Gypsy Wolf Ch. 01

"What are they waiting to see?" I asked.

"When a rogue bites someone they tend to be exceedingly violent and become a rogue themselves," she said, "They want to see if you are actually in control or if I am. They will keep you here to see if you fly into a rage over being contained. If you do, then you will be destroyed and me with you. I would prefer it if that didn't happen. A controlled shift would probably help to convince them."

"I'll pass," I said, shivers running up my spine as I remembered the pain, "If I have to go through that every single time, I don't think I could handle it."

"Only the first time is painful," she said, "Yours especially so, from how you were bitten. If you shift by choice it will be almost instantaneous and not take two hours." I hadn't realized the shift had taken that long, I began to wonder how I was able to hold on to my sanity through it all.

"I'm not thrilled about this idea but, I'll give it a try," I said, "How do I do this?" Without answering my wolf walked forward until her nose was touching me and as I watched our bodies began to merge. Blinking my eyes open I saw that I had indeed shifted although a werewolf in shorts and a shredded tank top was a pretty funny sight to behold. My senses were even sharper than before, as my eyes picked out the smallest details in the walls. Making my way around the room, I began to realize just how sensitive my nose was. The scent from the tray of meat hung in the air, and as I passed the door, I could tell someone was sitting on the other side.

Pausing to examine the door, I ran my claws slowly across the steel causing that same high pitched scream of fingernails on a chalkboard, only hundreds of times worse. It was painful to hear but, I had to chuckle at the swearing I heard from beyond the door. I wondered if anyone else was swearing as well, as the room was likely wired for sound. Taking my time, I eventually found myself in front of the mirror again.

It's strange to look out your own eyes and see a different face staring back at you. I had the same lean ragged look like the wolf in my head, with deep blue eyes staring back. I was decidedly taller, reaching maybe six foot two instead of my usual five foot six. Slowly turning around, I had to stop for a moment, as my brain tried to reconcile what I saw. Starting at just below the small of my back and curling to hover just above the floor was a tail. Slightly bushy and the same black as the rest of my fur, I couldn't help but start laughing hysterically.

Crashing to the floor in laughter, I found that I had shifted back into my human form. Of everything that had happened, to find myself sporting a tail was just so impossibly ridiculous, I couldn't help but laugh. Dragging myself to the mattress I continued to laugh until, everything that had happened this morning, I think, finally caught up with me and I drifted off to sleep.

The smell of fresh meat worked its way through the fog of sleep, registering in my brain, triggering a loud rumbling in my stomach. Slowly waking, I realized as soon as my eyes were open I was no longer in the same room as before. I found myself laying in a large, insanely comfortable bed, as I lifted my head to look around, I zeroed in on the tray of meat sitting on the table across the room. Quickly getting up, I moved to the table and started to consume the meat in a way that would make a great white shark proud.

My hunger satiated for the moment, I began to better examine my surroundings. The room was part of a suite, with a living room connected by a double door. Stepping into the bathroom, I discovered it was larger than the bedroom in my apartment. A giant tub with a separate shower dominated one wall, with a double sink and an enclosed toilet on the other. From the bottles on the sink, I could tell this was a woman's room, as she used all of the same products I did.

The decision to take a shower was a pretty easy one to make since I couldn't remember the last time I took one. Turning on the water, the steam immediately began to fill the air. As I pulled off my top I froze when I saw in the mirror, I was wearing a well-worn, paper-thin Ren and Stimpy t-shirt, my Ren and Stimpy t-shirt. Looking at the bottles on the sink, I realized they were the same products I used because they were the same fucking bottles I had at my apartment. Running out to the bedroom I started yanking open drawers, only to discover all of my clothes. Searching the closet produced the same results. Walking out to the living area, I found all of my movies and Xbox One games.

I was in a daze, I went back into the bathroom. Stripping off my shorts, I stepped into the shower and stood there for several minutes, just letting the hot water flow over me. With my new enhanced senses, washing my hair and body was almost a religious experience and I was sorely tempted to try out the handheld sprayer for some stress relief. Stepping out of the shower, I wrapped myself in what had to be the fluffiest towel in existence, and I can say I've never enjoyed drying off more in my life.

I finished my usual routine of getting ready by grabbing my toothbrush and scrubbing my fangs. It's pretty hard to laugh with a toothbrush in your mouth when I realized I do now officially have fangs. Finally finished, I toweled my hair dry before stepping out into the bedroom. I stopped short, realizing someone had been in the room while I was in the shower. Setting out on the bed was underwear and jeans with a t-shirt dangling from a hanger on a nearby chair. My boots with socks were sitting on the floor next to the chair.

Pulling on the clothes, I quickly had to abandon the idea of wearing a bra, since mine threatened to explode under the strain of my larger breasts and the t-shirt was indecently tight as I slipped it on. Pulling on my wranglers, I was surprised at the difficulty I had pulling them up over my ass but, the jeans were better filled out then I remembered. With my brown boots on, I dug through the drawers until I found my usual belt and slipped it on. I wasn't sure where my jewelry had gone to, so I passed on any of that. Not sure what to do next, I headed out to the living area.

"I hope you found everything ok," Natalie said from the couch, "You were out for a few days so we had some people bring your belongings over. Thought it would make the transition easier." Unlike the last time I saw her, the smile seemed genuine but, there was an underlying strength about her. "I'm sorry this happened to you," she said getting up and taking my hands, "but sometimes the best thing is to just carry on."

Sometimes I laugh at things that aren't funny but, to have Natalie quote my high school motto of all things, just tickled me and I started cracking up. "Did I say something funny?" she asked which just set me off even further. It was several minutes before I could pull myself together when I finally stopped Natalie had a wry grin on her face. "I've seen people adapt to being changed in lots of different ways," she said, "but no one has ever laughed about it as much as you have."

"I'm sorry it's just how I deal with things," I said, "So two questions; how long was I out for and why exactly is all of my stuff here?"

"You were out six days," she said sitting at the table. "As for the rest, it's a bit complicated. You were bitten by what we call a rogue, basically a Were, who is not part of a pack or one of the handfuls of true lone wolves. They tend to be a little insane and the wolf who bit you was one of the worst. He killed out of boredom, for fun and you just happened to be out while he was on the hunt. Luckily for you, Mike was hunting him, as well."

"Ramirez," I said. The little I did remember of that night sent chills up my spine.

"Yes Ramirez," she said. "It's no loss that he's dead but, you did inadvertently help Mike with his hunt. By biting you in our pack's territory, and somehow surviving the most horrifying shift I've ever seen, he made you our responsibility. Almost the entire pack lives here in the compound, with a few exceptions, they are our liaisons with the human businesses we deal with. We will evaluate your skills and figure out how you can best contribute to the pack."

"So just because I got bit by a rabid dog," I said, "you expect me to completely abandon my life? Forget my friends and family, leave my job behind, and fucking give up everything I've worked my ass off to get. Fuck that!" I was livid at the audacity of her, to tell me I had to give up everything I'd busted my ass to earn.

Natalie let out a resigned sigh. "Elizabeth let me explain something," she said, "The only reason our kind have survived for the thousands of years we have, is because we keep our existence a secret. The Shadow Reavers pack is six hundred years old but the pack we were split off from has been in existence for as long as anyone can remember. A pack is more than just a group of people, it's your family, and we care for each other like a family, like it or not you're part of this family now. You're far safer here, with us than trying to adapt on your own."

"So where do you fit in this family?" I asked my anger defused by the obvious care she had for her pack.

"Rasp and I are the Alphas, so you could say we're Mom and Dad but, there is so much more to it than that. There is a rank structure in the pack and part of evaluating your skills is used in determining your rank. Betas are our enforcers, front line fighters, with Delta's making up the bulk of the general population and Omegas as the lowest-ranked, who do most of the work around the house and compound."

"And where exactly do you foresee me fitting into this little jigsaw puzzle of yours?" I asked. There was no way in hell I was going to be a house bitch.

"Well, that depends," Rasp said as my door swung open and he walked in, "on what you did before. We tried to determine your employment by looking at the stuff in your apartment but, we couldn't figure it out." Reaching the table he picked up Natalie, chair and all, before spending the next few minutes kissing her. She struggled against him at first but, it looked more like she was playing a game than actually fighting him. From the smile on her face as he put her down, I was fairly certain I was right.

"Rasp," she said as Rasp stood behind her and held her hand, "it's rude to ask a question then make it so she can't answer."

"I know but I thought of something more important to do after I asked it. So what exactly did you do?"

"I worked for K & K Bail Bonds," I said. That was all I usually said, as people usually made certain assumptions and I wanted to see if Rasp was going to do the same.

"Really, and what did you do for them?" he said, "You don't seem like the paperwork and office kind of person. Wait for a second, don't answer that." For some reason, his brow crinkled for a second. "Nick will be here in just a minute," he said, his smile making me think he was up to something.

I was confused as to how he could know someone was on the way, without actually doing anything. It was just a couple of minutes later that a familiar face poked through the door. "You wanted to see me, Alpha?" Nick said sounding positively cheerful, until his eyes settled on me, "What the fuck is she doing here? I mean, I'm sorry Alphas, please forgive me." To see him go from cheerful to on his knees, almost pleading for his life, was rather disturbing but I decided to stay quiet and see how it played out.

"Tell me something Nick," Rasp asked. "How is it that you know someone who works for a bond agency by sight, and from her reaction, she certainly knows you?" Crossing the room he put his large hand on Nick's shoulders and pulled him to his feet. "You know better than trying to lie to me."

"When I was still living outside the compound I skipped on bond, she captured and brought me in," Nick said. Well, he technically wasn't lying, he just neglected to mention it happened more than once, which caused my eyebrow to rise and a slight smirk to appear on my face. When Natalie cleared her throat, Nick suddenly became much more talkative. "It was three times," he said, "Three times and after the last one, I moved back to the compound. That's why I haven't asked to be allowed to go into town, I thought I was safe from her here."

"Does he still have a warrant out for his arrest?" Rasp asked.

"Yes he does," I said, "If I bring him in its five grand to me." Watching Rasp and Natalie exchange looks, it was apparent they didn't realize how lucrative the business could be. True, most recoveries didn't make nearly that much but, enough of the ones I did let me live a decent life.

"Nick," Rasp said, "pack your stuff. When you asked me to join this pack we told you the rules and what was expected, so now I'm going to give you a choice. You can either face human judgment, after which you will be allowed back but, at an Omega rank; or you can face me in the circle right now. Your choice."

I wasn't sure what the circle was but, from how Nick paled at the simple mention of it, I knew it was somewhere I wanted to avoid if at all possible. "I will go with her Alphas, thank you for giving me the chance to return," Nick said, "I will happily spend time as an Omega if it gets Beth the Bitch off my back." When you are good at your job in my profession, nicknames are inevitable, especially if you have a pair of tits.

"Nick," Natalie said, "I recommend not letting me hear you refer to one of my Betas like that ever again, or you will be facing her in the circle." I was going to have to start calling Nick, the Chameleon, for how quickly he was able to change colors as he went from white to green. "Now go pack and report back to Elizabeth when you're done," she said.

"Yes Alpha," he said before racing out of the room.

"Beta? Are you sure about that babe?" Rasp asked. "It's going to raise a ruckus with some of your other Betas. You know damn good and well Holly isn't going to be happy about it."

"Positive," Natalie said. "Why else do you think I had her put in this room? You said you worked and fought for everything you earned. Well, nothing is different here but, the fights are for real. I think you will make an outstanding Beta however, there will be challenges. I hope you're up to it."

"What kind of challenges are we talking about," I asked.

"Combat with either a lower rank wanting to move up," Rasp said, "or more likely a current Beta. Holly likes to think she runs the Betas, so she's probably going to jump at the chance to establish her dominance. We'll introduce you after you get back from taking Nick in. Normally, I couldn't care less about human judgment but he was told specifically to stay out of trouble with the authorities. That's how he got kicked out of his previous pack. How long do you think he will go away for?"

"Depends on if he gets a decent lawyer," I said, "maybe probation or possibly five years. It's a crapshoot." I didn't even remember what he was originally wanted for but, I was glad to be clearing him off my ledger of failed recoveries, especially if he was going to be my last one.

"You enjoy your job, don't you?"

"Absolutely! The adrenaline rush as you take down a particularly challenging capture is amazing, especially if they rabbit on you. Plus you get the bonus of clearing some trash off the streets."

"You make it sound like a hunt," Rasp said, his eyes wide with excitement.

"It is, you have to locate your target, plan the takedown and then execute it. As I said, when they run, there isn't an adrenaline rush like it in the world."

"Rasp you can't be serious?" I needed to figure out this silent communication thing they had going on.

"Elizabeth, you can keep your job, as long as you contribute part of your take to the pack. As for the adrenaline rush, you will discover you're wrong the first time you hunt as your wolf. Consider it payment for room and board if you want but, remember your first responsibility is to the pack and your Alphas." Inside I was doing backflips at the thought of chasing bad guys with my new speed and strength.

"Thank you." As I looked around my new room, it suddenly dawned on me that something was missing. "Excuse me a moment."

"Is something wrong?" Natalie asked.

"Bubbles is missing. You guys must have left him at the apartment."

"Who's Bubbles?" Natalie asked.

I noticed Rasp has that same look on his face as before. "Mike said, the only thing they left at the apartment was a humongous white snake. It was curled up in the tub when they went for your stuff."

"Yeah, that's Bubbles. I guess I can pick him up after dropping Nick off."

"Bubbles," Rasp said, an incredulous look on his face. "You named your snake Bubbles. Bubbles?" Shaking his head, Rasp made his way towards the door. "Nick will be here in a moment," he said before walking out of the room.

"Ok seriously, how the hell do you do that?" I asked.

"It's the pack bond," Natalie said. "It allows us to communicate with the entire pack, and on a more limited basis, allows them to communicate with each other. Once we formally induct you into the pack it'll become active in you. Mates have a much stronger personal bond."

"Mates?" I asked. "You know what never mind. I don't think I want to know just yet." I knew that wolves mate for life but I wasn't sure I wanted to know how that was going to apply for werewolves.

"Don't worry if it happens you will figure it out pretty quickly," Natalie said. "Ok, Nick is here and Mike is waiting outside with a car."

"Ok, let's get this over with," I said, heading to the door. Spotting my purse on the table I grabbed it, after checking for my phone and keys, then followed Natalie into the hallway. As we walked through the house she gave me a quick tour, highlighting the kitchen and dining area. I almost tripped down the stairs when I noticed a couple, in a small alcove, very conspicuously having sex. From the sounds they were making, it was obvious they were certainly having a very good time.

"You'll get used to that," Natalie said, "She's in heat and they want to have a cub. Wolves are very social animals so we are not in the slightest bit shy about sex or nudity. It's not uncommon for people to not even bother with clothes if they are expecting to be shifting sometime soon.

"I can see that," I said. "I'm not a prude by any stretch. I was usually nude in my apartment unless I was expecting someone, and sometimes even if I was expecting someone. It just caught me off guard."

"Keep in mind that all of the sex is consensual," she said, "We may live by certain rules of the wild but we will not tolerate someone using their strength or position to force someone to have sex. That goes for both men and women. It rarely happens anymore since the penalty is so severe but, every once in awhile it raises its ugly head and we deal with it quickly and brutally."

"What's the penalty?" I asked. "It's not like I can see you guys using the regular court system."

"No we police our own," she said leading me outside, "When I said that Alphas were Mom and Dad that means we also deal with punishment, so we are judge, jury, and executioner if need be. The penalty for rape is meeting the Alpha in the challenge circle. In cases like that you either walk out the victor or you don't leave alive. As I said we rarely have issues with it since the penalty is so severe. We will talk more after you get back but, feel free to ask Mike anything you want to know."

I waited until Nick was securely in the back of the car before climbing into the passenger seat. Sticking her head in the window, Natalie looked at Nick. "Remember once this is over you will be welcomed back," Natalie said, "Rasp has already called Duncan, he will be at the police station a little later." Nick seemed happy about this, so I assumed Duncan was the pack lawyer.