Guardian Wolf Ch. 03

James was trying not to laugh at his mate. Leave it to Rachel to cut right through the fantasy of the whole situation and get to the gritty details. Brian and Natalie said Rachel was very detail-oriented; she wanted to know exactly what she was getting herself into before she truly committed to something. Her heart may be fully immersed, but her brain was still tentatively testing the waters of this relationship. James could fully understand her situation; it had taken months of talks with his mother before he was fully committed to this whole idea of mating a complete stranger. He knew he loved Rachel with his entire being, but that didn't stop his brain from wanting to know why.

She didn't have the luxury of knowing the outcome to her future before they met. Despite her apparent acceptance of him and their love, James knew it would be an uphill battle until Rachel was fully satisfied with her new surroundings. Even to one as open minded and rational as Rachel, an Alpha mating was a surreal experience for anyone. It would take time for her brain to catch up with her heart. The only thing James could do was to be there and help her along. There was still a lot of danger out there in the world. She would have to be strong to overcome what lay ahead for them. The best thing was she was not alone; she had a new family to lean on for support. They would be the bedrock for her to build upon. Even during the darkest moments in their lives, there will always be someone there for them. James knew there were three things that would help her the most: love, knowledge, and training. He and his family would provide her with all three.

"A female can come in to heat three or four times a year, beginning the first spring after she is turned or after her 18th birthday. And yes, during this time, if her mate ejaculates inside her while she is in heat, she will become pregnant. Outside of this short window, there is no chance of pregnancy. A female body can continue to support a pup as long as she stays healthy. Female Lycan don't go through menopause like human females. As long as she is still fertile, and her mate is still virile, there will be pups. Multiple births are very common among us, especially the younger females. It is not uncommon for a female to have several sets of twins or higher during her mating lifetime. It is not common anymore, but during the early years when our numbers were still quite small, it was very acceptable for mates to have several dozen children.

My brother Adam seems to be trying to bring back the tradition. I swear he is determined to keep Ilsa barefoot and pregnant for the next century. That boy loves laying pipe way too much and has yet to figure out he can come someplace other than Ilsa's vagina. You heard them say Ilsa is pregnant again and this, of course, is there last child? Don't believe it. They have been saying that for the last three children. Each time they act SO surprised they are going to have another child. If they were really serious about not having any more children they good go the route my dad did; he had a vasectomy shortly after I was born. Mom insisted he get neutered so they wouldn't have any more surprises after me. Mom says she was tired of pushing us out of her own vagina. She was more than content to let one of her daughters do it for her from now on. She loves being a grandma and doesn't regret not having more children.

Now most mated couples, after the first birthing of pups, choose to wait a few years to have more children. When the female goes into heat, the male can either wear a condom, which in most cases doesn't work because of our general size, ejaculate outside, or they can abstain all together. It is very difficult for male werewolves to abstain from sex when their females are in heat. The natural pull to impregnate a fertile mate is extremely strong in us. Luckily most females tend to come into heat at around the same time, so the fertile periods are easy to predict. Watch in the coming months, the males who are mated will pack and leave for about a week to get away from their over-sexed bitches. Otherwise, there would be many, many more children running around here.

Most of the males will usually head up into the mountains to our cabin where they spend a week or so hunting and fishing; it has turned into quite a period of male bonding. Since we share the cabin and the land with the Archer clan, it is also a great time for the male leadership to reaffirm bonds and kinship with their counterparts. To tell you the truth, I think they spend their time up there drinking and telling fabulous lies to one another until it is time to come back; I doubt there is much work being done.

As for the females, it can become a little chaotic. They are usually sequestered away from the rest of the pack to minimize distractions. A heated female can be quite distracting to the younger omegas that have yet to be mated. They usually get to spend the week on guard duty, away from the estrogen Molotov cocktail. Without a male to sate a female's hormonal sex drive, they usually turn to one another for a time. Don't be too surprised to discover that many females have taken several female lovers over the years until the men feel it is safe to come back. My mother and her sister Camille were known to be quite close. Dad and Bill still like to talk about how 'hot' it was to see those two go at each other. I'm sure Katy and Abby wouldn't mind letting you join in their fun during this time, they seem to like you very much. I would watch out for your butt hole, though; I have heard stories about those two and their preference for anal play."

Rachel blushed as she remembered Abby's comment about her sister's 'punishment'. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about a temporary lesbian encounter. But again, if her hormones are thrown for a loop and she won't be able to control herself, beggars can't be choosers. She figured a tongue was just as good as her fingers or a toy.

Babe. James thought in her head. There is no moral dilemma for same sex partners in our world. There is no stigma when it comes to sex in the pack. Even if a pair is mated, having an additional partner is quite acceptable during these times. Hell, I've even heard some of the males take an erstwhile lover up at the cabin. It's not my thing, but who am I to judge? When we are with our mates we are fiercely loyal and monogamous. But we are also a very sexual species, especially during mating periods; if you decide to have some fun with another female, I won't be against it.

Yeah. Sure. I'm sure you will be all torn up inside knowing I am getting it on with another woman. Men! You probably sequester us on purpose so you can instigate a massive female orgy. Even as immortals with centuries of knowledge, you seem to act like a bunch of overgrown six year olds.

Rachel looked to see that James had reddened a little bit as she imagined a sexual female congress en mass. Her thoughts and fantasies spilled over into his thoughts. She noticed his cock quickly lengthen and thicken as he imagined a pile of sweaty females in the throes of passion. His cock was now sticking out of his boxers like a divining rod searching for her watering hole.

Oh baby! Did I do that? We better go take care of that. We can't have you walking around the compound like that. What would the others think of me? They would think I wasn't properly taking care of my man. She thought this with a wicked grin on her face.

You naughty minx! You know very well you did this to me with all your perverted thoughts. You have three seconds to get your ass in that bedroom before I lose control. Three...Two...

Rachel broke for the bedroom in a dead run. She had just made it to the bed when she was tackled into the mattress by a growling James. She was laughing and giggling as he proceeded to ravish her body with little kisses and bites to her skin. He bit the back of her neck just above her spine; the tingling sensation caused her to moan as James lit the pilot light that quickly ignited into a roaring inferno of lust. She gasped as James flipped her over and relieved Rachel of her clothing. Their love making was quick and frantic. Neither was in the mood for slow and gentle as they rutted furiously, each trying to bring the other to orgasm as quickly as possible. Each screamed unintelligible obscenities and oaths as they came together, their bodies bruised and red from the ferocity of their coupling. Sated the couple sat gasping in each other's arms, trying to bring their heartbeats back to a healthy rhythm. James and Rachel looked at each other and giggled tiredly as they both made their way to the shower.

************

Rachel and James walked happily together into the master bathroom. Their shower was an exact copy of the one they had used in the mansion. Rachel marveled at its simple elegance and the futuristic feel of its technological components.

"Our company created the electronic interface that powers the shower. Because most of the internal components are 'off the shelf' and readily accessible, the overall cost of a single unit is quite reasonable. They are easy to manufacture and easier to install. We have a contract with a subsidiary of the Archer clan that gives them exclusive rights to manufacture shower units with our electronics. They are very popular and have become very profitable for both our companies. Last year alone we sold nearly a million units worldwide and, so far this year, we are on track to double last year's sales figures. I helped to develop a new heat sensor that measures the water temperature coming through the pipes. For whatever reason, if the water gets above a certain temperature, it closes an electronic safety valve that shuts the water off immediately before someone is scalded. I get ten cents for each unit we sell. It doesn't sound like a whole lot, but you do the math. Ten cents times a million sums up pretty quickly. I had Dad invest my royalties in a few tech stocks last year; I plan on using the dividends as part of our retirement or roll them into an education trust fund for our kids," James said as he set the temperature to 100º.

Rachel was amazed. They must really not have to worry about money. James didn't even blink an eye as he said he had earned over $100,000 with his invention and was working on another $200,000 this year. And he wasn't even using the money. He had invested the money for their kids. Every time she thought she had started to figure James out, he surprised her. They stepped into the shower and began to wash each other's bodies, paying close attention not to aggravate their tender sexes. After washing her back and buttocks, he turned around to let her do the same thing. It was here she noticed that James had some tattoos on his back.

The art work was exquisite. Rachel traced the tattoos as she studied them. On his left shoulder blade it showed a samurai sitting in a traditional repose, kneeling with his legs beneath him. The samurai was dressed in full battle armor with ornate head gear and a half face mask. As she looked closer she could see that the armor was torn open and bloody. The face mask was cracked and broken. Part of the samurai's face was torn open revealing the skull beneath, the right eye was gone from its socket and the cheek was shredded open to the jaw line. The warrior's chest plate was open revealing a sculpted chest; the warrior's chest was wrapped in traditional silk wrappings... Rachel gasped. The samurai's short sword, his wakizashi, was plunged deep into his abdomen as the samurai committed seppuku, the ritualized suicide of the samurai where the warrior disembowels himself. The artwork was beautiful if not gruesome. Beneath the dead warrior was the Japanese kanji symbol (shi) for death.

There were two names listed below the tattoo in beautiful Gothic script: Evelyn Samantha Wolfe (born August 9th, 2004 - died August 9th, 2004) and Mikaela Rose Wolfe (born August 9th, 2004 - died August 9th, 2004). James could hear the emotion in Rachel's voice as she read the names forever engraved in his flesh.

James spoke softly as Rachel's emotions threatened to overcome her, "Amber's pups; two little girls. They were stillborn after Kyle rescued her. She had been too traumatized by the whole fiasco and she miscarried that night. I wanted to memorialize those in our family who are lost to us; a constant reminder that despite our immortality, life can quickly be extinguished before it's time. It helps me to remember that despite our best intentions, those we love can die. It motivates me to protect those I love all the more. I never want to have to add another name to the list ever again; the emotional pain is far worse than the physical. All though I fear there will be more names to add in the future; life can often be cruel to the innocence in the world."

James picked Rachel up and cradled her softly to his chest as he exited the shower. He retrieved two large towels from the linen closest, continuing to the bed where he proceeded to gently dry and comfort his wife. James was deeply moved by Rachel's reaction. He could feel the emotion his mate felt for these two little girls who were taken cruelly from this world. She did not know them, but she grieved for them as if they were her own. Every time he thought his love for his Rachel was all encompassing, his heart grew a little more to allow that much more love to enter.

"James, please tell me what happened. I can't make heads or tails of the images I am seeing in my head. Tell me about the kidnapping James, please. I want to know what happened to Amber," Rachel pleaded quietly.

James sighed heavily. He knew he would tell her, he would tell her anything she asked. But just because he was totally honest with his mate, doesn't mean he liked the subject matter.

"I'll tell you, but you aren't going to like the story. I'm just glad Amber made it out of it alive," James paused to organize his thoughts before he continued.

"It was two years ago last August. Kyle and Amber were expecting twins again. This was their first set of pups in several years. They wanted to wait until the older children were grown and mated before continuing with their family. Amber loves children and has always wanted a large family; she came from another single child family like you. Kyle adores Amber and he can't seem to deny his little mate anything. If she wants a hundred children, Kyle will do his damnedest to give her what she wants. He may be built like a tank, but he has the heart and disposition of a teddy bear. He is a huge pushover and Amber has just the right leverage to make him topple," James paused for a moment as he pulled a t-shirt over his head.

Rachel had to giggle as she imagined the giant Kyle falling over like a hundred year old redwood. A tiny woman conquered this mountain of a man. Amber seemed like a kind and sweet woman. Who would ever be so cruel as to attack a company through their family?

"The answer to your thought is simple babe: Grigor Ivanovich Khrushchev. Grigor was an absolute sadist and hold over from the old Soviet bloc. He was a grandson of Nikita Khrushchev, the Soviet premier during the sixties. Remember, he is the one that went head-to-head with Kennedy during the Cuba missile crisis? Grigor started his life out in the military. He was Spetsnaz in the Red Army before being chosen for officer school; through sheer intelligence, brutality, and outstanding political ties, he quickly rose through the military ranks. He was chosen by the Soviets to work in intelligence; he ended his career as a full colonel at KGB. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Khrushchev went the way of most RIF'd Soviet personnel, straight into the underworld of organized crime. The sick bastard quickly flourished as one of the most brutal and sadistic mafia bosses in all of Russia. Before immigrating to the United States, he reportedly controlled over half of all the illegal arms and prostitution in Russia.

When he came to the US, Grigor wasted no time in setting up his new crime syndicate in New York. He changed his name to Gregory Simpson and founded Black Fjord Security and Telecommunications. He must have had some outstanding contacts in the State department because he was granted citizenship within a year. My father later found out that Grigor had impeccable documents stating he was Gregory Simpson from London, England. The bastard must have studied English at Oxford, because his accent was perfect; without knowing him, you would swear he was British. He laundered all of his illegal arms dealings and funneled his holdings through his new companies until they were squeaky clean. From all external inquiries and security checks, Gregory was the model of American entrepreneurship and ingenuity.

But what most people didn't know was that Grigor's past came with him to his new life. He started applying the same strong-arm politics and methods that made him a king-pin back in Moscow. Competing companies became subject to 'accidents' and industrial espionage; several family members of competing companies went missing only to be discovered dead months later. Khrushchev used every dirty trick in the book to capture as much new business as possible. When a government contract came out to design and build a new telecommunications array for the military, Grigor quickly set his sights on our company. He knew that he could not compete fairly with my father and our company; we are just too well known in the business for our superior work ethic and product. He could not bribe or intimidate my father. He decided to win the telecomm contract by any means necessary. The easiest way to make that happen was to attack our family directly.

My brother Kyle was and still is lead engineer for our satellite and cellular communication division. He is an absolute genius when it comes to transmitting stuff over long distances. Kyle grabbed a hold of the new contract like, using my mother's words, a pit bull to a porterhouse. He drew up designs for a revolutionary satellite up-link communications array that was light years ahead of the competition. A satellite would transmit short bursts of highly encrypted data to several redundant satellite up-link receivers; no one station would receive the entire portion of any one transmission. If one up-link was compromised or damaged, the signal could instantly be rerouted to two other identical systems in the area. Once every segment of the data stream was received it would be transmitted through secure fiber channel to the intended destination or sent overland by microwave to a secure remote location. The beauty of the whole system is total security and double redundancy throughout; it is an elegant, yet very rugged system.

The receiving party would need a 'key', a thumb drive or other physical media with the daily decryption algorithm, to decode the message. The encryption algorithms were also developed in house by Adam and Douglas, two of our top programmers. The security algorithms are highly advanced with a 2048 bit encryption; it took the NSA team at Fort Meade two months of brute forcing on three Cray super computers to break one transmission.

Even if the enemy were able to physically intercept the entire satellite transmission, without the decryption key the information is just garbage. Even with the 'key' you need the full data stream for the algorithm to work; otherwise it just spits out a bunch of garbled nonsense. And because the changes are made daily to the algorithms, if one transmission lapses for more than twenty four hours, the encryption algorithm becomes useless. Once the complete transmission is received it begins a twenty-four hour count down; if the data is not downloaded and decrypted with the correct daily algorithm within that twenty-four hour window, it completely wipes the hard drive on the resident computer; it not only completely destroys the data, but wipes out the enemy's computer completely. And if that were not enough, every secure 'key' manufactured within our company comes with a GPS radio tag that can locate a stolen unit down to with a few meters. My father never screws around with national security," James laughed, "the only reason the NSA and Fort Meade are not sitting in the dark after messing with our algorithms for two months is we disabled most of the security protocols for testing. If they were messing with the real thing, those super computers would be nothing but multimillion dollar paper weights."