Where I worked reminded me of the final scene from the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark; the scene where the ark is placed in a wooden crate and hidden in a massive warehouse. I worked as a security guard for such a place except that the wooden crates were glass and the billionaire that owned the warehouse used it as his own personal museum of collected relics and oddities.

The warehouse covered nearly four-hundred thousand square feet and was separated into zones. There were zones for exotic cars, historical artifacts, civil war memorabilia, and one for sports. There was even a zone much like a zoo with living creatures. The zone I worked in was the most secure, containing priceless relics.

The entire warehouse complex was a high-tech fortress with heavy security, cameras, laser alarms, heat sensors, and even vibration monitors which tended to drive me crazy as my own footsteps often set them off. At least my zone was the smallest and therefore I was the only guard for the entire zone giving me ample time during my night shift to contemplate life.

When making my rounds, I often wandered through the aisles, staring in disbelief at some of the objects. There was one in particular that fascinated me. It was a severed human forearm and hand with a bracelet still attached to it. The bracelet was made of glass and black shadows swirled inside it. The appendage still looked fresh, even though the label suggested it was the severed arm of an alien female nearly one hundred years old from the supposed Roswell, New Mexico UFO crash. Xylon-A was the labeled species. I believed most of the items to be fakes that the billionaire paid handsomely for thinking they were real.

At night, the place was usually perfectly silent except for my own footsteps echoing through the space, the low hum of the lights, and the periodic servo motors that moved the camera lenses. However, lately I heard more sounds during the past week. When I heard something, I would move quickly to investigate it, but by the time I reached the place where the sounds came from, I would find nothing. For the past several nights, I walked the raised metal causeways above the warehouse exhibits to give me a better view of everything.

Any large warehouse at night can be a frightening place, even more so with exhibits of strange objects, weapons, and body parts of mythical creatures. It was why I found myself in the priceless relic zone as no one else wanted to guard it claiming ghosts or other supernatural phenomenon.

As I made my way down one of the causeways, a low growl sounded behind me. I spun on the catwalk, my eyes widening in fear. I pulled my gun for before me stood a very large wolf with gray eyes. It bared its teeth and stepped slowly towards me. How it got there, I had no idea, but I was not waiting for it to attack. I unloaded my bullets into the creature.

It winced slightly with each shot, growing angrier and angrier. I heard my gun click empty and before I could swap out my clip, the wolf leapt. Its teeth sank into my left arm, ripping and tearing. The strength of the animal was so great that as it shook its head, I was flung from side to side into the steel handrails. It viciously snapped its head to the side, and I could hear my bones break. Seconds later, I was flung over the guardrail.

I remembered everything as if in slow motion. As I twisted, spun, and fell, I could see my left arm dangling at an odd angle with blood streaming from the wound. I saw the wolf watching me as I fell, and I heard the glass shattering as I crashed through numerous exhibits before landing hard. I heard a deep howl, then the alarms blared to life as I lapsed into unconsciousness.

***

I awoke in a hospital bed. I moaned as I sat up and looked down at my arm. It was bandaged, but surprisingly intact.

“Camron. I’m glad you could rejoin the living.”

I looked over at my billionaire boss, surprised he would have been visiting me.

“I ache all over. I might prefer being dead. Why are you here, Mr. Renwold?”

“I wanted to check up on you and was hoping you could share what happened.”

“The cameras…”

“Were all offline just before your accident.”

“I hope you don’t think it was me that turned them off.”

“Not at all. You were in the middle of the warehouse. There would be no way you could have done that. We had a breach in our monitoring office and the cameras were shut down. My men… were torn to shreds. I found bullet casings and an empty gun up on the catwalk above where you fell. What did you see?”

I winced as I sat myself up further. “You won’t believe me.”

“Try me.”

“It was a wolf. A huge wolf.”

My boss nodded slowly. “That actually makes some sense.”

“It does?”

He nodded. “I’m sorry this happened to you. You appear to be healing quickly and hopefully will be out of here by tomorrow. I’m taking care of all your expenses until you are fully back to normal. I’m sorry this happened to you.”

“Thank you, sir.”

I watched as my boss left. I began making assessments of how badly I was injured by flexing my left hand. My arm had been torn to shreds. It had been broken and shattered and yet I felt strong and heathy aside from my general aches and pains. I slipped from the hospital bed and grabbed my chart. Shattered arm, broken ribs, broken leg, punctured lung, severe lacerations across my back and chest.

A doctor came into the room. “You should be resting. I’m Dr. Travis.”

“How long have I been here?”

“About eight hours.”

“Can you explain this?” I held up the chart.

“Not scientifically. I wouldn’t complain if I were you. We seriously considered amputating your arm when you were brought in last night.”

“What’s wrong… or I guess I should say, what’s right with me?”

“Your bloodwork is inconclusive. I would like to keep you here another day for observation.”

“I’m still tired and sore.”

“As well you should be. You should have died. Get some rest. I will check on you in the morning.”

After the doctor left, I spent time making sure I had everything. I couldn’t find any of my clothing or my phone. I wandered into the hallway and asked a nurse about my personal belongings, and she just stood there and gaped at me.

“How are you even walking?” She said.

“The doctor said I was healing quickly.”

“I was here last night when you were brought in. You were a mangled mess. I didn’t expect you to survive. Your clothes were shredded and covered in blood. They might have been tossed.”

“What about my phone?”

“I never saw that. Sorry.” She stared at my right forearm. “That’s an interesting tattoo on your arm. I have never seen one shimmer like that before.”

“I don’t have any tattoos.” Even as I said that I lifted my right arm. I could clearly see a spiraling black mark. It was shimmering like oil on water. I rubbed it with my other hand, and it never came off. “Strange…”

I wandered back to my room and turned on the television to waste away the afternoon. After dinner, I managed to drift off to sleep. I woke in the middle of the night and was startled to see a beautiful woman with gray eyes staring at me.

“Who are you?”

She placed a card next to my bed. “Come see me when you get out of here.” She turned and slipped silently from the room.

“Who are you?” I called after her.

Things seemed to be spiraling out of control. A wolf attacked me. I should have died. I was recovering far faster than possible. And now a mystery woman was watching me as I slept.

***

The next morning, Dr. Travis arrived and checked me out. He removed the bandages from my arm and other than slight pink marks, it was healed. The doctor just shook his head.

“I’ll be discharging you this morning. Everything appears normal. The rate of healing is simply beyond anything I have ever witnessed.”

“Can you tell me what this tattoo is?” I held out my right arm, but the tattoo was gone. “It was there yesterday. I swear.”

“Maybe it was a magical mark that helped you heal.” The doctor’s voice dripped with skepticism and sarcasm. “I’ll have the paperwork done in an hour.”

Ten minutes after he left, Mr. Renwold came to my room.

“You look remarkably well, Camron. I heard the doctor is releasing you.”

“He is.”

He placed a bag on the bed. “I picked up some clothes and a new phone for you. Yours was shattered, but I had my tech team get you a new one.”

“That’s very kind of you.”

“I can wait around and give you a lift back to your place.”

“I would appreciate that, but please, don’t go to any trouble.”

“You were attacked by a wolf while guarding my property. It is the least I can do. I’m adding a bonus to your next paycheck to help you recover and take care of any incidentals. Call me when you feel up to coming back to work.”

I rubbed my left arm, marveling at how well I felt. “At this rate, I could go back to work tomorrow.”

“Take all the time you need.”

***

Not much later, I was back at my home. Mr. Renwold left after dropping me off. I found a care package of food sitting on the front step and my car had been returned as well. I unlocked the door and stepped inside, bringing the food with me. My house had been cleaned and a bottle of wine and a card was on the kitchen counter.

The spring-like flowered get well card was from Mr. Renwold’s executive assistant.

I brought your car back and took the liberty of cleaning things up a little. We all feel badly about what happened to you and didn’t want you to have to worry about anything. Enjoy the wine. It is from Mr. Renwold’s private selection. I also ordered some prepared food. It should be there by the time you get home. If not, give me a call and I will make sure it gets to you.

I was overwhelmed by their generosity. With my new phone, I went to call the executive assistant to thank her when I noticed the tattoo was back. Not only was it back, but it was on both of my arms. Instead of calling the executive assistant, I was worried enough that I called the hospital.

“Providence St. Patrick Hospital. How may I direct your call.”

“Dr. Travis please.”

“I’m sorry, sir. We have no Dr. Travis that works at the hospital.”

“I was just there. Just released an hour ago.”

“What is your name? Maybe the attending doctor is on your record.”

“Camron Wright.”

“I have no record of a Carmon Wright being here at the hospital.”

“That’s not possible. I was just there.”

“I’m sorry sir. There is no record of anyone with that name having been here.”

She hung up the phone and I scrambled to find a Dr. Travis anywhere in the city. There was none. I called up Mr. Renwold.

“Mr. Renwold’s office. Elizabeth speaking.”

“Elizabeth. It’s Camron Wright. Thank you for taking care of my car and what you did at my home.”

“It was my pleasure.”

“I was wondering if I could speak with Mr. Renwold.”

“He is unavailable at the moment. I will let him know you called. Is there anything I can help you with?”

“I… I wanted to check with the doctor at the hospital. Something is not right.”

“Oh my. I can have the doctor come to your home.”

“I called the hospital. They have no record of Dr. Travis.”

“Oh… Of course… Dr. Travis is the company’s physician. When we heard about your accident, we called him in and booked a private room at the hospital. The hospital is only aware that the space was booked by Renwold Industries. They would have no record of you. Do you want me to send over the doctor?”

I glanced down at my forearms and the tattoos had vanished again. “I don’t think so.”

“Rest up and please don’t hesitate to call if you need anything, Mr. Wright.”

“Thank you.”

I glanced at the wine and pondered opening it, but my stomach growled loudly. I rummaged through the food that had been delivered and found a ready to bake lasagna. There was even a fresh loaf of garlic bread. I tossed the lasagna into the oven as I pulled out a bag of chips to snack on in the meantime. I sat on my couch and stared out the window, glancing at my left arm from time to time.

I remembered it all so clearly. The wolf. Falling. Crashing through the glass exhibits from thirty feet above the cement floor. My arm twisted in unnatural ways. The howl… Recalling the howl sent shivers down my spine.

I frowned as I looked down at the half-empty bag of chips, I hardly remembered eating any. I got up and started a shower knowing I had more time before dinner would be ready. I stared at myself in the mirror and for a moment I thought I could see swirling shadows in my eyes.

After my shower, I changed into some casual clothing and headed back to the kitchen. The lasagna was out of the oven, on the table, with two sets of plates and a wine glass filled with ruby red liquid.

“I took the liberty of pulling out the lasagna since it was ready.”

I almost pulled a neck muscle as I turned so quickly to see the woman with gray eyes sitting on my couch with another glass of wine in her hand.

“Who the hell are you, lady? What are you doing in my home? How did you get in here?”

She leaned back and smiled. She was amazingly attractive, but she was in my living room.

“You were supposed to come see me when you left the hospital.”

“I don’t know who you are, or why you are here and even though I have never seen anyone remotely as beautiful as you in this place, I think you should leave.”

“But dinner is ready. I’ll answer all your questions as we eat. This wine is incredible by the way.”

She moved with grace and confidence to the table and sat down. “Please sit, Camron.”

“How do you know my name?”

“It was on your chart and also on your badge.”

“My badge?”

“Your nametag from your uniform at the warehouse.”

“Do you work for Mr. Renwold?”

“Sit.”

Her tone was commanding, and I found myself complying.

“Finally. You are a bit of an enigma, Camron.”

“I have been told that before.”

“You need to be careful who you associate with. I’m sure you are hungry, serve yourself.”

I stared at her and found myself drawn into her eyes. I had to mentally check myself.

“No.”

“No?” She looked at me incredulously.

“I’m sure you rarely hear that word, but you broke into my home, and I am inclined to call the police. Start answering questions.”

“Stand up.”

It was a forceful command and I struggled to remain sitting. I gritted my teeth but remained where I was.

“Incredible… All right, Camron. I know you are hungry, and I would encourage you to eat. Your body is consuming much energy as it is healing. What I need to tell you will take some time. When you have heard me out, I will leave, but I believe it is in your best interest to know the story I am about to share with you.”

I placed lasagna on both our plates. The woman held up her glass.

“To the future and all that it may hold.”

My stomach growled again so I touched my glass to hers. “To oddities and mysteries, namely my own and who is sitting across the table from me.”

We both took a deep sip of wine. It was indeed delicious.

“You’re up. Maybe we can start with your name?”

“My name is Katarina Westfall. It was me that you saw the other night at the warehouse.”

“I would have remembered seeing you. When was this, exactly?”

“Two nights ago.” She reached into a pocket and dropped twelve obviously fired lead bullets onto the table.

“I don’t understand.”

“These are the bullets you shot into me two nights ago when I was in my wolf form.”

I laughed. “This is a joke.”

“You work for Walter Renwold as a security guard, protecting priceless items of a supernatural nature and you think I am joking?”

“I have come to believe those items are fakes, purchased by a delusional man with more money than brains.”

“Some are fakes, but most are not. Camron, the supernatural world exists. I am a werewolf, and now, so are you.”

“I heard you out. It is time for you to leave.”

She stood and stepped away from the table, then in a flash of light, transformed into the same large wolf with gray eyes that had attacked me. Before I could leap back and out of my chair, she changed back and calmly sat down.

“What the hell?”

“I told you, Camron. I’m a werewolf.”

“That’s not possible.”

“What part of what I just showed you was impossible aside from your impossibly limited knowledge of the truth that werewolves exist?”

“You attacked me!”

“You attacked me first.” She played with the bullets on the table with her perfectly manicured fingernails.

I blew out a large breath. “Help me understand.”

“I’m sure you are very hungry as your body has been working extra hard to repair all the damage. Eat up and I will start giving you a little background.”

I started eating, surprised I could even eat with everything that had happened.

“Three hundred and twelve years ago, I was as you see me now, a twenty-seven-year-old woman.”

“Three hundred and twelve?”

“This will take all night if you keep interrupting me. I was the daughter of a wealthy nobleman in Scotland. I was promised in marriage to Anthony Renwold to form an alliance between our powerful families. Everything progressed well, until one fateful day when Anthony and I were riding horses through the countryside. Wolves attacked us. My horse reared and I was thrown from it into the waiting jaws of the wolves. Anthony bolted, leaving me to die.

“Remarkably, I survived and healed fully from my injuries within a day. Upon learning I lived, the Renwold’s believed I was a witch, and that the marriage was orchestrated by my father to curse them and take control of their lands and wealth.

“One week later, during the full moon, I transformed for my first time into a wolf. While in wolf form, I discovered the werewolves that attacked us. They were a local pack and it turned out my power, strength, and size were significantly greater than any of them. I was an alpha with the power to lead and control the pack. My life as I had known it, was over.

“As time passed, the Renwolds persecuted our family. Our family name was destroyed. They stirred up the citizens of the area against us, and one horrific night, they burned our family estate to the ground, killing dozens of staff and my entire family. I barely escaped with my life. Anthony, whom I had once loved, led the attack with his father and brother.

“In a rage, I transformed and led my pack to seek my revenge. We slaughtered dozens of their staff and guards. I managed to pull myself from my bloodlust to send my pack away. I needed to confront the Renwolds. I shifted back into my human form and walked into their estate home, finding Anthony drinking heavily in the library.

“I pleaded with him. I told him my story. Even after all they had done, I found I was still in love with him. He was drunk and his eyes were filled with fury as he approached me. I backed away from him, tears streaming down my face at his contempt and rejection of me.

“Then, as I was about to turn and run, a fireplace poker tore open my side. I transformed instantly and lashed out, killing Anthony’s father and brother. I had enough wherewithal that when I saw the horrified face of Anthony and the decapitated bodies of his father and brother, I backed away and ran.

“I spent months living as a wolf, more animal than human. Anthony hunted me and my pack ruthlessly. All of what I had loved was destroyed as one by one, he killed everything around me. When I finally transformed back to human, I made my way to the new continent. I started a new life, but the Renwold family had tracked me down. Anthony’s descendants were determined to hunt all werewolves to extinction.

“I won’t bore you with the vast history that brought me to this place and time. There were seasons I was not hunted, but as each new Renwold came into their own, they continued to eradicate my kind. Sixty years ago, Walter Renwold’s father discovered and stole an ancient relic from werewolf clans in Europe. He used this relic to curse all werewolves. We can no longer reproduce or turn any humans. Our kind are dying out. It is why my pack was at the warehouse two nights ago. We have been attempting to get into the warehouse for many years. Finally, our plan was formulated and executed. I was looking for the relic when I ran into you. For what it is worth, I am sorry I attacked you.”

“I’m sorry for all you have been through. Why are you here? Did you not find the relic?”

“We did not recover the relic. It is likely hidden somewhere else. I’m here because of you. Something happened to you in that warehouse. You should have died. The fact that you healed so quickly means you have incorporated werewolf DNA into your system which would mean you are the first human turned into a werewolf in sixty years. I am your alpha, and yet you are showing signs of being something unique. It is four days until the next full moon. If you are indeed turning, then you will start experiencing changes leading up to your full transformation. Your strength, speed, and senses will begin to unfold.”

I paused my eating to stare at her. “You’re certain?”

“Mostly. As I said, no werewolf has been born or a human turned for sixty years. We have not removed the curse. Something is different about you. No matter what your outcome will be, you are in danger. Walter Renwold has witnessed your healing. He knows my pack killed his men and disabled the security cameras. He will either use you or kill you.”

“He has been very thoughtful and generous. He even brought in the company doctor to help me.”

“Dr. Travis?”

“Yes…”

“He is not a doctor. He is a scientist employed by Renwold Industries to discover ways of enhancing humans. When they capture a werewolf, they torture, abuse, and bleed the poor person until they are dead while trying to learn how to adapt werewolf DNA to make humans stronger and faster. I believe the Renwolds are trying to find a path to immortality.”

“That’s…”

“No doubt they believe you might hold a key for them. They will want to follow up and gather more DNA from you before your transformation.” She pulled out a phone. “By the way, I believe this is yours. It is how I learned where you lived.”

“That’s my phone. Mr. Renwold said it was destroyed. He gave me a new one.”

“Give the new phone to me.”

It was another command, much stronger this time. I grabbed my new phone and handed it to her. She crushed it in her bare hands.

“No doubt, they were tracking you with it.”

In the time it had taken for Katarina to share her story, my entire worldview had altered. “What’s going to happen to me?”

“If you do turn and become a werewolf, then you belong to me and my pack. We are family and I will look after you. You are welcome to come with me and we can help you prepare for your first transformation.”

“All due respect, Katarina, but I have only heard one side of the story.”

“I understand, but you will see me again in a few days. I cannot have a new werewolf without a pack. They tend to go feral.”

Katarina stood and, silently as a wraith, slipped through the front door and vanished. I picked up my phone and called Mr. Renwold.

“Mr. Renwold’s office. Elizabeth speaking.”

“Hello Elizabeth. It’s Camron again. I’m ready to come back to work.”

“Mr. Renwold is available. Would you like to speak with him?”

“Yes. Please.”

A moment later, Mr. Renwold came on the line.

“Camron. How are you feeling? Do you need anything?”

“I’m fine. I was just calling to say I feel good enough to come back to work.”

“Remarkable. You sure you don’t want more time to recover?”

“I think I will go stir crazy just sitting here. I’m not used to being idle.”

“I need you to be cleared by Dr. Travis first. Come by in the afternoon tomorrow. If he clears you, you can take your normal shift.”

“Thank you.”

“Cameron?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Be cautious who you talk to. I must get to a board meeting. I’m so glad you are all right. We’ll speak again tomorrow.”

With that said, he hung up before I could ask him what he meant.

***

The next day, I headed to the main office. Elizabeth greeted me and took me back into Mr. Renwold’s office. Dr. Travis was there and the two were chatting quietly, but I swore I heard Dr. Travis say something about a great opportunity.

“There you are, Camron. Come in and have a seat. Any changes? Are you still feeling well?”

“I’m fine thank you.”

Dr. Travis stood and walked over to me. “Let me have a look at you.”

He flashed lights in my eyes and moved my arm around, checking where the skin had been broken. “Remarkable. I would like to take some blood from you. You appear fully healed on the outside. However, you fell through glass and metal, and I want to make sure your antibodies are normal to make sure no infection has set in.”

He turned back to Mr. Renwold. “He’s good to go. Have him come to my lab tomorrow to collect more blood.”

Mr. Renwold nodded, and the doctor left. Mr. Renwold wrapped an arm around my shoulder and led me to the warehouses. When we entered the priceless relics zone, he paused and extended a hand like a tour guide.

“What you see here is the culmination of my family’s work. I trust you with it. You nearly died protecting these items and I am in your debt. Follow me.”

We walked further into the warehouse, and I could see several exhibits being put back together. The glass had been swept out of the aisles, but it was still inside the exhibit frame. Mr. Renwold stopped and lifted an exhibit tag, dusting it off. It read Xylon-A. I had destroyed one of his prized possessions.

“Was that real?”

He tossed the tag into the center of the exhibit. “I highly doubt it. It was supposedly from an alien spaceship crash. It was unique and I enjoyed the piece.”

“What happened to the arm?”

“You landed right on it, shattering the glass bracelet. We found nothing but dust left of the arm, as if it finally decayed overnight. I will have my team of scientists come in to see if there is anything worth salvaging tomorrow.”

“When I told you that I saw a wolf, you didn’t seem surprised.”

He shrugged. “A wolf matched the description another guard gave and the bite and teeth marks on the victims in the monitoring room were consistent with a large wolf. Let me show you something.”

I followed him until we stopped at another exhibit that I had barely taken notice of before. It was a fireplace poker.

“This poker is hundreds of years old. It was what started everything you see here.”

“How could a poker do that?”

“My ancestors were nearly all killed by a pack of wolves. The sole survivor of my family fought them off with this poker. My family history recounts that the attack was the spiteful revenge of a witch that enchanted the wolves to kill our family. My family has since held a morbid fascination with all things supernatural. Grab your things from your locker. We are short men, and I would feel better knowing these items and you are still protected.” He chuckled. “Just on a whim, I replaced your regular bullets with silver ones.”

“I appreciate that, Mr. Renwold. That could come in handy for werewolves.”

“Indeed. My thoughts exactly.”

He left me and I headed to my locker. I checked the rounds in my gun, and sure enough, the bullets appeared to be coated in silver. I started my rounds on the warehouse floor, taking a much more careful look at each exhibit. I could not determine which one could have been the relic Katarina had mentioned.

I stopped at the Xylon-A exhibit noticing the dark stains from my blood. I looked up at the catwalk railing over thirty feet above me. I would have loved to have seen the camera footage. As I moved my gaze from camera to camera, it almost appeared like black shadows and bits of lightning swirled around them before the red lights blinked off.

Looking back at the exhibit, I reached amongst the glass to pull out the description. When I did, however, the glass fragments began vibrating. Whisps of shadows trickled from my fingers and moved along the glass. I was about to pull my hand away when glass fragments leapt from the exhibit base onto my wrist. The glass swirled and began fitting itself back together like a three-dimensional puzzle. The bracelet that had been on the severed arm formed around my own arm.

With the last piece of glass snapping into place, the bracelet glowed, and the shadows swirled inside it. I tugged at it, but it would not budge. Concerned that it would appear I had stolen an artifact, I rolled down my sleeves to cover my forearms and the bracelet.

The camera lights suddenly blinked to life again. I forced myself to breathe slowly and tried to ignore the bracelet. It was incredibly light and form fitting to the point where I could hardly feel it. It was all I could do to continue making my rounds for the night and not rush home to see if I could take the device off.

When my shift was finished and I returned home, the first thing I did was to take off my shirt and try to remove the bracelet. Upon removing my shirt, however, I found the spiraling shimmering tattoos in numerous places around my body. I moved to the bathroom so I could look at myself in the mirror. The tattoos were on my chest, back, neck, arms, and legs. There were even shadows swirling in my irises.

Forcing myself away from my reflection, I renewed my efforts to remove the bracelet to no avail. Nothing worked. Not even a hammer I used to smash it made the slightest mark on it. I had several options. First, I could go to Dr. Travis. Second, I could go see Katarina. Perhaps this was some werewolf phenomenon even though deep down I knew it wasn’t.

I picked up Katarina’s card I had placed on the counter. I had not noticed it before, but it was blank. A lot of good that would do me. I tossed it onto the counter when I caught a scent in the room. It was her scent. The scent that was in the air after a summer thunderstorm mixed with wilder hints of the forest and flowers. I sniffed the air hoping to catch more of the intoxicating smell before my eyes gravitated to the card. I picked it up and sniffed it. Her scent was strong on it, but with the smell came flashes of images. There was an image of a street sign, then an image of a set of brass numbers on a black steel gate.

Using my phone, I looked up the address. It was about twenty miles away in the forested hills overlooking the city. Shadows drifted from my fingertips and danced around the card. I needed answers to what was happening to me, and my intuition was telling me to stay away from Dr. Travis.

***

The drive to the address I saw in my mind took longer than I had expected. Once out of the city, the roads twisted and turned up the mountain slowing my speed. I was surprised when I pulled up to a gate that looked identical to the flashes of images I had seen. Large black steel double gates hung from massive granite pillars. The walls on either side of the driveway looked nearly impenetrable.

An intercom leaned toward my driver’s side window. I lowered my window and reached for the button when several large wolves nearly crashed into the gate growling. Saliva dripped from their fangs.

“Drive up to the front, Camron.”

I had almost jumped out of my seat when Katarina’s voice sounded on the intercom speaker. The gates began opening and the wolves barreled out towards me. I hurriedly closed my window and against my better judgement, drove up the long driveway flanked by the two wolves.

As the mansion came into view, I slowed the car and simply stared. Made from granite and cedar, the enormous home must have been close to fifteen thousand square feet. Floor to ceiling windows allowed me to see through the home to the view of the city and mountains beyond. An eight-bay garage was attached to the house. There were several outbuildings, one looked like a workshop and others, smaller cabins. Even the workshop and cabins looked luxurious.

Growls came from the two wolves on either side of the car. I drove to the front steps in time to see Katarina stepping down them. She was wearing a flower-patterned dress that clung to her curves. Her long mahogany hair was unbound. Her gray eyes were even more captivating than before. Her hands stroked the fur of another pair of wolves that seemed to be guarding her.

I parked my car and the wolves all growled and bared their teeth at me. With a flick of Katarina’s head and what might have been a silent command, they backed off, but watched me warily.

“It’s all right, Camron. They won’t attack.”

I hesitantly opened my door and stepped out into the cooler mountain air. With my first step towards Katarina, one wolf rushed me. I put up my hands and backed quickly away. Tendrils of shadows and a couple of sparks flitted through my fingers.

With the slightest noise from Katarina, the wolf stopped short, looked back at her with a whimper, lowered its tail and backed away from me.

“You must forgive them, Camron. They are very protective of me, and it has been a long time since we have added a new member to our pack. The hierarchy is well established, and a new wolf will certainly cause commotion.”

I watched the wolves carefully through my peripheral vision. Katarina’s scent was alluring and almost overpowering. “Are you sure that is what I am now?”

“As I mentioned before, it has been many years. The curse is still in place. There is something unique about you. Your scent is off, even if you smell of wolf. There are subtleties that I can’t quite figure out yet.”

Several flashes of light drew my attention as the wolves became people. There were two women and two men. They were beautiful and handsome.

One woman stepped from Katarina’s side and moved close to me. She was dressed in black leather, had copper-colored hair and green eyes. She was gorgeous and deadly. She was armed with numerous daggers and by the way she carried herself, knew intimately how to use them.

She circled me slowly, sniffing as she went. “Very odd.” Her accent was slightly Scottish. “A hybrid perhaps. Can I play with him?”

The glint in her eyes suggested something more lethal than sexual.

“Not yet, Isobel.”

Isobel pouted. “But it has been so long since we have had new blood. There is something about him that…”

“Enough, Isobel. Come inside, Camron. We have much to discuss.”

One man and one woman stayed outside, their watchful eyes always tracking every movement I made. Isobel and a very large, muscled man swept in behind Katarina forcing me to keep my distance from her. Once inside the home, we moved into the living room. Ten other people, a mix of men and women circled around me until Katarina huffed and sent them all away.

Katarina sat in a chair and had me sit close to her. “You came.”

“After the welcome I just received, I’m wondering if I just skipped the pan and jumped straight into the fire.”

“They will get used to you.”

“You say that like I will be around them enough so they will.”

“A werewolf will go rogue without a pack. They remain feral and can’t shift back to their human form. A pack with structure grounds them and socializes them, reminding them of their humanity.”

“I can’t believe I am having this conversation. A few days ago, werewolves were nothing but fiction.”

“To you and most of the world that is the case. But that is not the truth. It is not reality.”

“I went to work last night. Mr. Renwold personally showed me things in the warehouse zone I patrol. He showed me the poker.”

“The poker?”

“The poker Anthony’s father attacked you with. He claimed it was what started their family to collect items of supernatural significance. The way he shared the story was that Anthony fought off a pack of wolves with the poker. A pack of wolves that were enchanted by a witch.”

“Anthony became a tyrant after that night. It has been nearly eight generations since that fateful event. The story has exaggerated over time.”

“You think I will turn into a werewolf?”

“I don’t just think it, Camron. I know with complete certainty that tomorrow night during the full moon, you will shift into your wolf form.”

“How do you know this?”

“I can smell the wolf in you, even if it is somewhat mixed. You would not have found this place using my card if you were not a werewolf. Only a werewolf could translate the subtle images from the scents I put on the card.”

“You told me no new werewolves have been born or turned for sixty years. Why now?”

“The curse has not been lifted, so it must be either something different about you or about the circumstances.”

I rolled up my right sleeve hoping my tattoo was still visible. It was. “Have you ever seen anything like this before?”

Katarina leaned forward. “No. Never.”

“I never had it before you attacked me. I have been having strange things happen to me as well. Last night, I was examining where I fell in the warehouse. I landed on an exhibit that had a severed arm in it. The arm was wearing a glass bracelet. When I crashed through the exhibit, apparently the arm decayed into dust and the bracelet shattered. Last night…” I rolled up my left sleeve. “Last night as I reached into the shattered remains of the exhibit, glass fragments jumped to my arm and reformed the bracelet. I can’t remove it.”

Katarina tried to touch the bracelet, and shadows with small flashes of light curled out from my fingers and pushed her away. “That’s…”

I held up my hand to show tendrils of black shadows and bits of what I would consider baby lightning weaving between my fingers. “I never had this either.”

“I would think that was witch magic, but I have never seen anything like it before. Witches only seem to have the power over fire, not shadows. What was the exhibit?”

“It was supposedly the severed arm of a female alien. Species, Xylon-A.”

“Camron, I assume you now believe in the supernatural.”

I nodded. “Kind of hard to dispute. Did you just say witches?”

“Yes. There are three types of supernatural species. Werewolves, witches, and vampires.”

“I would laugh, but I’m starting to believe you.”

“I have a theory about you. The curse blocked werewolves from reproducing and from turning humans. What if during the accident, you absorbed the Xylon-A alien DNA? The curse would not necessarily apply to you.”

“Alien… That’s a stretch.”

“Is it? You have shadows weaving along your fingers, Camron. Shadows that repelled me when I tried to touch the bracelet. That must be the scent I can’t figure out from you. I smell wolf and something else. There is another hint of something as well, but I must be wrong about it.”

“What do you think it is?”

She shook her head. “I’m not sure. It’s merely a hunch. Stay here with us through tomorrow night.”

“Let’s assume after tomorrow I will be a werewolf. If what you say is true, Mr. Renwold will either hunt me or use me for experiments. You want the relic back. Maybe tonight I can find it.”

“That is not your concern, and it will put you at risk.”

“If I do become a werewolf, then it will be my concern the day after tomorrow. I have access. Just tell me what it looks like.”

The big man and Isobel entered the living room.

“Don’t tell me you trust him, Kat.” The man growled low. “He could be a plant.”

A wolf padded in and growled at me while Isobel moved closer to my side. Before Katarina could say a word, Isobel’s dagger lashed out towards my neck. I didn’t think, just reacted. My hand shot up and caught her wrist. Tendrils of shadows pulled the blade from her fingers.

“What the hell?” Isobel yelled.

Katarina stood. “Stand down. All of you!”

I immediately let go of Isobel’s wrist. My shadows retracted and the blade fell to the floor.

I put my head in my hands. “What’s happening to me?”

Kyle pointed at me. “What is he?”

Katarina sighed. “I don’t know, but he is responding to my commands. Most of the time anyways. He is a wolf and something else. I guess we will find out tomorrow night. You need to stay with us, Camron.”

“No… This is all too much. Tell me about the relic.”

The others looked at Katarina.

Kyle paced. “Don’t tell him, Kat. He works for bloody Renwold! He isn’t one of us!”

Katarina shook her head. “I claimed him with my bite. He is our responsibility, but I can’t force this upon him. He must come to us willingly.”

Kyle stood his ground. “I forbid it! We end him now!”

Katarina moved so fast I could barely see her. She had Kyle up against a wall with her hand around his throat. Claws extended from her fingers. His feet were slowly being lifted off the floor. “Last time I checked, I was the alpha here. You forbid me from doing anything? You wish to challenge me? Any of you?”

Everyone looked away but me. I fought for control of my own eyes, but managed to watch the events unfold. Katarina lowered Kyle to the ground.

“I think it is safest for you to stay, Camron, but I will leave that up to you. I recognize the opportunity you have to possibly find the relic, but it is risky for us. This pack is one of the last packs left in the United States. I must protect them at all costs.”

Kyle rubbed his throat as Katarina let go of him.

“So much has happened to me, Katarina. I need time to contemplate those changes and working night shift helps me do just that. I will be back tomorrow night. I feel… compelled to be here.”

“I will walk you out to your car, Camron.”

Once outside, Katarina had to scoot away the others.

“You must sense you belong here, with me. Your sense of smell is coming in as are your strength and speed. I must ask… How did you disarm Isobel?”

“I didn’t do anything. The shadows reacted on their own, just like they did when you went to touch the bracelet.”

“Be safe, Camron.”

I got into my car and drove away.

***

Somehow, I managed to sleep before my shift, waking to the sound of a dripping tap. The dripping was outside at the neighbor’s house. Katarina had been correct in that my hearing would improve. I was astonished at just how improved it was.

In addition to hearing, my eyesight had vastly improved. My glasses were no longer needed. I could spot objects with high clarity at very far distances and my night vision was so good that I did not even need headlights.

As I was putting on my weapon to begin my shift, I heard footsteps approaching from down the hallway outside of the locker room. Katarina’s concerns had me on edge, but I was determined to take a mental inventory of the items in the warehouse zone I patrolled. Items that I barely glanced at suddenly had more meaning for me.

The door opened and Dr. Travis entered.

“Camron, I’m glad I caught you. I believe you were going to come to the lab today.”

I felt my shadows swirling. “I’m sorry I never came. I went home and slept, waking up feeling so refreshed, I thought it was not necessary.”

“You may feel well, but you were almost dead a few days ago. We can’t take anything for granted. You could still have an infection in your system.”

“Can I come by tomorrow? I would not want to be late for my shift.”

“Working at all requires my approval. I’m afraid I must insist you come with me.”

My intuition flared that this would not be a good thing.

“Let me contact Mr. Renwold and let him know I will be late for my shift and put away my things. I’ll meet you in the parking lot and follow you over.”

Dr. Travis was on the phone, and I could hear who he was talking to. Mr. Renwold told him that under no circumstances was I allowed to escape. His phrasing put things into perspective. I was a prisoner.

I could hear additional heavy footsteps coming down the hallway. I kept the gun, then bolted for the door. I was through it and running away from the guards as quickly as I could, and with my newfound strength and speed, that was very fast.

Dr. Travis screamed at the guards telling them I was not allowed to escape. I made it outside just as alarms sounded. The heavy fence gate began closing, shutting down any chance I had of getting out using my car. Bullets were being fired as I raced around the exterior of the warehouse buildings and to a more secluded spot. The fence was electrified. I doubted I could jump the fence.

The sounds of more shots rang out and I was shocked that my shadows had formed a shield and the bullets were dropping at my feet. Silver bullets. I reached out for the fence, wincing at the pain I was probably going to feel, when a bolt of lightning shot from me, and the fence transformers blew apart. With nothing left to lose, I jumped and managed to grab the top of the twenty-foot-high fence. I swung myself up and over, landing lightly before sprinting towards the trees.

It didn’t take long for the guards to get organized and form a search party. I ran west through the forest quickly outdistancing them. I turned north hoping to reach a more populated section of town. In a short amount of time, I found a fast-food restaurant. I went inside and ordered a quick meal, sitting down with my back to the wall.

As I ate and strategized, I realized I couldn’t go back to my home. If Mr. Renwold tried to have me killed, he would not hesitate to go there. I glanced up at a television to see my face appear. The reporter stated that I had stolen highly classified material and was armed and dangerous.

I cursed, drawing several stares. By the time I made it outside, patrol cars were pulling into the parking lot. I cursed again and slipped into the shadows, my own shadows helping to obscure me. I waited there for the police to enter the restaurant before I ran for more deserted streets.

When I felt I could finally relax, I knew my only course of action was to reach Katarina and she lived twenty miles away.

Although I felt I could run most of the way, I was concerned about my stamina and the police were combing the streets. I cut through hills and forests to head straight for Katarina’s home. It was nearing dawn when I arrived at the gate. Two wolves nearly crashed into the gate to try and get to me.

“They won’t harm you, Camron. Come up to the house.”

The gate creaked open, and I felt like a delectable morning snack for the two wolves. I wasn’t sure if I felt relief when the gate closed, or that I was in more danger being surrounded by viscous wolves.

Katarina met me on the front steps as she had before.

“I tried to warn you, Camron.”

“You were right. I’m sorry.”

“I understand your predicament, but your actions also put all of us at risk. I am now harboring a fugitive and that could challenge my standing in the community.”

“I’m sorry. I will go. I don’t want to put any of you at risk.”

“While admirable, the damage is already done.”

Kyle stepped up next to Katarina and sniffed. “He is carrying silver.”

“Mr. Renwold outfitted all his guards with silver bullets. I mean no harm to any of you.” I reached for my handgun as numerous wolves surrounded me. I removed the clip, ejected the bullet in the chamber, and placed them slowly in front of me.

“He touches silver. How can he do that?”

“Please don’t leave that on the ground for any of my pack to accidently touch, Camron. Bring it inside.”

“I’m sorry. I never thought…”

Kyle growled. “You’re right. You didn’t think. The pack comes first. Always. And you never disobey your alpha or beta.”

“It’s all right, Kyle. It has been a long time since we added someone to our pack and Camron is a unique situation. We should be thankful he wasn’t killed.”

“I… I should have been. They were firing silver bullets at me, and I know many of those guards. We shoot together for practice. They are excellent shots.”

“How did you…”

I heard it at the same time as everyone turned their heads towards the front gate. Isobel tapped her ear.

“It’s the police.”

“Get him inside. Let them in Isobel.”

Kyle led me inside and up the stairs. He pointed at a chair and growled out a command for me to sit. I sat and heard a car pull up.

Katarina’s voice was smooth and controlled. “Good morning, officers. How can we help you this lovely morning?”

“We are looking for a man. Caucasian. Six foot two. Brown hair. Hazel eyes. He should be wearing a Renwold Industries security guard uniform.”

“We haven’t seen anything, but we will keep an eye out.”

“We just wanted you to be on alert. He is armed and considered dangerous. Call us if you see anything suspicious.”

“We will. Thank you for warning us.”

“No problem, ma’am. Have a good day and please be careful.”

I heard the doors close and the car pull away. I even heard the creak of the gate as it closed behind them. Katarina came up the stairs and sat down across from me.

“I hope you are worth it, Camron. I’ve lived many lifetimes and I don’t like having to move.”

“I should have listened to you.”

“What’s done is done. Kyle, find him some clothes. We can’t have him wandering around in that uniform.”

***

The day dragged on and as night approached, I felt antsy and on edge. Katarina gathered the pack together and I was surprised to see close to twenty.

“For those that don’t already know, we have a new pack member. His name is Camron.”

“How is that possible? Is the curse lifted?”

“I don’t know everything, but I have my theories. The curse is not lifted. Until we see him shift into his wolf form and back, we won’t know everything.”

“How will I know what to do?”

“You won’t have a choice. The first full moon will always transform the newly turned. We hunt as a pack every full moon as the added energy the moon gives us makes it hard for many of us to maintain our human forms.”

“If I shift…”

“When you shift.”

“When I shift, then what?”

“We can communicate telepathically when in wolf form if that is what you are asking.”

“Will I be like a wild animal?”

“Some are like that for their first shift. If you give yourself to your wolf, that will happen. You don’t have to give into it, but you can allow your wolf to take over some of you to make it easier to hunt.”

“So, we go out and stare at the moon, and in a flash of light I turn into Rover?”

Katarina smiled. “Nothing so graceful the first time. This is going to be slow and painful. After the first shift, it is like you have seen. It’s time.”

Katarina led us out to a forest clearing. One by one the pack members shifted into their wolf forms. The moon crested the mountains and I screamed.

“Let yourself go, Camron. Yield to the changes. Don’t try to fight it.”

My bones began to snap, and I screamed again. The pain was far worse than when Katarina bit into my arm and shattered it. I dropped onto my hands and knees and my spine rippled under my skin. The glimpses I managed of the wolves let me see their ears twitch with every bone that broke and snapped back into place. My screams became howls. My nose elongated and I felt my teeth cut into my lips. The world exploded with new sights, sounds, and smells.

I collapsed onto the ground in convulsions. I watched as my hands turned into light blonde fur-covered paws. Katarina stepped in front of me and in a flash appeared in her wolf form.

The agony slowly eased, and I panted.

“There you are, Camron. Take a few deep breaths. Gods, your gorgeous… and…”

I tried to respond, but only whimpering came out.

“Formulate your words in your mind, Camron.”

“And… And… what?”

“You’re female.”

“I’m what?”

“You are a female wolf. I still only have one theory on this. Get up.”

I stood slowly to my four feet and looked back at myself. I was large, lean, and distinctly female. My fur was light blonde, almost white.

“You’re almost as large as me, Camron. Look at me.”

I shifted my gaze to Katarina. Her gray eyes consumed me.

“You have brilliant bright blue eyes.”

Several wolves trotted over to us. A dark wolf with green eyes sniffed me slowly as she circled me before she licked my face.

“How is this possible, Kat? How can he become a female wolf? She is beautiful. She’s stirring some…”

“We will discuss this in the morning, Isobel.”

A large wolf nipped my backside, and my wolf took over. I spun faster than I thought possible and barred my teeth.

“Relax, sexy.”

“Leave her be, Kyle. Let’s hunt. Stay with me, Camron.”

Katarina took off running and I stumbled a few times trying to catch up to her. Isobel bumped into my side.

“Give your wolf a little more control, sweetheart.”

I did and my running became smoother and more natural.

“Faster, Camron.” Katarina’s voice sounded in my head.

I needed no encouragement. Nothing could compare to the feeling of racing at high speed through the forest. We dodged trees, jumped logs, and ran for the pure joy of running. Soon, Katarina and I were outpacing everyone. Isobel was close to us, but the others had fallen back.

“Slow down, you two. Gods, Camron is fast.”

Katarina slowed to a stop to let the others catch up. The feeling of the pack around me was like family. This was something I had never felt before. Pack members rubbed against me in a form of welcome.

“Do you smell that, Camron?”

I sniffed the air and could distinctly pick out the musky scent of a deer.

“The first kill of the night goes to Camron. Give yourself over to your wolf. Track and kill the deer.”

My mouth watered in anticipation, and I took off at full speed following the scent. It wasn’t long before I spotted the deer. It was a large buck. My instincts took over. I leapt and bit into the hind quarter of the frightened deer. I sank my teeth into it, dragging it down. It was large, but I was large for a wolf.

The deer squealed and kicked, but I hung on until it fell to the ground. I dodged the antlers and lunged to tear out the deer’s throat. Warm coppery liquid filled my mouth, and it made me even more aggressive. In moments the deer had stilled.

The pack surrounded me and howled. Katarina approached cautiously.

“Pull back your control, Camron.”

I growled and snapped at her.

She growled back and I felt the strength and command of her alpha nature. I was hers, maybe in more ways than one. I dropped my head.

“Good girl. The alpha is always first to feed.”

She dug into the loin with her jaws and ripped a large piece of flesh away.

Kyle trotted up and stared at me with a low growl. I held his gaze.

“Camron…” Isobel’s voice sounded in my head. “He’s the beta.”

I didn’t care. I snapped at him and barred my teeth. Shadows began swirling around me and Kyle backed off.

“This isn’t over little girl.” Kyle’s angry voice sounded in my head.

I bit into the deer and tore a large chunk of meat off before backing away. As soon as I was away, Kyle stepped over the deer a growled at any wolf coming close to the kill. He took his time selecting a choice piece of the deer before stepping away. His eyes never left me.

The other wolves descended on the deer. Isobel and Katarina laid down next to me. When we finished our feeding, Isobel began licking my face and paws. Katarina stared at Isobel but made no move to intervene.

“It’s late. Time for us to head back.”

Our pace was more leisurely on the way back. We stopped once we were back at the clearing. Katarina laid down and the pack found places to lay down as well. Isobel placed herself next to me. I watched the other wolves. Many had paired up. I even saw Kyle humping one of the other females. I closed my eyes and slept feeling quite content.

***

I woke to the slightest sound near me. I looked up to see Katarina staring down at me.

“In all my years, I have never seen such a thing.”

Isobel, back in her human form rolled over and her eyes went wide.

“Is that even possible?”

“What’s…” My voice faltered in my throat. I lifted my head and looked around quickly. Long blonde hair, nearly white, fell in front of my eyes. I pushed myself up quickly and stared down at myself. I had not given much thought last night to the consideration I was a female wolf since I had given myself over to the wolf more. Now that I was human again, it all came back to me.

I cursed and backed away from my own hands. They were slender and feminine. My shirt was too large and yet it also pinched slightly around my chest.

I backed up to a tree trunk and slowly stood.

Kyle laughed. “I guess that takes care of the police looking for a tall white guy.”

“Shut it, Kyle!” Katarina stepped up to me. “Gods, Camron. You’re breathtaking. Never have I laid my eyes on any woman so beautiful. You have otherworldly beauty. Your eyes are so stunningly blue they are fathomless.”

“Don’t forget to mention her lips. Gods, they look so kissable.” Isobel purred.

“How did this happen?” I managed to squeak out.

“You fell into an exhibit. An exhibit of an alien female. No doubt, you absorbed her DNA. With the curse still in place, you could only change if you were no longer human. I suspect the shift into your wolf form combined with the female alien DNA triggered your gender change. The alien DNA altered you and it allowed my bite to turn you. That’s all I can think of.”

Everyone was staring at me. The men’s eyes were filled with lust. My breathing was shallow and came in short gasps.

“Isobel and Lana. Take her inside and find her something to wear. Help her get cleaned up.”

Isobel tugged on my arm, and I was filled with her scent. My senses had improved more since the shift. “Come along, sweetheart.”

I was in shock and in a daze as Lana and Isobel led me back inside the mansion. We went upstairs and into the southern wing. We entered a large bedroom that had its own bathroom and a massive walk-in closet. As soon as I spotted the large mirror in the bathroom, I was drawn to my own reflection.

Isobel stood slightly behind me, her hands on my shoulders. We were approximately the same height, around five foot nine or ten. Where Isobel was gorgeous, Katarina had summed it up well. I had otherworldly beauty. I leaned forward and stared into my own eyes. 

My irises were a bright cobalt blue, but deeper inside I could see the swirling dark shadows. Leaning back a bit, I took in my flawless face. I had high cheek bones and a pert nose. Lips… My lips were full and moist.

Lana leaned in from my left side and inhaled deeply. “She smells heavenly.”

Isobel growled at her. “Start finding clothes, Lana.”

“We need to check her sizes. She should remove what she is wearing first. Please?”

Isobel glared at Lana before digging into drawers and pulled out a flexible tape measure. “Camron… That name just doesn’t suit you now. We will give you some privacy. Why don’t you have a shower. You and I are almost identical in height. Face me.”

I turned to face Isobel and she ran her hands over my hips until she found my hip bones. She pressed herself closer and I could feel my breasts touch hers. She took a deep breath and pulled back.

“Your hips are close to mine so pant length should be about the same. Before you shower, measure yourself and tell us what your measurements are.”

“I will.”

Isobel dragged Lana from the bathroom and closed the door. I stared at my face for quite a while, running my slender fingers over my sensitive lips. Slowly, I began unbuttoning my top and when my shirt dropped to the floor, I gasped. The flawless nature of my face was merely an extension of a flawless body. I slipped out of my pants and struggled to breathe again. I could see toned, strong muscles beneath my skin. My abs made me look like an athlete. My stomach was perfectly flat. There was no hair, not even a follicle beneath my neck.

I turned and twisted. My very light, blonde hair cascaded down my back like a turbulent waterfall. Slight curves in my hair gave it volume yet when I held it, it was silky soft and fine. Models would die for a body, face, and hair like mine. I stared at my breasts and my new womanhood. My hip bones were prominent without making me look too thin.

Isobel’s voice came from the other room. “Tell us your measurements and then you should shower, Camron. Do you need help? I would be pleased to join you.”

I grabbed the tape and measured myself everywhere Isobel told me to. I shared those only to hear Isobel whistle.

Lana giggled. “She’s single, right?”

“Hush!”

I moved to the shower and took my time. Kyle was right about one thing. I wouldn’t need to worry about the police looking for me anymore.

After my shower I carefully dried myself off and wrapped the towel around me. When I stepped out of the bathroom, Lana and Isobel were waiting for me.

“Gods…” Isobel stood and looked me over. She examined the bracelet on my left arm without touching it. “What is that?”

“I don’t know. It was attached to the severed arm in Mr. Renwold’s exhibit. After I fell through the exhibit glass, it had shattered but the other night, it sort of found me. It pulled itself from the shattered glass and formed around my forearm. It seems to have adjusted its size.”

“If it can change shape then I wonder what else it can do. Katarina mentioned alien DNA. Let’s assume this is correct and this is alien technology. Touch it.”

I did and the shadows within swirled towards my fingers. “Hmmm…”

“What?”

“Since the shift, I feel more connected to it and to these shadows.” I slid my fingers over the bracelet and in less than a second, it grew over my entire body like a skin-hugging set of black armor. My towel dropped to the floor.

Lana’s eyes went wide. “Holy hell. Look at that body.”

Isobel grinned. “I am looking. I’m not sure if I am more stunned about the bracelet or how bloody gorgeous she is.”

I slid my fingers the other way and the bracelet became much smaller, like a thin metal bracelet. That did, however, leave me quite naked and I blushed as I tried to cover myself.

“I’m so sorry.”

Isobel fought to not touch me. “Never apologize for giving us such a wonderful gift.”

Lana covered her eyes but was peeking. She held up some panties and a bra. “Here.”

I grabbed them and slid on the panties. The bra was a struggle and I fought with trying to keep myself covered while attaching the hooks.

I felt Isobel’s hands run up my back. “Let me help you. There are several tricks to getting them on we can show you. Bloody hell, Camron. Your butt is perfect.”

She snapped the bra into place, and I glanced back towards the mirror. I filled out the bra very well and while I was no expert, would think my breasts were between a c and d cup in size. Even with my hair a bit damp and unbrushed, I looked like a lingerie model. The lace panties emphasized my long legs and flare to my hips, and the bra drew my eyes to my full breasts and the hourglass shape I had.

“Do we have to give her more clothes?” Lana whined.

Isobel handed me a pair of jeans. I held them up to my nose.

“These are your jeans, Isobel?”

“You know my scent?”

I nodded and she smiled. I pulled up the skintight jeans.

Isobel sighed. “I never made those jeans look that good. I really want to run my hands over your stomach right now. Your abs look amazing.”

Lana tossed me a snug fitting top that exposed my midriff. She stood and grabbed a brush.

“Can I brush out your hair?”

Isobel grabbed the brush from Lana. “Go tell the others we will be there soon.”

Lana frowned, but another glare from Isobel and she scampered out. I felt a gentle tug on my hair as Isobel ran the brush through it several times.

When it was dry, she asked me to follow her. I paused at the top of the stairs.

“She is a werewolf. The first in decades. We need to see if she is fertile. She belongs to the pack now and it is our responsibility to continue our species.”

“I will not force anything upon her. If she decides to mate with one of you, then that is her choice.”

Kyle’s voice was low and harsh. “Brent is right, Kat. We need to propagate our species. That is our priority.”

“Twice in two days you have tried to usurp me, Kyle. Either challenge me, leave the pack, or learn your place.”

“No one beats you, Kat.”

“Then that leaves you two choices.”

Isobel tugged my hand and led me down the stairs.

The open-mouthed stares were all I needed to turn around and head back up the stairs.

“Camron.” Katarina’s soft command halted me in my tracks. “Come. Sit next to me.”

I didn’t look anyone in the eyes as I stepped around a few pack members, then sat next to Katarina.

“Look at me, Camron.”

I looked into her gray eyes.

“I assume you overheard that conversation?”

I nodded.

“I give you permission to cut the balls off any man here that tries to rape you.”

“You think I am capable of that?”

“You are the fastest wolf here and with speed comes strength. I think you will be able to hold your own.”

Isobel rolled a dagger in her hand. “And if not, I would be happy to assist you.”

Kyle sat down heavily. “She needs to learn her place and pack rules. I will not be disrespected by her again.”

Katarina nodded. “She will. But first things first. What shall we call you? You can keep Camron as a name if you like, but it would be safest if you had a completely new name. We want nothing tying you back to the person the police and Renwold are hunting.”

Isobel plopped herself next to me. I felt Katarina tense a bit when Isobel turned my face towards hers.

“Alana. It means beautiful. I like Enya as well.”

Lana tossed out a few names as she bobbed on her toes. “Sophie or Olivia.”

Kyle grunted. “Slut.”

Isobel nearly leapt off the couch towards Kyle, but Katarina’s growl stopped everyone.

“You choose, Camron.”

I shook my head in disbelief at everything. I was a woman. I was possibly some alien werewolf woman. “This is hard for me. I’ve had so many changes in my life recently and now this. I know I need a new name. I like Enya, but we could change it a little to Ania. Could I use my mother’s maiden name?”

“Whatever you like.”

“Ania Linne. Linne, sounded as linnay, is a Swedish last name. With my light hair and blue eyes, it would make sense. How will I get identification. Oh gods… What about my home, my car, my things?”

“We can get you identification. We must do that for ourselves every twenty years or so. We can discuss the other things, but this is your home and family now. What is ours is yours.”

Kyle sneered and leaned forward. “And what is yours, is ours.”

I got the distinct impression he was not talking about my belongings but something far more intimate.

“What happens now?”

“Now, we eat. I believe it is Lana and Brent’s turn to cook.”

Lana and Brent headed into the kitchen.

“Kyle, you oversee Ania’s identification. Make her age twenty-two. Isobel, we need to start training Ania today.”

“Training?”

“How to fight, Ania.”

“I know how to fight. I was in the military and kept up my skills when I became a security guard. At least I had skills before…”

“Isobel is our best fighter, and she has nearly four hundred years of experience. While some of your training will help, you cannot compare what you learned in so few years to what she knows. You will need to learn new techniques and styles.”

I turned to face Isobel who was practically sitting in my lap. “Four hundred years old?”

She smiled and her eyes twinkled. “Let’s just say I have a lot I can teach you.” Her fingers slid up my thigh.

I stood and stepped away from the couch. My legs felt like they were about to give out, not from weakness, but from fear. “I…” I looked around the room from face to face and backed up bit by bit. “I…”

I ran for the back door, threw it open, then ran into the forest.

I could hear Katarina telling the others to stay away.

I found a large tree and slumped down at its base. I stared at my hands before pulling my knees to my chest. I struggled to get a breath.

“Ania.”

Katarina sat down next to me.

“Breathe with me, Ania. In… and out. In… and out. Keep your breathing deep and slow.”

“How…?”

She pulled me against her, and I rested my head against her shoulder. Her hand stroked my hair.

“When I was turned, there was no one to tell me what was happening to me. I noticed the changes leading up to the full moon, and they scared me to death. When I became a wolf, I thought I was going to die. I guess what I am trying to say is that even with help in the transition, it is a lot to process. While we were here to assist you, it is still life changing. With the additional circumstances of becoming a woman and possibly alien DNA, it must be overwhelming for you. I promise you I will be here for you. We all will be.”

I started to cry. I couldn’t even remember the last time I cried.

“It’s all right, Ania. I’ve got you.”

“I feel so lost right now. Everything I know about the world has changed. My life, as I knew it, is over. What am I going to do now? How can I live like this? You must be laughing at me. Yesterday I was a big, tall guy, and now I am a sniveling little girl.”

“I’m not laughing, Ania. Watching anyone be turned is a humbling experience for me. It brings up strong memories and emotions for me even though they were so long ago. I know you have many questions. We will figure them out together. You’re not alone. It will be important for you to take time to adjust, but perhaps even more importantly will be for you to find a new purpose. You might want to find work, but I would not rush into that. All your needs will be taken care of.”

“What do you mean about purpose?”

“Like it or not, you are now a part of a centuries-old struggle. I know you don’t want to hear this, but one day, you might want to have a family. That can’t ever happen while the curse is in place. That has been my purpose for many years. I even moved here to be closer to Walter Renwold so I can end the curse his family put on us. I would also think you would want to learn and discover more about Xylon-A. I believe that is as much a part of you as being a wolf. Can I ask you something?”

“Yes.”

“How did you feel being a wolf last night?”

I sat up and faced Katarina. “It was amazing. I yearn to do it again. The sense of wild joy I had at running through the forest. The feeling of connectedness to a family. The hunt… It was so primal.”

“History and fiction portray werewolves as dangerous, hideous, savage beasts. We are a distinct species that are being annihilated. While I did not choose this life, I would not give it up for anything.”

“You might be surprised to hear being a werewolf is the least of my concerns. Don’t get me wrong, as I have much to learn about my place here and pack dynamics. My biggest concern is about being female, that and what these shadows are.”

“I can’t tell you how to overcome that, but I will say being female is something I am certain you will come to love.”

“I smell bacon.”

“Another benefit to being a wolf, is that you can eat anything and not gain weight. Assuming nothing happens to you, you will look as you do now for centuries. We tend to eat a lot. Are you ready to go back?”

“Do I look all right?”

“Ania, you will never have to worry about looking all right. Let’s eat, then we can talk more later.”

Isobel greeted us before we went back into the house. She looked worried but snuck in close to me. I picked up on several silent interactions between her and Katarina.

“I saved you a plate, Ania. Honestly, the people here are like a pack of rabid wolves sometimes.”

Katarina smirked at Isobel. “Did you get one for me as well?”

Isobel shrugged. “I’m just being friendly.”

“Is that all?”

Brent poked his head out the door. “I’m not sure Isobel and friendly are two words I would ever see combined in the same sentence. I saved you a seat, Ania.”

Katarina threw up her arms. “Am I suddenly invisible?”

We entered the kitchen and food was heaped everywhere. Isobel grabbed the plate she set aside for me, then placed it on the table next to Brent who was all smiles until Isobel pulled up a chair to squeeze between me and him.

My plate was spilling over with bacon, eggs, pancakes, and sausages. “You expect me to eat all of this?”

Lana smiled sweetly as she placed a muffin on top of my pile of food. “You ate half a deer last night, Ania.”

“I did not!” I felt warmth spread across my face.

Lana giggled. “She is so adorable when she blushes. I bet she is a screamer.”

“The pool is up to fifteen hundred dollars, Lana.”

“Oh!!! I’m in.” Lana cheered.

I looked around the room. “Pool for what?”

“Who will mate with you first. I guess we can have a second pool to see if you are a screamer or not.”

I nearly choked on a piece of bacon.

Katarina sat on the other side of me. “Werewolves tend to be a more open about sex. You will get used to it, Ania.”

“The sex, or the libidos of sex-starved wolves.”

“Oh, Ania…” Isobel’s breath was warm against my neck as she leaned in close. “You will never get used to the sex. I can promise you that.”

Lana laughed. “She’s blushing again. Good job, Isobel.”

***

I have always been a hard worker and been thankful for the kind gestures of others. After finishing all that was on my plate, I brought it to the sink to help clean up. Katarina shooed Isobel away and grabbed a towel to help dry.

“I thought you handled that rather well.”

“The part where they are gambling as to whom I will have sex with first, or the room rotation schedule?”

“All of it. You have a pleasant demeanor, and it is fun to watch everyone trying to get your attention. I told you we have had no new wolves in the pack for sixty years. You are causing quite a stir. It’s fun to watch.”

“I’m glad I can be so entertaining for you.”

“We have been rather serious under the circumstances of the curse. Seeing everyone laugh and smile is good for the pack.”

“I’m not used to being the center of attention.”

“Get used to it, Ania. There is not a place in this world where someone with your beauty will go unnoticed. When we are finished here, it would be good for you to shift into your wolf form again and explore the property. I can send Calista with you.”

“I would like that. Why Calista?”

“She is bonded to Travis and hasn’t seemed quite so enamored with you as the rest of the pack. I thought you could do with a little break from the pressure of all that and we want to confirm you can easily shift back and forth again.”

“Bonded, as in married?”

“Bonding is how we define marriage, but it only happens to acknowledge a mated pair. Mated pairs are rare. Humans would call them soul mates. For werewolves, there is a true spiritual connection. It’s tangible and unbreakable.”

“Tell me about the hierarchy of the pack.”

“You already know that I am the alpha. Alphas tend to be the strongest and most fierce of the pack. There is a symbiotic relationship that forms when one becomes an alpha. The alpha draws strength from the pack making them even stronger and faster than they are if they were solo. Kyle is the pack beta, or second in command. Isobel is third in command. Everyone has their place in the pack and will take direction from those above.”

“Do the ones at the bottom of the pack become slaves with no will of their own?”

“Not at all. It is the responsibility of all those higher in the pack to protect and defend the rest. Some of the lowest ranked members might fall into more submissive roles, but please don’t think you never have a say. You should feel a command when it is given, and no command should ever put you at risk. For example, Kyle could not command you to have sex with him as that would violate our internal set of laws.”

“I have to do anything that anyone says, aside from something like you mentioned?”

“Over the next weeks, you will likely be tested by others in the pack. When a new wolf comes into a pack, positional shifting will always take place. Your wolf should naturally submit itself to a command from a higher-ranking wolf. Looking away in human form and while in wolf form, exposing your belly, looking away, or tail down behaviors show submission.”

“What does it mean if I don’t submit?”

“It could be considered a form of challenge.”

“Last night at the kill when Kyle commanded me to let him eat before me…”

“Is not necessarily a good gauge of rank or submission. You were drawing on your inner wolf and had just made a kill. Your rebellion against his command has been set aside because of the circumstances. When I gave you a command last night, what did you feel?”

“I felt you were in your right and that I belonged to you.”

“Elaborate on the belonging part.”

“I feel I am a part of the pack, and something more. I felt that I was yours.”

“The feeling of the pack is natural.”

“And the other?”

“Too early to tell.”

***

Katarina, Isobel, and Calista watched me intently. I was told to picture my wolf form in my mind and let it loose.

“Feel your wolf, Ania. Let her come to the surface.”

In a flash, I was on all forms. My hearing, smell, and vision had all increased from my human form.

“Gods… She is so gorgeous. Why can’t I go with her?”

“You and I need to talk, Isobel. Calista, bring her back within an hour and stay well within the property. I don’t want anyone from the outside world seeing her.”

In a flash of light, Calista transformed and padded over to me. “Ready to run, Ania?”

“Yes.”

Calista took off and I glanced back at Katarina and Isobel. Isobel wanted to come to me, and Katarina held her back.

“Go on, Ania. Go find Calista.”

I turned and raced after Calista. When I caught up to her, she slowed, and we approached a bluff that looked over the mountains.

“You have caused quite a stir, Ania.”

“I understand that happens when someone new joins the pack.”

“It is not just that.”

“You are bonded to Travis?”

“I am.”

“What is it like?”

“Walter Renwold’s father found our pack a few decades ago. He had hired a mercenary crew to hunt us down. Travis was wounded and I felt his pain as if it had happened to me. Nothing mattered at that moment. I went crazy with bloodlust wanting to tear and kill anything and anyone that hurt him. There were twenty men in that hunting party. I killed fourteen of them. When I returned to Travis’ side, I laid next to him until he was fully healed. I did not eat. I did not sleep. His well-being meant more to me than my own life. I never wish to be away from him and even now, just a short distance away, I feel the bond tugging me.”

“That sounds wonderful.”

“It is a blessing and a curse at times. We still argue and can fight each other, but we can’t truly hurt one another. I’m not sure I would survive if he were killed. We should head back.”

We ran until we were hearing distance from the house. I stopped and sat down as Isobel and Katarina’s voices drifted through the woods.

“We can’t tell her. We can’t push this on her.”

“I feel it, Kat.”

“So do I.”

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t know, but we need to give her space. Let her find her own way.”

“What do we do in the meantime?”

“We protect her.”

Calista nudged me. “Change back, Ania.”

The transition was quick, painless, and I immediately noticed my senses were slightly dulled from my wolf form. We walked back to the house and when we reached the back deck, Isobel and Katarina were waiting for us.

“How did that go, Ania?”

“I’m so glad the transition was not painful. That first one was horrible.”

“She’s too fast for me.” Calista huffed.

“She is rather amazing, isn’t she?”

Calista chuckled. “I’ve never seen this pack so eager to bed someone before, and that is saying something for a bunch of wolves.”

Katarina took my arm in hers. “Let me show you to your room and our library. Breakfast and dinner are always something we share together. Lunch is a free for all. You get what you need and clean up after yourself. Tonight, we are having a welcome barbeque for you. Once you get settled into your room, Isobel has volunteered to train you this afternoon.”

Isobel came up next to me and patted my butt. “Looking forward to some one on one with you.”

Isobel headed towards the kitchen as Katarina showed me to my room. We went upstairs and Katarina pointed out her rooms at the north end of the house. Isobel’s was the room I had used in the morning.

Katarina opened a door next to Isobel’s. “This will be your room, Ania. Isobel will be next to you in case you need anything. You have your own bathroom. While it is small, it has nice views and a balcony. I didn’t want you sharing a bathroom as I am sure you would like added privacy for a while.”

“I will take a smaller room with its own bathroom any day. Where do the others stay?”

“A few choose to live in town. Kyle has his own cabin as do Calista and Travis. The rest have rooms here in the main house, or in cabins around the property. On the second floor above the workshop, we have a bar and entertainment space. In the basement in the main house, we have a spa, pool, gym, and even a theater room.”

“I wasn’t expecting all of that.”

“We like to stay close and mingling with city folks just increases chances our gifts will be discovered. I have someone watching your home and we should know if it is safe for us to go there tomorrow. I wanted to take you shopping as well.”

“I can get my money.”

“Don’t worry about money. I have more than enough for several centuries. Once we get your identification, we can transfer what you need.”

Kyle came towards us with a camera in hand. “Up against the wall, Ania.”

I could feel his anger and the command in his voice. I don’t know what was with him, but I didn’t appreciate his tone or command. Katarina sighed.

“Did he miss his doggy etiquette training?”

Katarina burst into a bout of laughter.

Kyle pointed at me, then the wall. “I need to take your damn picture. Now. Get. To. The. Bloody. Wall!”

I didn’t want to antagonize him, but I hated his attitude. I stared directly at him. “Okay. But next time, try saying please.”

He moved to slap me, but Katarina grabbed his wrist and held him back.

“Ania is still finding her place and she is correct. We don’t treat each other like this. Not in this pack.”

“I can help her find her place.”

“Ania will naturally find her place. It has been so long perhaps you forget how things work.”

“She is not listening to my commands.”

“Ania, I know Kyle can be an unhappy puppy sometimes, but he means well. Listen to your wolf. If you are asked something that is reasonable, please try to respond accordingly. I strive for harmony in my pack.”

I knew Katarina was placating Kyle. I wanted to please her. “I should have just done as you asked, Kyle. I appreciate everything the pack has done and is doing for me. I can’t imagine going through this alone.” I stepped up to the wall and turned around. Kyle snapped several pictures and left without saying a word.

“Thank you for doing that for me. Kyle has never been threatened before.”

“I’m not a threat.”

“It is natural for wolves to seek dominance. Kyle is loyal and if you can win him over, will be your greatest ally. Let me show you the library.”

***

I ate a light lunch, not believing I could eat anything after such a huge breakfast. I was surprisingly hungry. Isobel found me after I cleaned up my dishes and she took me out to the clearing. Calista, Travis, Lana, and Brent were there. They all gathered around.

Isobel faced Calista. “For Ania’s sake, what’s the first rule of training?”

“Our goal is to always better ourselves for the safety and protection of the pack, therefore, we push ourselves to our limits.”

“Very good, Calista. Second rule, Travis?”

“We use training to ease relations in the pack. In other words, come in with a grudge, but don’t leave with one.”

“Lana. What is the third rule of training?”

She winked at me. “You get to kiss your opponent.”

“Lana…”

Lana rolled her eyes. “Injuries are expected. We choose to not inflict critical wounds.”

“Brent. Fourth rule, please.”

“Never strike your training partner when they are down or yield.”

“Fifth rule, Ania?”

“Noobies sit out training for the first century?”

“Good one. Never bring a knife to a gun fight. Always be prepared. Lana. You spar with Ania. I will watch and give pointers.”

Lana stepped into the clearing. “Rule number three, Ania. Kiss your partner.” She puckered her lips.

“Lana…” Isobel’s voice was low and steady.

“I was just having fun. Maybe Ania wants to kiss me. Ask not, receive not, right?”

“Hand to hand. Begin.”

Lana was a little smaller than I was, but she caught me off guard by rushing me and tackling me. My training kicked in and as we tumbled, I managed to get some leverage and pushed her off me. I didn’t even push hard, but she landed ten feet away. She rolled to her feet.

“Nice move, Ania.”

Lana jumped the distance between us and swung her fist. It was a very good swing. Her body position was perfect, but I was faster than her. I grabbed her wrist, dropped low, and threw her over my shoulder. However, she latched onto me, wrapping her legs around my torso and performed a beautiful takedown maneuver. I was slammed into the forest floor.

Lana danced away. “You never saw that coming. Lana Mills, agent of death.”

I got to my feet. Lana rushed me and I rolled to the side while sweeping her leg. Lana crashed hard and came up laughing. She sauntered slowly over to me.

“Ania… You have something in your hair. Let me take it out for you.”

She pressed up close and wrapped her arm around my neck before bringing her knee to my face. I just managed to block her knee with my hands. I grabbed her waist and jumped forward, tipping us both. We crashed into the pine needles and by the time we stopped, I had Lana pinned with my legs and arms. She struggled but couldn’t move.

“Agh! I yield!”

I let Lana go and she offered her hand to pull me up.

“Well done, rookie.”

Isobel dusted me off. “Some pointers, Ania. You were holding back. Your stance and movements are telegraphed. On a good note, you have some skills.”

“I was taught never to hit a woman.”

“Then spar with me.” Kyle’s voice was laced with venom.

“Kyle, this is not the place.”

“Rule number two, Isobel. I don’t want my grudge festering.”

“I don’t think… She’s brand new here Kyle.”

“That’s no excuse for not learning new skills or her place.”

Katarina stepped into the clearing. She cleared her voice. “Is there a problem?”

I had grown up with bullies. My dad always taught me to fight if I got cornered. Since bullies didn’t like getting hurt, if you could at least hurt them, they would often leave you alone. Kyle was this big nasty bully.

“No problem. Kyle was going to show me some moves.”

“Ania…” Isobel whispered.

Katarina smiled. “Let’s see what happens.”

Isobel glared at Katarina but stepped back.

Kyle pulled his shirt off. “You are a brave little girl.”

“To be honest, the only part of that statement that feels right to me is that I am a little girl. I’m not brave.”

“Begin.” Katarina’s voice rang out.

Kyle growled and lunged at me. I stepped to the side and remembered all my training. I used my hips and drove my fist into his ribs before spinning away. I heard a crack and Kyle winced. He whipped his head around at me and snarled.

He gave a burst of speed and as I tried to dodge right, he dove left and grabbed my thigh yanking me back into his arms with a thud. He thrashed me in his arms, my legs whipping back and forth. I used my momentum to swing my knee up into the same ribs I had hit before with another crack.

Kyle grunted and tossed me twenty feet away, but he was right there when I landed. I managed to get onto my back with my legs up before he crashed into me. He weighed a ton, but I shoved him off with my legs. He flew back but landed in a crouch and before I could get to my feet, he smashed back into me.

He raised a massive fist and slammed it into my face. He hit me again and again. I was amazed I was still conscious.

“Enough!” Isobel and Katarina shouted at the same time, but Kyle did not heed them. His fist came down again and something inside me snapped. My shadows erupted from my hands and blocked his next punch like he had hit a brick wall. I snarled and used moves, strength, and speed I never knew I had. I easily pushed him off me and got back onto my feet.

I became the aggressor as he tried to pummel me. I dodged and struck repeatedly pushing him back. With a move I had never seen before, I drew him in then thrust both hands into his chest. He was launched away from me close to forty feet to the far side of the clearing.

I stalked over towards Kyle. However, with every step I took, my anger dissipated. I reached my hand down to Kyle.

“Damn, Kyle. You hit hard.”

He grabbed my hand, and I pulled him up.

“You’re already healing. My ribs are still broken. You say I hit hard? No one has ever broken my ribs before and I don’t know what the hell that was at the end, but it was bloody brilliant. Drinks are on me tonight. You earned my respect, Ania.”

I was not expecting him to act like that. I glanced over at Katarina and all she could do was smile.

Isobel pulled me away and back towards the house. “Holy hell, Ania. At the bginning, your skills were imprecise, but damn. That was amazing. It was like you became a trained assassin in the end.”

“I’m not sure how I did that. Those were not moves I had ever learned before.”

“I saw your shadows block his punch. I wonder if you could fight with those shadows… We need to figure out how you can use them.”

She led me to her room, and I looked at myself in the mirror. My face was slightly bruised but healing as I stared at my face. The dark bruising vanished. I poked at my skin, and it felt fine.

“Your clothes got dirty. I can find something for you to wear for the barbeque.”

I had sticks and pine needles in my hair. “Sure. Thank you.”

“You can shower here if you like.”

I reached for her hand and squeezed. “You are a sweetheart. I should use my own shower.”

“I’ll put something on your bed for you.”

***

I took my time in the shower, carefully examining myself and my shadows. With a thought, they formed a shield over my head blocking the water as if they were an umbrella in the rain. Whatever they were, they were incredibly impressive.

I dried myself off and stared at myself in the mirror as I brushed out my long hair. Was it strange that I did not miss my old body? I was smaller and lighter, infinitely more graceful, lithe, and very easy on the eyes. I had been in my forties and even though I exercised and trained nearly every day, I had been thirtyish pounds overweight.

Except for full, bouncing breasts, wider hips, long hair, and nothing between my legs making me clearly appear as a young woman, in some ways my new body made me feel a bit like a child again. Everything felt a little larger and I had this youthful energy that I had forgotten about.

I smiled at my reflection and that made my beautiful face even more stunning. My smile faltered when I spotted a dress on the bed. I rummaged through the room looking for my older clothes to find them missing. There was a new bra and panties that were white and made from silky lace.

Two could play this game. I wrapped a blanket around me and slipped into the hallway. I found Isobel’s door locked as were all the other rooms. I could smell delicious meat being grilled and my stomach growled. The barbeque sounded like it was in full swing, and people were coming my way.

I ran back to my room, closing the door just before people came up the stairs. I sat on my bed as my stomach growled again with more scents from the barbeque drifting into my room. Sighing, I tossed the blanket onto the bed and slid into the sexiest pair of panties I had ever seen.

What made it worse was they smelled like Isobel, and I had moments when I pictured her wearing them that made me flush with warmth from the core of my body. I figured out a way to get the bra on before staring long and hard at the dress. I had another whiff of barbeque, and I lost my battle. I slipped into the dress and looked at myself in the mirror.

The light pink dress hugged my body, but flared gently when it passed my hips. The hem rested a few inches above my knees. The front plunged enough to show my cleavage and a tantalizing hint of white lace from my bra. It was so bloody comfortable and beautiful on me that I smiled again.

I imagined what it might be like to make love to someone in this new body. That thought caused me to pause. All the members of the pack were beautiful, handsome, and fit. I pictured each member in my mind and while I felt drawn to them, the tug on my body when I imagined Isobel or Katarina was much stronger than any of the others.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. It was good to feel somewhat settled that I still found women attractive. There was a part of me that was intrigued by the idea of being with a man, but it barely registered as a blip in my mind compared to thoughts I had about women; two in particular.

More scents wafted into my room from the barbeque. This time, I tried to untangle what I was smelling. I smelled chicken and beef, potato salad with hints of dill, and hot apple pie. I groaned. It was one thing to enjoy the feeling of the dress and how it made me feel, but another entirely to show up wearing it. My stomach growled again.

When I got downstairs, the place was empty. Everyone was outside on the massive deck. Lights were strung up overhead. Music blared. It was enticing and frightening at the same time.

I was silent in my bare feet as I approached the door to the deck. I hid myself behind the doorframe and leaned up against it. My hand rested against the wooden frame, and I noticed my nails were slightly longer on my feminine hand. It was such an odd feeling to look on my hand knowing it was mine and yet still not quite believing it. I leaned my head against my hand and closed my eyes to try and build my courage.

The smells and excited laughter of the pack called to me. I pulled myself through the doorway and stepped out onto the deck. Katarina was staring at me as if she had known I was hiding there. She looked at me up and down, not once, but three times with a gaze that made me want nothing else but to kiss her.

The pack had stilled. Isobel’s smile was only slightly larger than her eyes. The grill flared and Lana squealed with delight as she rushed over to me. The combination of events seemed to break the spell everyone had been under. I stood, not able to meet anyone’s eyes and my hands twisted together nervously.

Lana grabbed my arm. “Come dance with me!”

She would not take no for an answer and dragged me past Isobel, who was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

I whispered as I passed Isobel. “We need to talk about your clothing selection.”

Isobel tried to look innocent. “Any time, love.”

The way she said it made my knees quiver.

I was, by no means, a dancer. However, as the drinks were handed out and I became less aware of the penetrating stares, I let myself become lost in the freedom of the moment. Lana swung me around with abandon. I danced with Brent and even Kyle came by. None of the dancing was too slow music.

I had been dancing with Calista and Travis when the call for dinner was shouted above the music. I smiled, curtseyed to them, then launched myself at the food table. I piled my plate high, grabbed a margarita, and found a place to sit. Isobel and Katarina sat down on either side of me.

I found myself smiling at the stirring of my body sitting between the two women I had briefly fantasized about earlier. That and the food was delicious.

Katarina leaned in close. “You look incredible, Ania, and you smell heavenly.” Her warm hand rested on my right thigh.

I moaned at her touch just as Isobel slid her fingers under the hem of my dress to caress my left thigh. 

Isobel nipped at my ear and whispered. “I love that you smell of me in that dress.”

I was deliriously lost in their nearness and touches. I was feeling the alcohol. “A woman could easily fall for you both.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I panicked. Katarina and Isobel leaned forward to look at each other.

“What did you say, Ania?” Katarina’s voice purred seductively as Isobel’s hand inched further up my thigh.

I scrambled to get to my feet. “Nothing… I didn’t say anything.”

“Oh, love, you did say something.” Isobel licked her lips.

“I said I loved the peach cobbler and I need to get some more.” I grabbed my glass and drank the margarita in one gulp. I took my glass and refilled it twice before I came back to my seat.

“Are you enjoying yourself, Ania?”

I turned towards Katarina. “The food is amazing, and I had fun dancing with everyone.”

“But you didn’t dance with either of us yet.”

Isobel slipped her hand onto my thigh again. “I think you owe us a dance.”

I looked from Isobel to Katarina. “A threesome then?” I realized my mouth was working independently of my brain, so I closed it before anything else randomly spilled out.

Isobel grabbed my hand and pulled. “That can be arranged, darling.”

Moments later we were all dancing together. Isobel and Katarina seemed to take great joy in making me blush by bumping into me, placing their hands on me and each other. When a slow song came on, Katarina pulled rank and Isobel went to get us all more drinks.

Katarina took the lead and pulled me into her arms. “You have no idea how much joy a new pack member brings us after so long, Ania.”

“It’s all been a bit overwhelming for me. In a good way. I wish it could never end.”

“How so?”

“I love the camaraderie of the pack. It feels like a family I never had. Even Kyle has been kind to me since we sparred.”

“Kyle respects power and you handled yourself well. You need to train every day. What else has been special for you?”

“I have rarely let loose and relaxed. Being in wolf form is rejuvenating. You can’t think about the burdens of the world as a wolf.”

“What about the pack members?”

I snuggled closer and inhaled Katarina’s scent. “Mmmm. Lana is so bubbly and friendly. Brent is a bit serious but seems like a real gentleman. I can only look wistfully at Calista and Travis. Their bond is so wondrous. I can’t even fathom what that must feel like. Then there is you and Isobel…”

“What about us?”

“There is something… more. When we are in a group, I can always pick out your scents. I feel bound to you as my alpha, but there is something even stronger lurking that I cannot put my finger on. Perhaps it is my new female hormones, the fact that I am smaller than I was before, but when I close my eyes, I dream of something quite impossible.”

“That’s intriguing and insightful, Ania. I find you intoxicating. There is something remarkable about you and I hope we have a chance to explore life together.”

Katarina kissed my neck, then cheek. I moaned wanting more, but when she pulled away, I let out a whine. I looked into her eyes and felt myself stepping forward to reduce the distance between us. She held me at arm’s length and whispered so softly, I am sure I was the only one that could hear her.

“There is nothing more I would like to do right now than to keep dancing with you. I only stop because I have squandered too much of your time tonight.”

She spun me around and right into Isobel’s arms.

“Hello, love.”

I stared into Isobel’s eyes. “So, is this the tradition? Get the new wolf all hot and bothered, only to send her to bed frustrated?”

“Are you hot and bothered?”

“Oh. My. Gods. Isobel, you and Katarina are driving me insane. Did you put rufies in my drinks?”

“Not at all. That would simply not do. When I make love to you, I want you fully aware of every touch.”

“What do you mean, when?”

“It’s inevitable. You can’t deny all my womanly charms.”

“Womanly charms? You carry more weapons on you than a small army. You stole my clothes leaving me nothing to wear except for this dress. So, if weapons and conniving are your womanly charms, then you have those in spades.”

She smiled and brushed her lips against my neck. “I don’t need those things. I just need to touch you.”

“What is happening to me?”

“I’ll need more context to answer that, sweetheart.”

“Gods… I must be drunk. I enjoy wearing this dress. I danced briefly with Kyle of all people. I’m so bloody…”

I pushed back from Isobel, and it took everything in me to step away. Tears came to my eyes as I thanked everyone and ran to my room. I threw myself onto the bed, curled into a pair of pillows, and cried out my confusion.

***

I expected to wake with a killer hangover, but I had none. At some point I slipped out of the dress before falling asleep. I got up, showered, and didn’t hesitate when I put on the dress and made my way downstairs.

I only saw two signs of life other than myself. Katarina and Isobel were sitting at the far edge of the deck together. I made coffee and brought out three mugs.

“I hope I’m not interrupting you.”

They both smiled and patted a spot in between them.

“Join us, darling.”

As I handed them each a mug and sat down, I took a deep breath. “I need to apologize for my behavior last night.”

Katarina reached over and pulled some stray hairs behind my ear. “You did nothing wrong.”

Isobel handed me a book. “This is a nonfictional book about werewolves. I’m sure you have questions.”

“Do I ever. Why don’t I have a hangover? What happens to my clothes when I shift into my wolf form? How many pack etiquette rules did I violate yesterday? When do I take my turn in the kitchen? How do you know…?” I swallowed.

Isobel leaned into me playfully. “She is so cute. I must fight not to mark her as mine.”

“You and me both, Isobel.” Katarina kissed my cheek. “We were just discussing you when you came out.”

“I seem to be the topic of the week then amongst the pack.”

“Beyond just our pack, I’m afraid. Word of your turning has reached the eastern pack. They will come visit the day after your second moon celebration.”

I shook my head. “Why is it every time I hear something new, I wind up with more questions? How would the eastern pack know about me? How many packs are there? What is a second moon celebration?”

“Members of our packs communicate regularly. I never told our pack to keep you a secret. I might regret that decision. There are four packs left in the United States. The eastern pack is one of the oldest and led by the strongest alpha in the world. It is said he is a direct descendant of the first werewolf and possibly close to twelve-hundred years old.”

Isobel placed her hand on my thigh. It felt so natural to have either one of them touching me. “The second moon celebration is when we have a new pack member that was turned. The other night was the first moon for you. The second moon is in four weeks. It is when we officially welcome you into the pack. It gives everyone a month to adapt to you and judge your character. Think of your first month as probation.”

“If I mess up more like I did last night, then you send me packing?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong, love.”

I sighed. “I love the dress, by the way. Thank you for forcing me to wear it.”

“Is there a story I need to hear?” Katarina probed.

Isobel smiled and looked away. “What a lovely day. When are we taking Ania shopping?”

Katarina raised her eyebrow. “We?”

“Ania needs protection and someone with good fashion sense. Who better than a woman carrying more weapons than a small army?”

“You didn’t just say that!” I poked Isobel in the ribs.

“If you can review our security before breakfast is finished, you can come along, Isobel. We need to verify all our sensors are working and I want extra security patrols.”

Finally, there was something I felt I could contribute to. “I can help.”

“Not until after your second moon, Ania. Relax and enjoy. You will have a rank and position with responsibilities soon enough.”

“I want to help out. I can’t keep living here, eating your food, and not paying my way.”

Kyle’s low laugh sounded behind me. “If we got rid of all the freeloaders, there would barely be anyone left in the pack, Ania. It is admirable you want to help, but they are right. You need to get used to us and us to you.”

“Fine, but I will do what I can around here to make sure I am not some bump on a log.”

“You can always keep my bed warm at night, Ania. That’s doing something important.”

“There’s the old Kyle back.” I smiled.

Kyle bowed. “I am who I am.”

“Is there anyone that does not seem interested in me being in their bed?”

Kyle scratched his chin. “Only two that I can think of and another two that would have an aneurism if you did wind up in someone else’s bed.”

I stood and walked over to him and patted him on his massive chest. “I’m just going to smile and be happy that I am oblivious to all the inner politics and sexual ruminations of pack Westfall. You all could have your own television show. The wolves of Westfall. I’m going to start making some breakfast. Let’s see… where is the twenty pounds of bacon and the bags of kibble?”

***

Breakfast was fun, especially when Calista and Travis joined me in the kitchen. Travis hugged me and Calista kissed me on the cheek, thanking me for starting breakfast. Making breakfast together was a playful event and I loved having the sibling-like banter between the three of us. I never had that growing up and it made my heart swell.

Any nervousness the pack had about me seemed to have vanished sometime the day before. I felt welcomed and I enjoyed seeing the individual characteristics of the members come out.

Isobel made her rounds as did Katarina. My new wolf senses gave me perception I never had before. I could hear them or smell them whenever they were near. Their absence, even though they were still on the property, made me anxious.

It was a relief being with them as they led me to the garage. I shook my head in disbelief at the vehicles hidden safely inside. I ran my hand along the fender of a classic 1960s mustang while drooling over a Bugati. The car of choice for the day, much to my dismay, was a ten-year-old silver Toyota Camry.

“Why are we using the ugliest and cheapest car in the garage?”

Isobel giggled as she gallantly opened the door for me. “After you, my lady. This car may be old, ugly, and cheap, but it has stealth technology.”

“Really?”

Katarina laughed. “It will blend in with every other car on the road. Not like the others we have. She is beautiful and naïve. Such a nice combination.”

“I am not naïve! It’s not my fault that lately every three minutes my worldview changes. That’s to be expected. It’s not naïve!”

Isobel leaned forward from the back seat and gently bit my earlobe. “She is adorable. Can we keep her?” She pulled on some of my hair and began counting.

“What are you doing, Isobel?”

“Just checking how much blonde hair you have, sweetheart.”

“Ohhhh! You are in so much trouble.”

Isobel grinned. “Do you not love me anymore, Ania?”

“I’m going to make you pay when we train next.”

“Mmmmm. I love makeup sex.”

Katarina chuckled. “That’s all right, Ania. I would never say such things about you. You can sleep with me tonight.”

“I swear you two are like a married couple with a new puppy.”

“That’s rather apropos.”

“At least I’m potty trained.”

“Do we get to leash her, Kat?”

“Mmmm. I think I have a lovely collar.”

“You two are incorrigible.”

“Such a big word for a blonde.” Isobel remarked.

I growled, but secretly I loved every second of it.

It wasn’t long until we arrived and parked at the end of my street. A man approached and got in the back seat.

“Is this the new pup?”

“Calvin, meet Ania.”

Calvin beamed a smile at me. “So glad you turned this one, Kat. She will greatly improve our annual werewolf pinup calendar next year.”

I rolled my eyes.

Katarina leaned back. “What’s the status?”

“There was some activity the past two days. The police were there, but Renwold and the scientist also gained access. They had a cop with them. It has been quiet since.”

Katarina looked sadly at me. “Is there anything you must have from there today?”

“Nothing urgent.”

Katarina frowned. “My intuition is flaring. It is vitally important we keep your new identity away from Renwold. I bet they bugged the place. Almost tempted to go in to see if they left you another bottle of his wine though.”

“That seems like a lifetime ago.”

“I’ll be off then unless you need me here, Kat?”

“No. Thanks, Calvin. I really appreciate you watching the place.”

“I do to. Thank you, Calvin.”

“Anytime, babe. I’ll call you when we do the photo shoots for the next calendar. No doubt you will be on the cover.”

“I will try to hold back my excitement.”

“She’s a keeper, Kat. See you ladies.”

Calvin left the car and we proceeded to the mall. I spotted my bank and was heading towards the ATM when Isobel stopped me.

“We can’t let you do that, love. The ATM has cameras, and your account might be tracked now.”

“Why would my account be tracked?”

Katarina looked sheepish. “They linked you to the slain guards. You are now wanted for multiple murders.”

We were in the middle of the parking lot when my shadows and mini lightning started slithering along my fingers. “What?”

“It’s a recent development.”

As my anger grew, my shadows did as well.

Isobel placed her hands on my face and kissed me. Everything faded. It was the most glorious kiss I ever had. She held the kiss before slowly pulling back.

“Holy hell. That was… Why did you do that?”

“When you get angry, your shadows come out. It was a distraction.”

I looked down at my fingers in time to see the shadows disappear. “A distraction?”

Isobel nodded. “I took one for the team.”

“It was…” Gods. It had set me on fire. “I can barely breathe.”

“I have been told I have that effect on people.”

Katarina grabbed me and kissed me so passionately, my legs started to buckle. When she pulled back, she was grinning. “I thought I saw a shadow come back. Best to be safe.”

“Wow. I might be feeling a little more shadow right here…” I pointed to my lips.

“Nope. Don’t see any.” Katarina said joyfully.

“Me neither. Must have been a bird flying overhead.”

“How come you both smell like honey and lavender right now?”

Katarina grabbed my arm. “That’s a clear indication we are late for shopping.” She led me towards the mall.

Isobel slipped her arm around my waist. “In case your knees are a little weak.”

“Are all of you so sexual?”

“In general. Yes.”

“I never saw you kissing anyone else in the pack.”

“Let’s focus on something other than your lips, shall we?

“Fine. You tell me I’m wanted for murder, kiss me until I’m ready to faint, then casually walk into a mall.”

“Is that a bed store?”

“Isobel…” Katarina was smiling as she said it.

The mall was crowded and so many people simply stopped in their tracks to stare at us, but mostly stare at me.

Katarina led us to a lingerie store.

“I never dreamed I would grace the aisles of this store.”

“We need to start with the basics.”

“Lingerie is considered basics?”

“Isobel. You are on panty and bra detail. I am on other specialty items. Ania. You get to stand here and look pretty until it is time to try them on.”

They vanished into the store, and I slowly walked through the rows of sexy intimates. Multiple staff came by to assist me. I must have had three around me by the time Isobel and Katarina came back with an armload of items each.

“In you go, sweetheart.”

How many times I gasped when looking in the mirror was almost as many times I heard Isobel complain she wasn’t allowed to check the fit. When I came out of the changing room, I had a large bundle in my left arm and a couple of items in my right.

Katarina grinned. “Did they all fit?”

“Yes. But I don’t need them all. Just a couple of items.”

Isobel grabbed a salesgirl and handed her everything in my hands. “We’ll take them all.”

“Wait. That’s too much!”

Katarina scooted the salesgirl to the cash register. “All of it, please.”

“Are you all models?”

“You see her?” Katarina pointed to me.

The salesgirl nodded. “Who isn’t looking at her?”

“She is the latest supermodel from Milan.”

“Really?”

“Have you ever seen anyone so beautiful?”

“I thought you two were the prettiest women I have ever seen. Then she came out of the changing room. Will you be shopping here often?”

“Lingerie is a basic necessity for a beautiful woman, right?”

“Without a doubt.”

“Then I am certain you will see us again.”

We left with numerous bags in our arms. I was ready to head back to the car, but we had apparently just gotten started. By the time we made it back to the car, there was barely any room to sit and that was with the trunk full.

“It’s too much!”

“Nonsense, Ania. You had no clothing. You need all of it.”

“I am pretty sure I don’t need five negligees, Isobel.”

“Did we say they were only for your benefit?”

Katarina drove us back to the house. “I was surprised you opted for more dresses than pants, Ania.”

I blushed. “They make me feel…”

“Beautiful. Confident. Secure. Feminine.”

I nodded.

Isobel rubbed my neck from the back seat. “Don’t be embarrassed by that, Ania. Being feminine is a very natural trait when…”

“When what?”

“You need to read the book, sweetheart.”

“Thank you. Thank you both, so much. My only regret with the new clothes is they don’t have either of your scents on them. Gods. My mouth sometimes gets ahead of my brain.”

Katarina just kept grinning. “We have ways of getting our scent on them, but it is important for you to show your uniqueness. We don’t want to give off mixed messages to the pack.”

“What do you mean by mixed messages?”

“Our scent defines who we are, what role we have in the pack, and to others outside of our pack, what pack you belong to.”

Isobel added quickly, “It also tells people that you…”

“Shush, Isobel.”

“…are fertile or not.” Isobel completed.

I turned to stare at Isobel. “Is this another test to demonstrate how naïve I am?”

“Not at all. That scent drives the males wild, by the way.”

Katarina turned onto the driveway. “Of course, it won’t work for you, Ania.”

“Why is that?”

“You already drive the men wild.”

***

All the air left my lungs for the tenth time that morning. I groaned as Isobel leaned over me and pulled me up. A week had passed since our shopping trip. The days had slowly fallen into a rhythm. Training for three to four hours a day with Isobel and the other pack members. Lunch. After lunch, I would shift into my wolf form and run in the afternoons, then finding an out of the way place I could practice with my shadows. After dinner, I would curl up on the couch reading about werewolf history and lore.

Isobel dusted me off. “You’re getting better every day, Ania. I have never seen anyone train as hard as you.”

“I’m getting better at learning how to take a hit and fall.”

“Rubbish, darling.” Her fingers lingered on my cheek, and I swore she was about to kiss me. Sadly, she didn’t.

Isobel continued as she entwined her fingers with mine. “The only ones that have an edge over you are Kyle and me. I suspect Kat would give you a run for your money as well. You’ve not demonstrated your full strength, speed, or your other fighting skills I saw when you sparred with Kyle. You’re holding yourself back and you are withholding your shadows as well.”

“I don’t want pack members to be afraid of me. I have been training with my shadows every afternoon and night when I go to bed.”

“Show us.”

Kat appeared behind us. I was not startled in the least. I knew she was close by her scent. She wrapped me in her arms and kissed my cheek. Gods, how I loved their touches. Every night I would go to bed sexually frustrated. One of them was almost always near me and the touches and flirtation from them had not lessened in the least.

“Not here. Let’s go to the bluff.”

In a flash we all transformed into our wolf forms. Isobel licked my face before we ran off. We transformed back once we reached the bluffs.

“The day I escaped the warehouse and Dr. Frankenstein, my shadows were able to protect me when I was threatened. They shielded me from the silver bullets of the guards. I know this for certain because I stared right at a guard and watched the bullet fall harmlessly at my feet after it hit the shadow shield.”

Katarina had us sit down. As always, I was in the middle.

“I remember when Kyle was hitting you. Your shadows blocked his punch.”

“The bracelet seems to be able to control them when I am threatened, but I can control them as well. Watch.”

I held out my hands and upon my command, my shadows twirled around my fingers. I focused on a rock not too far from us. The tendrils of shadows stretched ahead of me, wrapped around the rock, and lifted it off the ground.”

Isobel got very excited and stood. “Try them on me. I want you to use them to pull my feet out from me.”

I shook my head. “I’m still getting used to them. I have no idea how strong they might be. I don’t want to hurt you. I can’t hurt either of you.”

Isobel pulled me to my feet and kissed me. It was the first time since the mall parking lot. When she pulled away, I was in tears.

“What’s wrong, Ania?”

“You have no idea how much I yearn for your touches. Both of you. I’m so torn and conflicted. I feel there is something deep within me that binds me to you both. It’s foolishness, I know. I can’t hurt either of you. I’m having dreams as well.”

“Dreams?” Katarina was on her feet. Her hands were in mine. “Tell us about them.”

“They are awful, horrible nightmares. In one dream, Isobel is being raped. In another, your neck is being cut.”

“What happens after these events?”

I turned and took a few steps away from them. “In the dreams, I become a monster. The shadows overtake me completely in my desire to protect you. I leave nothing alive in my wake. Then I wake up with my shadows swirling around me.”

“Gods, Ania. You should have told us.”

Tears continued to stream down my face. “Told you I’m a monster? Told you that I am afraid I am going to kill you both?”

Katarina kissed the tears on my cheeks one by one before her lips brushed mine. “You won’t kill us, Ania. You won’t turn into a monster. We’re going to help you. You need to train more with your shadows. Don’t let them control you.”

“I have no one to teach me this side of me.”

“Then trust us. Let us help you.”

I nodded slowly. “Is there something you are not telling me?”

Katarina and Isobel looked away sadly. “There are reasons we can’t share everything with you right now, Ania. Your second moon celebration is less than three weeks away. For werewolves, it is a right of passage. You officially become a member of the pack. Your role and rank are established. Your wolf settles.”

I sighed in frustration. “I don’t care about my rank. I care about you both. I care about the pack and how I can protect what it is we have here. You told me I need to find purpose. I found it here. My life before… For the first time in my life, I have a family. I love the new me. I love wearing dresses.” My voice dropped to a mere whisper. “I love you both. I want to find my place here. I want to help in any way I can. I want to remove the curse and am willing to march straight into Renwold’s office and tear the place apart until I find the relic.”

Isobel pulled me into a hug. “We love you too. You may not see it, but the others have already been adjusting. Right now, you are fourth in the pack. Have you noticed Lana and the others are more deferential to you now. They respect your speed and power, but it is more than that. They see you looking out for the pack. They see you chipping in to make breakfast, to clean, to organize. They have seen you make rounds of the property.”

“And yet, you can put me on my butt in seconds.”

“Sweetheart, you are far stronger and faster than me. The only reason I can keep beating you is twofold. You are holding back because you are afraid of hurting me, and I have nearly four hundred years of training more than you. You could easily be an alpha, Ania.”

“I don’t want to be an alpha or beta. I want to be a part of this pack. I want to be a part of you both.”

“You are love. More than you know. Let’s help you with your shadows. You don’t have to learn them alone. Between the three of us, we can figure out ways to test your limits.”

“I have another aspect to my shadows. It’s lightning. It can affect electronics, like cameras, and I somehow used it to disable the warehouse’s electric fence with a bolt of lightning.”

“We’re going to figure this out.”

***

“Ugh!” Isobel growled in frustration as I pulled her up. “That’s three for three, darling. Damn you are fast and strong, and you learn too quickly.”

I curtseyed to Isobel. “I have the prettiest trainer in the entire world.”

Isobel snuggled up next to me and nipped my earlobe. “For the past week you have been beating me consistently, but I still have the upper hand with you. I can still make you yield.” She kissed my neck several times and I almost cried when she pulled away.

Katarina approached and slipped her arm around my waist. “Tonight, is your second moon celebration, Ania. Everyone is looking forward to it. The full moon rises around eleven tonight, so we will have a barbeque and dancing before we hunt.”

“I love barbeque nights. I can’t believe it has been a month.”

The weeks had flown by. The only thing that seemed to be frustratingly slow was whatever was going on between Isobel, Katarina, and me. If possible, we were closer than ever. I absolutely adored them.

They had been extremely helpful with my shadow and lightning training, offering ideas on how I could safely test and train. The strength of my shadows and my control of them had grown daily.

“Shall we go to our usual spot by the bluffs?”

I shook my head. “Meet me on the back deck in twenty minutes.”

They looked at me like I was crazy. I smiled then ran off to change. I appeared on the back deck twenty minutes later to many wolf whistles coming from the other pack members. I had changed into my prettiest dress and brushed out my hair.

“Gods, Ania. You look amazing.”

I looped my arms into theirs and walked them from the house to a small clearing deep in the woods that I had found. Over the past weeks, I had scavenged flowers from the landscaping, thinning them and bringing them here.

The sun was shining down on the spot, pretty flowers ringed the clearing. I had a blanket laid out, a basket of food, and a bottle of wine.

“I wanted to thank you both and to let you know how incredibly special you are to me.”

Isobel dabbed her eyes. “I’m over four hundred years old and no one has ever done something like this for me before.”

Katarina kissed me. “The same for me, just I am far younger than Isobel.”

I led them both to the blanket and sat them down. Isobel pulled me into her arms and kissed me. “You are one special lady, Ania.”

“I’m so happy when I am with you both. I learned a few new tricks last night.”

I wrapped my shadows around the bottle of wine and concentrated on the finest of movements. Two more shadow threads appeared and held up glasses. The wine bottle tipped and poured wine into each glass, only spilling a couple of drops. The glasses drifted over to Katarina and Isobel.

“That’s unbelievable, Ania.”

I grinned and reached into the basket, pulling out a candle. My lightning sparked against the tip until it burst into flames. I sat it down and grabbed a cutting board and a block of cheese. Shadows formed a knife in my hand, and I sliced through the cheese. I was so proud of myself until the shadow blade sliced through the cutting board as well.

“Ooops.”

They both sat back with wide eyes and open mouths.

I raised my glass of wine. “To the two most amazing women I have ever met. You have helped me so much. You have tugged and worked your way into my heart to the point I doubt I could live without you. Thank you for everything.”

They toasted to that, but not before Katarina added to it.

“You call us amazing. I have never seen anyone so beautiful and talented with their gifts. To the woman that has stolen the hearts of the pack and us.”

We ate, cuddled, and relaxed, taking a break from my shadow training. It was a beautiful afternoon and we arrived back at the house just as the barbeque was getting underway. Everyone cheered and toasted to me, then they came and gave me hugs and kisses on my cheek. Everyone, including Kyle seemed grateful for me being there.

I had more margaritas than I should, too much peach cobbler, and enough meat to satisfy a football team. We danced and sang, then when the full moon rose, we transformed and hunted together as a big happy family.

***

I woke up with Katarina and Isobel on either side of me. Everyone was a bit slow that morning, but we all had smiles on our faces. Katarina called a pack meeting to officially announce my good standing in the pack and, not to anyone’s surprise but me, my fourth ranking and she added that was merely because I refused to challenge anyone.

Something had settled in my heart about the pack overnight. It felt good and right.

I was sitting on the couch with my dress draped over my legs that were curled underneath me. Over the past month I had devoured books on werewolf history and culture. I was halfway through another book when I sat up and took notice of the words on the page.

I was reading about fated mates, or mated pairs. It described in detail what that meant. What stood out to me was that one that the symptoms of having a mated pair were things such as anxiousness when away from each other. A constant need to touch. Overwhelming attraction. The scent of your mated partner was always stronger than any other scent. The scent would make you excited and bring a deep sense of belonging.

It then explained the binding thread of life. Something every mated pair had described. The feeling of connectedness beyond any other.

“Holy crap.” I whispered to myself.

It was incredibly rare that a mated pair would ever have any sexual desire with anyone else except in another very rare situation. That of a mated trio.

Now I couldn’t put the book down as it described the scenario. Two people would be bound together by the third. The first person would be the mated pair of the third’s wolf form. The second person would be the mated pair of the third’s human form. The third would create the bridge to bind the other two. In all such cases, the third werewolf would be the more submissive and feminine. It was a natural outcome of the trio to assure relational balance. The initiation of the tri-mates would begin when the third accepted the mark of belonging from the other two. 

I stood up and left the book on the couch, running through the house past wide-eyed members of the pack. Isobel and Katarina were together but were in the forest at the main clearing. I ran right up to them.

“You knew. You knew all along. Give me the mark. I know I belong to you both.”

Isobel took a slight step back and I nearly collapsed.

“Please! We are a mated trio. It is the only thing that makes sense. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Katarina pulled us all together to sit on a log. “It had to be your choice, Ania. So much has been taken from you. You had no choice to become a werewolf or to become female.”

Isobel stroked my hair. “We knew the first night, but we also know a mark can’t be taken before the second moon. We wanted you to feel certain it was right in your heart.”

“This is extremely rare, Ania. There is something else you need to know. Any mate of the alpha becomes almost equal to the alpha. The pack would protect you as if you were the alpha. Kyle would still be beta, and Isobel third. The rankings don’t change, but there is a noticeable shift in the pack. Are you certain this is what you want?”

“How could I live if I didn’t belong to my fated mates? It would destroy me to be away from either of you.”

“As it would us.” Isobel replied. “I can’t tell you how hard it has been to not sneak into your room at night. I have lived as a wolf nearly four hundred years without finding my mate. I do not want to let you go.”

“I also have never found my mate.”

“I still have a few questions.”

“Ask anything, Ania.”

“The book I was reading talked about the submissive nature of the third. I feel that way, but not outside of our relationship. Is that wrong?”

“There will be a natural hierarchy in the trio that does not extend to relationships outside of the trio. You are the bond that knits us together. My focus is primarily on you, and secondary to Isobel. Her primary is to you and secondary to me.”

“And my primary is always to you both. When we speak of fates, are you upset at being my mated pairs knowing it will also bind you to each other?”

Isobel stroked my thigh with her hand. “Kat and I have found each other’s beds throughout the years of knowing each other. We knew we were never a mated pair, but it was close. We love each other and since your arrival have discussed this at length. We could not be happier.”

“Then mark me. I want to belong to you.”

“Last chance, love.”

“I’ll bite you myself if you don’t bite me.”

Isobel’s canines extended and she lunged for my throat. The bite on my neck was feral and primal. The pain ebbed quickly with a sense of bliss that followed. As soon as she was done, Katarina bit into the other side of my neck. I moaned and felt my eyes dilate.

My shadows flowed from me and held them against me. As Katarina removed her mouth from my neck, I was smothered in their kisses. The bond was forged, and I yearned to feel their bodies against mine.

“Oh, my gods. I hope you feel what I am feeling right now.”

Katarina scooped me up onto her shoulder and I screamed with delight. Isobel kept kissing me as I was carried into the house.

Everyone clapped. Kyle said it was bloody well time.

Katarina addressed the smiling pack members. “Tomorrow morning, we will be bonded. Tonight… Don’t wait for us for dinner. We will be in our room.”

“Don’t forget we have guests arriving tomorrow.”

“Not until lunch. Hmmm. Not sure we will be done with each other by then.”

Everyone laughed.

Lana’s voice shouted above the commotion. “Screamer or not screamer? Place your bets now.”

I blushed a dozen shades of red as Katarina carried me up the stairs to her room.

She tossed me onto the bed and all I could think about was getting my lips on theirs.

Katarina cupped Isobel’s face and kissed her in front of me. I would have thought that would make me jealous as I always believed in a one-to-one relationship, but it only turned me on. My hand moved between my legs of its own accord.

“How will we handle this, Isobel?” Katarina kissed Isobel again.

Isobel moaned and that made me moan with desire. “I think Ania wants us.”

I groaned and started to get up, but Katarina shook her head at me. “Stay there, gorgeous. And no touching yourself.”

I watched the two of them kiss passionately and move their hands over each other’s bodies. I begged them to let me join them. I could smell my own desire by the time they moved to the bed to join me. I became their total focus. Their hands and lips were everywhere on me. I had not indulged in my own body since the change, and every touch increased my passion and pleasure.

***

I woke up late the next morning with Katarina and Isobel sandwiching me. I could easily smell the slightly musky, sweet scents from our love making. I could never have imagined anything being so glorious.

I started to get up, hoping to have a shower, when Katarina pulled me back to kiss me.

“Gods, Ania, you are everything I could ever want or desire.”

Isobel stirred and smiled as she kissed me. “You’re glowing, princess.”

“Last night was the best night of my life. I love you both so much. I should shower.”

“Kat and I will make sure you are squeaky clean then. Don’t you dare deny us the chance of touching your body.”

Katarina’s shower was easily large enough for the three of us and an hour later, Katarina was finding me clothes to wear from her closet. I tried to complain that I had clothes, but she wanted her scent on me. When I had chosen a sexy dress and slipped it on, we headed down to find some food. Almost everyone was in the living room waiting for us.

Lana gave me a big hug and kissed my cheek. “Thank you, Ania.”

“For what?”

She giggled. “You are a screamer. I doubled my money last night.”

I blushed. “You heard?”

Brent laughed. “Honey, we could have heard you on the next mountain range. I’m insanely jealous right now.”

Isobel sauntered over to Brent. “Do you want to join us?”

“Su… sure. Definitely.”

“In your dreams. We belong to each other and Ania is all ours.”

“That’s just wrong.”

Katarina kissed me in front of the pack. “In case you have not figured it out yet, Ania, Isobel, and I are a mated trio. Ania’s wolf is mated to Isobel and Ania’s human form is mated to me. We’re going to eat, then perform the binding ceremony. Remember we have several members of Drake Lafleur’s pack coming today. We will meet here, eat dinner together, then hold some discussions with them in the conference room.”

***

I was surprised at the simplicity of the binding ceremony. We recited lines that pledged ourselves to each other, then sealed our tri-mated binding with blood. As soon as we did, I noticed a new scent from all three of us. It was each of our scents, woven together. I felt the bond become deeper and stronger. I knew I would die to protect them.

I was on the couch and lying with my head in Katarina’s lap with Isobel massaging my feet when we heard a heavy vehicle pull up.

I growled. “Don’t they know we are on our honeymoon?”

Katarina smiled and bent down to kiss me. “The Lafleurs demanded to be here today. Technically, we are a subpack to their pack because Drake Lafleur is high alpha. Richard Lafleur, his brother, is the beta.”

Isobel gently slipped from underneath me. Her face had gone white. I felt fear in her through our bonding link.

“Isobel?”

“He’s here. Richard came.”

Katarina cursed. We didn’t have time to discuss what was going on with Isobel when five members of the eastern Lafleur pack entered the house. I could tell who Drake was immediately as his presence radiated out from him.

“Katarina. It is good to see you again.”

Katarina was poised and gracious. “It has been too long, Drake.”

Drake sniffed. “You’ve bonded?”

“A recent development.”

He huffed. “Lucky man.”

Katarina had kept me slightly behind her as Drake scanned the room and our pack members.

“For those that have not met us before, let me introduce you all. I am Drake Lafleur, high alpha.” He pointed to another man that resembled himself. He too was large and powerful. “Richard Lafleur, my beta and brother.” To his right stood a woman that although beautiful in a dark way, was tall and muscular. “My third, Ylena Draskovich. I also brought Gaston Kenwick, my fourth, and Luke Trent, my fifth.”

They all radiated power and I noted all our pack were not looking directly into their eyes. Katarina looked uncomfortable but managed to hold Drake’s gaze.

“You brought your entire senior members of the pack?”

“We have important matters to discuss, Katarina.”

“Let me introduce my senior pack members. Kyle Reston is my beta. Isobel Youngkin, my third. Ania Linne, the newest member of our pack and my fourth, and Brent Samuels, my fifth.”

Drake’s pack members were all staring at me. His eyes lingered uncomfortably before speaking to Katarina again. “Ania is your mate? I can smell you on her.”

“Isobel, Ania, and I are a mated trio.”

Drake moved to stand before me. “You were recently turned?”

I felt how powerful he was but had not trouble holding his gaze. “Yes.”

“You are stunning. You are the primary reason we are here.”

Our pack inched forward to get closer to me.

Drake raised an eyebrow. “Your pack loves you.”

“And I love them.”

“As it should be. How did you become fourth? You only just had your second moon if I am correct.”

The way he said it was an obvious slight. “It is not uncommon in werewolf history that newly turned wolves find their rank in a pack quickly. It is not always strength and speed that determine such a placement, but rather many factors including the lineage of their wolf. I would assume someone with your advanced age would already know such things.”

Drake’s pack stiffened, but Drake simply laughed. “I like her.”

The mood shifted and I felt Isobel’s hand slip into mine.

Katarina smiled. “Please. Enjoy our hospitality. Dinner is in two hours. You have had a long trip. We can talk more later.”

“Indeed.”

Everyone went their separate ways. Drake turned to his pack and shared some silent directions. I watched them carefully. I pulled Isobel aside and whispered to her.

“What’s going on, Isobel?”

“Richard. He raped me last time we met. It was many years ago.”

Rage filled me as I looked over at Richard. 

Isobel squeezed my hand so hard that it hurt. “These are incredibly powerful werewolves, Ania. We are no match for them. Their third might be a match for Kat. If things go badly, we will not win in a fight.”

“If Richard touches you, I will be hard pressed not to kill him outright.”

“Oh, love. I am the one that should be protecting you. I don’t like it when Drake says they are here because of you. I don’t like it at all.”

I kissed her and looked back over my shoulder. Drake had taken Katarina outside and Ylena was talking with Kyle.

“Maybe you should make yourself scarce. I will cover for you.”

“Gods, Ania. I love you. Don’t get into any trouble.”

She was about to slip away when Richard moved to intercept her. She paled and turned away as I stepped in between them. I held out my hand.

“I believe your name is Richard? I’m Ania.”

He offered a low growl as he watched Isobel slip out of the room. “You smell of her.”

“I probably smell of a lot of things. I cooked bacon earlier.”

“Isobel. You smell of her.”

“I should considering I am her bonded mate. Tell me about your pack.”

“Isobel and I have history.”

My eyes narrowed and my shadows itched to wring his neck. “She never mentioned you to me before. Are you as old as your brother?”

He growled again and stormed off. What an ass.

“Ania?”

I turned to find Gaston leaning against a counter. Luke was trying to get Brent to show him around. Was this a divide and conquer plot?

“Gaston. It’s very nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine. Has anyone ever told you that your beauty could easily be another great wonder of the world?”

“I would think that would be quite the exaggeration.”

“Not at all. I have seen all the wonders of the world and have lived nearly a millennium. Every wonder and woman I have seen pale in comparison to you.”

“You flatter me.” Had I been a heterosexual woman that was not bonded, I could see the lure of this man as he was extremely handsome. His accent and hint of ancient gallantry were intriguing. Yet, for all his everything, he was just another person to me. Nothing stirred in me. My loves were Katarina and Isobel.

“It is not flattery when it is only the truth. I am quite certain our entire clan will think similarly about you.”

“You said will think, not would think.”

“We are immortals, my dear. Eventually you will come and visit our pack. Therefore, will is appropriate. How were you turned?”

“I suspect that will be a matter up for discussion later.”

“Of course. No sense having to hear the story twice when we could spend our time in better ways.”

“I agree completely. If you don’t mind, I will see if anyone needs help in the kitchen.”

“Surely as a fourth and the alpha’s mate, you would not be doing kitchen work?”

“I belong to my pack, and it is my place to serve and protect them. I do this out of my love for them. My role has no bearing on this.”

“Such a strange and backward belief. In our pack, you would want for nothing. You would never have to wash a dish or cook food. That is handled by the lowest of our members and our mortal servants.”

“Looks like I was lucky and got the better of the packs then.”

Calista and Travis had open mouths as I passed them and entered the kitchen. 

Calista came and stood close to me. “Oh. My. Gods. Ania, you just told the high alpha he was old and their fourth that their pack sucks. You are my hero.”

“They are insufferable. I’m going to find Isobel and make sure she is all right. Do you need any help?”

“We’ve got this, Ania. Thank you, and for the record, we got the better end of the deal with you joining us. You have been a breath of fresh air coming here and are always so kind and willing to help. I have never seen Katarina and Isobel so happy.”

I hugged her and headed upstairs, finding Isobel in her room.

“I should be down there. I can feel the tension and as third, I should be helping ease that.”

“You don’t need to be anywhere near those pricks. Drake is responsible for the actions of his pack and by bringing Richard here, it was an insult to you. I have your back, Isobel. I will always have your back.”

“You really should be our beta. You know that right?”

“I don’t need to be beta, sweetheart. I’m happy to let Kyle keep that responsibility. I felt badly I bumped Brent.”

“Did you hear anyone complain?”

“No.” I heard growling coming from outside. “I should go.”

“I’m coming with you. I need to get over my fear.”

We headed outside and found Gaston and Luke in wolf form nipping at Lana’s backside. I grabbed Gaston’s tail and yanked him off Lana. Isobel did the same for Luke. We stepped in to shield Lana.

Isobel looked back at Lana who had just shifted back to her human form. “Do we need to ask what is going on?”

“They were getting frisky, so I decided to get away from them. I just wasn’t prepared for them to follow.”

Gaston and Luke shifted back into their human forms.

Luke shrugged. “She asked for it.”

I stood toe-to-toe with him. “What are you? Some kind of grade school kid? She was not asking for it if she was trying to leave!”

Gaston tried to schmooze things over. “No harm was done. We don’t often get to see wolves from outside of our pack. It’s what wolves do, but being new, you don’t know that.”

I turned angrily towards Gaston, but Isobel took my hand in hers.

“You don’t get to talk to my mate that way, Gaston. You are guests. Behave or we will send you packing.”

“I will remind you that we outrank you and have vastly more strength.”

I pushed forward. “The only thing that you outrank is roadkill and I would even question that.”

Luke nudged Gaston. “Got to love the new feisty hot girl. It’s always impressive when the new ones think they are so strong and extremely satisfying when we put them in their place.”

“That’s quite enough.”

Drake stood to the side with Katarina next to him.

“Isobel is correct. We are guests. Now move along.”

Gaston and Luke briefly challenged Isobel and me with their stares but left quietly.

Drake sighed. “I apologize for their behavior. Luke is right, however. You need to listen to your wolf, Ania. They are far more powerful than you and you do not want to pick a fight with them.”

“I beg your pardon, your majesty. But I was not picking a fight. I was defending our pack against wanton idiocy. They might be stronger than me, but I can guarantee they would not walk away unharmed.”

“And it would truly be a shame if you wound up dead, princess. There are many good uses for you yet that we would not wish to deprive the world of.”

“Then if you are so interested in my survival, send your dogs to obedience school, and tell your pack to play nice. This is not childcare.”

I could feel the command in his stare, but I refused to back down. I kept my eyes on him.

“Katarina, she is remarkable.”

“I am well aware of how remarkable she is.”

“Perhaps we should let our members spar?”

“Dinner will be ready soon. Perhaps the next time you all visit we will have more time for such fun.”

Drake turned and he moved his hand to Katarina’s waist. I growled and he pulled his hand away before he touched her.

“She needs to learn her place quickly before she gets into trouble.”

Katarina paused. “That is my mate you are talking about. I think it would be best to end this visit early. Tensions are running high, and you have not made it clear why you are here.”

“That would not do, Katarina. As you just said, dinner is close, and my pack are hungry. Food always eases tensions. Afterwards, we can discuss plans for removing the curse.”

Katarina was in a difficult place. She nodded, looking back at me with much concern as they headed back into the house.

“Holy hell, Ania. You can’t speak to the high alpha like that.”

Isobel growled as she turned to Lana. “Ania is right, even if she is playing a dangerous game. Something isn’t right here. You never leave a pack without a senior member. There is a power play going on here and Ania’s pushing them might help us see their cards before they deal them.”

“I didn’t mean it in a negative way, Ania. You are so brave, and I don’t know how you can stare down the high alpha. Thank you both for coming to my aid. I thought they were going to…”

I hugged Lana. “I’m naïve and inexperienced in these matters, Lana. I get so angry, I feel I could tear them limb from limb.”

Isobel told Lana to go help with dinner then sat me down.

“I have a bad feeling, Ania.”

“So do I. Richard and Drake were in my nightmares. The one where I turned into a monster.”

“That’s not going to happen, sweetheart. You are not a monster, but we may need one before the night is out.”

“What are you saying?”

“If things go wrong, you do everything in your power to protect yourself first, then others. If that means unleashing everything you have, then so be it. On a purely strength and speed basis, you are well matched against most of their pack, maybe even against Gaston and Luke if you didn’t hold back. Just remember, Drake and Richard are in another class altogether. Let’s go get a few more weapons.”

“I can always create a weapon with my shadows.”

“Always have a backup plan. What if your shadows never worked?”

“I can strap a dagger or two under my dress.”

“Mmmm. A woman after my own heart. I will be insanely jealous over those daggers.”

She kissed me passionately before leading us back into the house. Everywhere we looked, Drake’s pack members were pushing their dominance. Once in Isobel’s room, we added weapons, then headed back down just as dinner started.

Katarina had a place for me to sit on her right and Isobel sat next to me. Tensions were high and I could feel the strain from my bonds with Katarina and Isobel. Richard kept glowering at Isobel and the rest of Drake’s pack seemed focused on me.

I promised myself to try and be respectful and polite, but it was increasingly difficult.

Ylena tried to stare me down. When I did not look away, she huffed. “It is incredibly rude to not yield to your werewolf betters, Ania.”

I batted my eyes as I felt the warning squeeze on my thigh from Katarina. “I apologize. Being new to this world, I struggle with that inner wolf sense of knowing who my betters are. I was always taught it is impolite to not look people in the eyes, so please excuse me if my eye contact makes you uncomfortable.”

“It does not make me uncomfortable you little whelp!”

“Clearly. Can I get you anything? Valium perhaps?”

Drake started laughing. “Gods. I do love Ania’s sense of humor.”

I shrugged. “Isobel suggested I might need to be leashed. I’m still learning to heel.”

Kyle spit out his drink.

Gaston ran his finger along the top of his wine glass as he stared at me. “It seems to me you need a firm hand.”

I fake blushed. “Katarina did spank me some last night. Does that count?”

Richard finally broke his stare with Isobel and looked at me. “You have complete disregard for authority.”

“That’s not true. I have complete disregard for you, but not because you are my superior, but rather because you are an asshole. Stop staring at my mate, you prick!”

Richard stood and growled like an animal.

Drake shouted. “Enough! It is time for us to put away niceties and talk about why we came to visit. Katarina let’s meet in the conference room. Bring your beta. Ylena, you’re with me.”

I got up and moved to escort Isobel to her room when we got separated. Gaston and Luke got in my face and blocked me. 

“You will apologize to our beta.” Gaston was so close I could feel his body heat.

“For speaking the truth about that rapist piece of trash. I don’t think so.” I tried to move around them, and they continued to block me.

“It will be fun to break that spirit of yours.”

“Good luck with that.”

“What do you think they are talking about in there, little girl?”

“I don’t know, maybe changing your kibble diet?”

“We are taking you with us.”

“Like hell you are.”

“Nothing you can do about it, darling.”

I felt absolute panic from Isobel through our bond.

“Then I better go pack. You don’t want me to delay your master.”

I slipped under and around them and headed straight for the outside deck. I heard Isobel’s scream, and I lost it. I became the shadows and the world around me stopped moving. I ran through the forest and spotted Richard dragging Isobel by her hair as if in freeze frame. I slammed my fist into his face as I emerged from the shadows. He was sent flying into a tree trunk. He staggered and spat out a mouthful of bloody teeth.

I became the shadows again and his motion froze. I rushed him and slammed my knee into his nose as I dropped out of the shadows. Richard was out cold.

“You came for me!”

I reached for Isobel and cradled her. “I will always come for you.”

“He was going to rape me. You vanished, Ania. You were surrounded in shadows, then vanished and the next thing I saw was you thirty feet away slamming into Richard. You are not a monster.”

I felt a tug on my bond with Katarina. “Katarina is in trouble.”

“Go. Kick their asses, love. I’ll take care of him.”

I became shadows again and in the blink of an eye, I was outside the back of the house. Calista and Travis were there, startled by my sudden appearance.

“I need everyone armed. Split up half the pack. One half out front, the other half I need them in the conference room in five minutes. Now!”

They didn’t even question me as I stormed past Gaston and Luke, pushed open the conference room doors, and stopped short. Drake had a knife to Katarina’s throat. Ylena had Kyle on his knees with a gun to his head.

“So pleased you could join us, Ania. We were just speaking about you.”

“I’m warning you now. Back away from Kyle and Katarina and leave.”

“That is our plan. Of course, you will come with us. We are going to breed you.”

“I am not going anywhere with you. This is your last chance.”

“You are in no position to negotiate!”

“Wrong answer!”

I vanished into my shadows, wrenched the gun away from Ylena, breaking her wrist in the process and crashed my elbow into her face. I spun, grabbed the knife from Drake, kneed him in the groin, and pressed the blade against his neck as I returned from the shadows. When the world returned to motion, Ylena spun, spraying blood across the room from her mouth and crashed into the table behind her. Drake cried out, but with the knife at his throat, couldn’t move.

“I told you to leave. I gave you warnings. Do not move, high alpha.”

Gaston and Luke rushed in, and shadows erupted from me. Tendrils wrapped around their throats and brought them to their knees.

“She broke my wrist!” Ylena screamed.

Drake growled and I felt the surge in his strength. Using my shadows, I pulled the knife back into the ether, and slammed it into his nose before he could even twitch. He rolled back hitting his head on the table, his nose shattered.

I pointed at him with the knife. “If you ever touch my mate again, I will disembowel you. You mess with my pack, my family, and I will hunt you the rest of your days.”

“Where’s Richard?” He spat.

“You mean Dickweed?”

“I have him.” Isobel dragged the screaming man in behind her. She had tied his belt around his dangly bits. He couldn’t stand on his own. “Thank you, love.”

“What are you?”

“I’m a werewolf, just like you. I am a member of the Westfall pack. I am the bonded mate to Katarina and Isobel. I am not and will never be your breeding slave.”

“It is your responsibility to perpetuate our species!”

“And crank out more puppies that act like you? I don’t think so.”

“Everything I do is for the future of our species!”

“Maybe you should have come to us to coordinate an attack on Renwold, retrieve the relic, and reverse the curse instead of taking the cowardly way out and stealing the new girl.”

“You don’t belong with them!”

The pack entered with guns and pressed them to the backs of the Lafleur’s members. I removed the shadows from Gaston and Luke.

“I will leave that up to them. If they want me to leave, then I will, but I will not go with you.”

Katarina came to stand next to me. “Ania is mine.”

Isobel yanked hard and Richard yelped, curling in on himself. She dropped the belt and came to stand next to me. “Ania is mine.”

Kyle stepped up. “Ania is ours. She is loved and cherished here.”

“Does anyone disagree?” Katarina said loudly enough for all to hear. “Get out of here, Drake. Take your pack and regroup. If you have a change of heart, then let me know. We are one species. We should not fight each other. You came into our home to steal our beloved Ania. Unless you repent, then you are our enemies.”

Drake wiped at his already healing nose. “Time to go.” He stared at me and flinched. “Move! Drag Dickweed with you.”

Gaston and Luke grabbed Richard and pulled him out. The pack let them pass. With a nod from Isobel, our pack from outside guided Drake and his people to their vehicle. They all got into a Black Escalade but Drake stopped and faced me. “That knife belonged to my father.”

“You dishonored him today.” I tossed it to him.

He bowed. “My thanks, Lady Shadow Wolf.”

“An apology would be better. Someone of your incredible age grew up when there were still manners.”

He dropped to his knee and bowed his head. “On behalf of me and my pack, I humbly apologize to…”

“Not me.” I growled.

He nodded. “…to Katarina Westfall and her pack for the way we acted, our poor motives…”

“For bringing Dickweed.”

Drake smiled. “You know that nickname will stick with him the rest of his days.”

I tapped my foot.

“I also apologize for bringing Dickweed.”

I felt Katarina’s hand slip around my waist. “That will do, Drake. If you want to take down Renwold, give me a call. It seems to me we have some new talent that might just help us remove the curse.”

“I will.”

Gaston leaned his head out the window. “Ania?”

“Yes?”

“When you get tired of…”

A dagger flew from Isobel’s hand, wedging itself in the doorframe and just an inch from his head. “What part of MINE, did you not understand?”

Luke smacked Gaston on the back of his head.

Drake got into the car, and they pulled away. As soon as the sound of their vehicle disappeared, I collapsed.

***

Isobel’s arm was draped protectively over me. I heard her light snoring. I barely managed to open an eye before Katarina pressed her lips to mine.

“Gods, Ania! You gave us all a fright.”

“Ugh…” I held my head. “Was that before or after I collapsed? My head hurts like the worst hangover ever.”

“After, silly. Everyone is very concerned about you.”

Isobel groaned and snuggled up more. “Can we make love yet?”

Katarina started to cry.

“It’s all right, darling. I’m fine. I think I just overextended myself.”

“I almost lost you, Ania! I knew something bad was going to happen. He brought his whole damn senior pack members to make sure he took you.”

I felt Isobel’s kisses along my neck and shoulders. “Gods, Ania. I never felt so valued as the moment you broke Dickweed’s jaw and knocked out half his teeth, then broke his nose. If a girl could possibly love you anymore, I did in that moment. You saved me.”

Katarina slid into the bed next to me and cupped my face. “You took on the five most powerful werewolves in the world all by yourself. It was breathtaking to watch.”

“I’m sorry if I caused you all trouble. Maybe things would have gone better had I just stayed locked in my room. It felt like all I did was antagonize them.”

“They came to demonstrate their dominance. They wanted no fight from us. Drake told me they planned the whole thing. They intentionally threatened and harassed our pack so that when they took you, we would not fight them.”

Isobel lightly bit my shoulder. “They were not expecting you. You put them in their place at every turn. You showed them you were the dominant one. What was it like?”

“What?”

“When you became the shadows?”

“The world was frozen in time, yet I moved through it at my normal speed. But it was as if I carried additional speed and power when I stepped out of them. When I entered the shadows, time stopped and when I stepped out of the shadows, time started again.”

Katarina continued to kiss me and run her hands along my body. “You’ve been sleeping for over a day and the pack is frantic. Do you think you can get up?”

“I’m not sure what I need the most. Making love to you two or food. I’m scared to see the pack.”

“Why on earth would you be scared?”

“My shadows… Maybe they think I am a monster. I ordered Calista and Travis to get the pack armed before I came into the conference room. I feel terrible about that.”

Isobel pulled me over and onto my back before straddling me. “They asked questions, but they knew you had the shadows. They know you are more than just a werewolf. For the first time ever, they felt better than the Lafleur pack. And as for commanding Calista and Travis, they needed to be told what to do. You did the right thing, and you were bloody amazing.”

I reached up and slid my hands over Isobel’s body. “Are you sure we can’t order food to be delivered, take a couple of Advil, and make love?”

“Sorry, Lady Shadow Wolf. You have responsibilities now.”

“See, this is what I was trying to avoid.”

“The sooner we can get the pack calmed down, get you some food, the sooner we can make love to you.”

“Gods… you are so demanding.”

“Come on, princess.”

I groaned as they pulled me up and got me dressed. Everyone was waiting for us in the living room. They looked so concerned and nervous, but their eyes lit up when they saw me.

Everyone hugged and kissed me, told me how amazing I had been, and sadly didn’t look into my eyes. When Kyle looked away, I slugged him on his shoulder.

“What was that for?”

“Look into my eyes.”

“It’s not respectful.”

“That’s a load of rat poop.”

“You should be beta.”

“Stop it. I’m perfectly fine as fourth and shouldn’t even be there.” I faced the room. “I care diddly about rank. I understand when there are decisions that need to be made, we defer to a hierarchy. I don’t want rank because I want to be your equal. I want to see those beautiful eyes of yours when we talk and when I burn the bacon.”

“You don’t want to be beta?”

“No.”

“Good.” He slugged my arm. “Then I can do that.”

I threw my arms around him. “That’s exactly what I want!”

Everyone laughed.

“Now… just to fill you all in. I am fine. I have been practicing with my shadows for the past month, but when Isobel and Katarina were in danger, I likely used too much of my shadows. I did something I had never done before. I believe I have a limit to my shadows but the more I train with them, the stronger and larger the well of power grows.

“I am, however, starved, and I was told I had to see all of you, then eat, before I can drag, or is more likely the case, I am dragged back upstairs for a good old romp.”

Lana shouted. “Bets on how many screams from Lady Shadow Wolf.”

“Gods…”

***

For the next week, I trained every day to the point I could feel my well of shadows dwindle. By the next day, they had filled up completely and there was a little bit more. Now that the pack were not afraid of my shadows, they helped me train and devised new tests. 

As I learned new abilities, I labeled them. I called my skill of stopping time and becoming the shadows, shadow mode. Stealth mode is what I called it when I used my shadows to give me a form of stealth without completely stopping time. With stealth mode, I could blend into shadows more easily and move around unheard. The others even said my scent was masked. 

Something amazing that I discovered while in shadow mode was that if there was any opening, I could pass through it. I could explain it best to others by blowing out a candle and watching how the smoke could slip under the door into another room. I could not pass though solid objects, but if there was a gap, I could move through into the adjacent space. Chain link fences and doors that were not well sealed I could simply walk through. A sealed window or door, however, I could not.

My shadow weapons could cut solid objects like they were butter, but I could not use them when in shadow mode.

“I don’t like it, Ania.”

We were sitting on the couch together in our favorite position with my head in Katarina’s lap and my feet on Isobel’s lap.

“As long as the curse remains, I will be constantly sought after for breeding. I want to be certain the relic is not in the warehouse zone I used to work in. I can slip in and slip out and Renwold would never know.”

“It’s too risky.”

“The only risk would be if I run out of stamina with my shadows.”

Katarina shook her head. “We need to find your limits.”

“How can we figure that out when time is stopped for me?”

“We create a course. We see how long it takes you to run from point to point. Then you slip into your shadows and run the course. When you get as far as you can before you run out of reserves, we then calculate how long that took if you were running the same distance.”

“That’s a great idea, but how do I keep track of that time when I am in the shadows?”

“You count. Let’s say we discover you can stay in the shadows for ten minutes. When you go to the warehouse, you count to three hundred, or half of your maximum. That way, you exit and still have half of your shadow reserves in case you need them.”

Isobel rubbed my feet and I moaned softly. “Of course, you could simply kill Renwold in his house or office, then we would have more time to find the relic.”

“Knowing how many werewolves he and his family have killed, that is very tempting. What is the relic?”

“It is the front paw of the first werewolf. The Renwolds used the DNA from the foot and a witch to enact the curse.”

“I thought they hated all supernatural beings.”

“They do. Apparently, the witch was murdered right after the curse was created.”

“Do we have access to a witch to undo the curse?”

“We might, but it would come at a large price. Witches are the natural enemies of werewolves.”

“What kind of price?”

“The life of a powerful werewolf.”

“Can I volunteer Dickweed?”

Isobel chuckled. “I could go along with that.”

Katarina frowned. “We cross that bridge when the time comes. Let’s assume I agree…”

Isobel interrupted Katarina. “We agree. Any decision to put Ania in harm’s way must include me.”

Katarina leaned over me and kissed Isobel. “Of course. I suspect the pack would also have something to say about it. They love our Shadow Wolf almost as much as we do.”

“That nickname is going to stick, isn’t it?”

Katarina smiled and kissed me. “It suits you. If we are to try this, then we need to practice as a pack. I’m not letting you anywhere near Renwold and his guards without having tested your abilities to get in and out undetected. Isobel, I want you to design a training scenario.”

***

“Ania, everyone is positioned.”

I glanced at Isobel and nodded before she continued.

“I had pack members scout the Renwold warehouse complex. Using their feedback and satellite imagery, we recreated as much of a real-world environment as we could on our property. You are standing one hundred feet from an electrified fence I set up. The fence is forty feet from the warehouse wall, which, for our purposes, is the garage. All our pack members are stationed around and inside the garage. Somewhere in the garage, I placed a deer hoof under camera surveillance and glass with a pressure sensitive alarm. Your mission, should you choose to accept it…” Isobel grinned. “I always wanted to say that. Your mission is to find the hoof, extract it, and return to my side without being spotted, shot, killed, maimed, or captured.”

Katarina ran her hands along my bracelet armor, which I thought would be wiser than wearing a dress. “According to our last tests, you have about five minutes of shadow time before you use up half your energy.”

“I’m ready.”

I figured the best approach would be full shadow mode, which is what I called it when I stopped time. Isobel nodded and alerted the pack then counted down.

“Three… two… one… go!”

***

It took several weeks until I felt I was close to successfully retrieving the deer hoof. Every time so far, I failed, but with each fail I learned more about my shadow skills, when to use them, and how to use them. I was ready this time.

“I will do it this time.”

Isobel grinned before pressing herself close to me and brushing her lips against my neck. “Shall we make a wager?”

“What do you have in mind?”

“If you don’t succeed, you give me a full body massage.”

“Us. You give us both a full body massage.” Katarina chimed in.

“Okay, but if I succeed, I want a date night. I want us all to dress up in our finest, go to dinner in town at a fancy restaurant, then dancing at a bar.”

Katarina raised her eyebrow. “In town?”

I nodded. “In your best dresses.”

Isobel fingered her dagger. “Without weapons?”

“We can each have a dagger hidden somewhere.”

Isobel snuggled up to Katarina. “What do you think, darling? Can we risk showing her off to the world beyond what we did when we went shopping?”

“After dinner, we could go to that special bar. I’m looking forward to demonstrating to others she is ours.”

Isobel’s eyes lit up. “Deal!”

“Wait! What is this special bar?”

Isobel kissed my cheek. “Nothing to worry about sweetheart. I almost want you to succeed now. Go in three… two… one…”

I stared at their grinning faces before stepping into shadow mode and running towards the garage. I ran straight through the electric fence since it was mostly air anyways. The doors into the garage were sealed enough that I had to shift into stealth mode to use my shadow weapons. I entered the shadows near the door before moving into stealth and created a shadow spike. Instead of trying to break down the door, all I needed to do was create a large enough hole. I watched our pack members carefully before sliding the spike through the metal door.

Shifting back into shadow mode, I was now able to pass through the locked door. Once inside the garage, I moved from place to place looking for the deer foot relic that Isobel moved for each test. It took a few minutes to find it based upon my internal counting. My well of shadow power had grown over the weeks and I have only used a small portion of them so far.

Lana was patrolling near the relic and a camera was positioned to watch the area. I found a darker corner and stepped back into stealth mode. I took a second to deactivate the camera before entering my shadows again. I used tape to quickly bind Lana’s hands, ankles, and mouth before moving her to another location.

By the time I got back to the relic, I had used a third of my power. With Lana out of the way and the camera disabled, I shifted back into stealth mode, created a shadow dagger, and cut a hole in the glass surrounding the deer hoof. I switched back to the shadows, grabbed the hoof, and ran back to Katarina and Isobel. Dropping my shadows, I smiled as I held out the deer hoof. Seconds later, the alarms went off.

“Well done, Ania!”

“This training has been invaluable. No doubt I would have run into situations that could have caused me to be captured without it. I’m ready to go into the warehouse.”

Isobel grinned. “How did you deal with Lana knowing she would likely see you?”

Lana burst from the garage. “What the hell, Ania?”

I tried to look innocent. “What are you talking about, Lana?”

“You duct taped me in the bathroom? I was watching for you and the next thing I knew I was stuck to the toilet seat.”

“I wonder how that happened? Maybe Kyle did it?”

Lana growled. “If you weren’t so beautiful, lovable, strong, and fast, I would whip your cute butt.”

Katarina laughed. “You can have your chance tonight, Lana. Isobel and I are taking Ania to the bar.”

Lana looked confused for a moment before her eyes widened. “The bar? That bar? Oh… I’ll be there.”

“Aim to be there at ten. Bring a few of the others. Just in case there are any problems we want extra pack members around.”

“Got it, boss.” Lana winked. “This will be fun.”

Lana left and I tapped my foot softly. “Tell me about this bar.”

Katarina kissed my left cheek. “There will be dancing.”

Isobel kissed my right cheek. “There will be drinking.”

Katarina kissed my lips as Isobel ran her hands along my stomach. “There will be kissing.”

Isobel ran her fingers through my hair. “We better go get changed. Put on your new pink dress, sweetheart.”

“The pink dress?”

Katarina nodded. “Oh yes! The pink dress will be perfect.”

“But… I’ve not worn that one yet. It’s in my old room still.”

Isobel patted me on my butt. “Better go change then. We will meet you downstairs.”

***

I stared at my reflection and gasped. It had been nearly two months since my transformation and while I had become more familiar with my looks, there were times like these I could not believe this was me. I was simply breathtaking. The pink dress I wore was very short and exposed my cleavage and had a plunging back. I could not wear a bra with it and would need to sit very carefully.

With a pair of pink high heels, that I had been practicing with, an ankle bracelet Isobel had given me, and a second bracelet on my right wrist, the ensemble would turn more than a few heads. I intentionally left my hair down and went light on the makeup.

By the time I stepped into the main living room, the entire pack was there, but my eyes, as always, instantly went to Katarina and Isobel. They looked stunning in black dresses that made my mouth water.

Brent coughed. “Gods, Ania. I think you are the reason for global warming.”

Lana wrapped her arms around me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. She kissed my cheek. “See you tonight, Ania.” She then pushed away and tossed Isobel a roll of duct tape. “In case you need it tonight.”

Katarina addressed the pack. “We will meet some of you at the bar tonight. For the rest of you, be alert and don’t expect us to be home before midnight. Kyle, Ania is ready for the warehouse. We move on it tomorrow night. Make sure we are ready.”

“Absolutely.”

Isobel sauntered over to me and gave me a passionate kiss in front of everyone. “Let’s go to dinner, babe.”

Isobel drove the Bugati with me sitting on Katarina’s lap since the backseat was meant only for people smaller than four feet tall. Katarina nuzzled my neck the entire drive into the city. We pulled up to the only restaurant in town with Valet parking and a red-carpet walkway to the posh entrance.

The valet opened the car door for us and almost choked as he offered his hand to me to exit the car. Once out of the car, Katarina and Isobel each took one of my arms in theirs. A doorman opened the door for us as we stepped into the foyer. The place was elegant and classy. It was highly romantic and, without any doubt, the most expensive restaurant I had ever stepped foot in.

The soft conversations quieted as heads slowly turned towards us.

Isobel leaned close and whispered into my ear. “Get used to this, love. You are the prettiest woman ever to grace this earth.”

I took a shaky breath.

Katarina’s eyes were full of empathy. “I know this is what you asked for, but if you would feel more comfortable, we could always go back home to eat.”

I shook my head. “No. I need to learn to be in the world and I want to enjoy this moment with my fated mates. I’m so blessed and proud to be yours.”

“As we are of you.”

By this time, the staff had figured out we must be there for a reason. A stammering hostess led us to a secluded corner upon Katarina’s request. Isobel ordered a bottle of wine. When it arrived and after we ordered our meals, Katarina made a toast.

“To our, Ania, our bonds, and freeing our kind from the curse.”

“And to the both of you, who I will forever cherish and love until my last breath.”

***

It was good that my metabolism was higher than normal humans as between the three of us, we polished off two bottles of expensive wine. Dinner was the most wonderful experience. We focused on each other, our lives, and our future together. It was very romantic and loving, making me want to skip the bar and go straight home.

Katarina and Isobel decided going home would shortchange me of my winnings, so we got into the car and drove across town to an area I had never been to before. The bar was a large building, painted all black on the outside. Dark blue neon lights outlined the name, Dominion. I could hear the deep bass thumping from a block away.

Isobel parked and came around to open the door for Katarina and me. “You look amazing, Ania. You will enjoy this.”

We stepped inside to a living room sized foyer. Everything was dark. The walls, furniture, and lighting gave the place the feeling of… A woman stepped from the main bar. She was dressed in black leather with black boots that went over the tops of her knees. She paused as she looked at me up and down.

“Is she for sale?”

“She’s ours and not for sale.”

“Everything is for sale.”

“Not her.”

“Shame.” The woman headed out to the parking lot.

Isobel pressed up against me. “I have something for you, love.”

Her fingers slipped around my neck, and I felt something soft there. She stepped back and smiled. “Perfect.”

Katarina nodded. “It is, but it could be more perfect.”

She reached up and clipped a fine gold chain to whatever Isobel had put on my neck. I felt my cheeks flush as Katarina stepped aside and I could see myself in a dark mirror. My fingers reached up to touch an exquisite pink and white lace choker embedded with diamonds. Two gold rings were attached to it and to one of them the fine gold chain Katarina had clipped. It was beautiful and incredibly shocking at the same time.

I started to panic, but Isobel’s soft touch relaxed me.

“It’s okay, love. Do you trust us?”

I nodded slowly as I stared at myself in the mirror.

Katarina cupped my face with her hands and kissed me. “Breathe, sweetheart. All we ask is you give it a try.”

I recalled the time when we first made love. Their gentle commands heightened my pleasure and desire. I desperately wanted to please them. I glanced back at the mirror. The beautiful choker, clipped to a gold chain that was attached to Katarina’s wrist was a very visible image of my belonging to her. It was intensely arousing and frightening at the same time.

“All right.”

Isobel grinned and kissed me, slipping her own chain onto my choker. “Let’s dance, love.”

We stepped through double doors into the main part of the bar. My eyes widened and I pulled closer to Katarina and Isobel. The dance floor was filled with writhing and undulating bodies. There was a lot of leather and chains. Beyond the dance floor and against the walls, were small open rooms with couches and chairs, even pillows. I spotted one woman, dressed in all black, sitting in a chair with a scantily clad woman at her feet. The girl looked lovingly up into the eyes of the woman as the woman stroked the girl’s hair.

I almost ran out of the bar, but Katarina tugged my “leash”. We moved into the middle of the dance floor and started dancing. For a few minutes, I closed my eyes as I danced close to them. When I opened them, I noticed the normal stares of others, but nothing that made me feel embarrassed since it must have been normal for the people around us to see someone collared and leashed.

I focused on Katarina and Isobel and slowly, the deeply intimate feel of our physical connection, made me immensely aroused. I moved to touch Isobel and pressed up against her, kissing her neck as we danced. My hand reached for Katarina and pulled her tighter to the both of us.

The submissive nature somewhat forced upon me by the tri-bond, began unraveling as we danced. I stayed very close to Katarina and Isobel and never once lost my focus on them. They, in turn, catered to my every touch and desire. It was beautiful.

After many minutes of dancing, Katarina brought us to the bar to order some drinks. We then moved to a small room and found a couch to sit down on together. Shortly after that, Lana, Brent, Travis, and Calista slid into the room.

Lana was frowning. “Oh, my gods! I lost the bet. Ania is wearing the collar. I don’t believe it. I never expected her to be so submissive.”

I felt the blush creep up through my entire body to my face.

Brent nudged Lana. “Did you not read up on tri-fated mates? Ania will be submissive within the confines of the relationship. It was an easy win.”

Lana pouted. “Why couldn’t I have been one of them? I would be a good mistress for Ania.”

Calista leaned down and kissed my cheek. “I think it is adorable.”

I buried my face in Isobel’s hair. “Kill me now.” I whispered.

“Awww, sweetheart.”

Travis chuckled and held out a box. “This is from Calista and me. Calista likes hers black.”

I opened the box and started laughing as I reached inside and pulled out pink furry wrist cuffs.

Lana sat at my feet and reached for the cuffs. “We should put them on her now. She deserves it for duct taping me to the toilet earlier today.”

I held out my wrists. “Fair is fair.”

Lana smirked as she slipped the pink cuffs onto my wrists and strapped them on.

Brent whooped. “Pay up, Lana! I told you she would wear them.”

“Is there some kind of collusion going on? I never lose a bet.”

I winked at Brent.

Lana shouted. “I saw that! Proof of collusion!”

Two huge men pushed their way into our tiny room. “That’s just wrong she is the sub of two women. Come, girl. We will treat you right.”

Katarina just smirked. “This ought to be fun.”

Isobel smiled. “And the night just keeps getting better. Boys, I suggest you run along. She is ours but give me a moment to discuss this with her.”

Isobel leaned in and nipped my earlobe. “Would you like to go with these men, darling?”

“No! I’m yours.”

“As I thought. I always want to give you freedom of choice. Would you like to handle them?”

I smiled and nodded before standing.

“You’re freaking gorgeous. Come on, lass.”

“I’m afraid you could not handle me. That’s why they have my wrists bound.”

“Oh crap.” Lana turned her head away to stop the men from seeing her grin.

Brent put his hands on their shoulders. “Seriously, she can be a bit feisty. Best to walk away.”

The men shrugged off Brent’s hands.

“Tell them to give you to us. We like feisty.”

Katarina stood and pulled back my hair from my ear. She kissed my neck and whispered softly. “No shadows and do nothing that shows you are stronger than them.”

“I love my mistresses. I don’t want to go with you.”

Travis stared down the men. “She said no.”

“It’s not her choice, little man.” He pulled a chain out and reached for my choker.

I kicked him in the balls. He fell over clutching his crotch. The second man scowled and tried to slap me, but I ducked his swing, and kicked him in the balls too which was no small feat in a short dress that made it difficult to keep my vanity.

The two men groaned on the floor. I turned to Isobel and kissed her. She smiled, unclasped one cuff, pulled my arms behind me, then strapped the cuff closed again.

“Time to take you home, sexy.”

Katarina gave a quick nod to the others, and they all exited the booth. We left the bar and Isobel helped me onto Katarina’s lap since my hands were bound behind me.

“Unbind me, please. I need to touch you both.”

“Not a chance, sweetheart. No touching allowed.”

I was so turned on already, that I whined. As we drove back to the house, Katarina slid her hand up my dress and began kissing me. My panties were soaked by the time we entered the house. I ignored the cat calls from the pack as I was led upstairs.

Lana pulled out a decibel meter. “Closest one to the correct scream level wins the pot!”

Isobel closed the door to our room and started kissing the back of my neck. Her fingers pulled my dress over my shoulders, then when it was only held up by the cuffs, she undid one cuff so the dress could fall to the ground. I reached for her, but she shook her head.

“No touching, love.”

I groaned as she reclasped my cuffs. “Please…” I begged softly.

***

I never imagined that being submissive or adding what I would call gentle bondage could make me so turned on. I could have broken the cuffs easily, but with two people that I loved and trusted, it immensely increased my desire. To want so badly to touch them, but to be denied, heightened every touch I could give. I am not sure who won the bet last night, but I suspect it was someone that chose a very high decibel number.

As I snuggled in between Katarina and Isobel with the smells of bacon, sausages, eggs, and hashbrowns wafting up into the bedroom, I knew my life had never been better. A small part of me missed the carnal nature of being a man and feeling dominant, but being a woman was thrilling. I enjoyed being sensual and beautiful. The fact that I became much stronger and faster than I had been as a male likely contributed to my lack of fear being smaller.

I ran my fingers along my silky-smooth skin. I felt my abs and paused when I caressed the area near my hipbone. The sensual curve between my small waist and flaring of my hipbone. I ran my fingers back and forth along that curve as if that alone was the definitive spot that defined my femininity.

Isobel’s disheveled copper-colored hair brushed against my neck as she pressed her lips against mine. “Gods, Ania. That was amazing last night.”

I reached for her face, my pink cuff still on my wrist, and held her close so I could return her kiss. “Mmmm. I still taste myself on your lips.”

Katarina’s arms tightened around me. I felt her teeth slide lightly along the back of my neck. “Time for a bath, princess.”

I rolled over to kiss Katarina when I felt Isobel’s fingers working on the choker around my neck. When she pulled it off, I winced.

“Sweetheart? What’s wrong?”

I choked up and felt a few tears slip down my cheek. “How can it feel both right and wrong at the same time? The beautiful choker reminds me of my devotion to both of you. Removing it feels like you are releasing me from that connection.”

Isobel hugged my tight. “I think she likes her collar, Kat, and I am definitely loving this side of you, Ania. You are free to wear it anytime but know I will never release you from what we have. I waited a lifetime to find you and I am not letting you go.”

Katarina wiped at my tears. “I feel that connection and your love for me and Isobel, Ania. It is a wondrous thing.” She smiled with a sparkle in her eye. “This lacey choker is beautiful, but would not do well in the water. Maybe we should find you one that is metal?”

I blushed and decided to demonstrate my dominance over them both by tackling them. My dominance lasted all of fifteen seconds before we all fell back into another round of lovemaking. We then had a very long bath which was almost as amazing as the previous night. Isobel and Katarina were insatiable and demanding in their needs. I was more than happy to oblige.

***

We watched the warehouse from the shadows of the forest. Half the pack came in case anything went wrong. They were more than capable of handling the guards if needed, but the silver bullets would be a huge risk for them.

Isobel pointed out several spots where I could gain access into the warehouse. These were shadowed corners where no cameras pointed. I decided I could make a hole in the wall of the priceless relics warehouse just as easily as a door and would be the more direct route.

Katarina whispered to me. “No dallying in there. I doubt the relic is inside, but now that you know what it is and what to look for, you should be able to confirm that quickly. Get in, check the warehouse, and get out. We’ll be right here.”

“I’m ready.”

With kisses from Katarina and Isobel fresh on my lips, I stepped into the shadows, ran through the fence, and to the inside corner of the warehouse. Dropping into stealth mode, I created a long spike and pressed it through the warehouse wall creating an inch-wide hole. Back into my shadows and I entered the warehouse.

With time stopped, the lone guard which had been my replacement looked like a frozen statue in mid-step. I oriented myself and quickly but carefully went past each of the exhibits. After several minutes and nearing half of my power, I was frustrated when I could not find the relic. I was about to leave when something caught my eye.

A fist-sized crystal seemed to flicker from an enclosed glass exhibit. With time frozen, a flickering light was something I had never seen before. I approached the exhibit, knowing I was exceeding my time. The label read Xylon-A spaceship core. I felt a powerful tug like it was calling to me.

I ran to a corner of the warehouse, dropped to stealth mode, checked the position of the guard, and deactivated the cameras before stepping back into the shadows. I held my breath and dropped back into stealth in front of the crystal exhibit. With a shadow knife I cut a hole in the glass just as the exhibit sensor alarms blared to life. 

The loud sound of the alarm silenced as I shifted back into shadow mode and grabbed the crystal. Upon touching the crystal, I was flooded with energy and information. So much so, that I dropped to my knees. I gasped and dropped out of shadow mode.

I was still catching my breath when I heard running feet and a fired shot. A silver bullet dropped at my feet as it hit my shadow shield. Having recovered, I slid back into the shadows, grabbed the guard’s bodycam, aimed his hand at the crystal exhibit glass, and pulled the trigger.

I had already used two-thirds of my shadow power, but I had more than enough to get back to Katarina and Isobel. I ran back to them and stepped out of the shadows in time to hear the sound of a bullet firing and glass shattering from inside the warehouse.

“We heard a shot! Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Let’s get everyone out of here.”

“Did you find the relic?”

“No… something else.”

***

We all headed back to the house, and I withheld sharing much until we got there. I explained what had happened, then pulled out the crystal to show everyone.

“You said the crystal caused you to drop out of shadows. Are you sure it is safe for you to touch?”

I nodded. “It’s hard to explain. It’s an energy source. Not for me, but for an alien spaceship. It contains information.”

Isobel had been sitting next to me with her head on my shoulder and her arms around my waist protectively. “What kind of information?”

“Ship logs, images, historical information, technology specifications, and galactic maps.”

“You can read the information?”

I frowned. “Perhaps it is because I am a hybrid, it is not all clear to me. It injects information into my mind. I can ask it things and it connects to my mind to fill in gaps in my knowledge.”

“Try to explain what you can to us.”

“You all know that I am different.”

Kyle chuckled. “That’s an understatement, but we love you anyways, Ania.”

“Thanks, Kyle.” I said sheepishly. I hesitated to talk more. I had just felt like I was fitting in and the sudden injection of knowledge about alien civilizations made me realize just how different I was.

Katarina held my hand. “Nothing you say will change how we feel about you or your position in the pack.”

I swallowed. “It’s just that the information is rather fantastical. All right. I will share what I have gleaned from the crystal. Someone on earth named the alien species Xylon-A and for now, let’s use a simple form of Xylon as the alien species. The Xylons are an advanced humanoid species that originated approximately one third of the way across the galaxy. Being humanoid, they can live and thrive in earth-like environments. According to the records in the crystal, earth has been visited by them for several millennia.

“The Xylons have four subspecies. Shadow Walkers is the subspecies of the Xylon female that had been piloting the spacecraft that crashed new Roswell New Mexico. I can see her image from the logs, and I look exactly like her. According to the historical records, Shadow Walkers have never been to earth before. That subspecies was used for their military. Earth was being watched as a potential habitat for cooperative integration.”

Brent leaned forward. “What is cooperative integration?”

“In order to determine if earth humans are compatible enough to join them, they first needed to see if we were well-suited from a reproductive perspective. To do this, they would introduce the three other subspecies to determine adaptability and disposition to their alien DNA.”

Isobel kissed my neck. “What are the other three subspecies and why not include the Shadow Walkers?”

“When they come across a humanoid species and planet, they never want to introduce Shadow Walker DNA into the planet in case the planet requires extermination. The Shadow Walkers are far stronger than the other subspecies and why risk building a new population of Shadow Walkers that they might have to fight against?”

“That’s a little frightening to think we might be exterminated. What are the other three subspecies? You never mentioned them.”

I paused and looked around the room. “If this information is correct, then the supernatural species on earth were caused by the introduction of Xylon subspecies DNA several thousand years ago. Witches, vampires, and shifters.”

The room went completely silent.

Katarina nodded slowly. “Were they all introduced at the same time?”

“No. Witches were first, approximately 3000 years ago. Next were vampires and shifters, around 1500 years ago.”

Katarina stood and paced the room. “That actually makes sense. Historical records speak of people with mystical powers from the times of the pharaohs. The first recorded vampire and shifter were around 1500 years ago.”

I continued. “These were single introductions. The Xylons came, impregnated a woman, and left shortly after the child matured. The first hybrids would be the most powerful, then, over time, the hybridization and genetic dilution would slowly disperse and weaken the subspecies. It is likely why Drake is so powerful.”

“And why witches are considered the weakest of the supernatural species on earth.”

“What have you learned about yourself?”

“Shadow Walkers either have the power or they don’t. Meaning that I am equally as powerful as any full-blooded Xylon Shadow Walker. My bracelet… Is like the Swiss army knife of alien devices. Given only to Shadow Walkers, the bracelets can provide armor, auto control of my shadows to create shields, but it also controls Xylon technology and has ranged weaponry.”

“It’s a weapon?”

“It has a powerful laser-like pulse that could probably take down a fighter jet.”

Lana sat on the back of the couch and reached for my hair. “That’s why you have otherworldly beauty. The alien spaceship crash was real then. What happened? Do you know?”

“The pilot was heading to Venus with ten criminal Xylons. Venus has an underground prison. Any humanoid exposed to the extremes of Venus and the acid in the atmosphere would be killed instantly if they tried to escape. It became the perfect location for the undesirables of their society. While enroute, the ship collided with subatomic particles and crashed on earth.”

Travis shook his head. “My worldview was just radically altered.”

I laughed. “Try what has happened to me since Katarina decided I was a nice, tasty treat. You’re right, though. This is history altering. There’s more that is rather sobering.”

“Tell us.” Katarina sat back down next to me.

“One of the criteria the Xylons use to determine if extermination is needed or not is how the seeded subspecies relate to each other. The Xylons live in harmony with each other. The witches, vampires, shapeshifters, and shadow walkers work symbiotically for the betterment of the entire race. Each subspecies has their role and place.”

“On earth, witches, shifters, and vampires have never got along.”

I nodded, having only heard about this from the books I had read. “When the Xylons return to check on us, they will likely destroy all humanoid life on the planet.”

“When will that be?”

“I have no idea. There are historical timelines, but it ranges from 3200 to 3500 years from first introduction.”

“Giving us possibly a few hundred years to work out our differences.”

Calista slipped her hand into Travis’. “Would we stand a chance against them with all our technology?”

I shook my head. “Not a chance. Imagine millions of spaceships, and tens of millions of shadow walkers, joined with millions of full-strength witches, vampires, and shifters. Shifters that can shift into any creature they have encountered across the galaxy. While I am a full-strength shadow walker, I only have a small fraction of my shadow powers compared to Xylons that have trained for thousands of years to build their stamina.”

Kyle ran his hands through his hair. “Damn. You can already take out the entire LaFleur pack on your own. I can’t imagine someone like you with one hundred times the ability to use your shadows.”

“I have two questions for you all. First, do you still want me as a member of this pack, knowing what I am and that I will likely only grow in strength with my shadows. Second, what do we do with this information?”

Isobel went to speak, but I quieted her with a kiss. “I want to hear from the pack first.”

Isobel shook her head. “I don’t care what the pack says. You are mine and I will not leave your side. If they choose not to keep you, then I go with you as well.”

Katarina pulled me close. “The same goes for me.”

Lana kissed the top of my head. “Speaking for me, I want to keep you.”

“Here, here.” Voices echoed through the room.

Katarina stood but ran her fingers delicately along my cheek. “That’s settled then. We need to answer the second question. It’s time to call the supernatural species together. I say we get ten representatives from each species in a room and let Ania share what she shared with us. Werewolves are on the edge of extinction. We need to start working together. If witches and vampires see their future is in peril, especially with the loss of werewolves, they might help us to end the curse once and for all.”

“I will continue training my shadows and with the knowledge from the crystal, I should improve quicker. I will also learn as much as I can from the crystal to see if there are more ways to share the knowledge from it.”

***

Isobel was driving the Mercedes SUV with Katarina in the front seat, and I was in the back seat. We had struggled over the past weeks to make the right connections and plans to hold a meeting of the supernaturals. We were following up on a lead and heading into town.

As we rolled through an intersection, a large truck barreled towards us from the crossroad. He must have been doing eighty miles per hour. Katarina screamed and I instinctively thrust out my shadows just as the truck plowed into our side. My shadows had done much to protect us, but the surge of power I had used to save our lives caused me to lapse into unconsciousness as the car rolled over and over.

I woke heavily bound, and my shadows were unavailable to me. My mouth was firmly gagged and even with all my strength, I could not break the shackles on my wrists and ankles. I rolled and bounced inside the back of an SUV for a few minutes before we slowed and stopped. The back was opened, and I was roughly dragged out and put onto the shoulder of Drake LaFleur.

Unable to access my shadows or break free, I forced myself to remain calm as I took in my surroundings. We had stopped at a very large mansion. I could see Isobel and Katarina being carried in a similar fashion. They were bound as well. They both had a little blood on their heads, but they were alert and healing quickly. Seeing them bound and hurt renewed my anger and I thrashed in Drake’s arms.

“Stop it, you little minx!” Drake growled.

I growled back and struggled even more.

“Damn it!” He plopped me down in front of him and slammed his fist into my face. He hit much harder than Kyle ever did. He tossed me back onto his shoulder.

We were carried inside the mansion and forced to kneel in a large room. Our gags were removed.

The first words from my mouth were to check on Katarina and Isobel, the next were for Drake.

“What the hell! You tried to kill us!”

Drake looked smug.

“No one tried to kill you, Ania. Or should I call you Camron still?”

I jerked my head to see Walter Renwold walk into the room.

He walked up to me and grabbed my chin. “When Drake told me you were beautiful, he never shared just how beautiful you were. You stole something from me.”

“It was useless to you anyways.”

“And yet it was still mine. Now…” he reached down and tugged on a metal collar that was around my neck. “Now you are mine.”

Drake growled. “You told me she would be mine.”

Walter Renwold ignored him. “Do you know what this is around your neck, Ania?”

“I can’t really see it, so no.”

“It was found with ten others at the alien spaceship crash site. The same site where the arm and bracelet, and the crystal you stole from me were found.”

“A prisoner collar then. It negates the powers and subdues Xylon-A subspecies.”

Renwold raised an eyebrow. “That’s what I had assumed. How did you come across this knowledge? Was it when you absorbed the Xylon-A DNA?”

“It doesn’t work like that.”

“I will be happy to learn all about it.”

Dr. Travis stepped into the room, and he grinned when he saw me. “He did absorb the DNA then. I could never get anything out of the arm. I guess I needed a living sample.”

“You will get it when I am ready to give her to you.”

Drake growled. “Give Ania to me with the collar on her so we can be finished with this.”

“That will not do, Drake. You did live up to your bargain and captured Ania and Katarina for me. You gave me their pack’s location. But I will not be letting you go. Ania is mine, and so are all of you.”

Drake growled as did Dickweed. Ylena leapt towards Renwold, but with a flick of his finger, she was thrown back across the room with a burst of flame. Ylena patted down the singed parts of her clothing but was otherwise unharmed. Guards came in and leveled guns at them all.

“Kill them if any of them get out of control. They have silver bullets loaded, so I would not try anything. Not that I couldn’t stop you on my own anyways.”

Katarina glanced at me. Her eyes were full of worry. She glared at Renwold. “You’re a witch.”

“I’m not just any witch, my Katarina.” His image shimmered. “I’m Anthony.”

Katarina gasped. “How is that possible?”

Renwold smirked. “The Renwold’s have all been witches. We were, however, weak and no match for werewolves. Do you remember the horseback ride in the woods?”

“I have tried hard to forget it.”

“They were after me when they attacked. Werewolves and witches just don’t get along well. When they came to kill me, I ran leaving you to distract them. When I heard you survived their attack, there was only one recourse. Kill you and your entire family.”

“How are you here? You should have died centuries ago. You don’t smell like a witch.”

“Yes… about that. Dr. Travis here is also a witch. He was the one that discovered a way to extract the life essence from a werewolf. When injected into a witch, it enhances our strength and renews our youthful appearance. Werewolves are the fountain of youth for witches. A strong witch can easily maintain a glamour allowing me to change my looks throughout the generations. Now you know why I hunted you all.”

“And yet you are a fool. You were the one that cast the spell to curse our kind.”

He shrugged. “I did. It allowed me to reduce your numbers. I want to bring you all down to only a hundred or so. I will then remove the curse. This will allow the witches to raise and farm you like cattle.”

“You’re sick! Let Ania go!”

“Tsk. Tsk. Katarina. Ania is something new. Something special. I can’t wait to discover all that she can do. I hear she is also a werewolf and your mate.” He looked at Isobel. “A rare tri-bond. I always wanted to kill a fated mate to see how the other would react.”

My hands were bound behind me, but I could touch my bracelet. What Renwold didn’t realize was that the bracelet controlled the collars. I could feel my shadows and although I used much to shield us during the crash, I had enough to do some serious damage. I touched the bracelet and concentrated on the collar. It clicked and opened.

Renwold turned towards me, and his eyes widened. He started to raise his hand when I shifted into shadow mode. He froze as time stopped. I stood and stepped away from the cuffs. I grabbed the collar, slapped it on Renwold’s neck, disarmed the guards the shoved them outside of the room, locking the door closed. I found a key and unlocked Isobel and Katarina, then used their cuffs to lock Drake and Dickweed’s hands and legs together. Satisfied, I stepped out of my shadows.

Renwold looked confused and tried to use his witch magic. Nothing happened because the collar removed access to it.

Dr. Travis, however, had no collar and shot a blast of fire at me. My shadows shielded me easily. 

I cocked my head to the side. “I’ve been meaning to try this.” I pointed my left arm at him and called forth a small pulse of energy. In a flash of purple light, Dr. Travis became floating ashes. “Wow… so that’s how that works.”

The guards had regrouped and were banging on the door.

“Tell them to go away or I will get rid of them for you.”

Renwold looked at what remained of Dr. Travis and shouted. “We’re fine. Go back to your posts.” He turned to me. “What are you?”

“I’m the one that will set all this right.”

Isobel kissed me. “Not you alone, sweetheart.” She grabbed a letter opener from Renwold’s desk and lowered it to Dickweed’s balls. “This is dull as hell.”

“Careful, Isobel.” I warned. “The handle is ivory, but the metal is silver.”

She winked at me. “Even better. It will make it so his dangly bits won’t grow back.”

Drake growled. “Let us out of these damn cuffs!”

Katarina was keeping an eye on Renwold and Ylena. “Ania, would you like to handle the high alpha?”

“Happy to, love.”

I walked over to Drake who flinched back from me. “You sold out your own kind. You attacked my mates.”

“It wasn’t like that!”

“MY MATES!” I screamed.

He stepped back from me.

“I should kill you right now, but that would make me no better than you. I want a blood oath from you, Dickweed, and your senior pack members. You will treat the Westfall pack, especially Katarina and our senior members as equals. We will work together and have each other’s backs. If you or your pack so much as harm a single hair on any of our pack members through deed or action, you violate the blood oath and will become our enemies. I will warn you now, that I will fight for Katarina and the Westfall pack until my dying breath.”

Drake stared into my eyes, and I knew he could see my shadows swirling there. “I agree to the terms of the blood oath, however, I would like to add something.”

“Name it.”

“That you and the Westfall pack will also fight for the LaFleur pack if we are threatened.”

Katarina nodded. “As long as the blood oath is in effect.”

Isobel groaned. “Can I cut off Dickweed’s balls first?”

Out of the corner of my eye, Renwold started to run. A shadow wolf appeared in his path. It crept forward slowly barring its teeth.

Renwold laughed. “It’s just a shadow.”

Drake put his hand to his face as I let the shadow wolf take a bite out of Renwold’s leg. The bite also gave a shock of electricity that caused Renwold to spasm on the ground.

I unlocked Drakes cuffs and tossed the keys to Isobel.

“Do I have to unlock Dickweed’s?”

Katarina nodded but turned back to Ylena. “I would like to get the blood oath in place now. Do you have a dagger since our weapons were taken from us?”

Ylena glanced at Drake and handed over her dagger to Katarina.

Katarina pointed the dagger at Renwold who was holding his bleeding calf. “Sit!” He could still barely function but managed to get into a chair.

Isobel tossed her Dickweed’s cuffs. Katarina cuffed Renwold and I let the shadow wolf disappear.

Katarina grabbed me and kissed me. “Gods, Ania. You saved our lives. I love you. Which is why this will be painful for you. Hold out your hand.”

I did, with much fear.

Katarina slid the tip of the dagger across my palm then did the same with hers. She grasped her bleeding hand with mine. “As alpha of the Westfall clan, I hereby step down and without challenge bequeath the status of alpha to Ania Linne.”

“No…” I whispered. The pack’s power flooded into me, and I gasped.

“It is the right thing to do, Ania. Drake respects you. I will become your second and will be the alpha’s mate. You had more speed and strength than me without any pack power. Kyle, Isobel and I have spoken about this and with a blood oath about to be formed between packs, it must be you.”

I looked to Isobel, and she merely nodded and smiled. “I get to be alpha’s mate and your fourth, sweetheart.”

I looked back at Katarina. “I can reverse this.”

She shook her head. “It can only be done to a wolf of greater power. The only other way alpha’s change is through death or challenge.”

I looked down, feeling the weight of responsibility on my shoulders. “Does this mean I get to collar you now?”

Katarina smiled. “Not a chance, love. You’re still the submissive one in our relationship.”

I sighed and cast my gaze back to Drake. “Are we still doing this?”

“Katarina was correct in what she did. Having a pack member of higher strength beneath her would ultimately cause confusion within the hierarchy. You may not like it, but that is the price you pay for your strength. This is why I need to pass along my high-alpha status to you. I sense you are more powerful than I am. I struggle to look you in the eyes and that is not even considering your shadows, whatever they are. Hand me the dagger, please?”

Katarina gave him the dagger and nodded to me. Drake sliced my healed palm then his own and bequeathed his high-alpha status to me. This time I felt the flood of power from all the werewolves in the world.

Drake took a step back. “The blood oath is no longer required, high alpha Ania. All packs and wolves will heed your command.”

Damn. I didn’t need this. I turned to face Renwold.

“Remove the curse.”

“I will go to my grave before doing that.”

“Send your guards home, Renwold.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because if you don’t, I will kill every one of them.”

“They are mortals. What do I care what happens to them?”

“Katarina?”

“Yes, high alpha?” She said it with a smile.

I sighed. “For what he has done to you, I will happily end his life, but his life is not mine to take.”

Katarina smiled.

Renwold cursed. “You need me alive!”

“Like hell we do.”

Katarina lunged, turning into her wolf form midair. She took her time with him, and his screams echoed through the room for many minutes before she ripped his head from his body. She backed away and shifted to her human form.

“I am loathed to take any human life, but I did not consider him human. He slaughtered many thousands of our kind. He tortured them. Used their essence to grant himself immortality. He cursed our kind. The world is better without him.”

Drake smiled. “This day will be heralded forever in werewolf history. The hunter of our kind is dead. Thank you, Katarina.”

She nodded to him. “Thank you for letting me do that, Ania.”

I pulled her to me and kissed her then turned to Drake. “Drake. Take Dickweed and Ylena and search the property for the relic. We will find another witch to remove the curse. Give me a moment…”

I stepped into my shadows and for those in the room was back before I disappeared. “The guards have no more silver bullets just in case you run into any that want to shoot you.”

Drake smiled and took Ylena and Dickweed with him. As soon as they stepped from the room, Katarina and Isobel were all over me. They smothered me with kisses. I needed to make love to them but now was unfortunately not the right time.

Katarina stroked my face and kissed me. “We have a bit of news to share with the pack. The Linne pack.”

“I feel badly about that. I never wanted to diminish anyone in the pack, least of all you.”

“You are still so young as a werewolf. You will understand in time. You do not diminish me or anyone, rather we all acknowledge you. Your status and rank strengthen all of us. The strength of the alpha raises the strength of the pack members. This is why a stronger pack member will cause confusion in the pack if they are not elevated to the highest position they can hold.”

“You will always be my alpha, Katarina.”

“I know. That’s what makes this so great for me. I love my submissive Ania even if she is the strongest werewolf in the world.”

Isobel bit my earlobe. “My shadow wolf.”

We indulged in each other for a few more minutes before I spotted what was left of Renwold. I raised my left hand and blasted him to dust. I actually blasted him, the collar, the cuffs, the bloody carpet, floor, and chair to dust.

“I wish we had a vampire to use compulsion on the guards that saw us.”

“That’s a great idea. There is a small clan in town. Should I call their leader?”

I nodded and Katarina made a call. Isobel and I searched the room we were in but found nothing. Twenty minutes later, Drake, Dickweed, and Ylena returned carrying an ornate wooden box.

“This is the relic, Ania. There is a lab in the basement. It was… Had I known, I would have worked harder to kill that beast Renwold. It was horrific.”

“Valencia is on her way, Ania. She is bringing five of her clan with her.”

Drake looked confused. “You called the vampires?”

“We hope they will use compulsion on the guards. We need to purge their memories of us being here and we will send them home.”

“Why would they help us?”

“I will share more when they arrive, but I have information about the future of all supernaturals on earth and we need to start working together.”

***

Drake and his team drove us all back to the house. There was significant commotion from the pack when everyone stepped from the vehicles. It only took moments before the members noticed my new scent and position. No one questioned it.

“Let’s get everyone inside.”

There were some obvious trust issues between the new Linne pack and Drake’s senior members that I needed to address right away.

Kyle came over and shook my hand, then hugged me. “I know I am not the only one here that smells the changes, high alpha Ania. What are we doing with them?” He nodded towards Drake, Dickweed, and Ylena.

“We will share more in a moment. For now, they are guests.”

Kyle nodded.

“Katarina, perhaps for everyone’s benefit you can explain how the roles shifted?”

Katarina smiled as she snuggled up to me. She held my hand as she addressed the pack. “I think we all knew that Ania was special from the moment of her first shift. That she is fast and strong is without question. We all knew it was not the right placement for her as fourth and as we learned and watched her over the past weeks, it became clear she was the alpha.

“Today, many things occurred which I will leave Ania to explain, but we needed to form a blood oath with the LaFleur pack. It would not work with me performing the oath when Ania is the rightful alpha. Know that I would have fought and challenged anyone, even if they were stronger than me if I felt they would not have this pack’s best interests at heart. Ania has that heart. I know she would die for any of us.

“This role change impacts our senior members. I have assumed the role of beta. Kyle will be third. Isobel fourth. Brent is fifth. The pack will hereby become the Linne pack.”

I shook my head. “No. I want to take your last name. I want the pack to remain the Westfall pack and I want my name to demonstrate I belong to you as my mate.”

Katarina smiled and kissed me.

Isobel kissed Katarina and then me. “That’s such a wonderful idea. I want to change my last name as well. Isobel Westfall. I like it.”

Calista nodded. “We have all seen how Ania has become loved, cherished, and respected by the pack. Even now, she shows how she cares for us. I want to welcome and acknowledge our new alpha. I am curious to know how Ania became high alpha.”

Drake looked at me for permission. I nodded.

“I won’t sugar coat or gloss over what took place. I have much to be ashamed of. When we came after Ania’s second moon celebration, it was with the clear intention of taking Ania to be bred. Our kind had been decimated and we needed to replenish ourselves. As high alpha, I chose to take what was not mine. I chose to use our strength and power to dominate and control for the purpose of raping one of our own kind. In my mind, it was the right thing to do. Use Ania to impregnate her with the most powerful of our members.

“What we did not plan for was Ania. Turned from a powerful and strong alpha, we knew she would be strong, but the outcome of mixing werewolf DNA with alien DNA, made Ania far stronger. Not once did she back down from any one of us. At every turn, she put us in our place, not to lord over us or demand our submission, but in your pack’s defense.

“When she broke my nose, I stared down her wolf and I flinched. I knew she was stronger and that was without her remarkable alien abilities. We left the Westfall pack disgraced by a one-month-old wolf. My pride would not accept it and I should be put to death for my following actions.

“I wanted Ania. I needed to show my dominance. I felt justified… I went to Renwold and struck a deal with him.”

The pack gasped and looked like they wanted to tear Drake apart. I held up my hand. “Let him finish.”

Drake nodded. “Renwold wanted access to werewolves. I gave him the Westfall pack’s location.”

Kyle pushed forward and he stopped short with a look from me. 

“I want you all to hear everything.”

Kyle and several others growled.

Drake continued. “I don’t blame you for wanting me dead. I betrayed our kind, not once, but multiple times. Renwold agreed that if I delivered Katarina and the location of your pack to him, he would give me Ania.”

Kyle laughed. “You could not handle Ania.”

“You’re right. Renwold had alien technology to suspend Ania’s alien abilities. It was a collar used to transport alien prisoners. Once fastened around Ania’s neck, her shadows would be powerless. With Ania’s powers suppressed, I could then use Ania for whatever I had in mind.

“We knew you were trying to create a summit for supernaturals, so I planned to lure Katarina away from the pack with a fake witch contact. While enroute, I crashed a truck into Katarina’s SUV and we took Katarina, Isobel, and Ania hostage. Ania was unconscious when I placed the collar around her neck.”

The entire pack growled. They were furious. I had to say something before Drake was torn limb from limb.

“As bad as this is, you can see we are all fine. As a matter of fact, it provided us an opportunity to rid ourselves of Renwold forever. Katarina, please continue to share what happened next.”

“It turned out Renwold had no desire to give up Ania. He turned on Drake then exposed himself for what he truly was. A witch. Not only was he a witch, but he was very powerful, having enhanced his abilities through the murders of our kind. Ylena tried to attack Renwold only to be tossed across the room like a rag doll.

“Renwold and Dr. Travis, another witch, had worked together for hundreds of years. Many of you know my history. Walter Renwold used his witch powers to glamour himself. He was none other than Anthony Renwold.”

Brent shook his head. “What a bloody mess. How did you all get away?”

Isobel kissed my neck. “Ania. She saved us all. Although her shadows were suppressed, her bracelet could control the collar. She disabled the collar, then went full on shadow wolf. In the blink of an eye, Renwold was bound, the guards with silver bullets removed, and Katarina and I were freed.”

Katarina grinned. “Then she went head-to-head with Dr. Travis, reducing him to a smoldering pile of ash and she gave me the opportunity to end Renwold once and for all.”

Drake chimed in. “With the immediate threat eliminated, Ania brokered a blood oath with me, however, knowing she was more powerful, I relinquished my high alpha status to her willingly. My pack and I were immediately under her command. She ordered us to find the relic, which we did. She then called in vampires to use compulsion on the guards to wipe their memories. Our high alpha Ania then blew up Renwold’s mansion with a single blast from her alien technology.”

Kyle smiled. “That was the explosion we felt?”

Drake nodded. “Nothing but a crater left. I want everyone here to know that I am willing to stand trial for my actions.”

“You are not going on trial, Drake. You have led the werewolves as high alpha for over a thousand years. I will not start my reign as high alpha setting back the werewolf community any further. You have committed your pack and yourself to me and however detestable your actions were I do not wish to see your life ended. We need each other. We need a strong global pack.”

Drake tipped his head. “What would you have of me?”

“I think we have much cause for a celebration. You and Dickweed are on barbeque duty. Ylena and I will clean up the dishes.”

Ylena spat. “Dishes? You expect me to do dishes?”

“Are you challenging me, Ylena?”

“Hell no. Where is the soap?”

***

The BBQ went well and began easing tensions between Drake’s members and our own pack. Ylena pouted about having to do such menial work, but it did give us a chance to talk.

“You surprise me, Ania.”

“How so?”

Ylena handed me a dish to dry. “You have been overly gracious to us and forgiving. For being with a pack such a short time, it is clear they both respect and love you. In our pack, forgiveness is rare, and respect is forced.”

“I like to think we all make mistakes. If I’m honest, I still struggle with seeing my mates harmed. My wolf wants to tear you all to pieces, but we need to learn to move on.”

“I see you keeping an eye on Dickweed and Isobel.”

“Forgiveness does not mean denial of past events. Trust still needs to be earned and I won’t hesitate to protect anyone here, especially my mates.”

“You don’t demand submission from those beneath you. I have never seen that in a pack.”

“Maybe I am young and naïve as a werewolf. I feel we are a family, and sometimes I will need to make a quick decision. When things are not so urgent, I see no harm in letting the pack have a say. Internally, I know they are submitting and yet it bothers me when people don’t look me in the eyes.”

Ylena laughed. “When we were here last time and you refused to look away from me, I was astonished and felt challenged. I believed I was rightfully your superior. Now the tables have turned, and I feel no challenge when I look into your eyes. I know how your pack feels now. It’s refreshing.”

Kyle came up behind me and slugged me on my arm. “Hey boss.”

Ylena’s eyes widened. I am sure she expected me to immediately put Kyle in his place.

“What’s up, Kyle?”

He nodded over his shoulder. Katarina and Isobel were smiling holding up some pink cuffs.

“I’m happy to take over for you.”

“Are you going soft on me, Kyle?”

“Not at all. I’m itching to spar with you. I just know better than to get between you and your mates. Besides, there is a new bet.”

“Really? What is it this time? How loud I scream? How many times I scream?”

“Nah. Nothing so crude. The bet is to see how long you will last. We overheard Kat and Isobel talking about cuffing you to the bed and not letting you touch them while they make love in front of you.”

“Gods… That is so cruel.” I said with a smile as I looked over my gorgeous mates.

Kyle grabbed a plate from an open-mouthed Ylena. “Twenty-seven minutes is my time. Don’t disappoint me boss.”

I handed my towel to Kyle. “I doubt I will last half that long. You two should spar after the dishes are put away. You’ll need all the practice you can get, Kyle.”

***

It had taken several months, and I was quickly adjusting to my new role as high alpha. Drake’s connections in the supernatural world had proven the key to setting up the supernatural summit. Everyone was suspicious of our motives, and it took much convincing to bring everyone together.

I brought Katarina, Isobel, Drake, Kyle, Ylena, and Gaston with me. I felt having fewer werewolves would demonstrate we were not there to perform anything nefarious. The venue was located at a large estate in Romania, home to one of the largest vampire clans.

I greeted everyone as they arrived. One of the first to come into the conference room was Valencia.

“Ever since Renwold’s, I have been looking forward to learning more about what you hinted at, Ania.”

I chuckled. “I wish your enthusiasm spread to the others joining us.”

“I am sure they would be more keen had they witnessed you level the estate. Rumors about you and your unique powers are rampant. I’m excited to see the fireworks.” Valencia looked over her shoulder and nodded to a tall, handsome vampire. “Winston. It is good to see you. May I introduce you to Ania…”

“I go by Westfall now.”

“…Westfall. Recently appointed and unchallenged high alpha of the werewolves.”

Winston extended a hand, and I grasped it firmly.

“I have heard what most certainly must be vastly exaggerated exploits of how you came into power, Ania. Unfortunately, none hinted at how exquisitely beautiful you are. I am Winston Wynthrope, king of the vampires.”

“Very pleased to meet you. I’m also rather certain what you have heard was likely exaggerated as well.”

“Who is holding up the line?”

Winston winced at the grating sound of the woman’s voice behind him. “High witch, Chandra. I thought I left explicit instructions to only allow your second in.”

Chandra’s grin was not very heartwarming. “When will you learn, king Winston, that witches can easily go anywhere they want, including past your neophytes. Who is the girl you are flirting with?”

“Jealous, Chandra?”

“As if.”

I extended my hand and Chandra ignored it. “I’m Ania.”

Chandra laughed. “You look nothing like a brutish furball or that you have any power whatsoever. Where is the real Ania whom I need to have words with? I was not appreciative of her insistence that I be here today.”

Katarina came to my side and kissed my neck. “Chandra and Winston. I see you have met my lovely mate, Ania. Please come in and relax. We will begin shortly.”

Chandra huffed. “We will soon see how much of a waste of time this is for everyone. Whoever thought we could get any value from listening to a werewolf? Ridiculous.”

I was grateful she and the others moved along. Another witch arrived and her demeanor was much more pleasant.

“I’m Ania.” I offered my hand, and she took it and hung on.

“I’m Constance. I was not expecting anyone so gorgeous. I’m melting on the spot. Are you…”

“She’s spoken for.” Isobel gently pried Constance’s hand from mine but somehow, she made it look like a nice greeting.

“Oh. Mmmm. I’m the second for the witches. I was thrilled to get invited. It sort of feels like I am at the United Nations or something.”

“I’m glad you could make it. Please find a seat.”

Isobel pulled me away from Constance. “I must keep an eye on you, darling. You draw a lot of unwanted attention.”

“You know you never have to worry about me straying. I belong to you and Katarina, and I dare say no one could come close to you both.”

“Let’s get this started. The sooner we get through it, the sooner we can get you back home to bed.”

“You say all the sweetest things, Isobel.”

Katarina asked everyone to take their seats. There were approximately forty people in the room. Isobel brought me to my seat, kissed my cheek, then sat down.

I looked around the room and Katarina squeezed my hand.

“Thank you all for coming.”

Chandra looked down her long nose at me. “High alpha Ania… If that is indeed what you are. I demand to know why you have brought us halfway around the world to this insufferable location. Witches do not do the bidding of wolves.”

“I apologize, high witch Chandra. I tried to make the communications clear that this was a request, not a demand. I know that vampires, wolves, and witches have held a tenuous relationship with each other. I have recently come across information I think would be vital for all of us to hear.”

“Get on with it, girl.”

I sighed. “I am sure you are all aware of the curse that was placed upon the werewolves.”

Chandra chuckled as did some of the vampires and other witches. I could feel my wolves growing angry.

“I want to tell you a story of how I became the first new werewolf in over sixty years.”

***

An hour later the group was leaning forward and held their intense focus on me.

“Show us.” The words had broken a long silence.

“I want to first demonstrate that I am, indeed, a werewolf.” In a flash, I stood on all fours before them. Moments later I shifted back to my human form. “Now I will demonstrate my unique capabilities as a Xylon alien.”

Shadows swirled around me amid gasps from the crowd. I demonstrated how they could be used to lift objects and form weapons. I entered stealth mode and shadow mode to show the power I possessed.

“I demonstrate these abilities not to frighten you…”

Chandra interrupted me. “Smoke and mirrors do not frighten us. You are wasting our time. I could blast you from here.”

I was getting tired of her. “Try it.”

She laughed but shook her head. “I do not want to cause a problem.”

Winston hissed. “I swear you get crotchetier every year, Chandra. Let Ania speak and stop interrupting her.”

Chandra narrowed her gaze but waved her hand. “By all means, Ania. Continue.”

I took a deep breath. “The reason I mention my heritage is to help everyone understand that aliens exist, and my unique transformation opened me to their technology and knowledge. This bracelet, for example, is a control mechanism, and a weapon.”

I tapped it and my alien armor covered my body amid gasps from the crowd. I tapped it again and removed my armor. “Xylon alien technology calls to me and when I was seeking a werewolf artifact in Renwold’s warehouses, I found a source of alien knowledge.”

Chandra grew angry. “Renwold and his buddy Travis are disavowed witches.”

Drake smiled. “You don’t need to ever worry about Renwold or Travis again. Last I saw them, they were nothing but ashes.”

This was a path I did not want to go down, so I quickly pulled out the Xylon crystal and placed it in the center of the room. I had learned far more from it since I had retrieved it. I stepped back and let my shadows caress the crystal and it lit up.

“This crystal is a power and information source for Xylons. It contains the vast history of the Xylon race and, surprisingly, some of our own earth history. The Xylons have been visiting earth for thousands of years.

“Have you ever wondered how the supernatural species came to be on earth?”

No one answered, so I continued. “According to the information in the crystal, the Xylons seeded our supernatural species. The Xylons have four subspecies. Witches, shifters, vampires, and shadow walkers.”

Winston stood. “You’re saying the Xylons created us? Why would they do that?”

“The Xylons are humanoid and look for earthlike planets and humanoid populations to grow their civilization. They are a harmonious society, working together to build, create, govern, and defend their society. They came here, impregnated human women, trained the first children in use of their unique magic, then left. They did this to observe us. They wanted to see if we shared their ability to work together. They want to know our DNA, demeanor, and intelligence is compatible with theirs.”

Constance seemed to be the brightest of the witches. “Work together in what way?”

“Let me show you something.”

My shadows snaked across the room and touched the crystal. It lit up and the room filled with holographic images. Hundreds of Xylon shifters, vampires, witches, and shadow walkers surrounded a vast empty field. The shifters placed their hands on the ground and liquid metal began rising to form a large sphere. The shadow walkers wrapped their shadows around the metal, transforming it and bending it into new shapes. Witches used their fire to forge the shaped metal and vampires pulled water from the air to temper the metal. In minutes, a building settled onto the field.

“The power combined by the four subspecies has been used to build their society. They can create everything from spacecraft to weapons, buildings to mountains. The subspecies each have their role. Vampires are the enforcers of peace. They use their compulsion to ease tensions and stop fights. They are the judges of Xylon society. Their magical affinity is water.

“Shifters are in tune with nature and manage the creatures of their worlds. They are the scouts and first line of defense. Their affinity is earth. Witches are the engineers. They design, craft, enchant, and are the history keepers. Witches’ affinity is fire.

“Finally, the shadow walkers are the military and primary defenders of society. Their affinity is air. All Xylons understand that removing any element or subspecies will weaken them as a society.”

Valencia sat back and nodded slowly. “Let’s assume you are correct, and we are the descendants of Xylons. Why did they not seed shadow walkers on earth?”

“Shadow walkers are incredibly powerful. They are designed to be weapons. Seeding a planet with shadow walkers would create a powerful fighting force the Xylons might have to fight against. Why put your greatest weapon into the hands of a potential enemy?”

Winston nodded. “Understood, but why would they need to fight us?”

“We are being observed. If we do not find our way to working together, the earthy humanoid race will be classified as antithetical to their values and deemed unfit. If that is the case, they will come and annihilate us.”

Chandra laughed. “Now I know why you called this meeting, Ania. Your wolves are almost extinct. You fabricated this story to protect your species. You elevate yourself as a ‘shadow walker’ and talk about them being a powerful weapon. You are a weak, little girl.”

Drake laughed. “That little girl took out my entire senior pack members all by herself. Without a thought, she shielded herself against a fire blast from a powerful witch. With a single flick of her finger, Renworld’s estate was reduced to a smoldering crater.”

“Your opinion and stories don’t count now that you are submissive to her, Drake.”

Valencia shook her head. “I saw her destroy Renwold’s estate. I was there.”

“Ania could have bribed you to say that.”

“Does my power really matter?”

Chandra huffed. “Power is everything, little girl.”

“I do not wish to fight you to show what I am capable of.”

Chandra sneered. “Of course, you don’t because you know you would lose. This is a sham and nothing but a ploy. I will put a stop to this right now and formally challenge you.”

“If you feel a challenge is necessary, then I think maybe it would be best if we go outside. I do not want anything to happen to this fine building.”

Winston smiled. “The estate has a training ground we can use.”

The entire group headed out to the training grounds. Twenty straw human training dummies were strapped to thick wooden posts around the yard.

“Winston, since this estate belongs to you, what are the rules for the challenge?”

“First blood or yield.”

I nodded. “I will allow all ten of the witches to join in if Chandra feels the need. I will not call upon anyone else to defend me.”

Drake laughed. “As if you will need us anyways.”

Chandra looked gleeful. “Your bravado will get you nowhere, Ania. You seek to frighten me into dropping my challenge.”

“Not at all, but we can end this now before I break your nose.”

Chandra hissed and threw out a fireball towards me. My shadow shields blocked the fireball easily. She was significantly weaker than Dr. Travis or Renwold were. I stood with my hands together and waited patiently.

Chandra began casting a larger fireball.

Constance looked worried. “High witch, Chandra. Are you certain you wish to continue this?”

Chandra shushed Constance with a glare. “No werewolf whelp can stand against a witch.” She let loose her fireball and it merely fizzled against my shield.

I produced a shadow whip and whipped it out from me, spinning in a complete circle.

Chandra laughed. “Your shields are impressive, but your shadows have no offensive…”

One by one the twenty training dummies fell to the ground, sliced in half by the shadow whip.

She stood open mouthed for a second. “Witches! Attack!”

I entered shadow mode and walked to each witch, taking their weapons from them, turning them around to face the other way, then set the pile of weapons in front of me before stepping back from my shadows.

I waited for the inevitable confusion.

Constance turned around. “Holy crap. What just happened?”

“I disarmed you all.”

“But how?”

“I can stop time. It took me a couple of minutes to disarm you all and turn you around. A few minutes of my time even though to everyone here nothing changed. Stopping time like that does draw upon my well of shadow energy.”

“You could have killed us all if you wanted to. How much did you use of your energy to accomplish this?”

“About a twentieth. Imagine the Xylons arriving on earth with millions like me let alone their vastly more powerful technology.” I aimed my left hand at a broken training dummy and a burst of light incinerated the remains to ash and left a twenty-foot hole in the ground.

Chandra growled. “Insolent pup!” She ran at me, grabbed a sword from the pile of weapons and slashed at me. I stopped her strike with my own strength by grabbing her wrist. With my right hand, I hit her on the nose, breaking it with a loud crack. I twisted my left hand forcing her to drop the sword, then thrust my right palm into her chest sending her back nearly twenty feet.

She laid there dazed for a moment before slowly sitting up and wiping her bloody nose with the back of her sleeve.

“I believe that is first blood. Do you wish to continue, high witch Chandra?”

“No…”

Winston grinned. “What a lovely day. Shall we reconvene the meeting?”

***

We returned to the large conference room and took our places.

Chandra stood, looking not too worse off after receiving healing from her witches. “Ania is an abomination. She has too much power. She needs to be killed.”

Winston pointed at Chandra. “Sit down, woman! Is there anyone here that believes if Ania meant us harm that we would still be alive right now?” He turned to me. “It does, however, beg the question what your role in all of this is. What is the end game, Mrs. Westfall?”

“I want us to end the feuds that have kept us all apart. I am enthralled by the capabilities of the Xylons and believe that with the information in the crystal, we can learn to harness the power of working together. I believe we can protect and support each other. We can learn to govern ourselves better. I do not wish to see the end of any of our kinds and I want to be ready for when the Xylons return to earth. We all have their DNA in us, and I don’t want to be found unworthy. What we choose will decide the fate of every living person on earth.”

“But what of you, Ania? Will it be you that leads us?”

“It is not my desire to be the leader. I envision a supernatural council of equals. On behalf of myself and the werewolves, today, I offer a truce and a strong desire to work together. I will perform a blood oath with the witches and vampires if this is your choice. In that oath, I will pledge to protect you and your kind with all available werewolf resources.”

“And you ask nothing in return?”

“I would appreciate the oath being reciprocated. I also would ask for assistance in reversing the curse that Renwold put upon us.”

Constance smiled. “Curses are bound to the witch that created them. When Renwold was killed, the curse on the werewolves ended. Just ask Ylena. She is with child.”

All eyes turned to Ylena.

Ylena stammered. “Werewolf cycles have not been the same since the curse. I did not know… I have been feeling somewhat nauseous in the mornings… Gods… I’m pregnant.”

Constance came around and laid her hands on Ylena. “Six weeks and three days. Do you want to know the gender?”

Ylena nodded.

“It’s a boy.”

Kyle jumped up and whooped. “I’m going to be a father!”

Ylena blushed.

I never saw that coming.

Katarina wiped a tear from my cheek. “Thank you, Constance. This news is indeed very welcome. I would like to recommend the meeting be adjourned for a few days. Think about everything. Take your time. We will meet again and decide our course of action, whatever that may be.”

I leaned into Katarina. “If you have any questions, feel free to ask. The crystal has recorded images of our humble beginnings. The first witch, first shifter, and first vampire on earth are all in there to witness.”

Winston stood. “You are all welcome to stay here.”

Chandra spat onto the floor. “The witches will not stay in such squalor.”

Constance paled but followed Chandra and the other witches out.

***

The next morning, I awoke as usual to Katarina and Isobel on either side of me. I gently traced the curve of my breast barely hidden by the thin silk nightgown. For weeks I had not even thought about my old life. I had never gone back to my old home or even tried to get my money.

My life had been isolated and lonely. Thinking back to the day I regained consciousness in the hospital bed, I realized the only people that were worried about me were Dr. Travis and Renwold and their worry had nothing to do with care for my wellbeing.

My life had become worth living from the moment Katarina bit me. My change into womanhood had gone smoother than I would have expected. There was nothing I missed about my masculinity. If anything, I was enthralled by my femininity and my submissive nature within our relationship. There was a balance in my life. As high alpha, I was the leader and had obligations and responsibilities. In our relationship, I was the one being taken care of. I never had to maintain strength all the time and I found taking a submissive role with Katarina and Isobel rejuvenating.

Katarina stirred and I took that as my opportunity. I rolled her onto her back and straddled her.

“I’ve got you now, angel.”

Katarina cast her loving gaze on me. “Oh my! What will I do? Help! Help!”

I giggled and held her wrists above her head as I kissed her.

Isobel moaned. “You two are seriously starting without me?”

“She has me pinned, Isobel.”

“Oh… that will not do.”

Isobel grinned and tackled me, freeing Katarina. In moments, they had me stripped and cuffed to the bed. They kissed each other as they looked down on me.

Katarina purred. “I can’t believe she is ours.”

Isobel slid Katarina’s nightgown off her shoulders. “She only lasted ten minutes the last time we did this.” She kissed Katarina again.

Katarina moaned and I strained against the cuffs. Watching the loves of my life make love was intensely arousing. I needed to touch them. 

“Did you bring it?” Katarina whispered.

Isobel smiled and nodded. She turned to her suitcase and pulled something long and flexible out. “I think she will enjoy this.”

My mouth opened but not a word came out.

***

I had found a library inside of Winston’s estate. My head was on Katarina’s lap as she gently stroked my hair. Isobel was massaging my feet. I had a book about vampire lore and history that I was reading. A knock sounded at the entryway. We all looked up to see Constance.

“Am I bothering you all?”

“Of course, not. Please. Come in.”

“You three… I’m envious. You seem so content and happy together.”

Isobel giggled. “It is so fun watching Ania orgasm over and over again.”

I blushed furiously.

Constance grinned. “I can only imagine. May I ask a few questions?”

I nodded.

“What you shared yesterday all makes sense to me as I often wondered how supernatural species came to be. Your power is frightening.”

“I’m sorry. I never meant to…”

“Hush, Ania. I’m not scared of you. In awe. Yes. Jealous of your tri-bond. Absolutely. I’m frightened that we might all be wiped out by the very power you demonstrate. I’m afraid if the Xylons came back today, they would not hesitate to destroy us all. Quite frankly, I would not blame them.

“When I heard that Renwold cursed the werewolves, sadly, I was happy. However, over the years that followed and watching such a proud species be wiped out, I could not understand the reason for my joy. I could not remember a time when any werewolf had attacked a witch without provocation. I started to imagine what it must be like for you all.

“Something inside me yearned for peace and harmony. We should be better than this. I come to apologize for my own insensitivity to your plight. I am asking for forgiveness and hope, perhaps, that we can become friends.”

I leaned forward and took Constance’s hand in mine. “I cannot accept forgiveness on behalf of all the werewolves, but I can offer you my own. It would be an honor to call you friend.”

Katarina nodded. “The same for me, Constance.”

“Me as well.” Isobel smiled. “As long as you remember that Ania is ours.” She added with a twinkle in her eye.

Constance beamed. “Such a shame… I would never put myself in such a situation to cause disruption of another relationship. But I can fantasize, right?”

Katarina giggled. “We can loan Ania out when we have her collared.”

I nudged Katarina. “You did not just say that!”

Constance shifted to another topic. “I wanted to know about shifter and vampire affinities.”

Winston stepped into the library. “Excellent question, Constance. I had the same question since what we witnessed from the crystal is not something we have ever seen before.”

“Please, have a seat.”

I pulled out the crystal and let my shadows slide around it. I asked it to show the training of the first vampire. The room filled with moving images. A handsome man and a young boy were in a courtyard. The man spoke to the boy in a language that sounded Germanic. I asked the crystal to translate the words.

“Victor, you have been taught about the ability to persuade others, what I will teach you now is how to connect to water. Persuasion is a push of your will into the mind of another. Imagine what it is you want them to think or a memory you want them to have, then you connect to the power in the core of who you are and push it.

“Control of water is similar, but you need to pull with your magic to gather it to you. This is difficult to master, son. Imagine water being drawn into your hand. Picture in your mind, the temperature of the water. Consider how the water feels as it slides between your fingers. Now, connect to the core of your magic, in the very center of your being. Close your eyes and call to the water.”

We watched as water began creating tiny threads in the air around the boy’s hand. It streamed from around him until a small pool of water formed in his palm.

“Very well done, son. We use our water to temper and to harden. We can’t use it as a weapon or a defense because we cannot manipulate it. Our magic, however, transforms the water into something very special. When used to harden iron, the iron will become stronger than anything man can create.”

“When can I use it, Father?”

“You won’t. It requires the combined efforts of shifters, witches, and another of our kind.”

“Then what good is it?”

“One day, hopefully soon, you will find out.”

I let the image vanish and we all sat back. “Try it, Winston. I believe it will work for you.”

He closed his eyes and held out his hand. He held his concentration for several minutes and two small drops formed.

He stared at the drops. “There were moments I felt connected to the water, then I thought to myself this was stupid. It actually works. Now that I believe, I think it would be easier next time I try. I can understand how through the generations this would have been lost to us as it is not valuable without the combined efforts. We have never been united.”

Constance stared at the water. “This is evidence that it is all true. I want so badly to get everyone together and try to create something. I can only wonder what a sword would be like, forged in this manner.”

She stood and walked to the door. “I will see you both in two days. Thank you.”

***

The group all came together again, and I was anxious to hear what everyone had decided. Chandra and two other witches did not come.

When we had all taken our seats, Constance made an announcement.

“I regretfully inform you that the witches struggled to form a consensus. High witch Chandra was adamant that this was all a lie. She believed Ania was a threat and organized a small group of like-minded witches to kill Ania in her sleep. Needless to say, this caused great division in the witches. I challenged Chandra and defeated her, however, this was at great cost. Chandra refused to yield or concede. She and two other witches attempted to kill me. The witches with me today fought her with me and Chandra and the other two witches lost their lives in that battle.

“I now represent the witches as high witch. I have spoken at length with witches around the world. I am here to offer my full support for a united coalition of supernatural beings. I put faith in my new friend, Ania. I stand by her and am willing to create a blood oath with her and with Winston, binding the witches to a future of harmony with our shifter and vampire brethren.”

Winston stood. “I’m sorry you had to lose Chandra and the other witches, high witch Constance. For some of us older souls, it is hard to let go of the past. I too wish to see a glorious future for us all. For far too long, we considered witches and shifters a nuisance at best, and enemies at worst. The information Ania has brought to us sheds light on us all. We are not independent, but rather all related. Having seen a glimpse of what Ania can do, I also do not wish to ever be her enemy. It is, however, not because of her strength that I willingly agree to the blood oaths, but because of her humility.”

Winston pulled out a dagger.

***

With the blood oaths in place, the meetings switched to how we were going to govern our new united society. We had just sat down for another lengthy, grueling session, when a low thrumming sound began echoing through the room. The estate building began to shake.

The lights flickered off and the noise and shaking stopped. When the lights came back on, we were surrounded by people. Each handsome man and woman had a bracelet like my own on their left forearms leaving me with only one explanation as to who they were.

One of the tallest men wore a more elaborate outfit than the others. He stepped forward and looked slowly upon each one of us, locking his gaze upon me. His eyes widened slightly.

The room was tense, but I figured most had already assumed the same thing I had. The Xylons had returned and brought with them twenty shadow walkers. We were no match for them.

The Xylon man never took his eyes off me as he spoke. “This is the remnant of our seeds?” He sneered.

“Perhaps introductions are in order.” My voice was barely a whisper.

His eyes narrowed. “We know who you all are, Ania, even if that is not your real name.”

Katarina and Isobel edged closer to me.

“You have us at a disadvantage. Would you be interested in joining us?”

The man laughed. “We came for you, Celestia.”

“You have me mistaken for someone else.”

“You are different, and yet you are the same. I have waited too long for you to return to me, to us. You are confused and rightfully so. Your memories of me have been suppressed.”

“Then please enlighten me. Who is it you say I am to you?”

“You have become soft, Celestia. You were never one to say please.”

Winston made the slightest move and instantly shadows latched onto him.

The man that had been speaking, did not even glance Winston’s way. “If any of you make a move, I will end you all with a thought.”

He stepped closer to me. “I am Sabaoth, prince of the shadow walkers. You, who call yourself Ania, are my mate, princess of the shadow walkers, greatest warrior of our kind, general of our military, destroyer of worlds, and soon to be mother of our child.”

I almost laughed but saw how serious he was. “I am not who you think I am. It was by accident I absorbed the DNA of your kind.”

“It was no accident. You wear Celestia’s bracelet. Her shadows chose you. When her ship crashed, her bracelet absorbed her essence, protecting her life force until such a time existed that she could be restored.”

“I am not who you say I am. I have a life here with these good people. What can I do to prove to you I am not the one you seek?”

“Good people?” He spat. “These are the very same people you called irredeemable and a threat to us all because they lost their affinities and slaughtered each other. The very same people you were going to devise your plan for annihilation after dropping off our prisoners. You were finalizing your strategy to wipe this planet clean to make it a new home for our people.”

“Whatever you may think, I am not the person you say I am. These people have united. They deserve a chance.”

“You leave me no choice. You will thank me for this afterwards.”

Sabaoth’s shadows wrapped tightly around me. A pink light streamed from his bracelet to mine. I was lifted off the ground as my mind and body tore at itself. I screamed in agony as my brain rewrote itself.

I dropped to the floor as his shadows and light slipped away. I was shaking from the intense pain that was now easing. I could sense Isobel and Katarina moving towards me and I held up my hand to them to stop them.

I slowly regained my breath. Sabaoth had commanded my bracelet to restore Celestia’s mind; to overwrite my own and yet its primary responsibility was to protect my life. I was now both who I was before along with Celestia and yet I knew I was still Ania. The bracelet had done its job and kept the core of who I was alive. At the same time, I could remember everything about Celestia’s life. A life that had spanned tens of thousands of years. The powers that I had access to before was a mere sliver of what she had and now I possessed, unlocked by the restoration of her memories.

Her life was appalling. She was responsible for the destruction of dozens of planets of humanoid people. She was the most feared creature of the galaxy, and now I was her. I felt the connection to the stealth-hidden spaceship hovering above the estate through my bracelet.

I slowly pushed myself to my feet and as my eyes focused on Sabaoth, Celestia’s memories of him rushed into my mind. He had been a good match for Celestia. Strong and manipulative. Together they had plans to wrest full control of the alien race, making them both king and queen. They were ruthless. I had to be very careful and play my part well, but I had a wealth of knowledge and strategy I could pull from.

“Sabaoth. My mate.”

I could feel Katarina and Isobel tense behind me. They were frantic.

Sabaoth smiled. “Welcome back, Celestia. I have waited too long to have you back at my side.”

I snickered. “It was always you that was by my side, prince.”

He grinned. “You are indeed back.”

“I will need to be updated on your progress.”

“Without you and your carefully hidden plans, things have slipped behind schedule. What of our baby?”

“It did not survive.”

“We can try again as soon as we leave this wretched planet. I can’t wait to ravage your body, most beautiful of all our kind.”

Katarina growled. Sabaoth’s shadows reached for her and Isobel, but mine blocked his. I could sense shadows from each of the shadow walkers and knew what they were planning to do before they could unleash them. This would be a handy skill to have when confronted with shadow walkers that could all stop time.

He grew angry. “I will not allow for your dalliances any longer, Celestia. You always liked your women. You will heed me! Put these useless, ignorant, atrocities to death or I will do it for you.”

“Oh, darling prince…” I stepped into my shadows and using the full power of tens of thousands of years of experience, slaughtered his warriors in an instant. I grabbed Sabaoth by his throat as I stepped back into real time. “You never threaten my mates.” My claws extended drawing bits of blood from his neck as his warriors succumbed to gravity and fell to the ground in bloody pieces.

“What have you done, Celestia?”

I felt him trying to move into his shadows, but my shadows held him firmly.

“I am not Celestia. My name is Ania and these people and the people of earth are under my protection.”

Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. “I can fix the damage from your merger. We can be together again and take control of the council once and for all.”

“You always were a conniving, greedy bastard. Consider this a divorce.”

His shadows fought hard, but with all his strength, he was no match for the greatest warrior and general of the military. My claws tightened and I added shadow blades to the tips of them. With a quick clenching of my hand, Sabaoth’s head slipped from his neck and fell to the ground.

I turned to the stunned people in the room. “I just created a huge problem. I will be right back.”

Using my bracelet, I teleported myself to the ship. Sabaoth had sent his entire crew down to the surface. I took control of the ship and sent a series of communications before teleporting back to the estate.

Upon arriving, everyone took a step back from me including Katarina and Isobel. It broke my heart. “I’m still me. I’m still Ania Westfall, but I have changed. You’re safe, for now. At least I hope you are all safe.”

Katarina took a tentative step forward. “Ania?”

I dropped to my knees. “Please…” I pleaded. “I need you both right now.”

Katarina and Isobel pounced on me.

Katarina kissed me. “What was all that about? I have so many questions.”

Westin nodded. “What do you mean we are safe, for now?”

Constance was visibly shaken. “Were those aliens?”

I clung to Katarina and Isobel, but slowly pulled us to our feet.

“There is a lot to discuss. Please, take your seats and know I believe we are safe from immediate danger. Should we move to another venue or clean this mess up first?”

There were nods.

“I need to do one thing first.” Using my bracelet, I commanded it to disintegrate Sabaoth’s bracelet. “I didn’t want him resurrecting.”

Isobel kicked at Sabaoth’s body. “He was your mate?”

“He was Celestia’s mate.”

“Piece of crap!” She kicked him again. “No one touches Ania but me and Kat!”

***

After much insistence and convincing, we took a brief break and reconvened. I paced before the group.

“Much of what I need to share with you is the culmination of Celestia’s knowledge. I have told you how I was turned through the absorption of alien Xylon DNA. The bracelet I wear is one of eight unique bracelets used to capture the life essence of council members.

“The Xylons have a council, similar to what we are trying to establish. Two shadow walkers, two witches, two vampires, and two shifters make up their council. These individuals are many thousands of years old. In the event that the loss of life of the wearer is imminent, the bracelet captures the core of the person into itself. Apparently, my bracelet belonged to one of the eight. It belonged to Celestia. She was one of two shadow walkers on the council, considered a princess, and was the leader of the Xylon military.

“Sabaoth activated my bracelet’s restoration protocols. I was then merged with Celestia, but the bracelet did not overwrite the core of who I am. Instead, I gained her knowledge and memories, and the process opened me up to the vastness of her abilities and power.

“Celestia was a horrible person. She led the military to destroy many earthlike populations. As her power grew, Sabaoth came alongside her. He, like Celestia, was always seeking power and together they had planned to wrest control of the council. With the military backing them, and with Celestia being so strong, it would have been an inevitable outcome.

“Celestia had heard about the fighting of the supernatural species here on earth. She volunteered to take prisoners to Venus and then she was to visit earth to plan its destruction. As she passed earth, her spacecraft was damaged causing her to crash, and lose her life. She was pregnant with Sabaoth’s child at the time.

“After the restoration of Celestia’s essence into me, I knew that I remained Ania. I realized what a dangerous situation we were and are in. The warriors Samaoth brought were all very loyal to him. They were planning on retrieving me, then killing all of you. I had to act quickly and did so to protect all of you. However, my actions may set me at odds with the Xylon council.

“After I killed Samaoth, I went to the spaceship, took control of it, then sent communications to the Xylon council. I told them I was Celestia returned to life, but that I had uncovered a plot by Samaoth to overthrow the council. I killed him and now await the disposition of the council. I believe we have several months before they receive communications, and a decision is made.

“I checked the ship’s logs and my bracelet had communicated Celestia’s partial restoration the moment the bracelet formed on my arm after I had fallen into the exhibit. That is why Samaoth showed up when he did.”

I took a deep breath.

Constance grinned. “Can I see the spaceship?”

Everyone looked at her.

“What? I’m a huge Star Wars fan.”

Winston shook his head. “What about the fate of our world?”

“I told the council I had witnessed the supernatural races here working together and that in a thousand years or so earth would be safe to absorb.”

“What now?”

“We wait to hear from the council. If we do not hear from them in five weeks, then we need to assume the worst; that they are coming to destroy all human life on earth. If that is the case, then I will do what I can to gain control of the Xylon military. It would mean a Xylon civil war. I made a blood oath to protect you all and you are my family. The Xylons will be my responsibility.”

I pulled Katarina and Isobel to me. “One more thing…” I swallowed. “I lied to Samaoth. I’m pregnant with a baby girl. Xylon pregnancies take roughly two years for full gestation and Celestia was two months pregnant. The baby was restored to my body when Samaoth tried to bring his mate back to him.”

Isobel smiled and hugged me. “You’re pregnant?”

I nodded.

Katarina kissed me. “We’re going to have a daughter. Will she be a hybrid?”

“I don’t know, but I believe so. We will have a daughter if earth is not destroyed.”

I faced the group again.

“Has anything I have shared, or what has transpired changed how you feel?”

***

“Good morning, princess.”

I groaned. “You need to stop calling me that, Isobel.”

“The earthly supernatural council voted to make you our official leader and princess of the shadow walkers, which is what you are. So, the title sticks.”

Katarina lightly ran her hand along my belly, which was still perfectly flat. It had only been just over a month since our encounter with Samaoth.

“Good morning, baby girl.” She kissed my bare stomach before kissing me. If anything, Katarina was more excited than I was about me being pregnant.

After we departed Romania, I was concerned that things might be strained between us, but nothing could have been further from the truth. I kissed them both, then asked for a minute. I walked to the bathroom and stared at myself. My worldview had changed multiple times in the past months. I smiled at my reflection and reached back contentedly to pull Isobel and Katarina to my side.

My bracelet buzzed on my arm and with a tap, a holographic image of the Xylon council appeared before us.

“Princess Celestia and General of the military. It brings us great joy to see you restored. We are looking forward to your return. What you described regarding Prince Samaoth, is highly disturbing, and yet, not a complete surprise. We approve of your decision to remove the threat of Prince Samaoth and his elite warriors. With your understanding that the seeding of planet Krestryl has been successful, we have decided to have you remain there overseeing their transition into our union. We will require your presence for our next council meeting and the appointing of Samaoth’s successor.

“We have held much discussion over your current condition that your bracelet sent to us. Not only are you with child, but your restoration is the first of its kind. We see that you are now a shifter, shadow walker hybrid. It has long been theorized that our subspecies would eventually merge, and we are interested in learning about the events that caused this historic event to happen.

“In addition, your bracelet sent us information that we were also excited about. As you well know, each subspecies has always remained independent from each other. That you found not only one, but two fated mates with shifters, has kept us speculating that perhaps the seeding of Krestryl might prove prophetic in bringing our people into an even closer relationship with each other. They are welcome to join you during our next council meeting as we would never ask for fated mates to be separated, especially when you are with child.

“We rejoice in your return to us, Princess Celestia. The next council meeting will be held on Krestryl, 3245.87.”

The hologram faded.

“That is good news, I think. I can only surmise that Celestia’s scheming was not known among the council members. Somehow, I never expected them to be so cordial.”

“Krestryl is earth?”

“Yes, Katarina.”

“And what is 3245.87?”

“It’s a date and time, roughly a year from now.”

Katarina smiled. “That is great news. Let’s get you changed, princess. I smell breakfast.”

After changing, we headed downstairs and ate a healthy breakfast. Then called the pack together and established a conference call with Constance and Winston. We shared the happy news and in the style of our pack, decided a barbeque was in order.

When evening came, I dressed in my short, sexy pink dress and paused at the door to the deck as I had done after my first full moon. This time, my nails were painted pink to go with my dress. I smiled at how good it made me feel to see them.

As I stepped onto the deck, Katarina and Isobel were waiting for me, knowing I had been there all along. Before I could get to them, Lana intercepted me.

“Here’s the deal, princess. You can’t touch Isobel or Kat until you dance with each of us first.”

“That’s torture!”

Kyle laughed as he leaned against the house wall with Ylena in his arms. “We have a bet.”

I frowned and crossed my arms over my chest. “Of course, you do. What is it this time?”

Brent handed me a margarita. “Isobel and Kat will dance together without you. If you touch them before dancing with all of us, we all get a ride in your spacecraft.”

Isobel and Katarina moved so close that their scent was driving me wild.

“And if I somehow survive?”

Katarina smiled sweetly. “Then Isobel and I give you a date. Your best dress.”

Isobel purred. “The best restaurant.”

Katarina edged closer to me. “The best wine.”

Isobel’s breath was warm against my neck, but she never touched me. “There will be romantic dancing.”

I grabbed them both and began kissing them.

Lana whooped. “Free spaceship rides for everyone!”

Isobel held up the pink cuffs. “We will still have our date tomorrow night, princess.”

Katarina pulled out the pink choker. “It’s all planned.”

Ylena stepped up close and held out a present. “This will go nicely with your outfit tomorrow when you come back to the house. It’s the least I could do for you being so welcoming of me joining the Westfall pack.”

I took the present warily and opened it slowly. I stared at the object for a moment before realizing I was getting excited. I pulled the item from the box. It was a pink blindfold.

I smiled. “Can we skip the barbeque and go straight to bed?”

“Not a chance, princess.” Came the response from Katarina and Isobel in unison. They kissed me at the same time and dragged me out dancing with the rest of the pack.

***

***

I sometimes wonder how my mind works. Often, I get a high-level idea for a story, and simply start writing it, often getting stuck because of a lack of planning. Sometimes, like with this story, I let the story unfold as I write it with little to no contemplation along the way. This story took on a life of its own. I never intended Ania to have two lovers, but it just came about when I found attraction between Ania and Isobel, and Ania and Katarina. The dynamic proved interesting and exciting. Even the soft introduction of cuffs added a level of passion, especially since it was done in a loving, trusting relationship.

The alien encounter at the end of the story just happened without much forethought. I had set aside writing the ending for a couple of days, only to start it fresh and poof, Samaoth appeared and Ania was pregnant.

I admit I had two other alternate endings that just didn’t happen. One, Samaoth grabs Ania and takes her away from Katarina and Isobel, possibly forever. That seemed to lend itself to a sequel and I didn’t want that. The other ending was with no alien intervention. Ania would have simply pulled the council together and they all lived happily ever after.

Whatever it is I write, it is always fun to write. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. Please, please, please leave a comment. I would love to hear from you.

Avia Conner