I'm three time her size, and way more powerful than she is."

The people that had turned away, now moved away, as the battle between Diana and Jean Rene intensified, who stood facing each other, both looking a little feral.

"I would see a thousand dead before one hair on your head is even out of place," he yelled taking a step towards Diana. She could feel the power of him humming along her skin like electricity. Some of the wolves in the cave started to whimper and cower. Jean Rene was changing back in his half form. His body grew, but the hair that covered his body didn't grow. "You are my wolf to call Diana, and you will do as I say. You carry three young inside your body, would you see them harmed?"

Jean Rene wasn't the only one to change. Diana's hair was white and her nails were claws. Rage had struck her stupid and she actually raised her hand to slap some sense into the arrogant man she loved. She knew he could have caught her hand, knew he could have stopped the blow. Deep in her mind she'd counted on it. But he made no move, and her claws slashed three long strips across his beautiful face.

Jean Rene eyes filled with fire, his teeth and fangs punched through his gums. The change so sudden it looked like an optical illusion. "I am Lycaon, and all wolves obey me, even you Nonakris." he said taking another step forward.

Diana could feel his power pressing against her skin, felt her body wanting to kneel and cower in the presence of it. She moved her legs a little apart and locked her knees.

"I will not sacrifice innocence wolves for the life of one. Not even my own Lycaon," she said. "Mon Loup, I forbid it, as nonakris my word is law."

Jean Rene shook his head slowly from side to side, "No Diana, I am not your wolf today. I am no one's wolf to call. You will obey me," he said looking down at her. His breath hot as he panted down on her in anger, forcing his power down on her until she felt it in her mouth, in her nose, it watered her eyes. "Submit freely or by force," he said in a low voice that was more growl than words.

"No."

There was no fear in her voice or face, and Jean Rene even in all his anger and worry, couldn't help but be awestruck by the fierce creature in front of him. There was no way she could, win but she was not going to give up, which was why she could not fight while carrying his children. She'd die trying to protect him and last night he'd had moments where he didn't know if he was going to make it back to her. Only the knowledge that he had been successful in leading the fight from the house allowed him to focus solely on taking the throats of every man he found.

Jean Rene moved to grab Diana and she moved just as fast away from him, dragging her claws across his chest. He was not going to fight her, he meant to bite the shit out of her.

"No," she growled at him.

Jean Rene didn't know when the cave had emptied but it was, and that opened up a whole new realm of punishment for his little wolf. Moving faster than Diana had ever seen, he grabbed her arm. She almost broke free, but he dug his claws into her skin. She yelled out, it hurt, but he'd have her hurt, before he saw her dead. He swung her body around so that her back was to his chest and brought his other hand across her throat.

"Submit," he growled, giving her one last chance. He let go of her arm and the second he did the little minx tried to scratch his face again. He fought with her until her arms were pressed across her chest, held in place by one powerful hand. He fisted a handful of her hair and yanked her head to the side. "Last chance Mon Lune." he whispered against her neck. He felt his body hardened, felt the hairs on his body raise at the thought of him sinking his teeth into the skin of her neck.

'No," she said, her anger being overridden by desire. She wanted this claiming, wanted the possession, but she was never going to give it up without a fight. He was going to have to earn it each time. His bite was fast, more like the strike of a snake. Her scream echoed through the cave. He kicked her legs apart with one foot and released her hair. He bent his knees grabbed his erection and positioned it at the opening of her sex. She was already slick with arousal and he growled around the bite as he entered her in one hurried stroke. Each thrust causing her to yell out. But still she didn't submit to him.

He pulled out of her and shoved his hands between her thighs spreading the thick cream from her sex to a smaller, tighter hole. He coated his finger and then gently circled the spot he was about to take. He released his hold on her neck.

"Submit," he growled.

"Jean Rene," she gasped as his finger breached her dark opening.

"Submit Diana, it's not my finger I mean to take you with," he warned her.

"No."

He rubbed his hand over her sex until his palm was slick and grabbed his erection. He coated himself and gave her no further warning. He pushed the bulbous tip inside her. Taking her in such a primal way tightened every muscle in his body. The tight fit threatening a climax with each tortured inch he sank into her body. He was vibrating from restraint by the time he'd buried himself to the hilt. Diana's panted breathing and the scent of her arousal was not doing a thing for his restraint. He wanted to take her hard and fast, a proper claiming and punishment for her disobedience, but he was in virgin territory and he'd snap his own rock hard cock off before hurting her that way.

"Submit Diana," he groaned into her skin, prepared to bite her while his body was buried in her.

"Yes, yes, yes," she cried out. Her body was trembling. So was Jean Rene's as he held on to a thin line of control. He no longer knew who was being punished, her or him. This was a new claiming, and he would leave her with no doubt that he owned ever single inch of her. He moved his hand to the front of her body, careful of the claws that still ended each fingertip and circle the top of her sex. He licked the wound on her neck as he rocked his hips slowly.

"You are mine, Diana. You will trust that I make the right decision where you and our children are concern, not because I am king, but because without you there is no me. I don't give a fuck if every damn wolf in Europe is slaughtered. I would bathe in their blood if it meant you safe,"

"Yes," she said gasping for air.

"Yes what Diana," he growled.

"Yes Lycaon"

# Chapter

# 16

Was Diana mad about what happen in the cave? Yes and no. She was and would always be mad when she and Jean Rene were separated when one of their lives were in danger. But she understood Jean Rene's worry and therefore could not be mad at him for wanting her to be safe. Did she not want the same thing? She'd asked him to be king, could she get all pissy when things didn't go her way? Sure. Did it change anything? No.

And what did she think about her unexpected introduction to anal sex? She'd never had it, had never considered, they'd never talked about it. But he'd done everything he could think of short of fighting her to get her to submit and she was being unreasonable in her worry, hadn't been rational in her demands, and refused to budge on her stance. All that bullshit aside, her fucking mate was a damn wolf. What did she expect?

And the sex had been...nothing short of the best she'd ever had. There was a whole other person buried inside her that she didn't know existed, and that person liked being owned, liked being forced. Who knew? So when Jean Rene, after getting the people who had left the cave during their argument, picked a half a dozen or so men to accompany him to scout the area and Diana was an obedient little wolf and kept her fucking mouth shut.

As morning passed to noon, and noon early evening, the women, children and men left in the cave tried to distract her from Jean Rene absence. She wasn't distracted, it was as if half of her own body was missing, but she could hardly sit around moping, when the women that were offering comfort husbands were gone, some with Jean Rene, and others just plain missing from the night before. Diana sat in the back of the cage and watched the sky fill with the colors signaling the end of the day and wondered if Jean Rene would make it back before sundown.

When the heat rose in her body she was still hopeful that Jean Rene would make it back. It had nothing to do with him holding her, it was just so damn frustrating that she wouldn't be able to talk about what he'd found out. Jean Rene explained before leaving that the men who attacked were Wolfe hunter, well most were trained hunters, some just seemed to be muscle that weren't that trained at all, which is why the fight the night before hadn't resulted in more carnage and the hunters retreat.

Diana could see the sun now, low in the horizon. Her skin felt tight and the feeling of electric current traveled the length of it. She lay down on her side and prepared to change. She gritted her teeth when today she would have cried out, not from the pain just, from the anguish of not knowing where Jean Rene was, but she was queen and even now she had to be strong.

Jean Rene along with his scouts and a few other wolves that he'd found scattered throughout the vast woods on the property, found evidence that the attacked was far from spur of the moment. Because of the timing and his meeting with Alfred Wolfe he'd assumed the man had thrown together the botched assassination attempt. Jean Rene knew calling a meeting of the Wolfe council to plead his case was not a guarantee that his plea would be heard. He was dealing with humans and what humans feared they destroyed, or tried to control. Several wolves had been caught in traps that would have taken time to make. Those that were alive were taken back to Lord Spencer's house. It wasn't the safest place, but the best they could do. It was the closest structure to treat the wounded. There were traps set along the wall that surround the lands and covered in too much snow to have just been set the night before.

It was Jean Rene intention to make it back to the cave but he was ambushed. The fight was over quickly but he'd gotten caught up interrogating the sole survivor of the attack. Jean Rene would have liked nothing more than to have had to force the man to answer the questions he had. But the one look at him and the man had sung like the proverbial canary.

No, the attack had not been an assassination attempt, or at least not that the man knew of. The attack had been planned months in advance. The orders had come from headquarters. Instructions were to build and set traps and to kill the pack alpha and family and as many wolves that they could. That order had gone out for all packs with numbers larger than fifty. The reason: to thin out the werewolf population. The rogue wolves were problematic, but the growing size of packs was more concerning. Take out the alphas, kill as many as they could, leave the wolves in almost the exact state they were in after the death of the last king. And this was going on simultaneously for the next three days. The retreat last night was not a victory, it was preplanned. The hunters would be back tonight.

What they hadn't planned on was Jean Rene, and the survival of the alpha. Jean Rene killed the man. He thought about sending him away to carry a warning to the hunters that were set to return at night fall but there were plenty that had gotten away last night that had seen him. There were no hostages, not prisoners of war, the only option was death.

Jean Rene found a couple of scouts, told them what he'd learned, told one to find Lord Spencer and fill him in and told the other to go to the cave and tell them to stay put. If either were to come across another scout to have them spread the word, but to send as many people back in order to patrol the wall. Until reinforcements arrived it was him. He worried about Diana, worried about the fight they had, worried about his unborn children. The only thing he could do was kill as many hunters as he could. As soon as the sun set he howled and the answering howls told him the wolves were station at the wall. Jean Rene had an advantage. His half form allowed him to climb. He found the tallest tree and waited.

Diana was in a ring of silent wolves. All children. The female wolves formed a protective semi-circle around them and the males were front and center. She didn't see the first of the males leave the cave, just the echo of growls and snarls and then the females all tensed with hackles raised, snarling and growling in front of her. She stood up, forcing the very smallest of the pups behind her. The sounds coming from just beyond the mouth of the cave were savage. As the sounds of the wolves outside lessen the first wave of females ran out.

The fight didn't end, round after round the females left until only five of them remained. The older pups stood with Diana and they waited for the fight to come to them. They came with crossbows and swords and daggers: hunters from a world of old. Diana watched the five females fight, watched as bones were crushed between their jaws and saw daggers driven into sides and backs and bellies. Lady Spencer was stabbed in the throat and that's when Diana had no choice but to join the fight. With an earsplitting sound she jumped over the few wolves that she'd stood with. The man that stood over the body of Lady Spencer was her target. The hunters were use to fighting big animals, wolves the size of the largest dog. Her body slammed into the man sending him reeling, but he regained his footing without going down. The sword was knocked from his hand and he pulled a dagger from his side. Diana aimed for the throat and felt the dagger pierce her back. There was no time for pain, she ripped his throat out and looked for the next target.

Diana swiped across the back of the next hunter. The fabric of his shirt was ripped away exposing a protective vest. She lunged forward raising on her back legs and brought her open mouth down on the top of his head crushing his skull between her teeth, but not before his sword opened a large wound across her chest. The wound was close enough to her stomach that it gave her pause, which was a costly mistake. An arrow pierce her shoulder and then one lodged higher in her neck. A large brown wolf and dark grey one attacked at the same time. Diana threw her head back and howled, rushing towards the man who had dropped the crossbow and was now swinging a sword to keep the dark grey wolf at bay while the brown one held on to his arm. She was shaking her head back and forth vigorously, but wasn't doing much damage to the arm, but the double team was enough to keep the man from killing either. If he tried to stab the wolf on his arm he'd be open for an attack by the grey wolf, and he couldn't really aim for the grey because he was off balance from the brown. Diana ran around to attack from behind. He swung the sword behind him, no doubt knowing her intent, which gave the grey wolf an opening. She grabbed his leg. Her bravery was reward by the man falling down, but not before he buried the sword in her back. Diana saw it come out the chest of the wolf but she held her bite. As the man fell to the ground Diana ripped his throat out.

Out of the five female wolves three remained, but they'd killed all the hunters that entered the cave. Diana knew that they were sitting ducks and it was time to move. The men left behind were all dead. The others were already behind her. There was no need to look; her hearing told her that there was no immediate threat outside the cave. They all left running, Diana allowing one of the remaining females to take the lead since she had no idea where she was going.

Diana heard Jean Rene's howls periodically, but didn't answer for fear of giving their location away. The female led them to a stream that had an incline on the far side. She didn't like the idea of facing a possible attack on lower ground, but she had no choice but the follow. They were halfway up the hill when the first hunter appeared. They all pulled back, scattering in all directions, the adult wolves circling the man. It's how pack animals hunted and fought and was a good plan...when you're fighting or hunting other animals. Not so good with humans. The four females surrounded the man but they were also surrounded, a man for each of them.

Diana tried to look in all directions at once. They were trapped. Their only chance was to try to skirt by their attackers. Three of the men advanced on the three smaller wolves. Diana, being the biggest, had the remaining two closing in on her. She lowered her head, growling and snarling, the two arrows still in her body, blood on her muzzle and running down her side from the stab on her back and dripping from the cut across her chest. She felt a sharp pain on her back leg and turned, snapping at the hunter who had flanked her. His wolf dead or gone, she didn't know. Hackles raised, she snapped at the man in front, and he brought his sword down across her shoulder. She turned in circles trying to find an opening. There was none.

Twice Jean Rene heard Diana's call and knew that the cave was under attack. When he finally reached it he howled in, terror and pure unadulterated rage at the carnage. There were bodies everywhere. Men and women. Jean Rene ran into the cave prepared to find her dead. His heart nearly stopped in his chest at the very thought, and when he saw it empty he didn't know which was stronger: the joy of not finding her body, or the fright of not knowing where she was. Standing in the mouth of the cave he threw his head back and flared his nostrils to get her scent and tore off in the direction that she and the rest had run off in. He howled into the black of the night to let her know he was coming. When he came upon her, he almost lost his everlasting mind. Completely surrounded, his beloved white wolf was standing, snarling, growling; preparing to die fighting. All would have made any wolf proud, but she was bleeding, and as his vision turned red from rage, he didn't take the time or effort to make a sound, he went to her like the angel of death. In five hundred years he hadn't moved so fast. The first went down easy, so focused on the white wolf he hadn't heard him coming. His clawed hands went easy threw the skin of the hunter's head, which wasn't the killing wound. The strength behind the blow also snapped the man's neck.

The second man swung his sword, aimed at Jean Rene's chest, but he dropped on all fours and it passed harmlessly over his head. Before the hunter could swing the sword back around, Jean Rene opened the man's throat and was moving on to the third before his body started to fall.

He pivoted, turning his body around in a circle to miss the sword of the third hunter but was cut in the back, a wound he didn't feel. Grabbing a low hanging branch he swung himself into a tree and launched himself from the sky. Jean Rene opened the front of his face with one swipe taking his eyes out before taking his throat out with the next.

The fourth man was ready. He didn't have the common sense to run. He stood ready, sword and dagger in hand. Jean Rene laughed at him. The last man standing. So brave, so honorable, so dead. Diana stood on one side wounded, pierced with arrows, growling and snarling but not advancing. He was there and she trusted Jean Rene to finish. He moved fast. The sword cutting his arm to the bone, the dagger plunging deep into his side as Jean Rene's jaws closed down on the hunter's face, crushing it.

The night was new. There were still hours before sun-up. Fighting was going on all around them. Jean Rene walked around Diana checking her wounds. She stood alert, listening for anyone advancing on the spot they were standing in.

"Let's go down to the stream," Jean Rene said hugging her massive neck. He wanted to clean the wounds but she was too big for him to lick them in his half form, and he wasn't chancing turning into a full wolf. It would leave them open for attack. Diana could take on one, maybe two, but the hunters were smart and traveled in packs.

Jean Rene hand rested on Diana's back while they walked down the embankment to the stream. The water went to Diana's chest, submerging most of her wounds, leaving only the one on her back and those on her face, but she sat down and Jean Rene could almost hear the woman inside the wolf groan at the relief of the cool water running over her hot and sore body. He would have like nothing more than to let her rest longer, but there were out in the open, and he had to get her somewhere safe. Even with a day full of scouting he hadn't covered all the land. He knew where a few dens were on the property but all in the direction they'd both just come from and he knew for certain fighting was taking place. Rage made his body tremble and he snarled and growled in frustration, he didn't want to howl, he wanted to scream, he was so afraid for Diana. Picking up on his mood Diana whimpered and pushed her head under his hand, and started licking his wounds which cleared his head. The raspy swipes of her tongue calming him.

"Come on, we need to get out from in the open," he said.

She stood up and shook the water from her body. Jean Rene considered pulling the arrows out but one was so high on her neck. If it had been his wound he'd ripped it out, with Diana he couldn't. The one in her shoulder, that one had he could. He braced one hand a litter higher than the arrow, and felt her body tightened as she readied herself.

"On three," he said. He counted down and pulled out the arrow. He washed the wound but didn't wait for the blood to stop flowing; they were getting out of there.

At the top of the small hill they entered the thick of the woods and Jean Rene was weak kneed when they found a place for Diana to rest within minutes. The fell tree was big enough to hide her from one direction and he made quick work of getting more branches and shrubbery to cover her as much as he could.

"I'll be right above you Mon Lune, in the tree to better see if someone should approach," he whispered. He rubbed his face against the fur of her neck. She closed her eyes and he hoped it was from being tired and not from blood lost. He climbed the tree quickly and stood guard over her.

People be damned, Jean Rene was getting Diana out of this God forsaken place, and the next time they left the house she'd have a goddamn army around her. Diana was still out as the sun broke the horizon. They were too deep in the woods to see the sun but even with the ability to change at will, his body was still drawn to the moon and he felt the new day dawn. Diana hadn't woken up during her shift which meant she was as badly injured as he feared. He jumped from the tree and uncovered her body. The arrow looked so much worst in her human body. In her human form it now had an exit wound and Jean Rene didn't want to think how the pain must have felt as the arrow moved around during her change. The cuts on her face were healed completely not leaving a trace that they'd been there at all. There was a long, ugly, angry looking cut that started just under her left breast that ran between them and ended almost at the right shoulder. Her hand rested on her belly and Jean Rene looked down at his sleeping mate and stared in wonderment as he saw a wave of movement beneath her skin. He fell to his knees and cried silently as he laid his hands on her stomach and felt his children move within her body. He was crying like a baby himself when the Diana's hand lifted and she cupped his cheek with her palm.

"Mon Loup."

"Diana," he choked out. It was all he could say. He sobbed, his shoulders shaking from the cries. She didn't try to get up; she stayed on the ground, rubbing his face, his hair, as he came undone, until finally he'd lain down beside her. His arms ached to take her into an embrace but the arrow stood in his way. She moved closer to kiss his tears as they stared into each other eyes.

"Is it still early," she asked after clearing her throat a couple of time.

"Yes and it's time for me to get you out of here," he said taking a deep breath. "I won't ask how you feel so you won't have to lie." Or so that he wouldn't have to here the truth from her. She'd never lie. She smiled at him, but she looked so weak, so tired even after the sleep.

"Oh my God Diana, you haven't eaten in two days," he said jumping up. In all that had happen they hadn't hunted and hadn't been able to eat while trapped in the cave. What kind of mate was he? Still in half form, he picked her up carefully, headed for the house, hoping, wishing, and praying that the hunters were gone. He was wrong.

Jean Rene threw his head back and howled. So close, so fucking close. Five hundred years of searching, five hundred years of longing, only to die not even a year after finding it.

The weight of his mate changed and he knew that Diana was in half form. He was filled with pride as he let her legs drop to the ground. He looked into her eyes, not paying attention at all to the men around them. There were no words. Everything that had to be said was done through the look that they shared. They were surrounded; not four, not eight, but more than a dozen men formed a circle around them.

"Take the arrow out," Diana said.

He broke the end and pulled it through her body. She didn't scream, she stared down the men in the circle around them. He was dropping the arrow to the ground when they heard something big coming from their left. Half the men turned.

First Diana's wolves came through the brush, one for each man. They came out slow, dark and menacing, their heads low to the ground, snarling and growling. Their odds of getting out alive, of Diana living, greatly increase. They were her wolves to call and they'd come to see her home. Jean Rene knew that they'd make an opening, even if it meant their lives. But that wouldn't be necessary. Two wolves, massive grey wolves entered the party. The white of their coats was incandescent, it almost seemed to glow. They were identical in reverse, like looking at a photo and it's negative. Where the muzzle of one was white and faded into gray, the other started dark and then lightened. They weren't growling or snarling like the others, but the intent was clear on their faces. They came closer, Diana's wolves moving to one side. Her wolves were the size of Great Danes, St. Bernard's, Mastiffs. Diana and Jean Rene when in wolf form were larger still. The two before them were as big as draft horses.

The dark headed one howled. The sound wave of it vibrated through their bodies, the loudness, made them cover their ears.

Slowly, very slowly, the men began to back away. There were a few so close that Jean Rene and Diana could have touched them. No one attacked. As the men retreated Diana's wolves advanced. The hunters were treating them like any dog or animal encountered in the wild. Back away slowly, be as quiet as possible, and maybe, just maybe, you survive.

There wasn't a chance in hell.

When the first wolf lunged the men ran and the wolves took chase, leaving Diana and Jean Rene with the giant wolves. They both knelt at the same time. Their hands finding each other as their knees hit the ground. Jean Rene may be king but he wasn't that much of a king. The wolves stood in front of them, their breath blowing their hair back from their faces. One wolf, the female, licked the wound on Diana's back and the exit wound of the arrow, and Jean Rene watched amazed as the skin was left smooth. The wolf huffed and nudged Diana's body with its nose, rocking her body from side to side while it inspected her. Like a mother wolf with its pup.

Diana was knocked from her knees and landed on her butt in the grass. The wolf licked her, cleaned her. Slowly, tentatively, Diana reached up and petted the wolf. She stood up. It let her scratch it behind the ears while it licked the wound between her breasts. It shoved its nose into her crotch almost knocking her back down to the ground. Jean Rene stood up to steady her, turning the wolf's attention to him. The other, a male, was still standing a little behind the female. He watched Jean Rene. The werewolf had a feeling he was being sized up. He had the overwhelming urge to stand taller, puff out his chest.

"Jean Rene!"

Damn, he was growling. He was growling at a wolf the size of a draft horse, one that could take his head off with one lift of a paw, or simply bite it off. His mouth was big enough to fit his whole head in. If the wolf was offended he didn't show it. He tilted his massive head to the side. He barked once and turned, heading back the way they came. When he was almost out of sight he turned only his head, looking back at the female that was still focused solely on Diana. He barked again and the female licked Diana's once more and went to her mate.

They didn't see the wolves again but they would occasional hear them howl. They also would catch sight of Diana's wolves, as they ran through the woods so fast sometimes they would say, "Did you see that" to each other. They were clearing the woods and entering the yard of the estate when the first human they'd seen all morning came running out of the house.

There was no kneeling or bowing, too much shit had gone down, and it was obvious the man was too excited to think of such things. "Milord, have you seen them?"

"I have," Jean Rene said so calmly that Diana looked at him. He said it like they saw horse size wolves every day.

"The hunters were still attacking when the wolves came out of nowhere, hundreds of them."

"What?" Diana said.

"The land is infested with wolves. They came through the front gates in droves at dawn. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't have seen it with my own eyes."

"What?" she asked again.

"There were so many of them they looked like a sea of fur and teeth."

Diana looked at Jean Rene. What the man was saying was truly amazing, but he hadn't mention two that were impossibly large. Was it possible he hadn't seen them? "Were any...larger, than usual," Diana asked.

"If you are asking about your wolves Nonakris, they led the way," he said, with her title came a quick bow.

"Thank you um...."

"Damon, Milord," the man said.

"Thank you Damon," Jean Rene and Diana said together.

They were walking to the house when Diana's white wolf and the grey wolf that usually stood with Jean Rene came through the trees. They slowed when they were walking next to them. Diana and Jean Rene rubbed along their backs as they approached the house. The running and excited Damon had left the doors open. The house was packed with people. The dead hunters had been taken out, but wounded men, women and children had taken their place. Diana and Jean Rene went to the room they'd been assigned to and dressed quickly, not worrying about showering, only wanting to go and help.

What seemed like an eternity later, Jean Rene and Diana returned to their room. Jean Rene had been trying to get her to rest all day. But the truth of the matter was, she felt great, and had since she'd been licked by that big ass wolf. In a rush to help when they returned, they'd only spoke while dressing about their earlier encounter, now, while reclining in the large tub, they could talk at length. They still had tonight to get through, the last full moon night.

"So in five hundred years you've never seen them," Diana asked. It was Jean Rene's turn to get his hair washed and she stopped lathering it. She could understand horse sized wolf trying to keep a low profile but they were...the size of a horse. How did they pull it off? As if to offer an answer to her question, the early evening was filled with a howl. They'd been doing it all day. Everyone admitted to seeing a lot of wolves, no one had said anything about the two they'd seen. Diana start washing his hair again, massaging his scalp. She smiled as he sighed. "They're just so...big," she finished.

"A mystery Mon Lune, I've thought of little else since we return to the house. We'll make it through tonight, but we're going home tomorrow," he said.

"Absolutely not," she said.

Jean Rene turned to look at her. His hair pile on top of his head full of suds, how the man managed to look sexy was beyond her. Sexy or not, he was waiting for her to explain herself.

"Alfred Wolfe is trying to destroy what little unity the werewolf community has in Europe. He may have not planned it, but the attack could have resulted in your death, the first king in over three hundred years. These people seem almost relieved to have someone looking out for their best interest."

Jean Rene lowered his body in the water, submerging his head to rinse out the shampoo. "So you think we should continue on, instead of running home with our tails tucked between our legs," he said when he surfaced.

"I'm certain I wouldn't have phrased it that way," Diana said as he grabbed her feet and pulled her towards him. Her legs straddled his thighs and he held her loosely around her waist. "The people need to see that when the going gets tough their Lycaon will stand with them. Be on the front line, not in the back. Show them that you're in the trenches with them."

"Diana—"

She stopped him by putting a finger on his moving mouth. "I know what you're about to say," she said replacing the finger with her lips, kissing him softly "And I owe you an apology for yesterday. I was just so scared not knowing if you were okay. I can't stand the thought of you hurt," she said.

"I won't have you in harm's way. I meant what I said, nothing is more important to me than your safety and the safety of our children."

"I know, but don't send me away Jean Rene. I don't think I could stand it. We'll keep the wolves throughout the tour as additional guards. You can call in additional wolves if you want, just don't ask me to sit at home waiting to hear if you've been hurt." Or dead, Diana thought, but she pushed thought out of her head, and she certainly would never let the words cross her lips. It killed a part of her heart to think a world without him.

"You frighten me Mon Lune," Jean Rene said pulling her more into his lap. "I know that sending you home would be the best thing, but I will not do it...I cannot."

Jean Rene laid his head on her shoulder and hugged her tight. God, if anything happened to her he would go insane. He'd be rogue and have to be put down. He'd happily deliver himself to Alfred Wolfe.

# Chapter

# 17

The next stop on the tour was so off the beaten path that Diana thought pack mules would have been easier to get to the secluded village. The ride was so rough that her entire body was beginning to ache as she tightened every muscle in it in an attempt to avoid being jostled around too much. One hand was braced on the seat, the other held on the handle above her head. By the time the "road", and she used the term very, very, loosely, ended; dumping them out into a wide open green pasture, she was certain more than a few of her teeth were loose.

Jean Rene explained that the village they were going to was one of the oldest werewolf villages in existence. Most of the wolves never left the village in their lifetime. Because of the seclusion all were born werewolves. Why was this important? Never having to hide what they were and being so far removed from civilization resulted in interesting development. They were nudist. Diana wasn't a prude about nudity but the thought of prancing around naked for three days wasn't her idea of a good time. Jean Rene had left this tidbit of information to himself, not sure how she would handle the news, until the last possible moment which was two days ago. Wallace had laughed at how bashful she still was and he shocked her by stripping right there in front of her and then refused to wear clothes saying it was to prepare her. She protested but Jean Rene agreed that she'd have to get use to it. Being naked wasn't always sexual. She wasn't happy, but what could she do about it, when in Rome...

Diana was just relaxing her grip on the handle mounted on the ceiling of the car when the Jeep rounded the mountain they were driving next to and a stone wall at least fifty feet tall with a heavy wood gate came into view. Diana was still gawking when the gate lift and the Jeep entered the Silverclaw Pack village. Jean Rene told her to think of the village as an uncontacted tribe. She was pleasantly surprised when she saw that although the people embraced their inner wolf they still enjoyed homes. There was everything from tents to small wooden cabins. No brick, no concrete. They weren't even driving on a road anymore. The Jeep drove through town on grass that put the stuff covering the lawns of their estate look like weeds. In the very center of the village was a monument of a man and woman standing behind three wolves, which Diana guessed was a male, his mate and their pup. It was the same color of the grey stone the wall was made out of. There were people out in front of their homes, some crowded near the grass that the convoy of vehicles drove across, the first with Jean Rene and Diana, the second with Wallace and Rob and a horse trailer. There were no horses, it was full of wolves.

The Jeep came to stop in front of a small cottage. The man and woman standing outside the house was clothed...if you call squares of material, clothes. The woman was short, maybe Diana's height, which put her at about five four, her black material was crossed in front and tied at the nape of her neck. The man was six feet or more, and his material was tied in front at the waist.

Diana took the offered hand of the driver. She stretched, placing her hands on her lower back. "Sorry for the bumpy ride," he said smiling down at her.

"That's alright," Diana said, shielding her eyes to look up at the handsome teenager. She was starting to see a trend when it came to werewolf men. They may be bloodthirsty beast but they were good-looking bloodthirsty beast. She'd yet to see one that wasn't at least, mildly attractive.

The couple came to them as Jean Rene was coming around the Jeep to stand at her side.

"How are you," he asked rubbing her back and her stomach, his hot hands working their magic on her back and making the babies inside dance. Since Lord Spencer's they seem to know when their daddy was around, and boy, did they love him.

"I'm fine," she said. They turned to the smiling couple in front of them.

"Welcome, Lycaon, Nonakris. It is an honor to have you come out of your way to visit us," he man said.

"Thank you Adam, the place is as beautiful as I remember. I last visited when Saul Blackwolf was the alpha," Jean Rene said.

The man eyes widened a little. "That had to have been almost hundred years."

Jean Rene nodded, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you as well Teresa."

"News of the Lycaon and Nonakris has spread far and wide. We've heard only good things and everyone is very excited that you've come," the woman said. "I'm sure you tired, let me show you to your room. You can freshen up before tonight's gathering."

The room was tiny and homey and with just enough room to turn around in. The good thing about clothing optional was that it meant you could pack light, which they had and a good thing too, because the room didn't have a closet or a piece of furniture that had drawers. It also didn't have running water or electricity. All the furniture looked handmade. The mattress was honest to God straw and the tables on each side were wood, disk cut from the middle of a tree were the tops, and the legs were made from small branches. The quilt on the bed was an antique and handmade. The multicolor cover was beautiful and she really hoped they hadn't gotten it out for their visit. There was two pieces of fabric on the bed. They'd provided clothes, how thoughtful.

Jean Rene sat the leather overnight bag on the bed and pulled Diana into his arms. "Was the ride too rough on you? I could tell Adam and Teresa you need your rest," he said smoothing her hair back over her shoulder.

"I'm not hiding in the bedroom because I'm squeamish about being naked Jean Rene, but thank you for offering."

"So much you've had to get use to in such a short amount of time. You amaze me Mon Lune," he said kissing her gently on the lips. "How I love you."

Freshening up took place in a large lake that had blue water so clear you could see the bottom for yards. Jean Rene and Diana had stripped their clothes and walked the half mile or so in towels. By the time they returned the village was busy bringing out long tables and Diana could smell grilled meat in the air. The village hunted for all their meat, and every dwelling had its own garden. All in all it, was a good set up. Diana could see the appeal.

She took a deep breath to prepare to walk out of the room and then out of the house completely nude. Jean Rene suggested she wear the makeshift dress that Teresa had worn earlier, but she declined. This was their way of living, these were her werewolves too, and she wasn't going to disrespect their way of living.

"You're so beautiful," Jean Rene said from behind her. She turned around and all she could think was that he was sorely mistaken if anything in the room was beautiful it was him.

His hair had grown out longer and hung well past his shoulders like black silk. His eyes, which were almost the same shade of blue as the water of the lake, was framed with thick black lashes that were also very long and would make any woman jealous. His body was tone and muscular and heavily veined. If it weren't for the hair on his body he'd look like a Renaissance sculpture, just better endowed. Diana bit her bottom lip as she looked him up and down. He was breathtaking and he was hers. Her breath was cut short when she at last worked her eyes back up his body and looked at his face.

The desire in his eyes was so hot she could feel it on her skin. She never felt so sexy, so beautiful, as when he looked at her, like it took all his control to not ravage her body. She kept waiting for it to go away, for that heat to vanish once the new wore off their relationship, but everyday it was there. He walked towards her with all the grace of a big cat and she was panting as he approached. Sometimes she had to fight the urge to back away from him, to take a step from the intensity of his gaze. With each step he took he grew until he stood in front of her in his half form. He ran the tip of a claw down the front of her body starting from the hollow of her throat, down between her breasts and over the swell of her belly before dropping his hand to his side.

"Shall we," he said holding out his hand.

There were torches lit and the large tables were covered with food. To say that it was delicious was an understatement. There were no chairs, but large logs with one side shaved and sanded smooth to ensure no one was picking splinters out of their rear.

The white wolf sat at Diana's feet, so close that her feet was under its fur, and two more at her side. They'd been clingy since they'd arrived after the attack. The villagers were curious about them. Real wolves, wild wolves, didn't like werewolves anymore than they liked humans. That she had twelve was...fascinating.

"Adam, I was wondering if your histories mention anything about two large grey wolves," Jean Rene said.

Adam was sitting at his wife's feet petting a wolf. After Diana assured everyone that they were harmless they were being spoiled. People were feeding them from their plates. Hell, Diana saw one with a kid on its back.

"There are lots of stories, are you looking for something particular?" He asked.

"Are there any stories about two wolves as big as work horses," he clarified.

"Our histories a mainly of our forefathers: the alphas, sometimes their mates. The origin of the wolf is lost, even to a pack as old as ours. May I ask why you ask?"

"Diana and I were attacked. For two days hunters stalked and killed the pack during the full moon. It was preplanned and we were lucky more were not lost. On the second day, Diana and I were surrounded by hunter, her wolves showed up, followed by two great wolves. They were both grey, one with a white muzzle the other, black, but colored the same."

The group around them listened as Jean Rene spoke. "Hundreds of wolves showed up, led by Diana's wolves and patrolled the area, killing the hunters that were too slow to get away. We were the only two people to see the wolves. I think they were a mated pair. The female took a particular interest in Diana and her lick healed the wounds she'd sustained while fighting the night before. A large cut across her chest and an arrow that pierce her shoulder."

"Attack a pregnant woman? And they call us animal!" someone shouted. There were other outbursts of agreement.

"My God," Teresa said, she put her hand over her heart; the look on her face was one of horror. "You must have been almost feral to see the Nonakris wounded."

Jean Rene nodded. Diana saw his throat working overtime. If felt like yesterday when she'd held him as he sobbed after standing guard over her all night.

"It is true, that you are a large white wolf?" The voice belonged to an old woman who looked every bit as old as Jean Rene's five hundred years, which meant she was probably well over one hundred.

"Yes ma'am," Diana answered, turning so she could look at the woman.

"Have you heard the story of Geri, Freki and Fenrir?"

"Nana," Adam said.

Diana saw frustration then embarrassment cross his face. Nana was about to say or do something embarrassing. She smiled at Adam to try to reassure him. Diana loved old people. She was fascinated by all that they'd seen and been through. To think of the inventions that had come long in the last hundred years. Her generation had computers and smart phones and the War on Terror. This lady's had airplanes, cars, television and World Wars.

"It's a new story for me. We recently named the new wolf police The Odin. I know Geri and Freki were his wolves, I don't know Fenrir," Diana said.

"Geri and Freki were beloved pets of Odin, a mated pair, whose love from their master was second only to their love for each other, and then there was Fenrir. He became jealous of Odin's love for the two that sat at the god's table and ate night after night. Fenrir was bigger, fierce, the better fighter, and therefore could offer more to Odin, but it was foretold that Fenrir would one day kill the god. Geri was pregnant on the day that Fenrir broke free of his chains and entered the great hall. His beloved wolves refused to leave his side, and he knew they would be killed by the bigger wolf. He could not save them, but he could save their pup. So Odin induced Geri's labor and the three of them came to earth, not far from here, where Geri had her pup by the light of the full moon. Odin turned the pup into a human baby, a girl. A boy from a nearby tribe stumbled upon them and Freki bit the child, frighten for his mate and newborn pup. Knowing the girl needed to be protected Odin gave the boy the ability to change into a wolf. His strength would have no equal, his loyalty would never falter. The child would be well protected. The boy took the baby home where his parents raised her. This is the story of where we come from." The last sentence was a statement of fact, a beautiful story, a fairy tale that the woman believed without doubt.

"What happened to the boy and girl?" Diana asked. She was not the only one spelled bound. Wallace and Rob had come over and all of the wolves.

"A neighboring tribe attacked the villagers as they slept for their land. The boy's parents were killed and their home set on fire. He took his wolf form put there were too many and soon he was so injured he could not continue to fight. When he woke the next day everyone was dead but among the bodies he did not find her. He spent the rest of his day's searching for her."

"Forgive me Nana, but what does your story has to do with the two grey wolves we saw," Jean Rene asked. Diana didn't know if he was falling for the story, but his voice was polite and full of respect for the old woman.

"Fenrir was not successful in killing Odin, or Geri and Freki, but the battle made Geri and Freki leave their pup on earth. I think it was Geri and Freki who came to aid Nonakris."

"Why Diana?" Teresa asked, obviously drinking the kool-aid.

The old woman looked at Jean Rene and Diana, "The Lycaon is the oldest born of us, the most powerful, his wolf the biggest. He has two forms and is not ruled by the moon, he can change at any time. The Nonakris, although a new wolf also has two forms, is not tied to the moon, and is the only white wolf of our kind and can call true wolves," she answered.

"But I can't turn true wolf anytime, only during the full moon," Diana said.

"I think in time that will change. Lycaon is the decedent of the boy, and you are a daughter of Geri and Freki."

Diana's mouth fell open. So did Jean Rene's. They looked at each other and then back at the old woman, who laughed at their shared expressions. "You think it an accident that the two of you have come together. I know that you are newly mated, yet our Queen is already with child. You were drawn to each other the first time you met and probably haven't separated since." They both just nodded. "It is a true and wondrous miracle that you have found each other again. I am honored to have been able to witness it."

****

Diana was so happy to be home she could kiss the damn graveled covered ground. She didn't know how Queen Elizabeth did it when she visited all her realms. She had to travel the globe and Diana was done with only Europe. There had been no other attack while they were out but it was the only good thing that had happened. The meeting with the Wolfe council, the one that Thomas thought would only take a week to pull together, was still not scheduled. Alexis and Constantine met them with reports of ten wolves being killed while they were away. In addition to the two hundred plus recruits for the new police and military, there were at least a hundred lone wolves or small families that didn't belong to packs in the castle asking for protection. Reports were coming in from all over of increased aggression towards werewolves by the Wolfe hunters. It was like Alfred Wolfe had lost his goddamn mind. After the truce Wolfe hunters were suppose to hunt rogue werewolves. The reports that they were getting included incidents of beatings, unexplained detainment and torture. Men, women, children and elderly; no one was safe from his wrath. With all that going on, it wasn't the worse news they got when they walked in the door. The worse, far more dangerous business at hand came in the form of an eighteen year old girl. Virginia Wolfe.

Jean Rene had asked Thomas to send a representative and he'd sent his daughter, he thought it would be good training. What he didn't think about was Constantine. Of course, who would have? Virginia, like every red-blooded young woman, had fallen for the blond haired werewolf Casanova, as only a young girl can. She was crushing on him so bad she made the whole house uncomfortable. Well, not exactly the whole house...Constantine was just as smitten by the girl, um, young woman. Constantine was quick to point out that the lovely Miss Wolfe was of legal age. To be sure she was a looker. The raven haired, colt legged, grey eyed young woman was stunning.

Never mind that a werewolf had fallen for the barely legal daughter of a Wolf hunter, or that Thomas and Lillian Wolfe could possibly even be cool with their baby girl dating a wolf, but Constantine was...old. Not forty or sixty or even eighty, Constantine was a hundred and fifteen, which they all reminded her of. Her reply, Jean Rene was five hundred and Diana was only in her late twenties. What could they say?

If Constantine looked his age, she wouldn't have given him a second glance but he didn't. Constantine on a good day looked twenty-five, maybe a year or two older, and on a bad day could look as old as thirty. They all looked young. Wallace, Alexis and Rob were all tall, hot...geriatrics. Only the strongest werewolves aged that slowly. No one knew why, it was just another mystery of the race. It seemed tenfold for the wolves that Jean Rene had turned. No one knew what made a werewolf stronger or more powerful than the next. The original theory was born werewolves were the strongest, but that was blown out of the water pretty quickly. Then it was the older the werewolf the stronger it became, but that was also debunked. Constantine was three times stronger than Alexis who had been a werewolf for thirty years longer.

Diana sat on a small Victorian era lounge chair. Jean Rene and Alexis stood behind her. Wallace had taken a seat in a matching chair to her right and Rob was standing next to the fireplace on her left. They were a united front facing off against a seated Constantine and Virginia. Well, not Wallace, he thought it was funny as hell and was looking forward to Thomas finding out. He had started a pool on who was going to win the fight when the Wolfe hunter father found out. Diana knew Jean Rene, Alexis and Rob had scorn the big fun-loving redhead but Diana had placed a bet through Ms. Bellamy and although Constantine was stronger than the strongest human, he wasn't a parent and Diana had put her hundred dollars on Lillian. She was a mother _and_ Alexis had her back.

"I'm sure you understand the...position this...possible...relationship puts us all in," Jean Rene said looking at Constantine trying not to offend either of them.

Diana knew her romantic, under different circumstance, would have been overjoyed at two people finding an attraction to each other, having just recently been bitten by the love bug himself. She also had to give Constantine credit, he had not consummated the relationship which meant that he was being the honorable gentleman where the girl, um, young woman was concerned. Constantine pours oozed sex, and she'd already heard several stories of his sexcapades, hell, in some parts of the world his sexual prowess was legendary.

"Mr. Laurent, I don't mean to sound rude and I certainly don't want to disrespect my elders, but I'm an adult and I don't see how my personal life has become a topic for discussion," she said.

"Hear, hear," Wallace bellowed. Leave the love-birds alone Milord," he said in good fun. It was all fun until someone ended up with a bullet in the chest, or a sword.

"If you're only going to make things worst Wallace perhaps you could leave the room," Rob said. Wallace nodded to the man but Diana knew it was only a matter of _when_ Wallace would give his two cents again, not if.

"It is true, there are concerns about your age Miss Wolfe, but there's more to think about. The fact that you don't proves our point, and although you are a legal adult you are behaving like a child," Alexis said.

Virginia opened her mouth to let him have it when Rob spoke first. "What Mr. Broussard means is that this is a very trying time among our people, a dangerous time for all wolves and those who...care about them. Just weeks ago the Lycaon and Nonakris were attacked and almost killed. We are in the middle of building a military, and on the verge of war with the hunters. Now is not the opportune time for such a...pairing."

Constantine was sitting with his legs crossed at the knee, his hands in his lap, leaning back on the loveseat next to Virginia. When he'd sat as far as the furniture would allow she looked both hurt and disappointed. Diana had felt bad for the girl.

"Begging your pardon, I think that's the absolute right time. Lots of people get married during war time, more so, I'd say" she said staring daggers at them all.

"You plan to wed?" Jean Rene said looking at Constantine.

"I didn't say that Mr. Laurent. I said lots of people, not me."

"Constantine, do you not have anything to say?" Alexis asked looking at him in disbelief.

The small blond angel dusted imaginary lint from his pants and threw an arm across the arm of the love seat. He took a deep breath and looked at the four people across from him. "No."

Alexis sighed.

Rob huffed in frustration.

Wallace chuckled.

Jean Rene mumbled something so low Diana couldn't make out the word.

"Miss Wolfe you'll only be staying until after the council meeting or when your winter break from school is over. You live a continent away. You are just starting life, there is plenty of time for romance and with someone your own age," Jean Rene said.

"You're all sitting here talking like I'm planning the rest of my life today and making a bad decision. Constantine is a trusted and loyal member of the Nuntis Pack, beloved friend and one of the personal guards to the Wolf King, is the choice such a bad one, and if it is, what does that say about you?"

"No one is saying Constantine is a bad choice," Alexis said.

"For a matter of fact, we applaud his...restraint where you are concern," Jean Rene added.

Virginia huffed, sat back on the couch and folded her arms across her chest. "I'm not a virgin."

Two men gasped and Wallace laugh shook light fixtures at the announcement.

"Maybe it's not true love I'm looking for, maybe it's good old, no strings attached, casual sex. I mean look at him," she said holding her hand out, palm up, in Constantine direction without actually looking at him. The rest of the room looked at him, like they'd never seen him before or maybe they'd missed the beauty of the man sitting next to her and she'd pointed it out for the first time.

"He is a handsome man, true," Jean Rene said.

"He's holding up well for someone who qualifies for senior citizens discounts," Wallace said. It earned him hard looks from everyone in the room.

"I've been training to be a wolf hunter since I could walk. I've seen my dad come home covered in blood, his clothes rip to shreds and my mom stitching him up at the kitchen table. At the insistence of my parents I am in college. I may even graduate. But I know, without any doubt I am a hunter. In three years I will be tracking and killing men who will outweigh me, sometimes by a hundred pounds. They will be taller and stronger and faster than me. Or if I'm lucky, I'll be tracking a wolf the size of a very large dog, killing the very animal that tried and failed to kill my mother when she was not much older than I am right now. Thank you for your concern, but I think I'll start living my life and having my fun right now."

Diana had been on the fence. She hadn't even realized it until Virginia pushed her over the edge. Whatever they were trying to stop had already happened between Constantine and Virginia and it had nothing to do with sex. In all his suave, calm, demeanor, it was obvious Constantine cared for the girl a great deal. It wasn't a school girl's crush that Diana saw, it was love. The same love that she had for Jean Rene when he'd walk into her life; nothing was going to stop it. Not them, not her parents.

"Enough," Diana said looking at Virginia. "You've heard the reasons why the two of you should not proceed with your relationship and we've heard why you should," she said. "I'd like to know how you feel about each other." Diana looked at Constantine.

His posture didn't change, he didn't look away, he didn't look uncomfortable or like he'd been put on the spot. He looked straight in Diana's eyes. "I love her Nonakris."

Alexis shouted, "Impossible!"

Rob shouted, "What!"

Wallace said, 'That's my boy!"

Jean Rene was silent next to her.

"And you Virginia, how do you feel about our Constantine, and before you answer, let me tell you this. You have been raised around werewolves. You have seen them with their mates and wives. Think of what you've seen in the couples that have built a life as a mated pair, for wolves mate for life. Constantine has known you for little over a week and he says he loves you. I loved Jean Rene almost in the same short time. And in the short time we have been together I would follow him into the depths of hell before I lived one single day on earth without him and would try to destroy anything or anyone that would mean him harm. Is this a fling for you? Casual sex with a man whose beauty make the angels weep? Will you have your fun with our Constantine and throw him away when you're done with him? If you think this...thing between you is no more than a school girl's crush than I forbid it."

"You can't do that," Virginia said sitting up on the edge of the couch.

"Alexis is right, you are acting like a child. I most certainly can and will. I am Constantine's Nonakris and my word is law. If I say it, he will obey. I am second only to the King. You were right, Constantine is a beloved friend but he is also a loyal and faithful servant to the House of Lycaeus as we all are. All in this room serve more than just our own plot in life," Diana said and looked at Constantine. "I would not have him suffer the heartache of an unreturned love. He is worthy of so much more." She turned back to Virginia. "He had declared his love, make no mistake, it will be eternal once you enter into a relationship. So answer me truthfully, not with the years and emotions of the child who sits before me angry and pouting, but as the woman who is ready to hunt the very animal she is so ready to bed."

There was anger in her eyes, her body was tense and her heart beat was slightly elevated, but for a split second, there was a flash of something in her face that told Diana the answer before she opened her mouth and said, "I love him."

Diana smiled at her and wished them luck. Luck to Constantine because he was going to have his hands full with Miss Wolfe and all the luck that they loved each other as much and as hard as she and Jean Rene did.

"Mon Loup do you have any objections?"

"Non Mon Lune."

"Then Constantine, please call Thomas and let him know your intent."

Constantine stood up and bowed at the waist, "Merci Nonakris as wise and just as always." He turned to Virginia and held his hand out to her. The smile was not one that Diana had ever seen on him. There was pure joy and under that, the look that Jean Rene had for her and her alone. In the smile, Diana knew they were going to do just fine.

For all the sex Constantine had in his life, for all the seducing and legendary escapades of the beautiful wolf, he didn't call and ask to date Virginia Wolfe; he fucking asked to marry her. So in the middle of all the other shit that was going on, they were planning a wedding, because he refused to have sex with Virginia until they were lawfully wed. Who said you can't teach an old dog, new tricks?

"I send you my little girl and you feed her to the damn wolves," Thomas said on the other line.

Jean Rene laughed, but only because the man on the other end was too. "It was a shock to us all. Believe me when I say, we tried very hard to cut them off at the path."

"I'm sure you did, but Jenny's like her mother. Once she wants something you can forget about it, she means to have it and God bless the person who tries to get in her way," the hunter said still chuckling.

"Still, I cannot help but feel I am responsible so I have already purchased first class tickets for you and your family and you will all be staying here of course. I would also like to pay for any additional tickets for family and friends who will be attending the festivities and ceremony," Jean Rene said.

"Mama always said, 'it's not what you know, it's who you know.' Thank you. I'll check with Lillian and we'll get you the list as soon as possible."

Constantine may have wanted to wait until they were married, but that didn't mean he was willing to wait long. They were getting married at the end of the week.

"I do hate to bring up business, but have you had chance to talk to Lillian about standing with the Wolves?"

"That's the other reason I called you actually. You should be getting a summons for the council in the next day or so. They've agreed to meet with you," Thomas said. All the humor disappeared from his voice and was replaced with concern.

"How do I know you are about to share disturbing news hunter."

There was a deep breath. "The council will convene one week after the wedding," he answered.

"One day of the lunar eclipse?"

"A blue moon lunar eclipse," Thomas said.

"Intéressant," Jean Rene said.

"I'd say suspicious, but whatever floats your boat," Thomas said, "And it seems that Cousin Alfred has more friends that share his ideals than I thought, I'm sorry to say."

"We cannot postpone, they may stall us forever. We have more and more wolves coming each day with horrific stories of Alfred's campaign to stop wolf domination," Jean Rene said with a sigh.

"I use to talk to Alfred when I was a boy. Its encouraged for the boys who will take over their fathers headquarters. I asked my dad early on if I could cut ties with my cousin because Alfred was a dick even at twelve. But so was his father, it's the reason we've only met once even though me and my family use to make regular trips to Europe to visit other headquarters. I know Europe has more wolves, but we have our fair share over here. But when you look at the numbers, the gap between every other country versus Europe makes a person wonder if pitch forks and torches shouldn't be passed out. I've been a hunter all my life, proud to say that I am, but I'm also proud to call more than a few wolves friend. When Jenny said she wanted to be a hunter I cried like a baby. It's funny how I'm willing to send my boys out to hunt, but the thought of my little girl out in the black of night tracking a rabid wolf makes me insane," he said.

"I'm sure all fathers whose little girls have dangerous jobs feel the same," Jean Rene said.

"I know, but on the heels of that I thought to myself, we hunt in groups, I could marry her off to another hunter, someone who'd always have her back, that or Mr. Universe," he said with a laugh that had nothing to do with humor and held more than a little sadness."Between me and you, I'm fucking thrilled that she's marrying a wolf and the fact that he's one of yours is like winning the jackpot."

"Thank you for such high praise Thomas. I assure you that Constantine will put her life above all others. He is a powerful wolf and can offer her protection that no human man could."

"I'm counting on it."

****

Diana was on her way back from her regularly scheduled OB-GYN appointment. Jean Rene refused to let her cancel, postpone or reschedule it. He insisted. Never mind every bedroom in the castle was occupied, a small army of decorators had been working around the clock for three days, the house had so many trees in it that it could be registered as forest, her dress still had to be hemmed for the rehearsal dinner tonight, and the icing on the cake?

There was no wedding cake.

The two men the baker sent with the cake were brining in the center piece of a five tiered monstrosity, when a couple of wolves came barreling out of the house. No, they didn't knock the men over, as soon as the man facing the door saw them racing his way he dropped his end. By the time the staff made it to the door there was nothing left but crumbs and a pack of wolves licking white icing from their chops. No one had told the blushing bride, because what good would it do. Instead they'd called the baker and told him to name his price, but the cake had to be delivered no later than nine tomorrow morning. And why nine you ask? Because people in Europe are crazy and the ceremony was at eleven in the morning.

Wallace pulled the car into the front of the house and helped heave Diana out of it. He was now her personal guard, he went everywhere but the bathroom and to bed with her, him and her white wolf. Try registering that as a service animal. Wallace held the door open for her as she waddled in. Jean Rene was standing with his back to the door overseeing the decorating of a fifty foot Christmas tree. Some of the ornaments looked as big as small cars. He caught sight of Diana in her peripheral vision and came to her like he hadn't seen her in weeks, maybe even months.

"How are you Mon Lune, you and my bébé?

Jean Rene of course was right about triplets. She was carrying one boy and one girl and one unknown. The little booger was camera shy.

"Good, fine, perfect," she said as he took her arm and put a hand on the small of her back to help her to a seat.

"How's everything here," she ask looking around the house. It seemed like if you blinked something changed. Garland was being put on all the railings, banisters and mantels. Every kind of white flower known to man was in vases in arrangements as small as six inches in diameter to five feet tall and three wide.

"Everything will be ready by tonight," he said sitting down next to her. There was a sound of a crash and someone yelling it was okay that was completely ignored by the couple.

"I wish you would let me purchase an ultrasound," he said.

This was an old disagreement now. Diana's doctor was a werewolf doctor. Not a wolf himself, but a trusted human who delivered werewolf children. Why? Because if when the moon is full, man, woman or child, a werewolf turns. This includes unborn children. If Diana went into labor during the full moon any of her children who were werewolf would be born a wolf.

"You can stop asking, and besides it's almost over, in two months they'll be here," she said rubbing his cheek.

"I do love you Mon Lune," he said. "You have made me so very happy."

The closer her due date the worst he got, or better, depending how much of a romantic you were.

"There's the lady of the house." Thomas entered the room all smiles. He and Lillian had arrived yesterday.

"It's not like you can miss me, I'm as big as the side of a barn," Diana said.

"A very lovely barn," he said bending down and kissing her on the cheek.

"Lillian's with Virginia?"

"Yes, and I had to leave because I plan on saving all my tears for tomorrow," he said. "Those two are crying like the girl was going off to war instead of starting a new life with the man she loves.

"Any thoughts on the eclipse," Thomas asked Jean Rene.

The reason the possible attack was such a concern was because during a lunar eclipse werewolves go into a type of stasis while the moon is in the earth's shadow. Their bodies recognizing that the moon is out and not at the same time. Most wolves stayed in during lunar eclipse or prepared a den beforehand. Nothing like falling down immobile during a hunt or while feeding. A blue moon is a second full moon in a calendar month. During this second full moon werewolves are stronger. The list of what people didn't know about werewolves was longer than the list of what they did know. The possible attack was happening at the worst possible time. Alfred had the hunters split and while they were going to be out slaughtering the innocent there was going to be rogues out with immeasurable power that were being left unchecked.

"We are proceeding as if Alfred plans to attack. We have sent out notices for everyone to build dens in new places, and our home will be open for those who write ahead and ask for shelter. I wish we could take them all, but as big as this place is, it is not big enough."

Lillian and Virginia entered the room from the foyer holding on to each other like they were survivors of some natural disaster. Neither of them was crying, but both had been, Lillian even clutched some tissue in the hand that was around her daughter's shoulder. They didn't look particularly unhappy, but the sight of them made Diana wonder. Thomas moved to the end of the couch that so the two didn't have to separate when they sat down.

"I know I keep saying this, but everything is so lovely Jean Rene and Diana, I can't thank you enough for doing this for Jenny," Lillian said.

"You are most welcome, and if it makes you feel any better know this is the regular decorations for Christmas. The flowers would have been red, but other than that everything else would have been done anyway," Jean Rene said from Diana's side.

Diana didn't look at Jean Rene but she wanted to. It was the first time she'd heard of that. Maybe he was telling the truth; maybe he just was tired of the constant thank yous.

"Nonakris, I wanted to apologize for my behavior," Virginia said.

Diana looked at the girl, who was almost a mirror image of Lillian. The two women's hands were tangled together sitting between them. It's funny, the things that will reduce a strong person to tears. Alexis had shared the story of how Lillian had ended an argument with Sam Benet, which earned the woman the giant's respect, and Virginia just four days earlier wasn't about to give up her bid for her and Constantine to be together. Now both looked like fragile, delicate things that a strong wind could blow over in their current state.

"Thank you Virginia, but none is needed," Diana said.

"Virginia!"

Diana and Jean Rene couldn't help but look at each other and smile. Constantine always had a flair for the dramatic. The recent turn of events made it worse. If Jean Rene was a ten on the romantic scale Constantine was giving him a run for his money. When Jean Rene saw Diana enter the room after an absence his gaze would change. It was as if the whole world ceased to exist and he could only see her. His body became still, sometimes there were small sounds, deep rumbling sounds in his chest that made her want to tease him by running. Other times he'd take a deep breath like he was taking in her scent. When he came to her it was almost stalking; the slow graceful roll of his body as he walked forward, most of the time she was breathless by the time he got to her.

Constantine was just as bad, but the opposite. It was like he couldn't wait to get to Virginia. When she entered the room, or he entered a room she was in, he'd damn near run to her.

"Virginia!" He called again. Everyone in the room turned. It was like a scene in a period film. Constantine wore a charcoal grey suit complete with vest, the gold chain of watch adding the final touch. His shoes were the same color and as he stopped in the archway he removed the gloves he was wearing. Diana had been eagerly waiting the moment when he'd slap someone across the face with them. He pivoted and the first step was that first one a sprinter take at the start of a race, he pushed off as if a burst of speed would come next and it was, but he didn't run merely walked very fast.

"My love," he said as if she'd been missing and he had found her at long last.

Virginia was all for it and who could blame her. If Diana wanted to run away from Jean Rene, Virginia was just as eager to reach her mate. She released her mother's hands and stood up ready to go to him. They met at the end of the lounging sofa that Jean Rene and Diana were sitting on.

Constantine's arms were open and Virginia's body hit his hard enough to rock a weaker man's body. But he caught her true. He didn't kiss her he took one of her hands and brought it to his lips.

"Mon soleil, mon lune et les étoiles ," he said staring into her eyes.9

Diana and Lillian looked at the couple with the very stars that Constantine just mention in their eyes. Thomas Wolfe looked a little uncomfortable at the intimate show of affection centered on his little girl. Jean Rene was the only one that seemed unaffected by what was going on. Maybe it was a French thing.

There was a chapel on the grounds where the ceremony took place. Everything went off as smooth as planned. Victoria was a vision, in a gown that was cream at the top but faded into a lovely shade of red/brown at the bottom. The color matched Constantine's wolf exactly. The groom was just as lovely as the bride, standing there almost shining as he waited for her to make her way to him, his stare had changed and held some of the heat that Jean Rene's gaze had and Diana wondered if they'd make it through the reception without sneaking off to consummate their marriage. The wedding was small but the reception was two hundred people, everyone in the house was invited. The music covered every era, every genre, and by the end of the night or early morning, a DJ had everyone sweating. Men had lost their jackets and ties and the women had long since lost their shoes. It was a celebration that everyone allowed themselves to forget, for a moment, that a week from the day something bad was coming. It was just one of those feeling that you get.

Every werewolf would be both at their strongest from the blue moon and their weakest from the eclipse. Four hours with their bodies stuck, motionless and defenseless while they waited for the moon to clear the shadow of the earth. The day had taken on the feeling of a prophecy. A tiny corner of the world was going to have the largest number of Wolfe hunters in the history of the group. Coincidence?

# Chapter

# 18

"How beautiful you are Mon Lune, so heavy with child," Jean Rene said stocking Diana's stomach while they lay in bed.

They'd watched the sunrise because both were too anxious to sleep. Today was the council meeting with the Wolfe hunters, tonight the blue moon eclipse. It was either going to be a historic day in werewolf history with or a tragic one. If Alfred really did have some great massacre of wolves planned they could only hope that they'd foiled it some by having everyone relocate their dens and leaving home. The castle itself was bursting at the seams with people. People were bunking up to ten a room. But even that didn't guarantee safety.

There was a large wall around the castle, a moat, and a drawbridge. It would be hard, but the hunters had four hours to breach the wall. Jean Rene alone was not enough to protect the eight hundred people in the castle and he didn't have to argue with Diana that she was to be nowhere near. She and the rest of the women were going to be in an underground bunker that could only be accessed through two well hidden door. Jean Rene had shown them the tunnel and room after Thomas and Lillian arrived. Thomas had agreed to stand watch with Jean Rene through the night.

"I'm frightened," Diana said.

Jean Rene pulled her tighter into his arms. "So am I," he said.

"Will you make me a promise," she said turning her head to look at him over her shoulder.

"Anything," he said kissing the tip of her nose.

"If they do come, promise me you'll come to me if you don't think you can win," she said struggling to roll over so she could face him. "Grab Thomas if you can, but if you can't, leave him and come to me."

Jean Rene was quiet, and stayed quiet long enough that she almost started begging. "Oui"

Diana breathed a sigh of relief and hugged him. "Thank you Mon Loup," she said. "I know how hard it is."

"No Diana, not hard at all. I told you I would see every wolf dead before I saw you hurt and if the castle is so overran with hunters where else would I be but by your side? Who else do I dare trust with my most precious possession?"

The light knock on the door was almost too low to hear, or would have been for human ears. "Come in," Jean Rene said.

Ms. Bellamy came in. Her expression was one that was going to be worn by quite a few: grim with just a hint of anger. Everyone was upset. Diana and Jean Rene were surprised when Watson came in behind her.

"Milord, Milady, they said together.

They waited for Diana and Jean Rene to sit up in bed before Watson spoke. "The staff has been given instructions and the house will be cleared by noon today of all the women and most of the men," he said.

"Most," Diana said.

"Yes Milady, some are refusing to go," the older man said, "Including myself."

"And me," Ms. Bellamy added.

"I don't understand," Jean Rene said.

"All of the staff came from families that have served werewolves. Begging your pardon, but the wolves are not the only ones with stories of the days of old. My own grandfather told stories of his time spent as a valet to a nobleman who was also a wolf. The stories are not only of good employers, but ones of loyalty.

"Watson this will not be one or two hunters or ever half a dozen, there may be hundreds," Jean Rene said.

"And you alone cannot stand against them," Watson said full of defiance.

"I want be alone," Jean Rene said.

"You won't have enough," Watson countered.

Diana watched the two men spar. Jean Rene wanted the staff safe, away from danger. She did too, but she could see if they weren't behind the walls, they would be outside trying to help, which would be more dangerous.

"How many Watson," she asked.

"Twenty three Milady," he said.

Twenty three human men who were willing to die for them, it was enough to make her weep, for their courage, their loyalty, her gratitude, their sacrifice.

"Forgive the pun, but it would be like throwing you to the wolves," Jean Rene said and Diana could see the Alpha in him rising. He was Lycaon and he meant to pull rank.

"Watson if Jean Rene asked you to leave, if he and the other wolves force you to go, where will you go," Diana asked.

"We've a spot to meet at in the woods an hour before sundown," he said looking at Jean Rene. "Lycaon, this is not your decision. We are not your wolves to be ordered around."

Okay, even Diana had to raise an eyebrow to that last statement.

"You'll die," Jean Rene said.

"Perhaps."

"And you Ms. Bellamy, do you plan to fight as well?" Jean Rene asked.

"If you order me from Milady's side, then yes, I will stand outside the walls and fight."

Jean Rene spoke a line of French, putting his head in his hands, frustrated at the foolishness of it all.

"Mr. Watson has already said that we may die, but what war is fought without death? It was a hard decision, but one made quickly, there was no debate amongst the ones that would like to stand with you. There was no one giving eloquent speeches and no one shamed or persuaded. There's nothing ridiculous about choosing an honorable end if that's what will result in our decision. No, we may not be able to save your wife or your children, but any harm will have to go through us before they reach them. You have been nothing but kind and generous to everyone that works here. That's not uncommon and there's nothing extraordinary about that. We don't live in a time where you can treat servants as slaves; we could have you arrested or simply go somewhere else to work. There are over a hundred servants in this house, and you know each of their names and the names of their spouses and most of their parents and all of their children. You know if someone is sick or if someone needs money and you offer aid each and every time even when you think we don't know it was you who paid a hospital bill or tuition to a school."

Jean Rene looked at the woman astonished. "Well I obviously do not know everything Ms. Bellamy. I did not know you knew French."

The woman smiled. "Only because I did not want you to," she said.

"Fine," Jean Rene said. "Ms. Bellamy will stay with Diana, and Thomas and I will meet with those who are staying."

Jean Rene stood up and then helped Diana from the bed when he saw her rolling around to follow. They walked together towards the two people that they hadn't known a year ago but were willing to stand and fight, and quite possibly die, for or with them.

"I am humbled in your presence Watson and Ms. Bellamy, I cannot thank you enough."

Jean Rene kissed the cheeks of both, and Diana followed, whispering her thank you as well. They were still standing in the same spot when the door crashed opened. Ms. Bellamy would have been thrown against the wall from the force of the door if she had been standing an inch closer.

"It's bloody damn amazing you have to see this," Rob said. His excitement was what was bloody damn amazing, the man rarely showed emotion. His stoic expression rarely left his face.

"It's a goddamn miracle is what it is," Wallace said. "Forgive my language Ms. Bellamy," he said dipping his head.

"What is it?" Diana asked.

"You have to see it." Rob and Wallace said together. And then the second amazing thing happened. Rob laughed. Whatever it was, it had to be big.

Rob and Wallace left them as the rest of the group that had been in the bedroom kept Diana's pace, who had long since stopped having the ability to run. The sound of Wallace shouts for everyone to come and Rob's banging on bedroom doors echoed in the halls. Diana saw as soon as they took the last step from the staircase. The door had been left opened. Even with only one of the double doors open the space was large enough to drive a full-size sedan through and it was bloody amazing, it was fucking amazing, it was a fucking, bloody, amazing miracle.

The sound of bare feet slapping stone floors sounded like thunder. The chorus of hundreds of voices was loud from the sheer numbers. Even as people ran in their excitement, it was Diana and Jean Rene that stepped into the crisp bright morning first. It had snowed heavily the night before. Tree limbs, heavy with the white powder, were bowed beneath their heavy white loads. The snow on the ground sparkled like only new snow does in the light of the day, and standing in all that white....wolves. Everyone wondered if they would arrive given what had happened at Lord and Lady Spencer's, but they'd come after two days of fighting. Now here they were, prepared to do battle once more, and Diana and Jean Rene could at last see what had only been described to them: a sea of fur.

They stood shoulder to shoulder, so thick you couldn't see between them. Diana's wolves stood in a long line on either side of her and Jean Rene. Jean Rene let Diana go forward alone, stopping just outside the front doors. Her wolves went with her. She walked to them and they parted, allowing her to go on without having to touch any of them if she didn't want to, but she stroked their backs, rubbed their heads.

"Thank you," she whispered over and over as she made her way. "Thank you so much," she fell to her knees and grabbed the nearest one, hugging it around its neck and wept, because now, maybe they had a chance.

The mood had changed considerably since the arrival of the wolves but was still serious. There wasn't a snowball's chance in hell they would get inside the castle even if Alfred and his men were lucky enough to breach the wall around it. Breakfast featured Wallace and his now famous reenactments that Diana loved. He started with everything that happened leading up to his and Rob's discovery of the wolves. The story started with him giving vivid details of his morning ritual of sex with numerous partners. Jean Rene had to stop him. Diana thought he was saving the sensibilities of the women staff. She'd given Lillian a peak and the woman looked just as engrossed as she. Not offended at all. Nothing like a little early morning verbal porno to get the blood flowing.

"We're back!" Virginia shouted running in the room straight to her mother.

Constantine and Virginia had taken what he called a pre-honeymoon. He wanted to take her on a tour of the world, but they both wanted to be there for the council meeting. Constantine, like Jean Rene and many supernaturally long lived people was very wealthy. Constantine walked behind his new bride smiling a secret smile. The one he would always have just for her.

After all the hellos and a quick recap of their pre-honeymoon it was time to go over the rest of the day. Little had changed. The one major difference was that Diana had gotten Jean-Rene to agree to let her stay above ground. There was a second way to get to the tunnel in their bedroom. It was hidden in the room that was now the nursery.

"So the bulk of the wolves will be outside the wall in the surrounding forest. The rest will patrol the interior grounds along with werewolves until thirty minutes before the eclipse starts," Virginia said from Constantine's lap.

"Thomas, Wesley, Tommy and Lawrence, along with a few werewolves and the staff that are staying will have spots in the castle they will guard. Jean-Rene, Rob, Constantine, Wallace and I will patrol the castle's immediate exterior," Alexis said.

"I'm trained as well, I can fight," Virginia said.

Thomas opened his mouth to say something but Constantine beat him to it. "Absolument pas mon amant."

"What did he say?" Thomas said since his mouth was still open.

"Absolutely not my lover," Virginia said giving her husband dagger eyes. She completely missed the look on her father's face and ignored the various other reactions to Constantine's term of endearment for his wife. "I am just as trained as daddy and my brothers," she said.

"And one day we will stand side by side and fight, but not this night, not this fight."

"Please sweetheart I don't think I could bear having you all in danger," Lillian said.

There was silence around the table and they all looked everywhere except the tiny woman sitting next to Jean-Rene at the head of the table. Tonight she stood to lose her husband and three of her four children.

"Of course Mama, I'm sorry," Virginia said.

Jean-Rene took Lillian's hand. "You're sacrifice is almost too much to bear. We will try our very hardest to keep your men safe."

"I know you will," she said.

"Nonakris, the huntresses, and Ms. Bellamy will all be in the master suite," Rob continued. "They will go to the moon room if fighting breaches the wall."

"No one is to leave until day or unless Jean Rene himself comes down to give the all clear. I repeat, the door is to be open only for him and only if Nonakris confirm it's him," Wallace said.

"Why only the Lycaon," Virginia asked.

"Jean Rene thinks that the rest of us puny men could be made to go to the safe room against our wills," Thomas said.

"I believe his exact words were, 'I will rip my own throat out before I reveal the location of my most beloved,'" Rob said in a perfect impersonation of the French wolf.

****

Jean Rene and Diana called a staff meeting where he explained that if all ended badly everyone would receive enough money to tide them over until they could find new employment. Each person amount was different according to current rate of pay and family size. He also instructed them not to come back to the house until nine the next morning and if one of the few staying behind was not posted at the front gate to leave immediately and not to return until they were notified.

There were tears, bows, curtseys and kisses as the long line of people filed past them. The twenty-three grew to thirty-five, the arrival of the wolves changing some of their minds. Jean Rene meeting with them was short and bitter-sweet. He thanked them for fighting and told them each would be receiving hazard pay regardless of if the fight breached the wall, "a small token for their bravery and loyalty" were his exact words, and if they should die in battle trusts would be set up so that their families would be taken care of.

Thomas, his boys, and Virginia entered the foyer in battlement. Thick leather pants, padded at the shins, calves and thighs, and long sleeves shirts worn under padded vest that came up under their chins. They had guns on both hips, daggers on each thigh and all the men had the handle of a long sword stinking up from behind them at an angle to their right, Wesley's to his left since that was his dominate hand. Virginia had twin handles, her weapons of choice were short swords instead of a single long sword.

Lillian held her husband's hand with her boys behind them and looked every bit as regal as any queen surrounded by her own personal guard. At the bottom of the stairs she went to Alexis. He bowed his head at the neck when she stopped in front of him.

"You once said you would fight by my side," she said. "It won't be me tonight Alexis Broussard, Beta of the Nuntis Pack, but my husband in my stead." She pulled a long necklace from the pocket of her coat, a silver chain with a medallion on the end. "Thank you for watching over my children." She held her arms up and Alexis had to bend in half at the waist he was so much taller than she. "It's long enough that it shouldn't hinder your transformation if you should choose to wear it tonight." she said. The medallion had the coat of arms of Thomas and Lillian Wolfe: a shield with a wolf and two long swords behind it.

"I will wear it tonight, and any other time of battle," he said.

Jean Rene and Diana were the last to join the ones that were going to the meeting. Jean Rene wore a navy blue three piece suit with pale blue shirt and dark blue tie. Diana was in a heavy gown to protect her from the cold she could never escape and a long grey fur coat.

"You dress for battle already?" Jean Rene asked.

"If I can't shame them into putting a stop to this madness then I want them to know that they will also be facing their own, their family," Thomas said.

"Thomas I never meant for you to go against your family," Jean Rene said.

"I don't know if the first Wolfe Hunter faced a race of people who had no control over their animal instincts. I can't say, with all certainty, that werewolves were savages that had to be stopped at all cost. What I do know, is that there is good in everyone, and you're not just my friend, but my family." Diana had a tear and Jean Rene was misty-eyed, even Wallace was solemn. "I swore an oath of protection, and I'll keep my vow, but today, I also swear fealty to you."

"Thomas..."Jean Rene said.

Thomas dropped to one knee, pulled his sword from his back and held it in his palms over his bowed head, "This day I render featly to Jean Rene and Diana, Lycaon and Nonakris of the House of Lycaeus, who from this day forward will be my king and queen. In all ways I will remain faithful and by my sword no blow will go unanswered." Thomas remained bowed, waiting on Jean Rene and Diana's acceptance. The wolves in the room were giving nods of approval of the man knelt before their king. Never in the history of the Wolfe Hunters had there been one that sided with the wolf and now, one was on bended knee swearing an oath before their king and queen.

"We accept your homage and fealty and promise to protect the trust you have given us so freely," Jean Rene answered.

****

"Oh shit," Wallace muttered.

He and Rob were the first to enter the large space and got the first view of what waited on the other side of the steel double doors. And oh shit was right.

The five council members, Hunter Jacob, Huntress Beverly, Hunter Macon, Hunter Peter and Huntress Odetta, sat at an oval conference table in the auditorium that had been rented for the occasion, and on each side Wolfe Hunters. There had to be at least five thousand of them.

With so many hunters there the original plan of leaving some people at the door was changed without anyone speaking a word. The nine people stood in a semi-circle around Jean Rene and Diana, who stood side by side in front of a blond wood podium with a microphone.

"Thank you for convening to discuss the issues and concerns that the wolves have with your local Wolfe hunter Alfred Wolfe," Jean Rene said when it didn't appear the council was going to start the meeting.

If the numbers didn't warrant Wallace's previous statement, the majority of the stares did. Cold indifference was so thick it lowered the temperature. Not a single neutral look could be found. Forget about one that looked like it could be counted as friendly.

"It was told that no negotiations were attempted to find a middle ground between you and the Hunter Alfred. In over three hundred years the council has not been call by your kind," Hunter Macon said. All the council members were older. Retired from actual hunts, but it didn't keep them from keeping in shape. Hunter Macon was sixty or a well-preserved seventy, it could go either way depending on how you looked at him. His scowl was the worst and there was little doubt who he sided with.

"Alfred Wolfe called me a whore, refused to address me by my title and was disrespectful in every way," Diana said looking at each of the members as she spoke, "He threatened us with violence without offering any type of discussion. There was no reason for us to stay."

"You expected for Hunter Alfred to allow upward of three hundred wolves into an area where the human population would be out numbered. It is our sworn duty to protect mankind for the threat of werewolf," Hunter Peter said.

"Unless the terms of the truce changed, it is the sworn duty of the Wolfe Hunters to protect mankind from rogue werewolves," Jean Rene said. Hunter Peter waved his hand dismissing Rene's words.

"Three hundred military trained werewolves are too many in one place. Their very presence is a threat itself," Hunter Macon said.

"You have cities now that have three hundred wolves or more, Thomas Wolfe himself oversees a pack of that size," Jean Rene said.

Hunter Macon didn't wave his hand, he stared Jean Rene down before looking past him to Thomas and Lillian.

"Thomas Wolfe, I knew your father and his father. They both would be disappointed in you," he said.

Thomas stepped up next to Rene but didn't use the microphone. "Hunter Macon you knew of my father, but you hardly knew the man. Under his watch the werewolf population grew three times the original size, and in my time as his replacement I have had to kill only five wolves and none was from the local pack, but lone wolves passing through. Sam Benet, Alpha of the Black Warrior Pack is a friend. Alexis Broussard,"—Thomas said pointing to the giant who had moved up to stand next to Lillian— "Recognized my wife as an equal and offered aid in battle. In the week I have stayed with the Lycaon and Nonakris they have shown me the future they want for their people. It isn't any different from what humans want," he said.

"You call them Lycaon and Nonakris are they your king and queen. Have you left us completely Thomas? You'd side with a werewolf you haven't even known a year?" Huntress Odetta asked. She was an elderly black woman whose hair was pulled back in a ponytail.

"Yes," Thomas said. The outburst of outrage was nothing short of thunderous as every wolf hunter in the room stood and started to shout and yell. Huntress Odetta palm slapping the faux wood top of the table could not be heard over it and in the end she waited for the hunters to quiet on their own. They all did. After the majority had had their say, although there was still some mumbling, Thomas continued. "I am a proud Wolfe hunter and will die one, as will my children, and if I am lucky their children after them. But I'm not going to try to stand in the way of a people trying to better themselves, no man should or can."

"And your daughter's children? Will her litter be so eager to go out and kill their own kind," Hunter Macon said, obviously getting the news of Virginia's recent nuptials.

"How dare you," Lillian said outrage at the insult.

"Mama, I got this," Virginia said grabbing her mother's arm. "You'll have to try harder than that Hunter Macon if you want to insult me. The fact of the matter is that most rogues are killed by their own kind. Werewolves can't have bloodthirsty savages wreaking havoc in the human world. So to answer your question, yes...my children, human or pup, will be trained to kill rogue werewolves." she said.

"We simple asked to be left alone. Let us guide our people into a new era for the werewolves. Let us build temporary shelter with moon rooms for traveling wolves. Let us build schools where our children can go to class with their own kind and medical facilities for wounded wolves. Let us make it safe for the people who don't have an alpha and live in fear of a rogue killing their young men and boys," Diana said.

"You are a new wolf, not even a year old and you stand before a council over five hundred years old and speak for a people older than even that. Mere months ago you didn't even know werewolves existed and now you expect us to believe that you know what's best for them? Hunter Jacob asked.

"Yes," she answered.

Hunter Jacob looked a little confused when Diana didn't elaborate and asked, "Why?"

"Because I am Nonakris."

Hunter Macon laughed, a long, sinister, evil, insulting one. "You are Nonakris," he said slapping one hand on the table and looking around, "My God, woman do you hear yourself. Someone is power happy," he said wiping his eyes for dramatic effect. There were no fake tears to go with the laugh. "What do we care what you call yourself?"

"Is it true you can take two forms?" Huntress Beverly asked over Hunter Macon's mocking chuckles.

"It is," Diana said turning her gaze to the woman.

"And your husband's as well," she asked.

"It is," Diana answered.

"Bullshit," someone shouted from the crowd.

"Will you show us?" Huntress Beverly asked. A few of the council members leaned forward and more than a few in the stands.

"I will not," Diana said.

The crowd erupted again at Diana's refusal of the request made by a council member. And they called her power happy. Huntress Beverly banged on the table with the flat of her hand and after relative quiet was won turned back to Diana.

"Why not Ms. Ward."

"Nonakris," Diana said.

"I'm sorry..." she said.

"I would like to be addressed as Nonakris."

Huntress Beverly raised her eyebrow but didn't look outraged. "First you refuse a council members request, and now you expect me to call you a queen. Why should I?"

"Because Bevie, I am a queen, but what I am not is a circus sideshow, but I'll compromise. You can call me Ms. Ward and I'll change, if you take off all your clothes and walk around that stage. "

There was another outburst. Huntress Beverly mouth turned up at the corner and then she started to chuckle and then laugh. There was nothing sinister in it; it was one hundred percent real.

"It loses me nothing to call you queen, even if you are not my own. I apologize for offending you, it was not my intentions when I asked you to change, though I certainly understand now it was...Nonakris," she said nodding her head to Diana.

Then all hell broke loose.

# Chapter

# 19

Doors around the auditorium opened simultaneously spilling hunters into the floor area. Some of the hunters in the stands joined and as those left behind and the majority of the council members looked around confused, the sound of wolves filled the air. Wallace went to the door behind them, the only one not spitting out Wolfe hunters, and threw them open. Diana's twelve wolves came in and circled the group, heads down, growling and snarling but not advancing only warning.

"What in the hell is going on here," Huntress Beverly said standing and shouting over the noise of the crowd and the sounds of the wolves. That was the last thing anyone could make out as far as words go before the sound of the ensuing fight drowned out the rest.

The hunters rushed all at once and Jean Rene transformation took place in a blink of an eye. His clothes lay in shreds around him; even his shoes lay in strips of leather. Wesley and Tommy were on each side of their mother in full combat but moving towards the door that was closed and currently had Wallace and Rob fighting a group of hunters blocking the way. Constantine was fighting at Virginia's back who had pulled her swords and was fighting a hunter who was the size of her father and brothers, which meant that werewolves weren't the only thing that would outweigh her in a fight. No one pulled a gun, all fighting was fist or steel. Couldn't have a shoot out where humans may get involved.

Jean Rene grabbed Diana and pulled her close to his body and a second later she felt the warm spray of blood hit the back of her neck. He was moving them in the direction of the door as well, but Diana didn't think they had a chance of making it out even if they made it. There were too many of them.

She saw two wolves lying motionless on the floor and she cried out but wasn't foolish enough to try to go to them. What good would it have done?

"Take her!" Jean Rene shouted a second before he pushed her from him gently. Alexis appeared in front of her like a apparition, pulling her close into his side.

"No!" she heard Lillian scream and saw that Tommy was ran through with a sword. Thomas made a sound that was almost a roar when he saw his son fall to the ground.

The sound of gun fire halted the fight for a second and Diana saw Virginia. She held the gun in both hands, her feet apart. She'd shot the hunter that killed her brother. Tears streamed down her face, but if looks could kill every hunter in the place would have been dead.

Diana's form had changed, but she wasn't trying to fight, she was trying to get the hell out of there, and Virginia and Jean Rene opened the way. Virginia kicked the unspoken no guns rule to the curb and was shooting anyone who came near them. Jean Rene was pulling out throats and gutting men as fast as he could. Blood covered his arms to his elbow. He had stab wounds in front and back but still he raged on. Wallace pushed the door open and Lillian ran through first, Thomas behind her carrying Tommy's body, then Rob. Constantine had Virginia's short swords and he stood in front and to the side of Wallace taking down anything that came within reach of the swords. Alexis and Rob rushed Diana through the door with wolves around her feet like ocean foam at a beach. The hallway leading outside was empty, as was the area in front, but all hope was lost as they looked at the tires of the cars they'd driven. They were all flat. Shit.

The Calvary arrived in the form of the human men who had stayed to fight. Watson pulled up in a SUV, leaned over the seat, and threw open the door.

"Hurry!" he shouted as if they didn't know they were in a fight for their lives.

Rob open the back door and Alexis pushed Diana in before climbing in. "Go, go, go!" he shouted to Watson. The door was still open when the man stumped on the gas pedal so hard that the sound was a loud knock a second before the engine revved.

Diana was on her knees holding on to the headrest trying to see Jean Rene. She could see John in the truck behind them. He was in an old-timey farm truck with wood slat railing. There were also other cars in the semi-circular drive. When Watson rounded the corner she still had not caught sight of her wolf.

"Nonakris," Alexis said in a low voice. "He'll be fine."

She nodded and closed her eyes before turning around and sitting down facing the right direction.

"How did you know what was going on, Rob said checking behind them using the side mirror on his side of the truck.

"The wolves started going crazy," Watson said.

His hands were on the wheel doing a movie impression of driving. The one you made fun of because no one had to turn the wheel that much. Unfortunately there were times when the steering wheel needs to be turned that much and it's when the car is traveling down icy snow packed roads, traveling at speeds in excess of eighty miles an hour. Watson was handling the SUV like a trained driver. It was enough to make Diana look behind her to see if the group behind them could keep up. Nope. Watson left them in his icy dust.

"The white wolf practically dragged me to the garage and when I got there the others were waiting," he said but stopped long enough to get through a particularly bad fishtail that required all his concentration before continuing the story, "I called the rest that had stayed behind and we loaded up."

"I can't believe the Wolfe hunters were so...dishonorable," Alexis said.

When they approached the border of the property Diana saw threw the trees of the drive a glimpse of a fight: several wolves and hunters. "Look!" she said pointing, but Watson had actually picked up speed. The castle was the light at the end of the tunnel and he'd seen a pin-prick of illumination when he turned off the main road onto the gravel drive.

"What is it," Rob asked. He was still looking in the direction Diana had pointed to.

"I saw wolves and hunters fighting."

"I bet they thought they'd storm the castle while we were out," Alexis said scanning the woods outside.

They drove with the needle of the speedometer all the way to the right. Diana had one hand held protectively over her stomach and the other had punched a hole in the leather of the seat next to her thigh. Watson stopped in front of the house and the doors were opened by two armed men. Diana's door was opened before the car came to a complete stop and Alexis and Rob were on either side of her before her feet touched the ground. They rushed her in the house and she heard the sound of the closing door before they'd made three full steps.

"Where's the rest," one of the men asked.

"Behind us," Alexis said turning to Watson, "Get Nonakris to safety." Alexis voice was deeper, his words strained. Diana was about to ask if he was injured when she realized what was going on.

With everything that was happening Diana had missed the first signs of her change coming. Rob made it as far as the staircase and Alexis the entry of the drawing room. Neither was trying to go far, they were just trying to clear the entrance.

Ms. Bellamy came from the hall and the sight of her would have been funny if it wasn't such an unfunny situation, she had on a holster straight from the old west, the criss-cross of aged leather and the dull shine of the ends of bullets were a deep contrast to her crisp white shirt, the big guns under her arms were not funny at all. Just as she reached Diana the doors were opened. Diana stepped out of the way as Thomas carried Tommy in with Lillian at his side crying silently. The boy was dead.

Diana was heartbroken for the parents but she didn't have time to offer any comforting words because all she really cared about was where the fuck was Jean Rene. The wolves came in and she did a quick count. There were only five; five out of twelve. She pushed pass the wolves with blurred vision and watched Virginia and Constantine exit a third truck that had two wolves in it. Seven out of twelve, Diana thought.

"You should go inside Milady," John said.

"Nonakris, please, Jean Rene will have all our heads if he sees you outside," Constantine said from Virginia's side. Her face was in his shoulder, crying over her loss brother.

"You saw him? Is he okay?" she asked as John gently but firmly led her to the door. She was clutching that the young man's shirts, holding on to him for dear life.

"He made it out of the building. He's with Wallace, please Nonakris I beg of you," he said.

Diana turned after one last glance in the direction of the gate, fighting everything in her not to run to it. She was inside the door when the first wave of pain hit her. Diana knees buckled and the only thing that kept her standing was John. She heard a thump behind her as Constantine fell to the ground.

Older wolves like Constantine ordinarily were able to hold off their change. The price to pay for all the extra strength during the full blue moon was that every wolf, everywhere turned when the moon rose, and as the last of the sun left the sky over three hundred men, women and children was turning into wolves and while Diana refused to scream, some did not. The house sounded like the worst kind of torture was taking place.

Diana doubled over. "Just a little further Milady," John whispered, "And you will clear the walkway." Diana took a shaky breath, ground her teeth and stood straight. When she lifted her head she saw Ms. Bellamy and a few human men throwing pillows on the ground. They were making her a spot to lie down. She would have said thank you, except a lightning bolt of pain that made her nauseous, bowed her back. She felt two pairs of hands on her as two men carried her the last few feet. Diana had never cried during change and the tears that wet her face had nothing to do with the pain ripping her body to shreds. Jean Rene wasn't there she didn't know if he was alive or dead. There was fighting right outside the gates and her gut told her there was a lot more to be had, wolves or no. But the thing that brought her tears was the thing that she realized in the car on their drive back to the castle. She was in labor and it was too early.

No one counted on an attack before nightfall. No plan had been made, no discussion of the possibility. Which meant the person in charge was the man in the corner grieving his son.

Diana stood up a great white wolf, the pain of the change gone, but labor ones still riding her hard. She was sick with worry and unable to communicate. She went to the family who was gathered in a circle around Tommy. She whimpered to get Thomas attention and he nodded.

"Watson would you take my son's body to the room he was staying in please," he said standing up and pulling Lillian with him. "Sweetheart, take everyone downstairs to the moon room," he said to Virginia.

"But—" Virginia started.

"No baby, those assholes got the jump on us once, but not again. Take your mother down stairs with Diana. Don't open the door for anyone except Jean Rene," he said.

Virginia didn't give him any lip; she took her mother from her father and led the way to the hidden panel that hid the tunnel that would lead to the stairs and down to the moon room. They made the trip with Virginia's soft crying the only sound. Lillian arm was around her daughter's shoulders. Ms. Bellamy helped Virginia and Lillian with the massive steel door and once everyone was in she threw the lock and lowered the steel bar. The room started life as a place for the family of the house to hide in case of raids or wars. There were three rooms; two bedrooms and a large open area that served as a sitting area and kitchen. Like the rest of the house it'd been wired with electricity and had running water. Lillian and Virginia sat on a couch that was way more modern than anything upstairs. While nice, Diana had other things to worry about. She went into one of the bedrooms, jumped on the bed; did some rearranging of the pillows and covers before lying down.

Jean Rene was half insane with worry and the first thing he was going to implement if they got out of this mess was everyone was going to be required to carry cell phones. Wallace and Jean Rene were the last to leave. The truck's original driver, a very nice young man, Paul, had climbed in the back seat after the redhead growled at him; who only to have to pull over half way to the house because of his change. Jean Rene was very close to just pushing the man out of the car and scooting over and driving off.

Wallace, still in the car, was in the back seat a big sandy red wolf with Paul at the wheel. They were almost at home when Jean Rene saw the first car following them. He pushed Paul to drive faster trying not to scare him to death because he'd already stopped himself several times from growling and snarling. Turning off the paved onto the gravel, Jean Rene could hear the fight going on in the surrounding woods. He wasn't even tempted to get out, he just wanted to see Diana, to place his hands on her if only for a second, to make sure that okay, whole, unharmed.

The car that was behind them slowed and they pulled away from it, poor Paul driving like hellhounds was on his ass. Although werewolves and Wolfe hunters weren't too bad for second place as far as scary shit went. The car passed over the retractable part of the bridge and as soon as the back tires cleared it, they could feel the vibrations of machinery kicking in as motors and chains start moving the first twenty-five feet of the bridge. When they passed the wall surrounding the castle the large wood gate started sliding in place.

They were safe, and for the time being had stalled the people in the car and woods. The cars and trucks that carried the rest of the group back to the house were still parked in front of the house. The car's backend was a little loose as Paul slammed on the brakes and the car stopped just shy of making a full j-turn by the rear bumper of a Mercedes.

Rene had jumped out before the car was done sliding to a stop, leaping from the moving car and missed getting hit by mere inches. There were two wolves, Constantine and Alexis coming from opposite ends of the property and the front door was open a second before Jean Rene burst threw it leaving a cartoon cut out in it.

"Downstairs!" Thomas yelled knowing that Jean Rene wouldn't know the plan had been altered.

The one thing he slowed down for was opening the access to the tunnel, a secret access is only good if it stays secret, and ripping the panel from the wall wasn't the way to go about it. He closed the door behind him with just as much care as he'd opened it. With his heart beating hard and loud in his ears, he ran to her. So close, almost there. He could smell Diana's scent. She'd been in wolf form walking down this tunnel. He took the stairs two at time and stopped inches before slamming into the door for fear of scaring the women in the room.

Now the hard part. Only Diana was to open the door and in her wolf form she wouldn't be able to do that. Jean Rene knocked on the door, three rapid solid knocks.

"Lillian, Victoria, Ms. Bellamy."

It was quiet for so long that he had to bite back on the howl building up in his core. Jean Rene knocked again. He didn't dare damage or weaken the door, he didn't know if he could but he was really fucking ready to start trying. He was breathing so hard he was almost hyperventilating, hands spread wide on each side of the door, claws digging into the wood, head down held back from banging on the five inch steel structure by the grace of God.

Diana howled and he almost lost his damn mind. Really, he almost went bat shit insane right there. He threw his head back and howled so long and loud the metal of the door vibrate from the sound. His arms drew back over his head, he took a long deep breath, filling not his lungs but pulling air down lower, into that part of the body that singers used. He put one foot in front of the other and prepared to beat the damn door in. He was a second away from the first beat of his fist when he heard the large piece of metal being slid across the door. He tilted his head to the side and listened. They had fifteen damn seconds for the sound of the lock to turn or it was back on.

The lock turned and the Jean Rene pushed, gently, to help the women open it and slid through as soon as his body would fit. The women stepped back when he came in and he slammed the door closed like it was hollow core wood. He entered the first bedroom to the sight of Ms. Bellamy standing at the end of the bed and Diana laying in a makeshift nest. Short panted breath, occasional whimpers. He climbed in the bed slowly.

"Diana," he whispered burying his head in her neck. "I'm here Mon Lune."

"I think she's in labor," Lillian said.

"Yes, I believe you are right," Jean Rene said rubbing his face against the side of her head. "Ms. Bellamy, fetch towels and get water ready. There's a bag for the baby in the chifferobe in the corner, please get it. Scissors are in the drawer next to the refrigerator."

Ms. Bellamy ran off for the listed supplies, Virginia got the bag from the chifferobe. "What do we need to do?" Lillian asked still standing at the end of the bed.

Jean Rene kissed Diana and backed off the bed. "Nothing, Diana will know what to do," he said. Ms. Bellamy came through the door with everything he'd asked for. "Sit everything on the table next to the bed and everyone can leave."

No one questioned him although Ms. Bellamy looked at him a little sideways. Rene pulled up a chair next to the bed and waited.

Diana bore down, pushing through the pain. The pressure low in her body told her that she was getting ready deliver. She looked at Rene who was sitting in a chair next to the bed. Not touching her but so close she could feel his breath on her face.

"ll était une fois là vëcu dans un certain village ne petite fille de pays, la plus jolie créature qui a été jamais vue..." 10

The sound of his voice soothed her. Everything about him made life...more. More bearable, more fun, more bright. He didn't take his eyes off her. He'd changed back to his human form. Black hair, dark blue eyes, the color of twilight, new denim, a shade or two lighter than navy. These were the two things that she loved the most about his physical body. The rest was a bonus—a CEO of a Fortune 500 company bonus, but extra all the same. His heart, his love for her was what she could not live without.

"Beautiful Mon Lune, he is perfect," Jean Rene said.

Diana moved so she could see the baby delivered. A tiny ball of fur. She licked him, her large tongue helping her son take his first breath. The first whimper was the sweetest music. Jean Rene leaned close and watched. With his fur flat and wet from his recent cleaning Diana picked up their son and turned her head to hand him to Jean Rene. Tears trailed down his face, his hands cupped and ready.

"Mon fils, my son."

****

Two hours passed before Jean Rene opened the door, just as Ms. Bellamy was making her fiftieth pass. She stopped like a puppet on strings. Her eyes when wide and wider still when a very naked Jean Rene picked her up and turned around in circles.

"Come Ms. Bellamy, come see our beautiful wolves and daughter," he said. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the room. There were two wolf pups and a female baby all huddled together, Diana's body curled around them. "Let them stay with her, she is bonding with them, learning their scent," he said.

Lillian and Victoria were there within seconds, standing in the doorway. "Come, come see my children," Jean Rene said waving them in the room. As they entered he went to the head of the bed and leaned down and kissed her between the ears. "I'll be back Mon Lune, back to you and our children. Je t'aime."

Jean Rene exited from the bedroom. He had no idea if the fight had reached the house. He opened the panel sure no one was on the other side. Moonlight provided all the light in the room giving it a grey blue tint. Jean Rene stood by the wall looking over the nursery. The large round crib where his children would sleep, the twin rocking chairs for him and Diana to hold them, changing table and playpen; it was all surreal now that they were here. He went to the window to check to back grounds to see if he could see signs of fighting, but it was clear. Walking into the master suite he opened the door just enough to fit through and headed for the front. All the lights were out; they'd thrown the power from the main panel. Unless the hunters brought flash lights and night vision goggles, they were going to have to search the house in the dark. With all the doors closed, the interior of the castle was pitch black. Downstairs the front foyer was empty. With its complete silence the castle looked and felt every bit Hollywood eerie. Jean Rene passed no one on his way to where Thomas was stationed.

Thomas stood alone, a six-five mountain of a man. Broad shoulders, thick arms and legs, he stood with one hand touching the hilt of his sword on his back, and the other on his hip and his feet apart. It was a hero's pose. A super-hero's pose. He looked unstoppable, unmovable, deadly. Jean Rene saw Tommy fall, Thomas Wolfe Jr., a good kid, a good soldier. Jean Rene watched his friend without making his presences known, so terribly sad for his friend, while being so terribly happy at the birth of his own children. It seemed wrong.

"The day a werewolf sneaks up on me is the day I'll retire," Thomas said without turning.

Jean Rene walked out onto the balcony. They stood side by side for long moments, looking over the great expanse of the front grounds. It was just as quiet as the inside of the house. No sounds of fighting, no howls of the countless wolves on or around the property.

"I worried about Virginia because she's a girl and tiny like her mom. The boys...the boys I didn't worry about. Not because they were big, but because I knew they'd stay at home in the states while Virginia was chomping at the bits to leave and find the fighting. The boys I knew would be safe, we don't have rogue werewolves and when we do it's nothing for me to call Sam and ask for help, but my baby girl in a foreign land fighting..." Thomas voice was low but he wasn't crying.

Jean Rene just listened. He had no words. He was a new parent. He couldn't imagine what the man was going through, had no idea what to say, and could offer no comfort in this inconsolable time. So he listened.

"Tommy's been surrounded by four hundred damn werewolves for a fucking week, only to die at the hands of family. How fucked up is that?" Thomas said.

"That is very fucked up," Jean Rene answered.

"How's everything downstairs?"

"Fine"

"I don't think we're going to have any problems for the rest of the night, or the rest of the full moon cycle. There was pretty heavy fighting in the woods when we first arrived but it was over pretty quick. I think the wolves were enough."

Below them Constantine and Wallace passed. Constantine a blond in human form was a great reddish brown wolf and Wallace a redhead, fur had a lot of tan and gold. They walked side by side, ears twitching, waiting, watching, ready for anything, but Thomas was right, the rest of the night would be quiet, the fight was over.

"I can take you to your wife and daughter," Jean Rene offered.

"Not yet," he said.

Jean Rene knew the plan was for him to join on the rest of his pack to patrol around the house but he didn't want to leave Thomas alone. His feet were planted in the spot to the left of the man. They didn't talk, they just stood and watched; one man mourning the loss of his son, the other man secretly rejoicing in the birth of his.

All the action of the blue moon eclipse happened at the auditorium. Thomas and Jean Rene watched the sun come up standing on the balcony and left together, with Constantine, for the moon room that held their families. If there were tears to be shed, it wasn't then. Thomas and Lillian stood in a long embrace with Constantine and Virginia standing next to them, Constantine whispering two languages worth of comforting words in her ear. Jean Rene left them to go to Diana and their children. She was sleeping still in the circle of pillows and covers. Her nude body still wrapped around her newborns. Rene stood for a moment looking down at them before going to the chest at the bottom of the bed for a blanket to put on top of them. He was pulling on a pair of pants when the door was pushed opened a crack.

"Can we come in," Thomas asked from the hallway.

"Please," Diana spoke from the bed.

The people came in...and kept coming...and kept coming. A crowd of people: Alexis, Wallace, Rob, the remaining Wolfe sons, the staff that had stayed to fight. They crowded the small room and circled the bed. Jean Rene climbed in with Diana, who was looking at the babies as much as their guest.

"They're perfect," Thomas said holding his wife's hand.

And they were perfect...and beautiful...and healthy...and loved.

And for right now...safe.

####

BY Olivia Barrington-Leigh

Touched

NOVELS IN THE LOVERS SERIES

Lovers

A Lover's Touch

Strong Lovers

Friends and Lovers

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https://twitter.com/OliviaBLeigh#.

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http://oliviableigh.wordpress.com/

***

Excerpt of the next Odin Book:

### The Evening Wolf

The pleasant smell of the campfire flared the nostrils of the beast hidden within the brush just behind the ragged tent. The camper, busy opening his dinner of French cut string beans, clothes matched his collapsible shelter. His pants were ragged and dirty, a patch in the crotch kept him descent. The edge of his t-shirt was raveling and had a rip traveling almost entirely around it, only an inch of fabric held it on the threadbare and thin top. His shoes were more duck and electrical tape than rubber or leather. He was perfect.

Body odor drifting on the night's breeze mingled with the aroma of alcohol, which the man had drank earlier, and marijuana, which he had just finished toaking. After pouring the contents of the can in a pot, he settled on a piles of blankets that would pull double duty and serve as his bed later on in the evening, he lifted his face and basked in the soft light of the moon.

The thing hiding in the shadows head mirrored the action, closing its eyes, inhaling deep, marveling in the surrounding smells that were not the human's, his ears twitched as he listened to the nights symphony of toads, cicadas and night singing birds. He loved when the moon stole the sky from the sun. Movement from the man drew his attention back to the reason he was there. The man took a rag and pulled the pot from the fire; he produced a plastic spoon in one hand and began to eat. The beast allowed him to finish his meal. It would be his last one.

Moving in silence that was a contradiction to his size, each step bunched thighs as thick as tree trunks, the arms that hung at his side sported finger tips that ended at his knees. Thick black fur covered his chest and thinned into a line on his abdomen, but covered his powerful back and limbs. The massive head atop a neck that veins were thick as robe, had a protruding snout, tipped ears on top and teeth too long to fit in the beast's mouth. His canines lengthened in anticipation of meeting flesh, his mouth watered as it readied itself for the taste of blood. But its eyes...its eyes were...beautiful.

It worshiped the moon, but it was the sun reflected in its gaze; two burning golden orbs that were bright as the star at noontime on a clear day. They were the only thing that didn't change. When his form broke and mended, melted like warm wax, reshaped itself and cooled; man, beast or animal, his eyes remained the same.

A low, thick growl rolled from inside him, the sound caused the man to turn around. The marijuana hadn't dulled whatever switch that controlled self preservation. He was up and running before his stunned, stoned mine registered exactly what his eyes widened at the sight of. There was no time to scream, he used everything in him to run for his life. The beast stopped only long enough to howl.

A few steps were all he made before he was taken down from behind. Now his scream sent birds flying and quieted the previously noisy night, or maybe it was the sound of his bones breaking that deafened him to everything else. Claws dug deep, one in his back the other in his thigh before he was flipped over. Ropes of saliva dropped on his panicked face, ran in rivers into his matted hair. His mouth opened in a silent scream because sometimes pain is so great it steals all ability to make sound, it called for—it demanded—that much respect. The beast buried his nose in the man's neck and inhaled. It was a lot like smelling good food before digging in, it was exactly that. Moving quick as a pit-viper, it struck. Not at the neck but in his side, giving the muted scream sustenance. The bite exposed spine. Chewing was quick, too quick even for the man, even with life's blood pooling around him for only seconds, before the earth drank as greedily as the beast ate his flesh. Too weak from blood lost and shock to do much more than whimper, the man prayed for unconsciousness. It was too much to watch himself being eaten alive. He'd never been a religious man, but he thanked God as his vision blurred, then darkened.

Josephine Baxter, Joe to all she knew and loved, threw the last of what she'd need for the weeklong trail-ride she'd promised her dad she would go on. She was always surprised how her heart often spoke before her mind had a chance to process any and all request spoken by her father. She'd been raised around horses but had never taken to them, and while she manned up when needed she thought her days of extended one on one time with them was over when she moved from the small quiet town her parents lived in, to the larger town she now called home.

Joe zipped up the red and black duffle bag, closed the Velcro that held the straps together and threw the mammoth bag on the floor at the foot of her bed. Taking a deep breath she replayed her morning routine, playing out each step in order to ensure she had all she needed. Sure, she was just traveling an hour down the road but she was going to be pissed if she got all the way there only to discover she'd left her underwear, or her favorite lotion, hairbrush or worse, toothbrush. Checking off her mental list and satisfied all necessities rested within the confines of her duffle she started picking up her house.

Bed made, bathroom cleaned, dishes washed, dried and put away, she pulled on the cowboy boots that were older than your average high school student and looped the just as old belt through her jeans. The buckle was big, silver and gold, and was one of her presents when she turned sixteen. The boots she sometimes wore, they were cute, but the belt and buckle hadn't seen daylight in four, no, five years.

She slung the duffle over her shoulder, the weight pulling her to one side, and walked through her two bedroom townhouse making sure all the lights were off, the iron wasn't plugged in and the fridge door was closed. She didn't have OCD she was just thorough that way. She didn't have much, but she loved her shit.

The Jeep had been the second gift ten years ago, black with a black faded rag top and new thick treaded tires that said it was off-road ready was really a façade. The only time the car saw anything other than smooth asphalt was when she went to visit her parents. She threw the bag in the back and hopped in. She enabled the Bluetooth speaker on the visor and called her mother before starting the ignition.

"Hello love," her mother said a little breathless. The whinny of horses in the background brought back memories that never really faded regardless of how much time she spent away. She could almost smell manure and hay.

"I'm pulling out now," Joe said swinging her arm across the passenger seat, turning her body so she could see as she backed out. "I should be there in an hour."

"Drive safe. We'll be here. Randy and your father still have the wagon and feed to load."

Joe's heart skipped a beat. Randy was her father's...stableman...were they still called that? He was years younger than Joe, but legal, and hotter than Georgia asphalt in July. He was FINE, that's right, all capitals and Joe had been attracted to the barely legal young man for the last four years, when he was brought to her parents' farm by his single mother when he hooked up with the wrong crowd and was fast on his way to becoming a statistic. Joe had arrived for a weekend visit and saw the teenager with the body of a full man, shirtless, handling a bale of hay like it weighed little more than a blade of grass; his sweat glistening skin showcasing perfectly defined pecs and an abdomen that you could do your laundry on, skin black as the ace of spades and flawless. She licked her lips at the memory.

"Josephine?"

"Ah, yeah," Joe said, her imagination still running amok, "I'm still here."

Her mother chuckled, letting Joe know her fantasy weren't as secret as she thought. God, she hoped she wasn't as transparent to Randy. It would be too embarrassing. Seeing how he was twenty one and she was pushing damn near thirty. Not that that was old, but still.

"I'll see you soon."

"Mm hmm," her mother said and was laughing out loud when Joe ended the call.

Truth be told, the innocent daydream and the evidently not-so-down-low lusting of Randy was as far as she would go.

Joe pulled onto the freeway headed home. Seven years ago she'd left for college, two semesters in she left, not mentioning she'd really flunked out. Not because she couldn't do the work, she'd been a straight A student in high school, but because her heart wasn't in it and she didn't go to class, opting to party away the day instead of spending it in classes with the world closing in on her one lecture at a time. The problem with Joe was she couldn't decide what she wanted to spend the rest f her life doing. So she'd left, after stealing her grades from the post office so her parents wouldn't be disappointed in her, well anymore disappointed, since dropping out was pretty damn disappointing in itself. They'd been so loving and understanding she still choked up thinking about it. She found a job and then her tiny townhouse thinking she'd take a year off, maybe two, until she decided how she wanted to spend the rest of her life. So her two year plan didn't work out, so she'd moved on to the five year. Seven years later and she was happy, satisfied in a life where she earned enough money to pay bills, buy a library of books and go out once a week. It sounded boring but it was how she liked it. Not dull but simple.

Alfred unsteady gait echoed through the empty house. In the last five years they'd set up shop in everything from abandoned warehouses to rented office space. The old country estate was more like what he was use to, what the organization he was no longer a part of and the new one he'd formed called for: large, old, majestic.

Alfred gripped the handrail of the grand staircase. Two landings, and what seemed like three hundred stairs later he took the last step. The hardwood was dark, the walls spotless, nothing marred them even though the house had been built hundreds of years ago and the same family had resided within those walls for several generations, but the young Duke, or Earl or Viscount had picked up some bad habits and learned the hard way that entitlement didn't mean debt was forgiven because your last name was followed by a roman numeral. He looked over the lower level, his grip firm on a banister worn smooth from decades of endless palms running over it. He took a long breath, closing his eyes and seeing the place fully furnished. The sound of arriving trucks made him smile. Yes. He was back in the game.

He went down with more pep in his step, there was no bounce, not after the injuries he'd sustained during the fail coup to take over the Wolfe Hunters. He'd woken after more than a week in a coma and had almost ended his life numerous times in the weeks—months, after. It wasn't the fear of his immortal soul being damn to hell that stayed his hand, nor was he scared, it was revenge, the need to see Jean Rene Laurent and that bitch queen burn, literally. He was going to go old school on their asses and if it was the last thing he did, he meant to see them tied to a fucking stake and burned to death. He longed to smell their searing flesh and hear their screams. He was damn near hard.

The door opened and Geoffrey, his second in command came in followed by Bishop who was a fierce fighter but was Alfred's valet, or to put in today's terms, personal assistant. The men of his family had been serving Wolfe men since the first. It was so nice having a bit of the old in a modern world. Of course it was that kind of attitude that got Alfred in trouble in the first place.

"Milord," Bishop said dipping his head.

"Bishop." Alfred answered before turning to Geoffrey, "Any news?"

"Another dead end I'm afraid."

Alfred bit back the hard curse that was on the tip of his tongue. He'd counted on fear and lack of social skills to return his slave, instead he released the very thing he vowed to kill loose on the general population, and if he was truthful, his slave was worst. Not only because of what he was, but for what Alfred had done to him. In the last five years a lot of shit had gone down but the one that really stuck in his craw was the betrayal of the creature he'd personally molded into his very own assassin. The thing had gotten a whiff of freedom soon after Alfred sent him to the states to kill Jean Rene. Alfred wanted him back for many reasons the most important his men knew nothing of.

"But surely we're getting closer," Alfred said moving out of the way as his men started to bring furnishings in.

"Closer by the day," Geoffrey reassured him.

Alfred nodded and went to the study. He'd been allowed to take personal items only from the estate he'd called home. So he'd stolen the desk that his father's, father's father had custom made. Fuck'em. They could have the land, the house, his title, they could not have the desk. For Alfred it represented more than a thing to be sat at to draw out the day's events, it was a symbol for the foundation of every belief he had. He saw his father, god rests his soul, sitting at the massive dark wood ornate desk surrounded by his faithful hunters, Geoffrey was included in their numbers. His father had been old school too; death came quick by his hand. His word was law. As if Bishop read his mind the man entered the room, four men, one on each corner of the desk, hot on his heels.

"There," Bishop said pointing to the exact spot Alfred had already thought the perfect place.

Like a scene from a movie two other men came in, rolled out a rug almost as large as the room before vanishing. The men moved the desk in place under Bishop's watchful eye and the finishing touch was brought in, a large solid oak chair. Bishop shooed the men off with a wave his hand and turned to his employer.

"Thank you Bishop. That will be all."

The man bowed at the neck again. Alfred crossed the room and ran his hand along the surface of the desk. If the wood could talk... Alfred pulled the chair out and steadied himself on the arms before lowering his body. His touch was more a caress.

Yes. He was back in the game and it was going to be bloody

***

1. My moon, you are my everything. (back to reading)

2. Love of my life. (back to reading)

3. Bad Wolf. (back to reading)

4. If I have to. (back to reading)

5. In thy beauty lies my death and life (back to reading)

6. My other half. (back to reading)

7. Beautiful...magnificent...perfection. (back to reading)

8. There was once a sow and her three little pigs. (back to reading)

9. My sun, my moon and stars. (back to reading)

10. Once upon a time there lived in a certain village a little country girl, the prettiest creature who was ever seen. (back to reading)

