Kiss of the Moon Ch. 07

"They did not deserve it Wolfgang, they did not deserve to be reborn. They did not deserve to be treated with respect after what we saw," Roberto stated. "What did you do with the rogues?" Roberto asked.

"Killed them and left their bodies to rot," Wolfgang said evenly.

"You did the right thing and I did the right thing, even though we are better men than them, it needed to be done. They couldn't be allowed to be reborn to recommit the same crimes. Let their souls and beasts be trapped by their intact bones. Our women are safe and will be safe," Roberto said to make sure both were safe from the guilt.

"What about the last one, the one supporting Electra?" Wolfgang asked.

"Her mother, Susanna," Roberto said, "We had to tear Demetrio from her, he was choking the life out of her. She hasn't left Electra's side."

Wolfgang nodded, "I'll get Nathanael to look at them."

Sienna joined them with The President behind her.

"Ah President Ashford welcome," Wolfgang said as he held out his hand, "I'm Wolfgang."

"Please just call me Bob," he said as he shook Wolfgang's hand.

"Okay Bob. This is Roberto, he is the Alpha of an Italian pack," Wolfgang introduced.

Bob offered his hand to Roberto. Roberto cast Wolfgang a surprised look and shook Bob's hand.

"Wolfgang, you invited The President of the United States to a pack introduction?" Roberto asked.

"For a reason Roberto. You'll find out tomorrow. I'm afraid I can't tell you yet, but it is important Roberto, it's a worst case scenario prevention," Wolfgang explained.

Roberto nodded, "Knew it had to be big if an Ancient is involved. Okay I'll help." He turned to Bob, "Forgive me, once you are used to being hidden, being known is a little hard."

"I wish I could say I understood but I don't," Bob said honestly.

"I appreciate your honesty. How deeply do you want to involve yourself in Amy's introduction?" Roberto asked.

"To be honest I don't even understand what you mean by introduction. I want to see Were life but I know some things will be beyond me and my understandings," Bob said with a shrug. "I'll trust your judgement in the matter."

Roberto nodded. A large bell started to be rung.

"Dinner," Wolfgang said pleased. He walked them around the building. "I believe there are name tags, but I know you are both at my table anyway." He wove through the tables and up to the head table. Amy was already there with several Alpha's and their mates.

"Hello Bob," Amy greeted him with a hug.

"Amy long time no see," Bob said although he noted a few looks of disapproval. "Amy's father was my friend I watched her grow up," he explained.

"Still as a friend of her fathers…" Grey-hawk begun.

"Guys…he is human, I am greeting him in a human way," Amy said cutting them off. "Give him slack, he is not Were, he doesn't know or understand Were customs."

Grey-hawk went red as Amy glared at him. Her eyes roamed over the others, and they looked away. Rhiannon chuckled as she watched Amy assert herself.

"Now can we all sit," Amy said.

Everyone nodded and took their spots by behind their chair. Sienna leant in to whisper in Bob's ear, "Alpha's sit as one for they are all of equal rank, you sit when they sit."

A bell was rung and everyone sat. Food was brought out in steady streams, as were drinks. Bob listened for most part trying to get an understanding.

"Amy, what do they mean by challenges?" Bob asked.

"Okay…Wolfgang is Alpha right," Amy started to explain.

Bob nodded.

"Okay when an Alpha chooses a mate no matter what they first were, he has that mate to himself for a month, then after the month the mate is introduced," Amy continued to explain.

Bob nodded again that he was following.

"When this happens it is the right of other Alphas or who ever thinks they can beat Wolfgang to challenge him for his right to me. If they think they could better protect me than Wolfgang can they can challenge him. Lets just say it's survival of the fittest. Mates are meant to be cherished and protected because they are the carriers of the next generation," Amy said, she may have over simplified a few points but that was the general idea.

Shia turned to Bob, "She over simplified but basically that is what the challenges are all about; Wolfgang must prove he is worthy to have Amy. Worthy to have a mate, that is why most mate before becoming Alpha. Once the challenges on Wolfgang have finished Amy will be challenged for the right to bare Wolfgang's children."

"Wait I am assuming that the challenges happen in Were form right?" Bob asked.

Everyone nodded.

"But Amy is human," Bob said.

Amy shook her head, "No Bob, Mitchell and Jacquelyn were my adopted parents, it took some hunting but we found that I am Ancient. But even if I was human, Wolfgang could have turned me."

"Okay and how does one become turned?" Bob asked.

"By being bitten during mating," Amy supplied.

Bob rubbed his face, "Wait… let me see if I have this right. First Wolfgang has to mate you then he gets challenged for his right to be your mate."

Everyone nodded.

His frowned deepened, "Am I the only one who doesn't get that?"

"No I didn't," Rhiannon told him. "But I'm not Were."

"Wouldn't it be easier to challenge Wolfgang before any emotional bond is formed?" Bob asked.

Shia smiled, "A long time ago that was how things happened, but we had to change the rules when Were started finding their mates in the human population. Back then everyone was challenged for their mate, but the Elders and Alpha's decided to do away with it as it was leading to lots of fighting. The only ones not exempt from the rule have always been the Alphas, they fought for their mates but they only get challenged by people of equal rank, by other Alpha's."

Bob turned to Amy with a confused face, "I still don't understand why."

"Humans made the order get swapped," Amy explained, "Beyond popular belief, Were don't just take their mates against their will, rape is a crime punishable by death. Both parties have to be willing. Turning a human against their will is also a crime punishable by death, so if a Were chooses a human mate it is their choice to be turned. If they choose to be turned it takes a while until they shift. The body has to change."

Bob nodded he was following.

"Now if that person was mating an Alpha that person is given all the time in the world to make up their mind, they could choose not to be turned in which case there would be no introduction as they wouldn't really be joining pack life," Amy continued to explain.

Roberto and the others listened liking the way Amy simplified complex rules and customs so that Bob could follow.

"But if that person decided to be turned then they are accepting pack life. Still they are given time, this world is new to them. The moment they experience their first shift however their time is up, they have one month to notify the Alphas of the introduction and one month before they are fully immersed in pack life. Up until this point they are kept away only going as deep into pack life so as to learn the laws and what is socially acceptable," Amy took a deep breath.

"Now that the person is Were the lore kicks in. It is any Alpha's right to challenge Wolfgang; the reasoning is that as Alpha, his mate would have to be able to handle also being Alpha and therefore a catch for the Alpha who can protect that mate. Not everyone is capable of being Alpha. So first Wolfgang is challenged, if he manages to fight off all rivals it means he is strong enough to protect his mate. It is then my responsibility to prove that I am worthy to bare his children."

"By fighting," Bob stated.

"Yes, survival of the fittest," Shia answered.

Roberto turned to Amy, "You should write a book. You managed to put that whole complicated affair into something that could be understood."

"So you can shift Amy?" Bob asked.

Amy nodded, "But I'm Ancient so…"

"What are Ancients?" Bob asked.

Everyone turned to Amy.

"Don't look at me, I only just found out ask my mother," Amy said and turned to Rhiannon. Everyone copied her.

"We are complicated," Rhiannon stated simply.

"And secretive," Shia said.

"And annoying," Grey-hawk stated.

"Complicated…down right impossible," Roberto stated, "But hot," he slid in.

Rhiannon turned to him, "I'm sorry Roberto if you think I'm in anyway interested in you…the reason I keep glancing in your direction is because the woman who keeps serving us is more my type."

Roberto held up his hands admitting defeat, "Pity, but I appreciate the way you worded that."

Rhiannon smirked, "I have learnt over time how to be tactful. Over three thousand years tend to do that."

"So Bob, how deep do you want to immerse yourself?" Wolfgang asked.

Bob turned to Rhiannon, "How deep are you going?"

Rhiannon smiled, "Deep but I've seen a lot and nothing really shocks me."

Shia held up his hands, "If he doesn't like something he can leave, everything you do here Bob is optional, we expect nothing of you but an open mind."

****

Becky gently shook Amy awake from her nap, "Amy it's time."

Amy jumped to her feet and scrambled off the bed. "Where's Wolfgang?" Amy asked as she walked into the bathroom.

"Preparing elsewhere," Sienna said as she carried a loose black slip dress for Amy. "No jewellery Amy."

Amy nodded and took off her engagement ring and took out her earrings putting them in a little tray. Amy then washed her face and dried it and walked into her room. "I still don't understand why we have to stay apart before the challenges?" Amy asked.

"Because if…if he lost then whoever had won would know he hasn't had you recently," Sienna explained.

"Will everything happen tonight?" Amy asked.

"Explain?" Sienna asked as she quickly ran a brush through Amy's hair to take away the tussled slept in look.

"Everything, the challenges, the first mating," Amy elaborated.

Sienna nodded and smirked, "And every night for the rest of the week, well at least the mating part."

Amy winced, "I'm going to be so tender. Why can't I shift into Were form, why do I have to stay in human form while he is Shifted?" Amy asked.

Sienna growled, "Didn't Wolfgang explain this to you?" Sienna asked.

"We haven't really had the time," Amy tried to explain.

Sienna rolled her eyes, "Too interested in fucking... men are all the same," Sienna took a deep breath, "Okay... you were born..." Sienna frowned, "Sorry let me try that differently. You weren't born Were, if you were then yes you could take a Were form and that would be totally acceptable but you weren't. Only when the Elders bind you are you finally allowed to take a Were form. Think of your shift and mating in that form as an unveiling, your unveiling; where you take you first true steps as a Were Alpha."

"And of course I can only take Were form when the elders decide that enough is enough and that everyone has had a taste. What's the record?" Amy asked.

Sienna paused, "A full week, one of the Alphas refused to smell or taste the couple. In the end the Elders ignored his outburst and just bound them."

Amy winced again, "I'm going to be so tender, he's big to begin with and in either form he's just bigger."

Sienna and Becky cracked up laughing. Becky helped Amy from her clothes and underwear and into the fine cotton slip. Amy pulled her hair out and looked at herself in the mirror.

Sienna frowned, "I told Wolfgang this would look like crap," Sienna tore the dress off Amy and smiled, "So I had this made," Sienna reached under the bed and pulled out a box.

She opened the box and pulled out a silver top with loose silver pants. Amy pulled the loose silver pants on and tied them tight on her hips. Becky tugged them down to expose the green markings that ran just above her bikini line. Sienna helped Amy into the halter neck top that wrapped around her back to be tied just below the breasts. They all looked in the mirror as Amy freed her hair.

"Much better," Sienna said as she slid a hand down Amy's back, "I knew it would highlight these."

"Sienna, go nail Gillian," Amy told her.

"I have to go," Becky said and left.

Sienna sighed, "He wont let me, I'm coming into heat and he doesn't want me pregnant if we have to fight a war."

"So go nail Becky or Rhiannon," Amy told her.

Sienna smiled, "She's your mother."

Amy shrugged, "Who just so happens to be a woman with a healthy sexual appetite."

"Lets go," Sienna told her.

They walked out of the room. Everyone was wearing something that could easily be slid off, no buttons, buckles or zips, everything had to either be pulled on or tied on and no shoes whatsoever. Originally everyone would have gone naked, but since the amount of open woodlands and forests was getting smaller they erred on the side of caution.

Rhiannon waited with Shia and Grey-hawk a vibrant blue silk slip hugged her body in all the right places. Sienna walked straight up to Rhiannon and whispered in her ear.

"You're mated," Rhiannon said surprised by Sienna's request to share her bed.

"I'm in heat and Gillian doesn't want me pregnant yet for reasons that you know, normally I'd just turn to Amy or Becky but I know Becky is keeping her eyes on the women Roberto brought and Amy is going to be too tired to help me out," Sienna explained.

When explained like that, how could Rhiannon refuse her? Rhiannon turned to Sienna and kissed her. Sienna groaned and pulled Rhiannon into her arms, feeling her body respond with great need. Rhiannon ran her hands over Sienna.

Bob joined them and blushed at Sienna and Rhiannon's antics.

Amy looked him over, "No shoes Bob."

Bob glanced down. "Flip flops just kick off, I thought they would be appropriate. Sienna…" his blush deepened when he glanced at her, "Said that as long as I wore clothes that were pulled on without buttons, buckles or zips I should be fine."

Amy agreed that what he was wearing was appropriate, he wore sweat pants and a loose hand knitted jumper all were pulled on and tied in place. Even his shoes were easily kicked off. She turned to Shia.

"He can get away with those," Shia said. He turned to Amy, "Ready."

Amy nodded.

Grey-hawk pulled Sienna and Rhiannon apart, "Save it for later, I'm sure you'll get an audience."

Sienna smirked she knew everyone was going to be more interested in watching Amy and Wolfgang. They walked out of the house and into the forest. The way was marked with burning torches.

Wolfgang quivered when he saw Amy.

Come here, he demanded.

Amy turned to him and walked across the open ring to meet him. Her eyes roamed over his muscled chest, Wolfgang had chosen to just wear a pair of loose black pants made of silk, tied at his hips. Many of the men around the ring were dressed the same.

I didn't get you that, he commented silently.

Sienna had this made for me. You like? Amy asked.

I'll get her to get you some more, Wolfgang told her which meant he did.

An elder stood in the ring; he didn't care if people were running late. "Who will challenge Wolfgang for his right to take a mate, for his right to Amy?" He demanded loudly to the group.

"I will challenge Wolfgang," Roberto said as he walked forward.

Wolfgang nodded, the moment Roberto had asked if Amy had a sister he knew Roberto would be the one who would Challenge him first. Once everyone saw him in his wolf form any other challengers will reconsider but he would still have to beat Roberto.

The elder nodded and left the ring. Roberto and Wolfgang walked into the ring. They stood with a yard spacing them. They sized each other up. In their human form both men were equal, both were well built young men. Wolfgang however was slightly larger across the chest and a few inches taller but that didn't really make a difference.

They both slid their pants down and stood in their naked glory still sizing the other up. Roberto stepped back and started to shift. His shift was smooth, tempered by years of experience. When his shift was finished he waited for Wolfgang. Roberto was an impressive Were, he was half again the size of a normal timber wolf, but that still made him only half of Wolfgang's size. Roberto was completely black but had dappled grey socks on each of his feet.

Wolfgang let his wolf take control and he shifted swiftly into his form. He lowered his head and barred his teeth. He was ready to prove his worth.

Roberto watched Wolfgang with surprise. He had heard of the rare giant Were, everyone had, but he had never met one. Nor had he ever thought he would, the odds were slim, the council guessed that maybe one was born every four hundred years, the last was Nathanael and before Nathanael was Bastion. It was said back in the beginning when Were were still a young race, all Were were large, but it easily made them targets so they started to become smaller so that they looked more like their animal cousins. But it was also said that something could trigger the giant gene to activate like it so obviously had in Wolfgang. Those who were born with this condition also had greater powers and were more likely to be Alphas, and more importantly, more likely to also be immortal.

When he had decided to challenge Wolfgang he honestly thought that Wolfgang would be more similar in size to him as he was the average for dominant male wolves. If they were matched in size it meant it was a matter of skill and training that would determined the winner. He hadn't been prepared for the fact that Wolfgang could stand over him while he stood and Wolfgang's chest still wouldn't touch Roberto's back. Human's claimed that size didn't matter, in the world of animals and Were size did matter, size and strength as that alone assured a pack or prides survival.

Roberto was not the only one to stare in surprise, those who had not seen him in his Were form were dumbfounded. Those who had thought to challenge Wolfgang if he beat Roberto quickly changed their minds. Other's just kept glancing between Amy and Wolfgang wondering how she had managed to survive mating his wolf form. Hell, how would she have managed to survive mating his Hybrid form. Since Wolfgang was so big in wolf form he would be simply massive in hybrid form.

Wolfgang went to rush Roberto who was frozen. Roberto watched Wolfgang's approach and quickly rolled onto his back and exposed his belly in submission. Wolfgang then skid to a halt and pranced around Roberto. Wolfgang howled his victory even if he hadn't actually needed to fight.

Wolfgang rapidly shifted back to being human, "Whose next?" he demanded.

No one took him up on his challenge.

Wolfgang didn't bother to pull his pants back on. He crossed his arms and waited for Amy to be challenged.

The elder walked back into the ring, "Will any challenge Amy?"

"I will," Jessa walked into the ring.

Amy stepped into the ring. Wolfgang didn't move but the elder left the ring. Jessa slid out of her dress. Amy took off her clothes.

"You will loose Jessa," Amy stated.

Jessa didn't comment. She lunged and shifted wanting to bowl Amy over. Amy jumped to the side and let the beast within take over. Bones crunched but it seemed the more Amy shifted the less violent the shifts were. Within moments Amy was after Jessa in her Were form.

Jessa landed in her Wolf form and went to turn to face Amy. Jessa didn't get a moment to register shock or even to really see Amy. Amy slammed a paw on Jessa's body, her legs gave and she crumpled to the ground as bones broke. Amy stood over Jessa and roared right into Jessa's ear shattering her ear drums.

Jessa tried to squirm free, Amy swatted her hard rolling her onto her back and breaking a few more ribs. Jessa lost hold of her Wolf and rapidly shifted back to her human form. She watched petrified as Amy opened her mouth showing her teeth in all their deadly glory. Jessa closed her eyes knowing that Amy had every right to seriously hurt her.