Dominant Species Ch. 29-33

Cheyenne woke up refreshed in the late afternoon, and gently disentangled herself from Willow on the small bed. Willow shifted in the bed, rolling onto her back as the wolf pup between her legs whapped his small tail against the blanket. She scratched his ears as he lay back down; the young pups felt safe with anyone in the Pack, and since they were new the two humans had become a favored place for pups to sleep.

She quietly got up and walked over to the next bed, where Britney and Bethany were being lovingly tended to by Eric as Derek slept between them. "How are they doing?"

Derek smiled and looked up at her. "The fever should be breaking in a few hours, they are both strong and will come through this. I can't wait to see their wolves."

"What do you think they will be like?"

"They will be like my best dreams come to life." He looked down at Bethany, she could see his love for her in his eyes. "Sleek and light of color, fast and strong. My wolf can't wait to meet her and make her his."

"Ugh." She grimaced a little. "I want to see her change, but I don't think I'm ready to see THAT yet." She thought back, the Pack members weren't shy about their sex lives, there was plenty going on in human and wolf form; they just tried to give each other respectful privacy and looked the other way. She had become accustomed to the nudity and the activity, and it helped that no one was hitting on her or expecting her to join in. They all were waiting for their mates, and seeing what her friends had with Eric and Derek made her long for one of her own. She looked down, the bucket he was using to wipe them down with a washcloth was nearly empty. "Let me get you some cold water."

"Thank you." Derek looked up at her. "I'm glad the girls have friends like you. Please know that, wolf or not, you always have a home here with us."

Cheyenne gathered her long black hair behind her and fashioned it in a ponytail, then reached down and grabbed the bucket. Putting her hand on Derek's shoulder, she gave him a gentle squeeze. "Thank you for saving my friends, and for saving us. You will always be family." She smiled and turned away, heading over to the corner where a 250 gallon container held the drinking water in the basement of their shelter. She nodded to the women who were taking care of the thirteen townspeople who were undergoing the change and were in the earlier stages of the fever.

On the way she grabbed the Solo cups she and Willow were using, as they would need to drink and do their teeth before everything started happening. When she got to the container, a naked young boy was standing there with his sippy cup in hand. "Dwink pwease Miss Sai-Anne?"

"Of course, Billy." She filled his cup and he drank from it as she was filling the others.

"Dank you." He set his cup down and shifted back to his fur form, then ran across the room and jumped back up on the bed and snuggled up under Willow's arm. The emotions snuck up on her, it reminded her of her little brother when they were young, and that made her think about home, and that led to crying softly as she set the cups and the bucket down on the small table. She felt strong arms wrap around her from behind, and she relaxed into the embrace of Megan.

"Hey, I'm the one who's supposed to be all emotional and crying at the drop of a hat," Megan joked as she relaxed her arms so Cheyenne could turn around. "Are you all right?"

She nodded. "Just thinking about my family." She let her arms fall until she was touching the sides of Megan's baby bump. "Are you not letting Mommy get her sleep, little one?"

Megan laughed. "It isn't that big yet, but I woke up with an insane urge for Mexican food. I mean, who wants a spicy breakfast burrito?"

"Pregnant werewolves whose mates will do anything to keep them happy." She looked over to where Al was digging through the food cabinets and the coolers, she could see salsa and tortillas already on the table.

"It actually sounds pretty good. Hey, I have some questions, would you mind talking for a bit while he's cooking?"

"Not at all, I'll tell him to make enough for all three of us." She looked around, knowing how sensitive wolf noses were, she shook her head. "He better make enough for everyone. Once that food starts cooking, he'll wake up the whole Pack."

"It's good for the men to cook, don't you think?" Al glared at them, then went back in the cabinets and grabbed more ingredients. Soon he had eggs, cheese, and a bunch of sausage on the table. "They have to do more than just kill it and bring it home to keep their woman happy."

She left the happy couple behind and brought the cup to Willow's bedside, then handed the bucket to Derek. The girls were still feverish and moved around in their discomfort, but she knew it was perfectly normal- and it was a lot less than what they had gone through earlier.

She moved back to where Al was starting to fire up the propane stove in their makeshift kitchen. "Anything I can help with?"

He glanced over to the table where the camping coffee pot was. "Can you make coffee?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm a barista, I worked in the Starbucks by the college." She moved over and started to fill the pot with water and put it on a back burner. "Beans?"

"No fancy stuff here, Folger's is in the cabinet."

"Oh my God, you people are so in the dark ages." She threw her hands in the air dramatically.

Megan snorted at her as she walked away. "Would it make you feel more at home if I ordered a Grande, Quad, Nonfat, One-Pump, No-Whip, Mocha?" she cracked as Cheyenne turned around with a red can in hand.

"Don't tell me you're one of those high-maintenance bitches who don't tip." She stared her down, then they both cracked up. "Besides, you're pregnant, and coffee isn't good for the baby. How about I get you an apple juice?"

Soon the basement was filled with the smell of frying sausage and eggs along with the coffee, and Al got help from several other Pack members as they started to put breakfast together for everyone. Willow joined them, she didn't even look up until after her first coffee. "I'm not a morning person," she apologized.

"No problem, girls. Now Cheyenne, what did you have questions about?" Megan put her burrito down as she looked across the table at them.

"Werewolves." Willow had looked up and answered first. "Cheyenne and I are thinking about being turned, Alpha has said he would do it if we wanted."

Cheyenne held her hand over hers. "We've seen how humans have fared in this, but if we change now it means even longer until we can search for our families. And if we wait..."

Al looked at them with sorrow in his eyes. "You might not find them." They nodded. "On the other hand, if you leave now, what are your chances of making it? And if you do make it, how will you get them to safety?" They looked down at the table. "And if you make it there, would you want them to become wolves as well?"

"I want them to live," Cheyenne said. "Right now, living means being a wolf, I mean, just look around here. Humans have no chance."

"So, you need to be wolves to save them." Al said somberly. "How else will you get there, and get them back? You are part of our Pack if you want to be, and your family will be welcome as well. You can have a life here, be part of something, part of the rebuilding of a new society."

"Do you ever regret being a werewolf?" Willow asked.

"No, I live among humans and always thought they were missing out." Megan looked around. "We live longer, heal faster, have better senses, stronger bodies and mates." She squeezed Al's hand. "If it hadn't been for the Alpha Council rules that strictly limited turns, I'd have asked all my friends to turn."

"And it's not just physical stuff," said Al. "Werewolf society is more stable, more of a family. We have clearly defined leadership and roles, we rally together and support each other. We also have stable relationships with other Packs, after all, that is where many of us find our mates. I found Megan at a pack in Colorado when I was visiting relatives." He leaned over and kissed her gently.

They made room as Alpha Calvin and Luna Kelly came over with their plates. Willow and Cheyenne looked at each other before they both nodded before Cheyenne spoke. "Alpha, we'd like to be changed."

"And we'd like to do it in a way that allows us to get to our families as soon as possible. I know Britney and Bethany will want to get their families, and Josi her Mom. How should we do this?"

Luna Kelly smiled and took both their hands. "I'm glad you came to this decision, we've come to care for you two a lot in these short days. We understand about your families, but we want you to be escorted by experienced wolves who can help you avoid detection."

Calvin nodded in assent. "I think tomorrow night would be a good time to do this, we can have a formal ceremony with the Pack. If you were to head for Salmon Pack as soon as the twins finish their change, you two could ride on the boys before your fever hits. The run will help the girls get used to their wolf forms. Alpha Richard could help you through the change, along with Josi. You stay in Salmon until after your change, then you can all make your way to Pocatello."

"That sounds good," Derek said as he came over to get breakfast. "The girls won't rest until they have found their families, and so the faster we do that the sooner we have them safe back here. I don't think things will get safer on the road as time goes on."

"Plus," Eric added, "this time we only have to carry ONE of you."

Willow chucked her napkin at him in mock outrage. "I can't BELIEVE you just called your mate fat! When she wakes up she's going to want a piece of you!"

"And you can bet I'll get a piece too!" The table erupted in laughter, setting the tone for another day.

-

Reggie was almost to his room when he realized he had forgotten to ask his Mom how best to get Josi to allow him to link her so he could apologize. He knew she was busy with Dad, so instead of using the link he walked back to their office. He was almost there when his mom's voice stopped him.

"HE'S YOUR DAUGHTER'S MATE!"

"He's dead to me now."

Reggie paled, he didn't know it was THIS bad. Rachel was not going to take this well, if he acted like that she would have to make a choice, and he knew which one HE would make now that he had a mate.

"He used to be human, Richard. He's bound to look at this differently than a born wolf."

"He was Pack, he had a wolf and a rank. He accepted all that when he was changed, and he damn well knew what he was doing when he did it. He wants to make Alpha decisions, he can be his own fucking Alpha."

"I know he did it wrong, but I understand why he did it. He's a healer, it's what he does. You knew how bad it was, didn't you. You never told me what you saw when he took you to the clinic." Reggie shivered outside the door, he had seen it and he knew. "Those are our friends, our neighbors that are dying up there."

"They aren't werewolves, they are human and should stay that way. Just like Marcus should have stayed that way. I don't know what the hell Luna was thinking. She should keep the mate bond among wolves, humans are too weak and will never fit in."

Reggie was in shock as he heard this, his fists clenched and he barely resisted the impulse to barge in there and defend his mate.

"How can you say that? Both your son and your daughter have human mates, are you saying Luna made a mistake with them? That somehow they aren't worthy of them?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. This wouldn't have come to this point if Rachel had found a good wolf in another Pack to settle down with."

Reggie's wolf was forward in his mind, he wanted blood. He pushed his wolf back, knowing this wasn't the time or the way. It took him a few seconds to get control of himself, then he walked back down the hallway to his room. Closing the door, he sank down on the carpet, his head in his hands. It all became clear to him- with his father and Alpha feeling this way, there was no way he would raise his family in this Pack. He had to leave, or he had to challenge his father for his position.

He reached out over the bond for Josi, but her walls were still up and he couldn't get through. He needed her so bad right now, the decision he made would affect them both and he wanted to talk to her first. Giving up, he was about to reach out to Rachel when the Alpha's announcement came over the Pack bond.

"Marcus Mendez has betrayed his Alpha and his Pack. He has changed humans without consent and without permission, an act that is against Pack and Council laws and my express command. He is declared rogue, and is to be killed on sight by any Pack member who finds him. All fighters are to meet at my house at sundown, we will rid this territory of him tonight."

His wolf howled in anguish, he was close to his brother in law and he didn't deserve this. He could be banished, but to hunt him down and have the Pack kill him was not justice, it was revenge.

It was weakness.

Reggie mulled it over, using the Pack was the move of a man who was scared, who was just holding on. If he wasn't a threat to Richard as Alpha, then kicking him out of the territory would be enough.

He called Marcus weak, but he was not. He was a warrior before he was changed, and despite his handicaps he was a fearsome fighter when threatened. The fact that he was a healer first didn't change that he was a dangerous wolf in a fight. And his mate, she was a force as well.

"RACHEL!" Reggie blasted over the bond. It opened to him, the family bond allowed him to feel some of the anguish she was in right now.

"Reggie..." She could barely compose herself, she was crying so hard.

"Uncle Reggie, why is Mom so sad?" Raven's link broke his heart, the little ones weren't on the Pack communication and she had no idea what was happening to their family right now.

"Your Mom needs a hug right now, all right?" He shut down the bond with her so he could focus on his sister. "Rachel, you heard the announcement, right?"

He had to wait, he could feel her pain over the bond and it was breaking his heart. "Why... why would he do this to me?" Killing her mate was the equivalent of killing her; even if she didn't die because she needed to raise Raven, she would never be the same. Widows were just shells of what they were before, the loss ripped away any ability to have happiness and love again. Many chose to follow their mates to the moon instead of leading such a life.

"He's afraid, sis. He's afraid the Pack will line up behind Marcus if he were to give him a chance to speak. This way, he can frame it as Marcus going against the Pack, not going against him as Alpha. He won't give him the honor of a challenge."

She wailed again over the bond, this was destroying her as she felt her family being ripped apart. He waited until she had recovered a little before continuing. "I overheard some things Dad said after I left. He... he thinks humans are inferior, that even changed humans aren't as good as born werewolves. He said none of this would have happened if you had found a nice wolf from another pack to settle down with."

Her sorrow was quickly replaced by anger. "Luna doesn't make mistakes. Marcus is a good wolf, a good man. I could want no other. Who the hell is he to think that he can make that distinction?"

"He said the same about Josi, he doesn't want his line polluted with humans." He paused. "I can't stay on as his Beta and heir knowing what he feels about my mate. I have to do it."

"You aren't strong enough yet, Reggie. If you step in that circle with him, he will kill you."

"I'm hoping it won't go that far." Reggie paused for a moment. "I know Mom is against this, she is absolutely fuming that Richard is doing this to her family."

"Well, I can't wait around to find out. I'm going to my mate. If he wants to kill him, he'll have to come through me."

"He must get through me first, Rachel. I will stand with you, even if it costs us everything."

She paused. "I love you, Reggie."

"I love you too, sis. We'll get through this." He closed the bond before he finished his thought. "At what cost, I don't know." He laid down on his bed, closing his eyes he kept trying to get through to Josi without success.

Meanwhile, Rachel had gotten off the floor in front of her couch and was hugging Raven as if her life depended on it. The scenarios went through her head, but they were all bad. If the Pack turned against him at Richard's order, nothing she could do would save him.

"Marcus?" she pleaded over the link.

"Rachel, love, what is wrong?" He sounded like he had just woken up, which he had.

"It's the Alpha... he issued a kill order on you. The Pack will be coming for you tonight, unless we can stop them. You have to run, Marcus. If they all come I can't stop them. You need to run, and run NOW."

She felt his anger, then hopelessness. "Why, baby? Why would he do this?"

"He thinks humans are inferior and turned humans aren't much better. You disobeying him challenged his authority. Reggie thinks he is afraid of an open challenge, so he's using the Pack instead."

There was a long pause before he replied. "I can't leave here, baby. Much of what is left of this town is here, and they need me to care for them. If I leave them behind, what will happen to them?" There wasn't an answer, because he knew what the answer was. "They need me here."

"Take them with you. Do whatever you need, but get out of there today. Cover your skin, put on thick glasses, whatever it takes, but get OUT OF THERE NOW! Baby, I couldn't take it if you were gone."

"You're right, of course." He pinched his eyes closed as he thought. "I'll do what I can. What about Josi? Does she know?"

"No, she's got her walls up and Reggie is going nuts not being able to talk to her. You must take her with you, love. Reggie may have to challenge Dad, and if he is killed she will need someone to take care of her change, to bring her wolf through this."

"And if Richard wins, she's as good as dead anyway." He grit his teeth, his act of defiance was going to topple this Pack like a Jenga tower on a clumsy move. "I'll take them to North Fork, Alpha Calvin will take them in."

"I'll meet you there tonight. While he's gathering the warriors, Raven and I will leave."

"Just take the mountains, you don't want to be in the way. He could take you to force my hand." He sent his love. "We both have things to do, honey. Get some rest, it's going to be a long night. I love you."

"I love you to, baby." She closed the bond and searched for another link. "Mommy?" She could feel her pain as the link opened up.

"Rachel, baby... I'm so sorry."

"Mom... we know. Reggie heard what Dad said after he left the room."

"By Luna... oh no..."

"Yes, he knows. You have to stop him, Mom. Marcus and I are leaving, we can't stay here and let him do this. If you don't, Reggie knows what Dad thinks of Josi, and he will leave too- or he will challenge him for the Pack."

"Baby, this is MADNESS! I can't lose you all!"

Rachel sent her love, but also her determination over the bond. "Find a way to stop him, Mom. If you don't, you won't have a family by midnight."

-

Marcus got off the chair he had been resting on, there would be no sleep for him, not any time soon. He pushed himself up, moving back with a slight limp to the treatment rooms in the clinic.

"Doc, you all right?" Mrs. Perkins asked him, she had been voluntarily turned and had been pestering him to get some sleep for a while now.

"No, Agnes... it's not all right. I have to go figure some things out." He walked through the doors to the exam rooms and down the hallway to the loading dock, stepping over the people who weren't up and about. He could see the bite was helping already in their healing, though many had been close to death, they were starting to heal now. The problem would come tomorrow when everyone would start the fevers.